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You might think you're not getting dressed because you're depressed but maybe it's the other way around.
Taking pride in our appearance isn’t an outdated idea in an era of “quiet luxury” and remote work; it’s a survival skill.
How We Got Here
Our society reached a crossroad - one might even say, a Nexus Event* - when Succession’s “quiet luxury” creeped into the zeitgeist and athleisure mutated into workleisure with the 2020 stay-at-home mandates. The newness and specialness of events like going to the movies, flying on an airplane or going out to eat has worn off, too, as these once-novel experiences have turned into mundane conveniences. Weakening standards of dressing and globalism have also contributed to this descent into drabness; we have so many options that we barely have trends anymore. We’ve all but abandoned ‘dressing for the occasion,’ replacing it with the idea that the weirder, more unique, or more indifferent you look, the better dressed you are. These days, we’re basically caught between looking like we rolled out of bed or looking like a toddler who dressed themselves.
Why It Matters
But getting dressed - and by that, I mean, intentionally selecting clothing that suits the occasion, your figure and your personality - matters. What we wear impacts our mood, our confidence, the way we move in our homes and in the world. It’s hard to schlep around with your head hanging down when you’re wearing heels and a pretty dress or a tailored suit. What we wear also impacts how others interact with us, as much as we like to insist that it doesn’t or that we don’t care whether it does or not. A well-dressed person brightens the room just by walking into it, without saying a word. Playful earrings spark up a lovely conversation. A great pair of shoes speaks volumes. As stylist Rachel Zoe once said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak”. But I’m not even asking for style here, per se; just simple intentionality.
It would be one thing if the laissez-faire dressing of today was intentional but so often it is simply a symptom of our collective malaise, deteriorating mental health and an existential dread that says, “Looking your best doesn’t matter.” And too many Christians have mistaken the Bible’s emphasis on inner beauty as a call to reject outer beauty. We’ve moved from taking pride in our appearance to taking pride in displaying a lack of effort, as if how we present ourselves is the lowest priority and we shouldn’t put pressure on people to raise it. But I disagree. No matter your income or lifestyle, taking care of your body includes what you cover it with. You feel better when you’re dressed - no need to excuse your hair or your stained shirt when people see you. You stand taller when you’re dressed. You create moments of joy and connection with others. The only downside is the effort - but that’s not an excuse. A well-curated closet and a mindset shift can make it easier. Still, good things require effort.
So, honey, get dressed.
Put on something that makes you smile instead of recoil when you pass a mirror. Feeling down? Put on something that lifts your mood. Going to a party and worried about being socially awkward? Wear a conversation starter like your great aunt’s pearls or luxury pants you got at a steal. If the lilies and Solomon can be well-dressed and the Proverbs 31 Woman can wear fine, purple linen, I think you can manage jeans instead of pajamas for the grocery run.
*For my fellow Loki fans