If I spend one more day in yoga pants I am going to lose it.

Dressing for quarantine has brought to my attention how often I dress to see other people. Does this getting dressed rut mean I hate my closet or is my relationship with my wardrobe more complicated than simply putting my best foot forward in front of friends and strangers? Now is not the time for an existential fashion crisis, although more than one of my friends has confirmed they feel like donating and selling EVERYTHING they own and starting fresh.

I know plenty of people who are feeling stuck in a rut when it comes to getting dressed these days. During a Zoom meeting with the W&D team earlier this week, we found ourselves chatting about why it feels so hard to pick out an outfit each day right now. One of our team members expressed that she wants some easy dresses she can throw on each morning—ones that aren’t super expensive and look good. Another was talking about how, fed up with the minutiae of her typical wardrobe staples, she’s decided to get creative with dressing these past few weeks, wearing everything in her closet that wouldn’t usually see the light of day (sequin pants included) because…why not?

One thing’s for sure: Getting dressed isn’t going to be a magic cure-all for everything that’s troubling us right now, but we all know firsthand that the clothes we wear affect how we feel in our daily lives. And there’s value in dressing in a way that makes us feel our best (or whatever version of “our best” we can muster at the moment).

Getting dressed isn’t going to be a magic cure-all for everything that’s troubling us right now, but we all know firsthand that the clothes we wear affect how we feel in our daily lives.

In that spirit, today I’m sharing some ideas to help you (and me) jazz things up in your wardrobe without breaking your budget. These ideas are for anyone who feels stuck in a clothing rut and wants some inspiration for ways to mix things up. In fact, you might already have everything you need to make the process of dressing yourself right now a little more enjoyable.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are three slightly out-of-the-box ideas to use the next time you get dressed in the morning (or afternoon).

Brief: Your kid is both your stylist and your most demanding client.

IDEA: A flowy dress for impressing your client child with your twirls, a bracelet for distracting them, sneakers for keeping up with the incoming demands, and a bucket hat for hiding showerless days. 

Brief: Pajamas but make it fashion. 

IDEA: Statement slippers, because you can get away with anything now. Own the look with a satin skirt and cropped crewneck. Add a water bottle because it is basically the new quarantine accessory. 

Brief: DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Your mom hasn’t gotten rid of a thing since 1996 and you have 30 seconds before your next Zoom call.

IDEA: A fitted tank and chinos (HELLO, HELEN HUNT VIBES), an old hat (because no shower again), a sunglasses chain because you’re practical and keep very good track of your things, and clogs because they’re already worn in and very, very comfortable.

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Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.