Style Stupor: Post Puddin' Paralysis and How To Shake It

Do you find yourself in a state of style inertia? You started the festivities what seems like months ago now in sparkles and velvet and you were on fire darling. The champers was effervescent and so was your outfit but fast forward via a few turkey dinners, more than a few Bailiey's and copious quantities of cheese, pate and Thornton's your fizz has fizzled and your sparkles are sparked out. Now slippers adorn your outgrowing gel polish and the button on your jeans has not been fastened in some time. Everywhere you look it's 'New Year, New You' bollocks and you are just not feeling it!!!

At this time of year it can be perfectly normal to be feeling far less than your usual stylish self when all around you is screaming 'Step Up, Slim Down, Shop Sales, You Need This!!!' Follow my 5 easy steps to get your style back on track.

Don't fall into a Style Stupor

Don't be tempted to throw everything you know about your style out of the window whilst you're feeling below par. Keep a version of your look going. Maybe relax it somewhat but don't replace with fluffy dressing gown and slippers or joggers and hoodies if this is not you. In healthcare there is a term called 'Pyjama Paralysis' which refers to the deskilling that can occur in patients when they are lay in hospital beds. Evidence shows speedier recovery when patients are dressed and out of bed during daytime hours. You can relate to this yourself whenever you have been poorly. You may find you require one or two duvet days but beyond that you will start to develop cabin fever and you are either desperate to get dressed or might even experience anxiety about returning to the real world. It is important to maintain as much of your normal routine as possible and, of course, getting dressed is one aspect of that routine that we can sustain even if we are not quite back to our usual selves.

So get up, dress up, and show up! Even if it is just to go to the living room.

If you can't do your jeans up, don't wear them!

Stop torturing yourself squeezing into uncomfortable clothes. Fold them or hang them nicely and place them where they belong. Opt for something more comfortable whilst your body and lifestyle gets back to normal. Layering is key this season so choose clothes with a looser fit that you can layer up over temporarily expanding waistlines or tums. Use longer softer layers to create flow rather than volume. Use the scarves you already have to create interest above the areas you are conscious of. Colours which blend and tone with each other will give you a sleeker and more put together appearance. Choose a jegging or stretch fit over jeans and add soft knits or longer line cardigans and jackets finishing off with an ankle boot in a similar colour.

Remember the difference between relaxing your look and swapping your look. One keeps you feeling like you and the other sends you into the aforementioned style stupor.

Avoid the sales

What is she talking about? Look, if your style has taken a dive and you are not in your usual headspace you will do one of two things at the sales. One, you will buy stuff to slim into - big no no! Two, you will buy things you normally wouldn't because they look super comfy and you don't have an oversize teddy bear shacket that would be just the ticket right now and, ooh look, it comes in three colours and they're half off so I'm having all of them.,,,,,,,,

Guess what? There is nothing in the sale that won't still be around next week if you actually really NEED it. And if you don't really NEED it then you've just saved yourself the money you would have spent and can put it toward a more considered future purchase - you're welcome!

Wear Shoes!

When I wear slippers around the house, I slob about. Don't get me wrong - 5 - 6 pm and they're on but if I wear them all day I slob about and that makes me a slob. You might be different and I'm not judging, you just need to know yourself. I mean it might be a carpet thing. We have no carpets downstairs so I'm ok to wear shoes. When I put shoes on I automatically tell my body I am going to be productive today. Work shoes put me in work mode.

My work shoes are always heeled. That's my style thing, your work shoes might be your trainers, boots, whatever.

All the little activities we do in preparation for our day send signals to our brains. If you wear shoes every day for the year then suddenly Christmas arrives and you're in slippers for a whole week then expect your body and mind to prepare you to feel different.

Ask yourself what mode you need to be in today? Are your shoes telling you the same thing?.

Makeup to Wake Up

Who else has had makeup free days over the festive period? I know I have. Do you know what else? On these days I did not leave my house; I had an afternoon nap; I froze when the doorbell rang but phew it was just one of the kids. When I wear makeup, again the act of applying it gets me in daytime mode. It's part of my style and if I don't do it I don't feel quite right. Again, yes, it's ok to have a day off and I frequently have no makeup Sundays but these are not Jo Style days. When I need to get back to normal after the Christmas lull makeup plays a key part. The routine; that psychological message again; feeling finished! It means I am ready for action.

So What?

Well I left my house for the first time in a week today. Where did that week go? I don't know but it started off with a day of full on preparation for the big day followed by the 'Big Day' then my anuual Boxing Day hibernation which turned into more than just one day. Fast forward to now and dressing, wearing shoes and makeup has definitely been essential for shoe-horning me out of the house and into The Kiln ( Home - The Kiln - Coworking Space ) which is the co-working space I use when I need to be productive. Clothes are a requirement here but your style is your choosing. Don't compromise your style during the festive period then have to work hard to get back to who you are and what you do. Relax it yes then ensure you maintain or re-establish at the earliest opportunity all which is normal for you. This way you will avoid taking sluggishness into January with you and let's face it January needs all the help it can get.

If you need help discovering or rediscovering your style, then email me jogaffney@stylinglifeot.com and don't spend a minute longer in a style stupor, Christmas puddin' induced or otherwise x