Post-Covid Wardrobe Troubles
As we transition out of a pandemic, you may be feeling overwhelmed about your wardrobe. Most of 2020 was spent in athleisure and pajamas. So now we are depending on our 2019 wardrobe to support us as we transition to our new normal. If this sounds concerning, I would agree with you.
The upside is that currently we are all struggling with what to wear. Our current wardrobe clearly needs some updating but we’re also not sure how to proceed. Many of us are finding that our wardrobe needs are different than they were Pre-Covid. We need to define those first, clean out what we no longer need, and then figure out what will be most versatile to add as we go forward.
Most of us will find that we need some hybrid of the wardrobe we use to have and the one we have now. That means we need polished outfits we can wear to work and events as well as the more comfortable clothing we have become accustomed to wearing in order to live life. How much of each wardrobe you’ll need will depend on your personal situation.
Most likely how you think about your wardrobe has changed over the last year and a half. I’m completely out of practice when it comes to getting ready to go out. I have clothes hanging in my closet that I haven’t worn in so long that I don’t even know how they will fit. I use to know every inch of my closet. I could formulate outfits in my head. Now I have to try on everything because I can’t be sure how it will fit, how it will look and how I will accessorize it (shoes, bag, jacket, jewelry).
How have your shopping and getting dressed habits changed as a result of Covid? It seems that there’s alot more retail advertising happening through social media. And it’s too easy to click on something that looks cute and before you know it, that item is on its way to your home. The world of one click purchasing is both extremely convenient and the worst thing to ever happen to us. As a result of these quick purchases, we are filling our wardrobes with clothing that might not make the most sense for us. We’re dressing the top half of our bodies for zoom meetings and living in pajama pants. Our online shopping habit is resulting in not finding the best fit because we can’t try on items first and so instead, we’re just accepting the “good enough” version of our wardrobe.
So let’s start with making versatility and fit key to moving forward. Having a versatile wardrobe will allow you to make the most of the pieces that you have when it comes to wearing them in multiple situations. For example, you want to look for a sweater or a blazer that can be dressed down with jeans and dressed up with a skirt. You want to scan your current wardrobe for items that can be mixed and matched. Then look for the missing pieces that could round out your wardrobe to fit your needs. And while you’re at it, TRY your clothes on! Bodies change. Clothes may not fit the same way that they did last year. Be critical of your clothes. You want items to fit properly. Items that are too big can look unpolished, even sloppy. Items that are too small can make you look uncomfortable. A perfect fit can go a long way to making you look put together for any occasion.
I know we’ve had a hell of a time getting through this. We can look pull together and still be comfortable. We can find balance in our wardrobe that will help us get through this next phase. As we move forward, let’s start to pull ourselves out of the fog and get to looking like the fantastic kick butt women we are.