Lou Stokes“No matter how you feel today, get up, dress up & show up”
Paulo Coelho
What a year 2020 has been! The whole world has been turned upside down and stuck at home with very little freedom to go out and enjoy life. We’re not seeing friends, going to work or going out for dinner like we used to. So you are probably asking yourself “why even bother getting dressed?”.
Over the last nine months I’m sure we have all questioned our personal style as we fluctuated between pyjamas, track pants and perhaps the odd blouse for zoom calls.
Is this really the time to let ourselves go and stop caring about what we wear? This pandemic may be the perfect excuse to slob out, however, it could also be the perfect time to discover the true power of clothes.
Clothes are powerful and getting dressed is an act of self love
What you wear has a lot to do with how you feel, so in times of turmoil getting dressed intentionally can really help you to feel more inspired and empowered in your body, even if you are just at home. When you get dressed and ready it actually does something to your brain which makes you feel different and have a better work day.
I’m not saying you need to put your power suit on everyday, but making an effort for YOU is SO IMPORTANT. A nice skirt and top, or a pair of jeans and stylish blouse does wonders for how you feel about yourself and sets the tone for your day.
What you wear can make you more productive
If we are sitting around in our pajamas and yoga pants all day, we will naturally have “pajama productivity.”
Various scientific studies have shown that our clothes can not only alter the way we feel, but change how we act as well. The experiments around the concept of “Enclothed Cognition” show a measurable impact on attentiveness and problem solving.
So by putting on a nice top and maybe a jacket and some mascara you not only bring a bit of joy to yourself, you can also feel great for having checked off that to-do list.
Here are my 3 tips to empower you to get dressed everyday even when you are not leaving the house
1. Ask yourself “How do I want to feel today?”
If your answer to that question is “confident and energetic” then you’ll definitely want to change out of your pyjamas. Look at your wardrobe and put on whatever makes you feel incredible. The worst thing in the world is to be on autopilot and just grab whatever is at hand every morning.
Become more intentional even if you are at home, it makes a huge difference on so many levels.
2. Get dressed for you
I have heard the “why bother getting dressed” phrase over and over again in the last 9 months… It doesn’t matter if you are not going out, not seeing anyone and just meeting through Zoom, because style and getting dressed is an act of self love.
The way we dress is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves, it’s way more powerful than we think. Taking care of yourself is your number one priority especially right now, so why not make getting dressed part of your self love practices.
Your focus should be on how you want to feel rather than whether you are going out and seeing others or not.
3. Make it playtime
Have some fun, after all style is self expression and a way of communicating not just to the world but also to ourselves, check out this article on what our style says about ourselves.
As we are at home more now it is a great time to try stuff on, experiment and take a few risks…
- try different colours together
- wear your hair in a different way
Why not put on your favourite dress for that zoom work call?
Or strut around your home in your Jimmy Choo’s just for fun?
If it feels good, do it!
Make the most of and enjoy the things you already have in your wardrobe and think about different ways you can wear them. This is more important than ever right now, rather than consuming new items. Pay more attention to the specific pieces that make you feel happy, confident, and, really, more yourself.
Allowing yourself to be light hearted and to have fun with getting dressed is totally ok in these times, it doesn’t all have to be doom and gloom.
Let’s stop making excuses to not show up as the best version of ourselves. Use this time to get creative and discover what style means to you. This is the time to do it.
If you need guidance on how to cultivate your unique style book a coffee chat with me, or join my Facebook group for support.
Add comment