What routine? 

I used to set my alarm for 7AM every morning. Now, I wait until the sun peeks through my windows and fills my apartment with light. It’s quite a beautiful (and inspiring) way to begin the day. When it’s raining, I start my mornings much later which makes my fiancé happy because he’s an early riser and loves having time to himself. I never thought I would be the type to stay in my pajamas until 11AM as I ease into the work day, but here we are. From there, I slip into leggings, grab my cup of coffee and warm up the breakfast he’s made for me (usually it’s his special seasoned eggs or a delicious bowl of oatmeal).  

Call it contradicting? But I seek comfort just as much as I do fashion…especially in quarantine. At the start of the pandemic, I struggled to maintain my routine. Now, I embrace it knowing just how fragile life can be and how unique this time is to ground myself, remove the pressure to be perfect all the time and truly relax. If anything, I hope to come out of this better and stronger. Being grateful for small gifts like extra sleep, no makeup and comfortable clothing, as I’ve mentioned before, are some of the few ways I’ve remained positive throughout all this. 

Around 5PM, I take a second shower…most times, a warm one, and let the hot steam fill my bathroom (acting like a mini sauna) to help clear my mind. I apply a vitamin C serum to my skin, groom my eyebrows, toss on easy clothing, and refill my water bottle. The other day a reader asked, “What happened to your red lipstick?” I answered, “face masks…” And no, I haven’t touched my blow dryer in months. 

Madewell blouse, Lacoste tennis skirt, Selina King earrings, Eric Javits sun hat (similar here), TKees sandals, Linda Farrow sunglasses

A.L.C. button down (similar here), old shorts (similar here), Goodwill necklace, Eric Javits sun hat (similar here), Tkees sandals 

Roughly by 630PM, whether in West Palm Beach or Miami, my fiancé and I love taking walks together through the neighborhood until the sun sets. It’s a really calming part of my day and a special time I get to connect with him. One hour turns to two and next thing you know, we’ve walked close to 5 miles…sometimes more. We get home, throw on some music, light my favorite scented candle and open up a bottle of chilled wine. Concluding the evening by eating (most times) something healthy paired with the occasional UberEats delivery for dairy-free cookies to balance things out. 

Honestly, I just want to remove any layer of added pressure (anything overwhelming mentally and emotionally) and be comfortable right now. When I’m in my closet thinking of the “perfect outfit” to wear on yet another day in lockdown, I usually slip into a roomy button down, comfy shorts and some sort of statement piece like a necklace, hat or sunglasses (to bring back a sense of normalcy). Sure, my inner fashion critic is not happy, but I trust there’s a time and a place for recurring statement outfits again once this chapter ends. 

Old silk blouse (similar here), Sezane pants (similar here), Mignonne Gavigan earrings, Verdi rose gold clutch

I feel that Instagram can sometimes turn into a space that encourages comparison and performance to a whole new level – in the way you dress, what brands you wear and what you are doing. It feels like I constantly have to prove myself…and this chapter of my life continues to open up my eyes to recognizing what matters most…my top priorities. Of course, fashion will always be a form of expression to me, which I guess currently means a return to the basics. A more toned down style (which is OK; the pressure is off) and lots of wearing and restyling the same thing over and over again with fewer impulse purchases — which to be fair, is better for you (and us) anyway. 

Xo, Stephanie 

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