Mar 8, 2021
If You’re Happy and You Know It — Put on Your Favourite Outfit
A little bit of self-care hurt no one.
Over the weekend, my mother and I went shopping. You would think we went to buy tops, jeans or Kurtis, but no, we went to purchase comfy pyjamas.
‘What an irony maa, I am investing in pyjamas. It seems like this is my new workwear,’ I said.
My mother smiled and replied, ‘darling, you are financially independent to buy your pyjamas. Take pride in it and be grateful.’
I do, and every single night before I go to bed, I don’t pray with the intention of the things I want. Instead, I offer gratitude even to the smallest blessing God has showered on me. Fresh air, clean drinking water, a roof over my head and three meals in a day. What more could anyone ask for. But still, we seem to always take everything for granted.
Anyway, I returned home and sorted my wardrobe after months. My clothes kept staring at me, and I at them. The joy of wearing something bright and colourful on a Friday now seems like a distant dream.
There is a unique feeling when you dress for yourself. It sends butterflies in your tummy. You feel confident and happy, no matter what your body type.
It’s then when you realise happiness isn’t extrinsic but intrinsic. You may be in the most exotic locations in the world and still feel unhappy. Or you may be residing in the most crowded areas and be the happiest because you have mental peace.
I don’t know the last time I dressed for myself or when I draped a saree. The joy of draping a six-yard saree and combining it with delicate earrings makes a woman feel confident, sensual, beautiful, feminine, luxurious, bold, and the adjectives can go on. Yes, that’s how a woman feels in a saree. If one piece of clothing can do so much, the pandemic has taken away the joy of pampering yourself.
Now my daily outfits are comfortable home wear. The tops are worn out, and the pyjamas are shrivelled. But who cares as you are at home and home, you can be yourself. However, whenever it’s the weekend, I do look for a change. I feel like revisiting my clothes, putting on some music, and remembering what it feels like to stand in front of the mirror feeling sensual and confident.
If you feel good, you look good. Beauty today is, unfortunately, defined through Instagram filters and toned bodies. Mind you, these toned body images result from a picture taken from an angle, or you have a lot of time in your hands to focus on nothing else but your body. Whatever may be the case, the phrase’ beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’ is now getting distorted with superficial images and cameras that cover your pimples, blackheads and scars. Reality is too mainstream, and external perfection is the trend.
Let this next sentence sink in.
We dress not to please others but ourselves.
Dressing up brings people joy, and it has nothing to do with how others perceive you. Yes, compliments bolster your confidence, but that doesn’t define your inner beauty. There is no point in being called the most beautiful face on Earth if that person’s heart lacks empathy and gratitude. There is no point in having six-pack abs if you look down on people. Beauty then has no meaning whatsoever.
So, over the weekend, if you feel like wearing something nice, go ahead and do so. It’s okay to dress up no matter what your age and click pictures of yourself. Please take it as a form of self-care and to hell with people calling you out as childish or a timewaster. They don’t know your fight.
This weekend, put on your favourite outfit, match it with the best accessories and perfume. Smile, take a snap and share it with people you love. It doesn’t matter what others think.
All that matters is — did it make you happy?
