What to Wear During House Arrest

 
For the next two to three weeks, under the advice of our doctor, my husband and I will be under house arrest, sitting out the coronavirus until it's not so scary. At 79 and 77 respectively, we are willing to own up to "old", just not "elderly". We still work, travel, play and generally enjoy life without thinking too much about our health. That the CDC considers 65 "old" was a wake-up call.

I look forward to house arrest with more than a little trepidation. I'm still not sure whether we are being overly cautious. Remember the story of Chicken Little who thought the sky was falling? On the other hand, being a little chicken now might not be a bad idea.

We plan to cut out anything that involves other people, which means a lot of things we enjoy doing—restaurants, movies, theater, museums, shopping (that's only my pleasure), seeing the kids and work. We will make only the quickest trips to the grocery store and any other appointments that can't be put off. All this togetherness will be a true test of our marriage. We will try not to kill each other.

But what to wear? To avoid that slippery slope—from casual to can't care less—I will have to get dressed. With makeup. Every day. I admit to spending long mornings in pjs when I have a day off and my husband doesn't. Since every day will now be a day off, I'd better be more like my mother—breakfast in pjs (though she always wore a pretty robe) then get dressed for the day. Note to self: As soon as I can get to a store, look for a pretty robe. Better yet, find one on Amazon.

Maybe matching robes...?

When I'm spending the day cleaning—a chore I hate until it's done, and then I'm ridiculously proud of myself—I wear the oldest, saddest articles of clothing I own. I don't even give them the respect of hanging in a closet. I somewhat fold them and toss 'em into a covered basket in the bedroom. They are so disgusting if I ever did get rid of them I wouldn't have the nerve to drop them at the thrift shop. This cannot be my house arrest wardrobe. I am going to have to wear real clothes.

NOT my house cleaning outfit...or attitude

The temptation when no one sees you is to reach for the same outfit day after day till it can practically walk itself to the laundry basket. I once bought a rainbow striped knit top to keep up my spirits after I lost a job. I did wear it for a while, until I realized it did nothing but remind me of my sorry state. So a house arrest outfit might be too much orange-is-the-new-black.

I think all of us have clothes we don't wear for no other reason than they seem too good for the house but not good enough to wear out. At least I do. Now's the time to put on those nice shirts or t's and fun pants.

I take out my pierced earrings at night and don't put them back in until I'm ready to leave home. Empty ear piercings is one of Rachel Zoe's pet peeves from her style book. I will put earrings in even though going nowhere.

Though not exactly what-to-wear, wouldn't it be great to finally catch up on all that mending—hems and buttons that need work? And what a perfect opportunity to switch closets for the season (am writing this from south Texas), a chore that can take weeks when I'm busy going places and doing things.

Thus has it ever been...

And when I'm done with my closet, I'll start on my husband's. Now that's when the murder plots may hatch...