Could the title of today's blog be any more dramatic? Perhaps it's because I've just finished binge watching 3 full seasons of the totally melodramatic, ultraromantic, sweep you off your feet and fall in love with all things Scotland series, Outlander. In fact, I also just completed crocheting a cape that is somewhat inspired by Claire's many lovely capes and shawls.
As we're all staying home and limiting our visits with others with whom we don't actually share a residence, we're all learning new skills (using Zoom, using up all our leftovers, sanitizing packages) and learning more about ourselves in the process. What are your coping skills? They are the ways that we face down our fears. Are you an avid reader who can lose herself in books and make the hours and days go by quickly and painlessly? Are you working with your hands to paint, knit, crochet, draw, write, build, garden, create? Are you organizing closets and kitchen cabinets, garage shelves and basement rooms? Do you indulge in chocolate, wine, homemade or store bought yummy cookies, microwave s'mores? Do you join Facebook groups, participate in online religious services, watch you tube videos? We are all finding ways to cope, and I would add that even staying glued to the news is one way of coping, by increasing our knowledge of the situation, but perhaps not the most fun, relaxing or healthy unless balanced with other activities.
Today I suggest you add one more thing to your arsenol of fear blasting coping mechanisms: fashion. If you're reading this blog, you're probably already doing this. But just in case, here's my reminder. Get out of bed. Shower, wash your face, do what you do to your hair (for me it's usually wet, scrunch, and apply hair product and put back in a hairband so I won't touch my face), and put on something pretty, something that expresses who you are. Does it matter that no one will see you? NO! And if it really matters to you, post a picture of your outfit to a fashion page like 40plusstyle.com where many people will see what you're wearing and compliment you. Or send a photo greeting of yourself to your sister, mother, daughter, friend. Or have a video chat with them! But most of all, you have to do this for yourself, to maintain some sort of normalcy and to cheer yourself on. You matter, and what you do every day, your meals, your activities, your social distancing, and even your outfit, matters! Yes, I'm wearing pearls today, as well as animal print shoes, along with my unfussy high contrast solid colors outfit, and pink lipstick, enjoying my decaf with almond milk. Fashion, thanks for helping me face my fears!
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