July 28, 2020

No More Quarantine Blues!

It’s been a little over 4 months since we have been in quarantine. How are you feeling right about now? If you’re like me, I feel like I can’t get enough sunshine. Thank goodness we’re quarantined during summer and not in the winter, am I right?! Grant it, it hasn’t been perfect all summer; we’ve had extreme heat and high humidity or else we’ve had a fair share of severe thunderstorms, as we always do this time of year. Let’s not forget to mention that we haven’t really been able to socialize, see our family or friends either. But I don’t need to tell you that though, do I.

The one thing that I have been doing to not only keep myself motivated while sitting around the house, but to boost my mood, is by wearing COLOR! When I work with my clients, I always teach the psychology behind fashion as it really is a self-care item; this also includes color. By wearing bright colors and uplifting patterns, it really does affect how you feel. This goes hand-in-hand with how you end up carrying yourself. Take this for example – Have you ever worn a new color that is a little brighter than you normally wear? Did you receive compliments? How did that make you feel? Probably made you feel great, right? Did you find yourself buying that color more or maybe you just wear that piece of clothing more often? This summer has been different though. Being stuck indoors most of the time, again, has affected me. So I’ve been wearing a lot more color to give me just the right amount of motivation.

Now the nice thing about thrifting at Arc’s Value Village is that if color is a new thing for you, you can invest a tiny amount of money into a few new pieces. If you end up not liking that color or it’s a bit too much for you, that’s okay because you didn’t spend that much money on it anyways. Thrifting is just a great way to experiment in general, don’t you think? 😉 So here we go, this is what I found during this quarantined summer – all under $10 each too!!

Polyester top: $4.99

Red stands for power and confidence. Being a business owner, I definitely find myself wearing this color often…especially to speaking engagements. If it’s not a top, or even my shoes for that matter, I’ll most likely be wearing a red lip.

Here’s a tip: If you’re reading this and feel hesitant about jumping right in by wearing a bright top or pant, start small; i.e. jewelry, handbag, lip color or even shoes!

BRAND NEW! Old Navy Floral Maxi Dress: $7.99

It’s a swampy humid here in Minnesota so I actually HATE wearing pants in the summertime. I also travel a lot (when there isn’t a pandemic, of course) which most of the time is to somewhere warm. With that being said, I wear a lot of maxi dresses because 1) they’re easy to just throw on and go, 2) they’re comfy to lounge around in at home and God forbid someone knocks on your door and you have to answer it, and 3) they’re easy to travel with = versatility when traveling is key!

PS – Can you tell that I have been in love with bright red this summer!? I bought a few more pieces in this color too!

Old Navy Tropical Print Tank: $4.99

Tropical print is a huge trend this season, but quite honestly, I have ALWAYS loved it and I’ll even wear it year round. It reminds me of my happy place, which is Florida ←- see that? Mood booster! 😉 I’ve worked with a few clients that have gotten the blues during quarantine, especially with working at home. They just want to feel refreshed and motivated so I’ve actually asked them where their happy place is when they travel. I’ll then incorporate a pattern that’s associated with that place into my shopping finds. Works like magic!

Now with all this being said, isn’t it crazy how the psychology of fashion and color works in our everyday lives and emotions?! There are several articles out there that explain what each color means as well as how it plays a role in fashion. So all in all, if you find yourself wearing color after reading this post, TAG ME! Let me know how you felt prior to wearing it and how you feel now. I love seeing and hearing about transformations 🙂 Until then, happy shopping!

-Melissa

MHstyleconsultants.com / IG: @MH_style_consulting / Facebook @MHstyleconsulting

To book an Arc’s Value Village personal shopping appointment, click here

Photo credits: ?: @liza.jae & @cassidystreiff