Three Reasons Why You Should Still Get Dressed Everyday

Global pandemic or not,

fashion is still on the menu.

With nearly five months of social distancing under our belts, it’s no surprise that most of us are no longer wearing clothes that require belts, or ironing for that matter. The global pandemic has undoubtedly impacted every facet of life, including fashion. In quarantine, the need to dress with intention has been lost to the monotony of T-shirts and sweatpants, if any pants at all.

Every fashionista knows that fashion serves as the armour to survive the reality of everyday life. In the midst of a global pandemic and social unrest, we could all use some extra armour to help us navigate it all. Here are three reasons why getting dressed everyday is just as important as it was before COVID-19. 

Dress to establish a sense of normalcy. 

Feeling a lack of control is one of the biggest stressors of the pandemic and it is critical to focus on what we can control such as our attire. Getting dressed is a way to preserve a sense of normalcy when the world feels like it's spinning out of control. Clothing helps many people to transition from morning workout mode to workday to leisure to happy hour, and without having to dress up for different parts of the day, time has begun to bleed together. If before quarantine, you woke up, put on workout attire for a morning run, returned home to shower and slide on your favorite blazer for work, stick to your routine! In times plagued with uncertainty, it’s important to try and keep as much of your daily ritual intact as possible. 

Dress to express your truest self. 

Without being able to go out, with no one to impress and no reason to get dressed up, people who view clothing as a form of their personal identity have struggled with the reality of quarantine. If clothing was a big part of your life pre-quarantine, continuing to dress up each day may be vital  to keeping your identity intact. Make it a priority to continue to get dressed as a way to cope with the unique challenges of being isolated at home. Start small by choosing one day a week to get dressed or by wearing jewelry to spice up your quarantine joggers. 

Dress to improve your mood. 

According to Carolyn Mair, a behavioral psychologist and the author of “The Psychology of Fashion”, mood and clothing are interconnected.   “Unless we’re naked, our appearance is mainly made up of our clothing. Therefore, clothing is fundamental in how we are perceived. In turn, this affects our sense of self-worth and ultimately, how we see ourselves compared with others, our self-esteem,” Mair said. It’s no wonder that after a week of wearing pajamas 24/7, you may feel more sad or melancholy than you usually do. To combat this, dress in clothes and colors that make you feel good, even if no one else sees them. The clothes you wear boost your mood and may make you feel a little better during such an emotional time for us all.