All dressed up and nowhere to go.
After almost a year of staying at home in our favorite pajamas, dressing up—whether to go to work, school, or even the mall—is something most of us really miss. From having a solid hairstyling and makeup routine, we’ve eliminated such practices in order to adapt with our new normal.
The late Karl Lagerfeld once said, “sweatpants are a sign of defeat.” And while he is far from the truth, dressing up (in anything other than our pambahays) can actually help us feel happier and better about ourselves. Dr. Tracy Thomas, emotional scientist, psychologist and interventionist, says exerting a little bit of effort into the way we look is “one of the most important things people can do for their emotional, mental and psychological health”, according to HuffPost.
Here are some reasons why you should dress up even at home:
It Helps You Build A Routine
According to Dr. Marc Reyes, licensed psychologist and a professor at the University of Santo Tomas, keeping up with a routine can help with one’s mental health. While there are no studies on the actual effects of dressing up, the routine of getting ready for your day may actually boost your mood and help with your mental well-being!
It Helps You Be More Productive
According to a 2012 study, our clothes can actually affect our performance. By associating certain qualities to certain items of clothing, it influences how we act. Truly, you are what you wear.
It Gives You A Sense Of Normalcy
Remember the “old” normal when you used to dress up and get ready everyday for work or to go out? All of that disappeared when the pandemic took over. But by doing things we used to do pre-pandemic aka, dressing up daily, it actually gives us the feeling of the “old” normal back.
It Helps Set Boundaries
For most, the work-from-home set up has blurred the lines between professional and personal which causes the feeling of burn-out. Dressing up for work can actually help you better establish boundaries between work and personal time. Also, setting boundaries is good for your mental health, according to Dr. Reyes.
It Improves Self-image
We feel better when we look good. And, whether we want to admit it or not, appearances do matter. Dressing up and getting ready, even at home can help us feel more confident with ourselves. Even putting on makeup helps. From a simple red lip to the full-on glam, dressing up and getting ready helps boost our mood and get us ready for our day.
Although we’re still under quarantine, dressing up is a form of self-care. Whether you decide to go all out or just put on your favorite top today, always remember to dress up for yourself!
