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| cute + comfy //wearing basics, gold accessories, stylish flats and statement handbag |
I'm here to make the case for why you should give up the habit of wearing unattractive house clothes, even if you have no where to go. Let me first start off by saying that I've violated this rule ever since I began working from home full time. And I've suffered major consequences because of it. At first, I thought it was cool not to have to get up and get ready for work. But, as time passed, I realized that not doing so was not beneficial. Learn from my mistakes so you don't fall into the trap of looking like a house-bum.
Reason #1: Undetected Weight Gain.
There a couple indicators of weight gain. The first is what your bathroom scale tells you. But, if you've decided not to weigh yourself on a regular basis (like I have), you have to rely on other signs, like how your clothes feel. Typically, the clothes you change into when you're at home are much more casual and loose fitting. This allows you to gain a little here and there without causing much alarm. I didn't really realize the couple of pounds I put on until, I started working in my "normal clothes." And, the more weight you put on, the more you are likely to reach for loose fitting clothes. Then the vicious cycle begins. Wearing my nicer close raises the level of awareness of my body. Comfy house clothes are designed to feel effortless and undetected. This could work against you if you spend a lot of time at home.
Reason #2: You slowly turn into a home body.
When you automatically change into house clothes, you send yourself a signal that you're gonna be home for the day (or weekend). Your mind goes into "sleep mode." It's the complete opposite when you dress up. Especially if you go all out and apply minimal make up and wear your favorite scent. After you're done with your household stuff, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and think to yourself "I'm looking good, maybe I go visit friends, or attend an event."
Reason #3: You're less likely to dress up when you leave the house.
Once I got comfortable wearing house clothes as a daily affair, I'd put very little effort to put myself together whenever I left the house. Sure I'd dress up if I had somewhere special to go, but if I was making a quick trip to the store, I made little additional effort to look presentable (thank God, I didn't run into anyone from the past). But, on the other hand, if I invested a few extra minutes, each morning, to execute my signature casual look, I found myself doing even more before leaving the house. By then, I really looked like I had put in more effort than I actually did. The absolute best way to practice looking your best on a daily basis is to look presentable even when you're at home.
Reason #4: You walk around the house feeling uninspired.
Your life consists of (a) the time you spend at work (b) the time you spend at home (c) the time doing outside activities. You're probably the most productive while you're at work. The time at home, is likely on the other end of the productivity scale. You might be thinking that your time at home should be for decompressing and not necessarily for productivity. But I'd like to challenge your thinking for a minute. If there are aspects of your life that you want to alter, the only time you can really affect this is when you're at home. Work time is already accounted for by your employer. So if want to change your life, you've got to use your personal time to do that. But if you're in "lounge mode" whenever you're at home, you aren't using the time to create your new future.
If you dress well, even while at home, you raise your level of awareness about all the additional time you have available to you. If you're at home dressed, with freshly painted nails, while wearing your favorite scent, you might think to yourself "let me check out ideas to launch my business" instead of "I wonder what reality shows are on."
Reason #5. Dressing well alters your life.
I have a theory that people who present their best selves (physically) actually have different experiences from others who don't. I think human beings are drawn to attractive people. Attractive doesn't just mean being born with the perfect features. I define attractive as (a)someone who invests time in their personal appearance and (2) someone with a charismatic personality. People respond to others who present themselves as "attractive." I've experienced this myself. When I nurture my appearance, strangers are more friendly and attentive. Opportunities seem to present themselves to me.
You've had this experience too. If not, I urge you to test this theory for yourself. Imagine what happens when you multiply those small benefits day after day. Our lives are comprised of what happens to us every day. Why not experience a life of feeling good about how you look, day in and day out. Walking around in full confidence and positive anticipation of what's ahead absolutely has an effect on how you lead your day.
When I talk about looking presentable, even at home, I don't necessarily mean that you have to wear formal clothes on your days off. It's up to you decide what works best for you. Just try to avoid defaulting to t-shirts and sweats. Start with the basics like wearing minimal makeup, a light fragrance an your favorite accessories. From there, you'll find it easy to elevate your personal appearance, even if you have no where to go.
