My definition of ‘loungewear’ pre Covid would have been: ‘comfortable, cosy clothes you wear whilst you’re lounging around the house, most likely to be worn on a Sunday, especially if you’re nursing a hangover.’
Now we’re in Lockdown 3, I think it’s safe to say most of us are living in our Loungewear most of the day, most of the time. At the start of lockdown 1, ‘Loungewear’ had a bit of a buzz about it. People, (myself included) were excited to dress down. There was a surge in sales of joggers, hoodies and knitwear. I had plenty of clients asking for my advice on how to dress down… but now we’re in lockdown 3, and this isn’t our first rodeo I have to say the novelty has worn off.
Don’t get me wrong, Loungewear definitely has its benefits. For a start it is comfortable; you don’t have to squeeze into a pair of joggers as you do with skinny jeans and for that reason loungewear does cover a multitude of sins, especially those acquired over Christmas! But loungewear should come with a warning: if not chosen correctly, loungewear will make you look frumpy, heavier, paler and can absolutely kill your mojo!
So how do you choose the right loungewear? I know I probably sound like a broken record but you have to choose styles that flatter your body shape to create a slimmer frame and choose colours that suit your complexion to create that youthful appearance:
- 1. If you have a heavier bottom half, wear darker colours at the bottom, to balance your frame.
- 2. If you don’t have a defined waist or you have a bit of a tummy, don’t wear joggers with an exaggerated elasticated waist band, it will only add weight to your tummy.
- 3. Don’t cut off/shorten your leg by wearing joggers with a cuffed ankle, they will only make your legs look bulkier.
- 4. If you have a larger bust don’t wear a high-necked top, it will only squash your boobs, go for a scoop or a v neck instead.
- 5. Always draw attention to your assets; be it your waist, bust, slender arms or slim legs.
- 6. Wear colours that complement and look good together, your loungewear doesn’t need to resemble a United Colours of Benetton ad!
- 7. If you’ve had your colours done, invest and wear your base colours: Black/Grey/Navy/Khaki/Brown/Beige?
- 8. Wear your right white to avoid looking washed out: bright white/cream/off white/ivory?
- 9. If you’ve worn your item to death, bin it and replace it, don’t throw it to the back of your cupboard.
- 10. Don’t feel you have to splurge on loungewear, my favorite loungewear brands are Hush, Mint Velvet and The White Company but I’ve picked up similar if not better items for myself and my clients from Primark, Next, M&S and even F&F for a quarter of the price!
If you want a tutorial over Skype or Zoom on how to identify and dress your shape or even want some advice on how to shape up your loungewear, please get in touch. By the looks of it, loungewear is definitely here to stay so let me teach you how to wear it right.
Nisha x