Should you be dressing for the job you want even in lockdown? Can what we choose to wear while working at home affect our mood, behavior, and productivity?
The adage “dress for the job you want not the job you have” encourages people to look their best in order to project a persona of confidence on the people around them. However, due to coronavirus a lot of people don’t feel the need to dress up or make an effort to look presentable since they won’t be leaving the house.
I believe in looking your best at all times. The act of dressing up itself, is an act of self-love and appreciation. Looking presentable should not just be reserved for impressing those around us or posting on Instagram. Dressing for success boosts your confidence and helps you to be productive as well so why not do it for ourselves?
How the Lockdown Affected Our Dressing Sense
As the pandemic hit us hard, the government mandated lockdowns across the nation. Everyone had 
to transition from going to the workplace every day to working at home – a unique situation for most of us. As there was no need to look well-dressed to others due to all of the virtual meetings, a lot of people began dressing more informally and some even stayed in their pajamas. Perhaps to cope with all of the changes the pandemic brought on, most people sought comfort.
With comfort in mind, loungewear and activewear were the two types of clothing styles being marketed to the public. Although, those styles of clothing make us feel cozy, do they inspire us to work hard? Or does dressing down affect our mental-health?
How Your Attitude is Affected by What You Wear
Ever notice whenever you try to look your absolute best you feel so good about yourself? When we wear what makes us look and feel beautiful, the act instantly enhances our mood. My maroon coat paired with black dress pants and a pair of leopard-print shoes make me feel chic, trendy, powerful and ready to take on the world. Even if I have nowhere to go, how I feel when I dress well motivates me to accomplish even more.
The clothes we choose to wear can definitely influence our mental health. Since people have not been able to leave the house for a while now, it’s easy to feel miserable and just live in sweatpants. But that does not have to be the case. We can take steps to feeling better just by trying to look put-together. Psychologists suggest sticking to your pre-pandemic routine during lockdown to help cope with all of the changes. So, try wearing a professional trendy attire to breakfast with your family and your zoom meetings. Your mood will instantly improve and might even make you want to work harder during those virtual meetings.
Why You Should Dress Up
Setting aside an outfit and your favorite accessories the night before can boost your self-esteem in the morning. As you start dressing up for the job you want even in lockdown, you will begin to feel empowered and confident. This can propel you to work towards your full potential and say yes to more opportunities. So, when you dress up every day like it’s a special day, you feel better and when you feel better you do better.
What do you think? Do you feel inspired to dress up now?
