"Quarantine Chic" How to look fabulous while Self Isolating!
Updated: Mar 30, 2020
Written by Jo Birch 29 March 2o2o
What you wear while self isolating has a huge impact on your mental health. What you wear during self isolation matters!
Karl Lagerfeld once famously said that “sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants”. Lagerfeld clearly never had to self-isolate through a pandemic. In times of global crisis, loungewear will get us through (Harriet Hall, Independent.co.uk)
That’s not to say we should be going all out in our nine to five, pretend-to-be-a-professional office ensembles during lockdown. No, that would be a real waste of ironing time that could be better used to do yoga/read a chapter of your book/teach yourself Mandarin/sleep an extra 15 minutes/[insert personal quarantine goal here). If there’s one thing we all deserve during a lockdown, it’s comfort – and that simply doesn’t come from a starched white shirt and pencil skirt (Harriet Hall)
"Quarantine chic", as Hall likes to call it, is all about striking that delicate balance between versatile, crease-free fabrics and ensembles that replace your usual “day-to-night” look with a “desk-to-couch-to-jog-around-the-park-for-five-minutes-before-giving-up" look.
Making an effort while self isolating at home is more than just about fashion of course. You are probably thinking "who cares what I look like when the only person who sees me is my hubby, my puppy and people out exercising who can have a sneaky peek in your window as they walk past! New Zealand is in Level 4 lockdown so we are only allowed to go out for exercise, for essentials (like supermarket and pharmacy only) otherwise we have been told to STAY AT HOME!!
Clothes can have a direct impact on our mental wellbeing, too. So-called enclothed cognition. Is a theory that suggests the way we dress has a direct impact on our mood. If we wear something we perceive to be uplifting, it can lift our spirits with it. "The power of clothes to lift the spirits is greatly under appreciated – and God knows we need a little uplift right now" (Hall)
So what kind of loungewear are we talking about?
Jo's Convertibles is a local business situated in Papamoa Beach in NZ. "In this scary time with Covid 19 touching all of us around the world it has made me realise that shopping how we used to will be a thing of this past, we will need to save money and be very conservative with out spending. I truly believe having just a few items of clothing that you can wear different ways is not only good for your bank account, good for the environment but you can still look fabulous even if you are stuck at home!"
"Quarantine Chic" Jo's Convertibles
I have designed a range of convertible clothing from convertible tops (you can wear 30+ different ways) convertible pants (you can wear 10+ ways) and even a headband which can be worn 10+ ways and even a mask!
Imagine going for a walk or to the supermarket (remember to stay a safe distance apart 2 metres) and you are wearing your Jo's Convertible Headband just as a headband (as shown below) once you come close to someone you can pull it up to cover your nose and mouth) and once within a safe distance away you can pull down as a neck warmer (just a note: obviously this is not going to protect you from coronavirus, but you can still wear a N95 mask. The safest and only mask you should be wearing to protect yourself from the virus) underneath.
I am actually wearing a Jo's Convertible Headband as I write this article so I don't touch my face while in the office on the computer (which I do all the time and touching your face is a big NO NO!)
And what about while slouching around at home? Jo's Convertible Pants are the solution!! They come in a range of fabrics and colours and are the only pants you will ever need (you don't have to resort to trackie pants!)
They are flattering, comfortable and stylish and imagine one pair of pants you can wear endless ways, think how much money you will save, its great for the planet and you will look fabulous.
Below are just a few samples of Jo's Convertible Pants. I can even do matching headbands and even scrunchies
1. Stripey Jo's 2: Zebra "Angee" 3: Black "Tayla" 4: "Animal" 5: Floral "Leesa"
Jo's Convertible Pants:
The soft high waist band is super comfy, holds your tummy in and it won’t dig in like other waist bands
Can be worn a variety of ways. Both sides have loops at the top and with 4 buttons on the waistband so you can create a drapey look, a cross over pant look, a wrapped look, a knotted look the possiblities are endless
The legs taper in at the knee and ankle (and can be custom made to suit your shape)
You can pull the bottom of the pants up to the mid calf and also to the knee to create different looks
Comfortable and great for travelling. They are light and packs small, washes and dries quickly and no need to iron them
Suits all women and ages
Unique fabrics to Jo's Convertibles
Made in NZ by Jo
After all, is it not our civic duty to shop during this time, support our favourite businesses like Jo's Convertibles by burning a hole in your credit card online? I think so but don't overdo it (save some money for groceries and essentials).
"The fashion industry, like many others, looks to suffer greatly from coronavirus, and one surefire way to help save the economy from imminent meltdown is by taking advantage of your spending power" (Harriet Hal). Due to the COVID-19 outbreak all retail businesses and online stores in NZ have temporarily closed until further notice to ensure the safety of all customers and employees during this time. However, you can browse the website of Jo's Convertibles, josconvertibles.com and you can order online if you would like but there will be a delay in delivery until things return back to normal (or whatever our new normal will be!)
Never is a truer word been said but we all need to "Live simply, waste less and look fabulous!"
But most importantly, "Be kind, look after yourself and wash your hands!"
Website: josconvertibles.com
Email: josconvertibles@hotmail.com