WHEN LIFE GETS BUSY... - josephine ellen

Good morning!

Last week was extremely hectic for me, and 6 out of the 7 mornings that week, I just did not feel like getting dressed for the days. Putting together outfits (not to mention even crawling out of bed!) seemed like such a chore, and it was just something I was not in the mood for. But as I’m a firm believer in that what you wear says a lot about you and that dressing well is a form of good manners, I still forced myself to look presentable every day despite my half-hearted efforts. But in the end, that experience sparked the idea for today’s post.

With work, errands, social engagements, family obligations, and all the miscellaneous crud that life throws at you, it can become very difficult to get properly dressed in the mornings. Luckily, there are a few simple but key style secrets that can help you look polished every morning no matter how tired and disinclined you feel!

Plan ahead: Confession – I used to do this all the time in high school. In fact, I would plan a whole week’s worth of outfits each Sunday night and like a little nerd, I would make a chart on a sheet of 8.5 x 11 scratch paper and fill in the little grids accordingly, and in the mornings, I got to skip anxiously staring at my clothes debating on what to wear as the precious minutes quickly drained away. Even today, this little strategy still works. There’s no need to plan an entire week ahead; as long as you decide on an outfit the night before, your mornings will be so much less cluttered with all that forethought completed already.

Stock up on tailored pieces: OK, so we don’t all have the budget for a tailor, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick with ill-fitting pieces! Instead, fake it as best as you can. Invest in clothes that flatter your silhouette, and when all else fails, let belts be your secret weapon (hint: cinch in that waist!). A vest will also automatically and magically add a level of sophistication to any outfit.

Hide behind/under key accessories: When you just can’t deal with life, throw on a hat to hide the fact that you didn’t spare much of an effort on your hair that morning. If appropriate, turn to your favorite sunglasses to cover up your half-hearted eye makeup attempts. Key accessories can deter the attention away from your “just can’t” mood while adding an extra sass to your outfit.

Turn to timeless basics: Safe doesn’t have to be boring! Basics = matches with everything. Basics = can be worn again and again and again. Think: solid button-down blouses, black blazers, neutral trousers, classic jeans, LBD. Actually, pretty much anything black or white will almost always be a good choice. Black may be slimming, but both neutral tones are forever clean and classic.

Ease up on the shoes: When you’re in one of your “too tired/no time/don’t care/don’t feel like it” moods, the last thing you want to deal with is walking in a pair of uncomfortable shoes. Invest in at least three pairs of chic shoes you know you can stand or walk in comfortably for hours. Your legs and your back will thank you.

So there you have it: five not-so-secret secrets for surviving those days when you just can’t muster the energy to get dressed in the morning. Last week, I just wanted to stay in my pajamas all day and sulk in my bed (I’m aiming to share more details on that with you next week), but one morning I managed to put together this look you see here. It all started out with basics – basic grey tee with a basic black skirt – but in an effort to make it look more polished without actually trying hard to do so, I belted my skirt and threw on a flowy vest to add dimension and movement, and I hid my tired eyes behind my Polette sunglasses (more details on on glasses retailer Polette in a previous post here).

Thanks so much for reading! Hope these style tips will help you the next time you find yourself falling into a rut!