Every time we dress up, we tend to draw comments such as, “Where are you off to?”, or “What’s the occasion?” People associate getting styled up with special events that it has become embarrassing to dress up for no reason at all.
But since the pandemic, the context of dressing up has totally changed. Employees working from home are now expected to suit up for Zoom calls. In fact, dressing up during quarantine was highly encouraged. Clothes have become a symbol or a form of expression of what you’re supposed to do at a particular time. For example, during the day, you’d wear some makeup and put on a blazer to express that you’re about to work. Then at night, you’d change into a stylish nightgown to signify that you’re ready to call it a day.
But of course, not everyone suddenly became fashionistas during the pandemic. Many people also stopped dressing up altogether. They’ve also abandoned their makeup products. While reasonable, staying in your loungewear or pajamas all day can have some effects on your mood and mindset. Have you noticed that you tend to act lazy when you’re in your pajamas? Then feel motivated to be productive when you’re in smart casual attire with red lipstick on?
Hence, even if you won’t go anywhere or meet someone, it’s absolutely fine to play fashionista. Dressing up doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, anyway. You can still do your chores or care for your family in your cute clothes.
Dressing Up Helps Boost Confidence
If you’ve always taken pride in your fashion sense, the pandemic certainly thwarted your self-confidence. One day you were just shopping for new clothes at the mall, and the next, you couldn’t even go out, rendering your newly bought clothes useless. And you had been so excited to wear them at work.
Now that travel restrictions are starting to ease down, you can finally wear your new clothes, which will renew your self-confidence. Dressing up after a long period of a stressful event makes you feel put-together and ready to start anew. Even if there will be no grand celebration in the office, looking your best when you return to work can inspire confidence in others because of the positive energy you emit. Your power clothes are like an armor, making you prepared to face challenges.
Wearing What We Like Automatically Makes Us Feel Better
When you’ve just gone through a bad breakup, doesn’t it feel tempting to change your style and to have a haircut? After finishing a tub of ice cream in your pajamas, you’d suddenly feel the urge to take revenge by looking good. And that’s why dressing up and chopping off your locks are often signs of a fresh breakup.
A haircut after a breakup is powerful, according to Chase Kusero, hairstylist and co-founder of IGK. When women in a relationship maintain a certain hairstyle or length, it’s usually because their partners like it that way. So by having a haircut, brokenhearted women let go of the things their ex liked about them.
Clothes have the same power. When you’ve been dumped, lost a game, or failed a job interview, wearing something nice can make you feel powerful again. It triggers a change in attitude, giving you the energy to treat yourself better again. Sure, you could’ve fought for the relationship, played harder, or impressed your interviewer more, but you can’t take back the past and the only option is to move forward. And dressing up alone gives you the motivation to do just that.
Dressing Up is Who You Are
Ultimately, loving fashion is all the reason you need for dressing up. Even if you’re in a pretty good place in life, you should still exercise your stylishness to maintain your self-confidence and identity. Regardless of where you are, be it at home or the office, don’t be shy to look dapper or chic.
If you’re working in the fashion industry, it’s even more important to play dress up often. Your fashionable clothes symbolize your values, which put you in your career in the first place. So from now on, don’t wait to have an excuse to don your newest and cutest basic women’s tee and other garments. Dress stylishly whenever you feel like it. In the new normal, we should always follow our hearts with confidence and determination, because we don’t know if another pandemic will take away our freedom again.
To some, fashion is superficial and shallow. They may even frown upon “overdressed” people. But if you’re truly passionate about fashion, judgment, negative comments, and misconceptions shouldn’t dim your fire. Treat every place like your runway, no matter what others think.
