Dress for Success

I am sure you have heard the phrase “dress for success” before. Essentially, it boils down to dress for the lifestyle you want; not necessarily the one you have. In this post-pandemic world we live in now, lifestyles have shifted a little. More people find themselves at home more, which in many ways is great, but can also come with some challenges. Self-limiting habits may form in these stay-at-home environments. One of them is the habit of near constantly adorning cozy home outfits. Now, I respect a good cozy outfit. I would be lying if I said I was wearing my most glamorous outfit typing this out. However, when previously you saved your cozy outfit for times of rest but now try to go about regular day to day activities, your brain becomes a bit confused. Your mind has spent years associating comfy clothes with comfy living—the hours curled up on the sofa or in your bed. So, expecting it to shift gears to matching cozy clothes with business or “responsible” tasks is not always going to go smoothly. Sometimes we need to soothe and even trick our brain into what we want to do by supporting or slowly changing the patterns it has grown accustomed to.

So, if you find yourself lacking energy or motivation throughout the days that you do not leave the house, you may find yourself overcoming these feelings by dressing yourself up a bit. You do not have to go full suit and tie, but wearing outfits that make you feel comfortable and confident could be a great place to start. Putting on a warm sweater rather than a bulky hoodie for example might be an easy switch for someone who craves the coziness of a warm wardrobe, while feeling they could be recognized at the store without fretting that they “looked a mess.”

With that said, I think it is important to note the aspect of self-confidence here. While I do not encourage excess stock in external validation or praise social norms, to some extent we are all impacted by them. If you have found yourself feeling unattractive or even simply forgotten the concept of what it feels like to really “feel” an outfit on yourself, it might be a big sign to start adding a bit more pizzazz to that daily stay-at-home look. Even if no one else will see you that day, you matter, your opinion of yourself matters, and you deserve to see yourself as you want to be seen. Throw on the necklace, paint on the lipstick, or put on that favorite dress! Whatever makes you feel confident and in love with you, is okay. So, when I say “dress for success” I mean dress in a way that will help you love you and live life confidently.