Are you lacking motivation for getting dressed? If so, you’re not alone. Being at home for months can wreak havoc with your energy to get up, get dressed and get moving with your day. And when energy wavers, the easiest thing to toss aside is taking the time to put on a cute outfit. But, taking the time to get dressed is worth it. Why?
It sets an intentional tone for your day – whether it’s back-to-back Zoom calls or keeping your kids occupied or checking in on extended family – or all three.
It can actually increase your motivation when you’re happy with what you see in the mirror.
It’s a form of self-care – and with everything going on in the world, self-care is paramount in moving forward and staying focused on your priorities.
When you feel good about yourself, you’re more likely to do good.
But even when you know these reasons, they may not matter all that much when you’re in your underwear, standing in front of your closet and can’t decide what the heck to wear. So, here are a few simple strategies for those days when you’re just not motivated to get dressed.
CREATE UNIFORMS
No, I’m not saying to go out and buy five of the same tops and bottoms and wear them Monday – Friday. What I am asking is that you come up with some uniform concepts that work for your life, so that you’re not contemplating your entire wardrobe every morning.
What’s a uniform? It’s different outfits made up of similar pieces, so that you can create distinct looks without reinventing the wheel every day. A few easy summer uniform ideas are:
Striped top, solid shorts & sneakers – this is perfect if you’re running around with the kids and your day is pretty active.
Solid knit dress & sandals – an ideal outfit that takes you from day to night (click here for my favorite dress for summer!).
Print blouse & jeans – if you’re inside on video calls all day, this feels work-appropriate but not fussy.
And once you have some uniform ideas, you can use them as it makes sense for your day, or even just run with one for a handful of days in a row (I’ve been wearing a striped sweater, solid shorts and white sneakers all week!).
My client wanted easy spring outfits for her business casual office, so I created a bunch of looks based in print dresses & denim jackets.
WEAR WHAT YOU’VE WORN BEFORE
I don’t advocate getting into a style rut by wearing the exact same outfits over and over, but on days that you just can’t pull it together, wear an outfit that you’ve already worn before. It’s totally ok to put your favorite outfits on repeat – especially now, when you’re not heading to the office every day (read this for a few ways to get out of a style rut).
If you can’t remember your favorite outfits, get into the habit of taking selfies. Any day that you like what you pulled together, snap a photo in the mirror and start saving these to a file in your phone. Soon enough, you’ll have a collection of looks to refer to any time that you’re not feeling motivated.
During this client’s closet audit, we created a handful of outfits from styles that were already in her closet - so she had new outfits without doing any shopping!
START SIMPLE & ADD ACCESSORIES
Many of my clients prefer a simpler style that doesn’t depend on bright colors or bold prints or layers for interest. But in order to create complete and finished outfits, I show them how to start with something simple and still create an interesting, pulled together look – and that’s often accomplished with accessories.
Accessories are a great way to elevate an outfit comprised of basic pieces. And the best thing is that you can pick one main accessory to be the ‘star’ of your look (click here for a few outfits I took from simple to stellar by switching accessories). Here are a few ideas:
If you’re wearing a plain, neutral top for a Zoom call, put on some fun earrings.
When you can’t think beyond white jeans and a denim shirt, grab a print sandal to add life to your look.
If a solid t-shirt dress is your summer go-to, add an attention-getting pendant necklace to show your style.
This client loves blazer and jeans looks, so to add spice to an otherwise solid outfit, we added one of her amazing necklaces.
Do you feel like your style has fallen by the wayside during shelter-in-place? Check out my newest virtual service, Style Portfolio – we’ll define your style (in words and pictures) and create a strategy for you to express your style in a way that works for your lifestyle. Read this for more information on Style Portfolio and contact me if you’d like to discuss all the ways we can work together.