We are six weeks into our shelter-in-place order in San Francisco (I know many of us don’t need a reminder). Maybe you are starting to find a rhythm to our “new normal” —you are happily cooking at home more than ever and getting dressed in the morning has never been easier or more casual? Or maybe you are simply holding your breath trying to keep it all together and cling to any structure you can find? I’ve felt both of these extremes deeply and settled into living somewhere in between.
Next week shelter-in-place is scheduled to be lifted but it’s uncertain how some city ordinances will be extended. Your daily routine and uniform may need an adjustment and those temporary pieces you have quite possibly been ‘living in’ may need a refresh or a more permanent solution.
With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful to share some practical style tips as we prepare for what the next few months of social distancing may look like. With longer lead times on orders and retail stores deferring new shipments to reserve cash flow, making sure your wardrobe is in good shape may take a little advance planning.
Be Well and Stay Stylish,
Make an Appointment with Your Closet
While eating at home has become the norm, changing eating habits and less daily activity may have contributed to a little waistline creeping.
You may have bonded with athleisure wear in this season but it does not always speak the truth like a tightening pair of jeans will. Those items you were wearing regularly two months ago may not be ready to wear now. Stage an honest fit session. Try on everything you may want to wear this spring and determine what works right now—consider organizing pieces by outside and inside (home) wardrobe. Be easy with yourself and give yourself some grace, as we have learned now is not forever. Group together anything that doesn’t fit comfortably and relocate it to the back of your closet or a temporary container. Plan to revisit this grouping in a few weeks when your activity is more regular.
Make a list of any essential wardrobe items you need to purchase to tide you over in the meantime. Limit layering and focus on dresses, drawstring pants, and jumpsuits which all can be forgiving intermediary items as you ease back to a more active lifestyle. Look on Poshmark, discount retailer sites (Nordstrom Rack), or store sale pages to downgrade your investment on key pieces if you know you’ll drop or gain a size quickly.
If you find yourself at and impasse or roadblock, feel free to reach out. We are offering remote closet reviews/edits to help clients streamline and pare down.
Invest in a Washable Mask
As we prepare for shelter-in-place lifting and social distancing to continue, investing in a reusable mask seems like a worthwhile effort. There has been so much back in forth in the media on masks and what you should be sporting and what you should not that I’ve been hesitant to suggest specific masks that clients should purchase or make at home. Ultimately, I'm not a medical expert so use CDC guidelines for best practices and how to make your own. Generally, thicker and natural fabrics are better.
Can a face mask be fashionable?
Well, friends given the circumstances and current morale if it gives you joy and helps others, I say GO for it! It is one way to show a little personality and soften often sterile-looking Personal Protective Equipment. I purchased the above set from local Oakland designer, Lesley Evers for $60—every sale helps keep her seamstresses employed and proceeds go toward masks for medical care workers. While you can find cheaper masks online, I would rather pay more and have it go to help our neighbors. The more you buy the more you safe so think of family members or friends so may need one too.
Sentry, a workwear company out of LA, is also manufacturing cotton face masks and donating one mask for every purchase to first responders and non-profit organizations. Check back daily for re-stocking of sold-out masks.
ProTip: Having at least two washable masks on hand will help with laundry rotation. Consider purchasing one solid and one print to add a little variety to your daily routine.
Learn to Love Your Laundry
In the past few years, I’ve added a “Laundry Habits /Use and Care” piece to my new client home consultations. Love it or hate it laundry is necessity. If we are looking to invest in a new wardrobe, I want clients to understand how to take care of it so it lasts as long as possible. Having the right tools makes all the difference in caring for your clothing for the long term.
While taking a trip to the dry cleaners likely isn’t a top priority right now, it doesn’t mean you can’t learn to wash and wear at home (and save some $$). The Laundress NYC is my current go-to for keeping laundry delicates happy and healthy. I recommend starting out with the Dry Cleaning Detox Kit, if you use this link you’ll get $20 off your first order if you are a new customer. Also, if you do not have a clothing drying rack, this one is similar to the one I own and love. There is plenty of space to hang both athletic wear and delicates and the rack neatly folds up for easy storage.
Chances are you are doing more than your fair share of laundry these days to keep safe and healthy. If you need a few tips on how to properly do your wash (with or without a laundry machine) here is an article I found helpful on vogue.
