While staying at home could make one feel restless and demotivated, here’s how to stay chic and sane during quarantine — by giving fashion a chance. By Team Viva

Is the lockdown making you anxious and depressed? Is it getting tougher for you to stay put? Well, even though this time is taxing, it could be very rewarding, if you look at it positively. Here are some everyday fashion and lifestyle mantras to stay calm and chic this quarantine month.

Believe it or not, the first step towards feeling better and being more productive is dressing up and changing out of those very comfy pyjamas, believes Nelson Jaffery, head of design, Liva, Birla Cellulose, Aditya Birla Group. He adds, “But yes, this doesn’t mean you have to wear uncomfortable clothes to feel motivated. Light and breathable fabrics are ideal for the warm weather. Viscose and modal are great options as not only do these fabrics offer a great drape, they are also nature-based and sustainable.”

Here are some recommendations by Jaffrey —

• Shorts and shirts: We all have stocks of shorts that we barely wear while stepping out except during our workouts and yoga. Wearing shorts not only boosts you to jump and around freely but also gives you great comfort. To make your shorts look more fashionable, you can try and match them with black shirts rather than T-shirts. This will take less effort while at the same time it makes for a striking ensemble. If you wish to go little further, feel free to add accessories like long oxidised earrings.
• Palazzo and crop top: The combination has been a favourite and why not? Palazzo is making a comeback in the top trends. While there are many ways for you to style it, pairing a palazzo with crop tops makes it look more attractive while making it ideal for your bedroom zone. In addition to that, wearing a crop top will also motivate you to control your false hunger pangs.
• Sweatpants with lightly tuck in T-shirt: Sweatpants were something that you wore not only in bed but while stepping out or to lounge around the house. Along the way they have become the ultimate street style fashion garment, also chosen by top celebrities. You can easily dress with sweatpants and make them look a lot more stylish just by tucking in your favourite T-shirt.
• Tunic dress: If you wish to celebrate the pre-spring and merry vibes of being home, then you should definitely choose to wear the tunic dresses which are so cheerful.

Actor Shiny Doshi believes that since there is no reason to go out of the house frequently, the best thing to do is to “stay in casuals.” She says, “During the day time, I’m in my pyjamas and T-shirt because that’s the comfiest outfit that one can wear. Especially, when we are working, cooking or engaged in other household chores. Moreover, hosiery clothes make the heat bearable. I do feel like dressing up too sometimes. But all in all, I’ve spent the lockdown in four of my most comfortable pyjamas.”

Designer Payal Jain suggests, “These are tough times and everyone needs comfort before anything else. Fashion during quarantine or #StayAtHome is all about joggers, hoodies, tracks, T-shirts, tunics and leggings, which can keep you warm, cosy and comfortable throughout the day.”

With ‘work from home’ becoming the new norm, designers and fashion experts also suggest how one can get dressed for conference video calls. Deepak Bansal, director, Cantabil Retail India Ltd, says, “Looking at the current lockdown situation and work from home, the fashion statement has made a shift towards comfort yet professional wear. With summers around the corner, one could get into a pair of lounge pants and match them up with a light linen shirt which would give you a breezy yet appropriate professional look.”

Arindam Chakravorty, brand head, Aurelia, also point out, “Work from home is the new trend which is changing the fashion around the world during this lockdown. For the perfect chic yet professional look, pair a shirt collar kurti or mandarian collar kurti along with cigarette pants or straight pants and look your fabulous best for the team video calls.”

Nivida Kohli, design manager, Numero Uno, says, “It’s important to feel good the whole day for an optimal output. Don’t forget to step out of sleepwear to dress up for that video call frame. Wear a comfortable basic crew neck T-shirt with your favourite lounge denims pants, a must for a healthy working mind from home.

Actor Karanvir Sharma lists his quarantine wardrobe specials, “Wear clothes that you would for work through the day. It makes you feel active. I’m now cooking often. So I wear bright casuals with an apron. The best casual wear for me through the day is a white T-shirt with blue denims. You can pull out a flowing casual shirt too. It never goes out of fashion. Saturday nights are for quarantine parties, where I connect with all my friends through Zoom. So I usually wear dark clothes for that.”

Actor Rati Pandey, who recently took to social media to show that gardening could be one of the healthiest activities to do while staying in, says that even though lockdowns might make one feel stagnant spending weeks indoors, “but staying indoors doesn’t have to mean being static.” Here are some tips she gives:

• Stay connected to your near and dear ones. It’s a worldwide epidemic. To avoid a sense of isolation, stay connected with your friends and family members through voice or video calls.
• Exercise at home. There are plenty of workout routines that you can follow on your own at home. This is good for your mental health too. YouTube has many channels which offer instructions on everything like yoga, aerobics, zumba and more. All you need to do is tune in and follow the instructions.
• Clean your home. Cleaning will keep you active and busy. The activity is relaxing too, at times. Regularly clean your kitchen surfaces and door handles, which will keep your sanitation anxieties at bay. Also do not forget to keep your washroom and toilets clean.
• List your entertainment. You can binge-watch various web series available online. I do Karaoke sessions in the evening with my brother to boost my mood.
• Pamper yourself. There is no better time than now to look after yourself and practice some more self-care. Use natural ingredients for your skin. Grind a cucumber, potato and tomato together and apply the paste on the face as a cold face pack. Wear comfortable clothes.