Don’t Sweat the Sweats

Don’t feel bad about wearing sweatpants to work from home. Sweats are a badge of honor. I’ve known retirees who got completely dressed in suits to grab coffee, a muffin, and a newspaper in the morning and then sit in the park to read it, cover-to-cover. I’ve also known retirees who stayed in their pajamas until bedtime, when they would shower and put on (wait for it) the next day’s pair of PJs.

The one positive thing that Coronavirus has done is turn every day into Casual Friday. As the days blend together, you must remember a few key things — did you wear this particular pair out of the house, and if so, how many days ago was that excursion? Doubtful that your local merchant, behind his respirator mark and blue gloves, is keeping tabs on your wardrobe. It’s just better and more hygienic to throw stuff in the hamper every 3–4 days.

I’ve allowed my kids (9 and 19) a little flexibility with their wardrobes as well. No elite, upper crust hoity-toity uniforms for them, unless you consider mismatching hoodies and Spider-Man socks appropriate homeschooling attire.

At the start of the great Social Distancing TrumpVirus Spring Awakening, I did retain some semblance of order. After breakfast, there would be jeans and a shirt with buttons of some kind, even if it was a Henley. The third day in, after stressing about lesson plans that had yet to arrive, I stumbled…