Yahoo Finance Ahead of Super Saturday, why I can't wait for the chance to dress up again
For some, it’s the taste of that first chilled beer - poured not by your own fair hand but an actual bartender - that’s so tantalizingly close as Britain gets set to tentatively reopen its bars and restaurants this weekend. But for others, there’s a far more exciting prospect afoot; the chance to actually get dressed up again.
Call me superficial (I’ve been called worse in our comments section), but one of the things I’m looking forward to is putting on some glad rags and heading somewhere, anywhere. Yes, it’s some way down the priority list of ‘not fearing death through buying a cup of coffee’ and friends and family staying safe, but one of the casualties of lockdown has been our wardrobes.
Officine Generale Dario shirt, £220, East Dane
Around day three back in March, it became clear that 95% of my wardrobe is full of peacocking event clothes (don’t blame me, blame the job), and the rest sadly lacking - my mainstay has been some sloppy jeans and a blue sweater.
The urge to pull yourself together, iron a shirt, dust down a blazer, lace up some polished shoes and spritz on some cologne isn’t as silly and frivolous as it might seem - there’s something life affirming about puttin’ on the Ritz again and clinking glasses after so much has been uncertain and downright terrifying.
There’s a reason that, during war time, red lipstick sales rocketed; a show of force doesn’t have to come from armour in the traditional sense.
Cotton jersey blazer, £250, Hamilton & Hare
As the world of tailoring is now learning, the fancier end of the fabric scale isn’t your friend during the pandemic. Your refined cashmere blazer might be calling out for cocktails at Claridges, but machine washable fabrics are preferable in the fight against coronavirus.
Helpfully, there are a raft of options available; Hamilton & Hare has created a series of ‘suits’ in soft jersey, and the high street has raised its game too.
It’s been a summer in the doldrums of same-sameness, so shaking things up with some vivid print and colour is no bad thing; it’s unlikely you’ll be donning that floral print shirt in Mykonos any time soon, after all.
A tropical pattern will help you imagine the summer holiday you might have had, even if your biggest sojourn turns out to be socially distanced drinks at your local wine bar.
Note di Colonia V, £350, Acqua di Parma
It’s also worth spending some time on grooming; it’s a mental shift in gear as well as a physical one. And as many a Zoom call in the last four months proves, even the most spruced up amongst us have allowed standards to slip.
Take time to shave, spritz yourself with your best cologne and head to the bar, mask in chest pocket (one that doubles as a pocket square, preferably) and raise a glass to a return to (a semblance of) normality.
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