When you are stuck in lockdown or you are spending all day caring for someone else, it can easy to let your style slip.  While you might not need smart suits and high heels during lockdown, and they just aren’t practical when you need to assist someone with daily activities, you can and should be practical and stylish.  

When we aren’t seeing people every day, it can be tempting to let everything go and just throw on a baggy sweater and be done with it.  However, while it might be easy, it isn’t a good thing to get into the habit of doing.

Here’s 3 reasons why you should make an effort to be stylish each day.

What you wear affects you mood.

If you have ever had a day when you felt blah and threw on jeans and a baggy top, or lounged around in your pyjamas all day, you will know that your mood affects what you wear. But did you know that the opposite is also true. Research has shown that what you wear affects your mood.
Rather than dressing for the mood you have, dress for the mood you want. Choosing colourful clothes that fit well and flatter can make you happier.

What you wear affects you what you eat.

I was surprised when I first heard this, but research has shown that what you wear affects not only what, but how much you eat. Dressing up can help you eat more healthily and wearing revealing rather than baggy clothes can reduce how much you eat. If you are struggling to feel motivate to put together a healthy meal, or are snacking too much, try wearing something more fitted.

What you wear can balance your need for consistency and variety.

Research has shown that we need a balance between variety and consistency in our life.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with your caring responsibilities, whether that’s home schooling orcaring for a loved one, or due to financial pressure and constraints, finding a go-to “uniform” that you can put on each day that has you looking good and feeling great can help reduce feelings of overwhelm.

If on the other hand you have your routine down pat, you may need to introduce some variety into your life. Even when we are time poor, we still need to get dressed. Rather than simply throwing on the first available outfit, taking a few extra seconds to create a new outfit can help fulfil that need for variety. Challenge yourself wear an item you haven’t worn for a while, add an accessory, or wear colours that you wouldn’t normally wear together and see how it makes you feel. Not every outfit will be a winner, but you will be sure to discover some new favourites if you keep exploring.

Have fun exploring your wardrobe.  I would love to hear how you go. Drop a note in the comments, send me an email or join my private Facebook community.

Final Words

You can also find a version of this article in the Caring Companion along with a range of other other awesome articles.