Amy's Tips for Dressing During Social Isolation
I got this quote in my in-box today:
“I think that when you get dressed in the morning, sometimes you’re really making a decision about your behavior for the day. Like if you put on flipflops, you’re saying: ‘Hope I don’t get chased today.’ —Demetri Martin
It couldn’t be more perfect, especially as I sit here in my PJ top (granted it is a Gap long sleeve t-shirt, easily mistaken for one of my Alexander Wang ones that would qualify as real clothes) and my sweatpants.
But quarantine-dressing aside, getting dressed and choosing what to wear has always been a form of self-expression and even a self-fulfilling prophesy as in “dress for the position you want.” It’s definitely a way for me to express myself. As I’ve mentioned before, I find my wardrobe is a way to highlight different parts of who I am and who I want to be that day.
I have my “stylist” clothing, my “political” clothing, my “take the dog for a walk clothes” and my “carpool” clothes. Now I struggle to find what my uniform is on a daily basis as most of my days are spent inside with my family, and I feel somewhat challenged to stay connected to the other parts of who I am.
I am, like I’m sure many of you, stuck in the no-mans land of what to wear. I feel subtly pressured by the posts of beautiful people in beautiful outfits, stylishly embracing isolation. But rather than focus on my own fashion short falls during this period, I’m leaning more towards the advice of self-care and introspection.
So, here’s my personal list of How to Live and Dress for Social Isolation:
Every morning is a chance to start a new day. I feel lucky for that chance, and no matter what I did or didn’t accomplish the day before, I have the next morning to start fresh.
Even if I don’t put on a fabulous outfit, I will probably put on work out clothes to prepare for an invigorating walk outside with the dog and a workout during the day. There are so many great workouts online and most of the local studios are offering zoom classes. My mat pilates with Oxygen have been a saving grace.
Friday nights the whole family gets dressed for a family dinner. Even though they’re all family dinners these days, we’ve always had the tradition of trying to make Friday nights special. The emphasis here is on getting dressed.
In addition, I try at least once a week to actually get dressed. It’s a good reminder of who I am, what I look like in “real” clothes and a check in just to make sure everything still fits!
This is the perfect time to tackle fashion/closet related projects:
Go through all of your drawers and closets (not all at once) and make those piles of toss, give away, consign and keep. Did you know that The Epilepsy Foundation and BigBrother will pick up your donations curbside?
Do the same thing with jewelry and accessories. Use jewelry cleaner on any jewelry that is tarnished.
Do the same thing with your shoes. Get some black polish and clean up any scuffs on your black shoes.
Clean up your underwear, bras and socks. Anything that is worn, get rid off. (Wow, now my socks all fit in the drawer now!)
Reach out to friends and family. I’ve had a chance to reconnect with people I haven’t talked to in a long time now that I’m not driving to activities all day.
I’m thinking of finding myself some of those comfortable yet chic lounge outfits. (That sounds better than matching sweatshirts and sweatpants). I’ll keep you posted on what I find. And of course, if you’d like some virtual company and/or assistance with anything closet related, I’m here for you through Unfoldid.
In the meantime, stay safe and sane!
All my love,
Amy