While grooming and dressing has an obvious impact when we are engaged in society, does it matter when we are practicing social distancing? I say a big YES. Looking your best goes beyond how others see you. It affects how you feel, and how you feel about yourself. If you look like a slob, you will feel like a slob. If you go days without washing your hair or stop your routine hair styling, you will likely feel like crap – just like when you are really sick and can’t wait to wash your hair again. Think of continued grooming as self-care, as protection of your mental health.

Here we are, for most of us, week two into the work from home phase…if you’re in this boat – and you are not sick – have you kept up with your hair, nails, and makeup? Hair is probably the most challenging one of all, especially for those of us that depend on professional hair coloring, but we still have options…first and foremost, keep your hair clean! Secondly, take the time to blow dry/style your hair as usual, or find a new way – headband, ponytail – to look cute with minimal effort. As for color, there are many temporary sprays that can tide us all over for a few weeks…and while it can be risky, some of us will try to color our own hair…as for me, fingers crossed that I can hold off…

And what about your daily outfit? Are you living in strictly ‘comfy’ clothes, or worse yet, pajamas???

Looking your best when you are alone contributes to a sense of control – we need that now more than ever – and a feeing of confidence. Looking your best when you are with your immediate family sends a message to them that you care about yourself, and that self-care matters. Looking your best when you are with your significant other says that you care about yourself AND you care about him/her.

Every single day of this working from home routine I have applied my regular makeup, and get dressed in a ‘serious casual’ outfit. While I am completely comfortable, I have not given up on style and I am pretty sure that hubby appreciates it.

Speaking of hubby, he is right there with me in terms of grooming upkeep – still shaving regularly and wearing nice clothes…and while I don’t have a pic to prove it, when I drop off groceries to my 87 year old father, he is always shaved and dressed in a button up shirt and khakis! 🙂

As I spoke of in a recent post, during this Covid-19 pandemic there are many aspects of life that are now out of our control. Let’s hope and pray that this unprecedented halt on social interactions is not for too long and that we are soon back in restaurants, going to work, and attending happy events. In the meantime, consider kicking it up a notch when you get dressed in the morning – you just might be surprised at how it lifts your spirits. 🙂

Be well everyone.