Five ways to avoid slipping into a style rut during lockdown
Are you struggling to know what to wear during isolation? Need help to get your wardrobe back on track? Here are five ways you can avoid slipping into a style rut during lockdown.
We are now in week six of isolation, and our motivation to get up and dressed every morning may, unsurprisingly, be starting to wane. It would be easy to give up entirely and slide into ‘Slobsville’ but we know deep down that isn’t going to help us get through the next few weeks.
What we choose to wear every day is about so much more than just the clothes. There is scientific proof that our appearance has a direct effect on our mood (this is called Enclothed Cognition).
I know from my own personal ‘beige’ period that spending a lot of time on the sofa in your pyjamas, which I did on my first maternity leave, doesn’t make you feel great.
I’m not suggesting that you dress up in your finest attire, fully made up every day; although if that makes you happy, go for it! What I am suggesting though, are the little things you can do which will make a big difference to how you feel and will go a long way to putting you in a positive frame of mind.
This isn’t about grand gestures or spending a fortune on cashmere lounge wear. This is about a few easy ways you can focus on caring for yourself and making a teeny bit of effort to stay stylish and inspired in these challenging times.
Here are five tips to help you.
1) Don’t stay in your pyjamas
Tempting as it is to not get dressed when you’re home, wearing pyjamas all day is a big no no. Like I say, I tried this and it doesn’t work. You need to shift your mindset from bed to day and your brain will not be in daytime or work mode unless you get up and dress…even if dressed is your gym kit!
2) Shop your wardrobe
Go through your whole wardrobe and assess what you have that’s suitable to wear at home. Yes, there will be many items that aren’t appropriate but if you dig a little deeper you may be surprised at what you have. This period gives us time to reflect and experiment with our style.
If you would like some help to do this, take my free five-day shake up your wardrobe challenge.
3) Choose mood boosting colours
Bright and vibrant shades really do lift your mood. This is especially important if you are doing lots of video calls. Black can be harsh and draining and can make you feel and look washed out.
Choose shades that flatter your skin tone and if you are not a fan of brights a soft neutral colour will do. Here’s an article with some more tips on how to dress for video calls.
4) Wear accessories that matter
I’m not suggesting you pile on the accessories when working from home but a few items can make a difference to how you feel.
If you are feeling particularly stressed and anxious, wearing jewellery that a loved one has given you can boost your mood. A bright scarf or necklace is a good way to inject colour and interest when on video calls too.
5) Have a different wardrobe for work
Having separate ‘work’ outfits will not only help you get into work mode it will also help you disengage from it. Changing outfits when you have finished work will stop the lines blurring between work and home which is so important for your mental load.
Love more Coronavirus style tips? Download Sally’s handy guide 20 Ways to Avoid Falling into a style Rut during Lockdown.
Photo by Sarah Brown
