Stylist Advice

As a stylist, every day I work with clients whose love of fashion is being challenge by the pandemic and are who are searching for new ways to continue to look and feel great, even when staying home. While some days you may wonder “what’s the point?”, but it’s important to remember that dressing well doesn’t have to be for anyone but yourself, and there are many fun ways to be a stay-home fashionista. Here are some of the ways I continue to look stunning and feel fabulous while staying home and staying safe.

The number one thing I do is keep a routine of getting dressed in the morning. Staying in P.J.’s all day can sometimes be the best feeling in the world, but after while you will begin to feel sluggish and lose motivation to be productive. Of course, when spending most of your day at home you want to remain comfortable but that does not have to mean sacrificing your personal style.

Some things to think about while getting dressed in the morning are texture, silhouette, and colour.

While at home, I try and stay away from stiff fabrics such as denim, or at least true denims (although some jeans can be quite comfortable if the fabric has been treated). Look for soft fabrics like cotton, silk, model, or even acrylic. Pay attention to how the article feels on your skin and the mood it sparks when you first touch it.

The next thing I look at is silhouette, if you are someone who loves to wear more fitted and structured clothing, continue to do so. Sometimes wearing a slimmer cut or tapered article of clothing allows you to feel that sense of normality we have all been missing. I personally like to stick with silhouettes that are more flowy rather than baggie. I play around a lot with a relaxed trouser, oversized dress shirts, kimonos, and sweaters that drape over my skin.  I even remember to accessorize with silk scarves in my hair for days when I did not wash it (come on - it’s a pandemic are we still doing that everyday?).  Think Georgina Hobart played by Gwyneth Paltrow in The Politician.

Lastly when dressing in the morning think about colour. Which colours spark joy? Think about the feeling you get when you see a cheerful yellow on a gray day or how confident you feel when you throw on a deep red lipstick.  Weather you are conscious of it or it or not, colour has an important effect on our moods and how we see ourselves.

Use this time to have fun with your closet.   Challenge yourself to play around with leisure wear and what it means to you. One of the things I love most about style is that all the rules and guidelines of fashion are made to be broken. A new favourite look of mine is playing around with the ideas of formality vs. leisure, like pairing a jogger set with a relaxed-fitting tailored blazer or pairing heels or wearing a dress with an oversized hoodie pulled over top. There is no way to do lounge wear wrong if you feel amazing. 

My last piece of advice when it comes to keeping your passion and joy of fashion alive in a pandemic is over dress for everything! Who says you can’t run your essential errands in a drop dead gorgeous outfit, show off your fancy winter coat even if your just going to the pharmacy, wear your costume jewelry while visiting your friends for a social-distance hangout. Walk your dog like you are walking a runway. Fashion is about expression and there is no reason to get in the way of that.