Corona weeks are like dog years. One week in isolation is like one month in real time. We have been in strict isolation for over a month now but it feels like 6 months. Woof.
On the first day of isolation, my true love sent to me…..let me start that again. I had no control over where that sentence went. I may be an orthodox Jew but when it’s 1985 and you’re 7 years old and you’re offered the opportunity to sing Xmas carols with your school choir in a concert at THE PERTH CONCERT HALL….well, oh come let us adore him.
Okay back to March 2020…..
On the first day of isolation, I got dressed as normal. My enthusiasm was flagging by the second day, and I was hankering for an oil stained bassike black t-shirt dress which a few months ago I had discarded on the grounds that, being irreparably stained I could no longer wear it in public. Who could have possibly known that that a few months later “can’t be worn in public” would cease to be a thing.
By day 3 I realised I needed a whole new wardrobe (yep you all saw that coming – or at least Working Boy did). Before I had even uttered the words, my phone sensed the sartorial change in me and an ad for Hybernate appeared in my insta-story feed. “Hmmm loungewear,” I thought. “I’ve never considered loungewear…..I have only ever needed clothes and pyjamas. Not a hybrid of the two. Who spends THAT much time lounging around their home that they need a wardrobe for it?” (As it turns out me. And you. And pretty much everyone). And yet…..there was a powerful force, deep inside me….I could hear a faint voice whispering ‘loungewear’. Yes! Loungewear! I NEED loungewear! The voice got louder and more insistent. I clicked on the advert.
You could almost see the siren light start flashing and hear the alarm ringing at Instagram headquarters. And the man with the megaphone calling out “Loungewear!!! She’s interested in loungewear!! Flood the feed! Flood the feed! Go! Go! Go!!!!”.
My Instagram feed is now loungewear central. I have adverts for nothing else. It is all I am exposed to.
Clothes are my thing. I love them. And I cannot BE if I don’t feel dressed for the occasion. And so I present to you
Shopping Girl’s COVID19 Isolation Loungewear Edit 2020
1. Bassike.
Before I knew what had hit me, before the concept of loungewear had occurred to me, my body was screaming out for Bassike – some great (designer) cotton and jersey basics.
For some reason everything I need to be wearing right now has the word “slouch”, or worse, “slub”, in it. But if “slouch” is code word for “comfortable, flatteringly drapey (crucial in this post-Spanx era) and soft as a cloud ….well bring on the slouch. My winter look last season was jeans under every dress and a fluffy / furry coat or jacket. When I was a teenager jeans were soooooooo comfy. But now that I’m 41 and have birthed 4 beings they are not. Stuffed if I’m wearing jeans when I’m home all day. I need something that feels like pjs but keeps my legs warm. I want:
The ISO Dress:
The ISO Pants:
2. Hybernate
So as mentioned, Hybernate popped up in my feed before I’d even thought of loungewear. Straight away I zeroed in on the nightie. The dress. The nightie. The dress. Look I don’t know which it is but who cares? I can sleep in it and open the gate with pride for the Woollies delivery guy (the only person outside my family who I see). I can zoom, homeschool, even go for a drive with my learner driver (First Born)….and go back to bed again. It is literal day to night wear.
I ordered the navy and the white. So fast that I broke one of my cardinal rules and missed a discount. ALWAYS subscribe to the email newsletter first – you’ll get 10% off. Within a few hours I was notified the dresses had been sent. And within two days they arrived. They are perfect…..everything that I said before, and more. Soft enough to do yoga in. Not that I do yoga. But you know being with your 4 kids 24/7, 7 days a week with no end in sight, does strange things to a person. All bets are off. Om.
Little Sidebar On The Topic of Yoga
All the yoga wear looks amazing right now. Lululemon, Sweatybetty, Nimble…it looks so appealing. This is athleisure’s time to shine and it knows it. Everyone is either at home looking for some inner peace and quiet (I’d like some outer peace and quiet too personally) or they’re out, obsessively walking their dog / child. This popped up on my FB feed today:
They’ve called it the Warm Hugs bundle. Warm Hugs Bundle. I mean. How can you NOT want a warm hugs bundle. It sounds so cozy, so soothing, so perfect. Trust me – I am the family teddy bear right now. I am SO desperate not to be hugged continually and even I want the warm hugs bundle.
3. Sheepskin slides.
If ever there was a time for new slippers, this is it. Shoes? Shoes? Who needs shoes?? The best thing about this whole isolation palaver is that no-one needs socks (apart from when I kick everyone out for a walk) and now I no longer need to sort socks. It’s not quite cold enough for uggs 24/7 so fluffy sides are my choix du jour. I like these ones from Andrea & Joen:
4. Tluxe
Like Bassike but….but….well pretty much like Bassike. But you can’t wear the same thing every day and your Bassike will need to go in the wash at some point….probs from sidewalk chalk…..so this stuff looks gorgeous, soft, comfy etc. Ticks all the same boxes. These are my picks:
The Organic Cotton Cocoon Dress
The Organic Cotton Slouch Pant
5. Papinelle
There will be some days when you want to get changed into pyjamas rather than just falling into a post kids’ bedtime, G&T and Netflix fuelled deep slumber. I’m not sure why and when that will be but if you do want actual pjs, these sound amazing. It may just be marketing. I have no idea. But I want to find out.
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According to just about everyone on TikTok, the key to making this ‘loungewear look’ look expensive and stylish is keeping it monochrome, a slash of red lipstick, some gold jewellery, and hair pulled back in a slick, neat bun.
But that’s too much effort for me right now.
Okay that’s it.
Until next time…..
Xoxo Shopping Girl
Ps A message to Incu, an awesome Sydney store. This came up in your “at home loungewear” edit.
Look. I understand that these days of COVID19 and isolation are a confusing time for all of us. These are indeed unprecedented times. Your Maison Kitsuné, Acne and Isabel Marant oversized tees and sweats? Yes. This 👆🏻??? Yeah that’s a hard “no”. If you stick to Shopping Girl’s golden 3 criteria you’ll be fine. Comfortable. Soft. Flattering. If it doesn’t invoke notions of clouds you’re barking up the wrong outfit. Woof.
xoxoshoppinggirl 