Fashion in the time of the pajama syndrome

Fashion is the armor to survive everyday life……Bill Cunningham

This might seem like an odd time to talk about fashion, but on the other hand, it’s a conversation that might be perfect for our lives at the moment. How you may ask? There are many on WFH Zooming every day with co-workers. And depending on where you live, those continuing to stay in with limited outside exposure. Some might not have to go out at all. There is a massive variety of food that can be delivered every day. Those that do go out are hopping into their cars, making multiple stops along the way, never leaving the driver’s seat. Only popping the lid to their trunk for loading. No roaming the grocery store aisles. And no having to get dressed for the veggies, or anything else. Which brings us to “what are you wearing around the house, these days?”

We have all seen the movie Ground Hog Day. Every day is a repeat of the day before and right now our lives are pretty much like the movie. But, wait. We can change the channel and we should. We have all experienced emotional roadblocks in our lives. We stayed in our pajamas, or put on old comfy sweats. No makeup, bearly a shower. And where did that get us – into the kitchen to do a little overeating! When you think back about those times it was usually a girlfriend getting you out of the house and back in a more positive frame of mind. Right. Unfortunately, that scenario is most likely not going to happen right now, so, it is up to us to do a little self-motivating. Where do we find this motivation? In the closet!

Get back into the closet

How long has it been since you went into your closet with a purpose, other than to put away your laundry? I wish I could remember the blog that talked about dressing up in her party clothes. She did this a few times a week and she talked about how it would totally change her attitude for the day. You don’t need to dress in your party clothes to feel good. But, dressing daily, in a fresh outfit is vital to your mental health and to helping you stay positive.

And, come on; who doesn’t like to play dress-up? How many outfits are sitting in the closet that you have never worn or worn once? Since we are playing dress-up, let’s go shopping. I know we have all missed it. So, let’s shop your closet! Let’s dig deep into those dark recesses and start pulling out those tops, bottoms, skirts, and dresses. Now, don’t get confused here with all this activity. We are not playing dress-up with Marie Kondo. Yes, we’ll start to spark joy when we’re dressed. Let’s instead bring worth our inner stylest. I know you have seen that woman who always looks, not only pulled together but in the most unique outfits. Pieces you would never think to put together. Let’s channel her and see what we come up with.

Be daring, now is the perfect time to step it up. Put together a few different outfits that you can wear over the next couple of days. Yes, you can be stylish, but you do want to be comfortable. If you put on an outfit that constricts you or doesn’t feel right, you’ll be heading back to the pajamas before you know it. Dressing up helps us feel in control. When you are dressed properly you are automatically more active. You’re less likely to end up on the couch in your nice outfit

The psychology of dressing up

As women we know when an outfit, a piece of jewelry or our hair is not up to par. If we don’t fix it before we leave the house, we’ll end up fidgeting with it the entire time. We’ll make excuses for how we look or bring attention to what would go unnoticed into the conversation. This is a human response to how we present ourselves to other people. What about how we present to ourself’s?

How you dress can make you feel different on a number of levels. Confident. Insecure. Alluring. Happy. You’re most likely home alone, so what does it matter? But, later in the day, there could be a Zoom/meeting, or face time with friends and family. And you find yourself apologizing for your appearance. You feel sloppy, maybe no make-up. Hair all over the place. This scene is not good, even if we are alone and only talking to yourselves!

How you dress makes you feel productive. Upping your daily wardrobe game in lockdown is important for your morale and state of mind. The look can be as simple as a good pair of leggings and a cashmere sweater, hair combed, simple pair of earrings, sneaks instead of slippers. Just going for the cashmere will up your game.

Storytime… My husband and I ordered the delivery of a special dinner for two single friends that live, similar lives in the same apartment building. The chef is a very special and talented guy and the food is beyond compare. We let them know the day and delivery time. Of course, they would have dinner together. Friend C is a designer and, not to disappoint, the table was set to the nines. The good china, crystal stemware, linen napkins, candlelight, and a bottle of champagne. Friend L swooshed into the apartment in a vintage 1960s caftan, fabulous earrings, hair and makeup perfect. It was a girl’s night in…in perfection. Besides the delicious food, there was the high of the experience. And both said it was so uplifting to dress the table and themselves. The good vibe lasted for days.

House Rules to Follow

Rule Number One…Get up and get dressed. Pick out a cute outfit for the day ahead. Rule Number Two…Step away from the couch! Even if you have your laptop and plan on working – It’s a trap, its too cozy, too relaxed. If you get too comfortable, you might not get up until it’s too late! Rule Number Three…Have a lunch date with yourself. Just don’t stand there. Set a place for yourself. Eat at the table or the bar. You can invite a friend and face time. Rule Number Four…During the day – NO Netflix. NO TV. NO Amazon on your laptop. Listen to a podcast on self-motivation. It’s healthier and you could do a few jumping jacks to really get your self going in a good direction.

I love the quote above by Bill Cunningham. Bill was a very successful fashion photographer for the New York Times. He was actually the first fashion photographer to capture ‘street fashion,’ which is widely popular today. His quote talks about fashion as armor. It can be armor for the outside world, but for us, in this post, I’m thinking of it more as emotional armor, for the inside world. It is very important at this time for all of us to up the level of self-care. We all know how good it feels when we look good.

Let’s get back into a routine, add a little structure to your day…Get Dressed! A change of clothes translates, over time, to a change of mindset. It returns a part of the day back to more normal times. Plus, we’re never too old to play dress-up. xo

What’s your daily outfit look like?