Many tasks feel futile in a pandemic. Many of us are just trying to survive, and anything outside the basics feel superfluous. I’ve certainly wrestled with those feelings since lockdown began, but a year later and I’m, thankfully, doing alright. Subsequently, I’ve been left with a lot of free time and those superfluous activities transformed to essential ones.
Cosplay, and just dressing up in general for Instagram, became a keep busy activity for me. There are no in-person conventions going on, but dressing up at home is one of the only times I feel creative. Donning a costume felt like the last like glimmer of fun left in the world.
At the beginning of lockdown, the “why bother” mentality set in hard. I figured I might as well stay cozy in sweatpants, post random bits of my home life on social media, and call it a day. TikTok and Reels and dressing up seemed like a world full of delusion that ignored what life had become.
This mindset came from the notion that we only dress up for others. That certainly has been the case for some. There have been a barrage of posts for over a year about relishing the rise of sweat suits and never want to go back. I knew that wasn’t the case for me. I was certainly cozy, but with the passing months, I also missed dressing up.
Getting dressed, either for the day or as a social media project, was a part of my pre-pandemic life, but it’s not simply an indicator of regular life. It was a part of my day that brought me joy and a creative outlet. So in the past year, every chance I got to run a quick errand, get out of my sweats, and put on an outfit, I relished.
Eventually I dusted off the shame of it all and decided to dress up for social media photos and videos. It became a project each week that kept me busy and kept my mind off the world collapsing for a few moments. All the trends and challenges that were circulating simply felt like creative exercises and that I was flexing a muscle I had given up on for months. Just the process of dressing up in front of my phone became a little pocket of joy. The highlight of my day in the darkness.
Dressing up has been an additional element in my life to keep my spirits up. Though it may not be a serious task, that doesn’t mean it’s a façade or waste of time. I know myself, and I know what makes me happy. So, I’ll relish in the joy of dressing up, even if it’s just to dance around my living room.
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