With many folks working from home and only leaving the house for essential trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, our approach to dressing ourselves has fundamentally changed. Yet the need for stylish pants and cool outfits remains ever in style, no matter what the season brings. (Image Credit: Benjamin Balazs/Pixabay)
As our daily routines and workdays have been upended and transformed, our outfits have naturally changed as well. Overall, the focus has shifted further than ever to a prioritization of comfort. Any items of clothing that don’t make a comfortable outfit to wear are probably going untouched through this quarantine. However, the exact form that this shift takes can vary widely from person to person and is generally changing over time.
The Problem With Pajamas
For many of us, our first thought when lockdown hit and we switched to remote work was, “This is great, I can just wear my PJs every day!” And for many of us, that’s just what we did. For a while it was great, but eventually, many of us ran into two problems:
- The days blend together (even more than they already do)
One of the unfortunate psychological consequences of wearing the same clothes every day is that it further decreases the differentiation between days that already blend together. While humans have been keeping time for at least 5000 years, if all our days are the same it can feel as though time has stopped completely. Introducing some variety into your daily attire can help add more structure, normality, and momentum to quarantine life. - It’s harder to switch into work mode
While we may not be consciously aware of it, the clothes we wear have a real effect on our mental state. Clothes provide a psychological signal to our brains of what we’re doing that day. This is precisely why many people dress up when they have to take an important exam—it makes it easier to focus when you’re feeling sharp and well-dressed. It’s the same case for work. If you wear pajamas, you’re signaling to yourself that it’s time to lounge around, while if you put on pants and a button-down, it will be easier to adopt a work-oriented mindset.
To avoid these effects, it’s best to diversify your attire in quarantine, even if you won’t be leaving your house some days. There’s a reason that 13 billion parcels were shipped in 2018 — sometimes, we just need to order some new clothes to mix things up a bit. Remember, pajamas are not the only comfortable outfit to wear in quarantine. Let’s go through some of the staples you can rely on to get you through the lockdown in style.
Joggers
While sweatpants tend to make us feel a bit shlubby, joggers provide a slightly elevated look while still maintaining the same level of comfort. This is due to the taper that they add toward the ankles. This more form-fitting look, while it may not fly in an actual office, certainly makes for a more polished quarantine outfit.
The color and texture of the joggers you wear also have an impact on their degree of formality. Darker colors such as black or navy look sharper than their lighter counterparts. Lighter, more casual options include heathered grey and light greens and pinks. These colors make for perfect spring and summertime outfits, so now is the perfect time to start incorporating them into your wardrobe.
Soft Jeans
It may be counter intuitive to think of jeans as lounge wear. However, many companies offer soft, comfy jeans that you can wear all day as if you’re in sweatpants. If you don’t want to make a purchase, there are also techniques you can try to soften your jeans. Soft jeans are perfect when you want to break up the monotony of sweatpants, or you want to get some spring gardening and yard work done.
Comfy Formal wear
If you’re one of the five million unmarried couples that live together, odds are that once in a while you want to really wow your partner. Turns out, it’s possible to look sharp and stay comfortable at the same time. Need proof? The Huffington Post collected 10 pairs of comfy dress pants that you won’t mind wearing all day long.
So there you have it! You can take any of these pants and incorporate them into a comfortable outfit to wear that will also make you feel sharp during quarantine.