By James Linda
With the recent Lunar New Year celebration, it’s important to take the time to reevaluate certain parts of our lifestyles. While we’re doing our jobs from home, we need to make sure we don’t neglect self-care routines such as skincare and keeping your living space organized and decorated to your liking. Here are some ways to bring in more luck with your clothes, accessories, and interior design.
Wear clothes and accessories of this year’s lucky colors
The lucky colors for The Year of the Ox 2021 are aqua blue, red, silver, and white. Dress in crisp white button-down shirts to look professional in your video calls, or add an element of fun by dressing in vibrant reds and aqua blues.
If you’re working remotely like many others and don’t have to make much of an effort with the waist-down portion of your ensemble, you can always accessorize! Jewelry is a great way to elevate any outfit instantly. If you have any custom-made jewelry pieces in your collection, now’s the time to wear them.
Apart from this year’s lineup of lucky colors, there are also some colors you can wear to bring in good energy according to your Chinese Zodiac sign.
Accessorize with metal and metallics
2021 is also known as the Year of the White Metal Ox. Metal is this year’s powerful element, so make sure to incorporate it into your outfits! You can also incorporate this trend into other 2021 jewelry crazes, such as the comeback of the 1980s. This decade is marked by unconventional, often asymmetrical silhouettes, bold hues, and punk fashion.
Bring some 80s spirit to your jewelry choices by opting for chain link metal necklaces and bracelets. These pieces add elegance and sophistication to your outfit while also bringing a dash of the famous edginess of the 80s. Bold statement pieces like chunky bracelets make your outfit look like a modern art installation and make it go from day to night seamlessly.
When it comes to your home decor, you can easily incorporate metal or metallic accents – be it in steel dining chairs or metal figurines. Some design styles, such as Nordic interior design, include adding metal visuals to their playbooks.
Nordic or Scandinavian interior design is a kind of minimalist design scheme. It highlights clean, straight lines and emphasizes the importance of natural light. It also makes use of warm wood textures and balances these out with cool, industrial metals. One of the best things about Nordic interior design is that being a minimalist scheme, it’s low-maintenance and works well the whole year.
Don’t forget about makeup!
Putting on makeup and looking presentable for those Zoom calls can sometimes feel like a chore, but it also depends on how you think about putting on makeup. Like many of our COVID-era hobbies, such as baking and gardening, makeup is a form of mindfulness. This adds a new level of meaning to the saying that makeup and skincare are forms of self-care.
In doing your skincare routine or putting on makeup, you’re taking the time to do something that requires a level of focus that is neither too exhausting nor too lax. Thus, it can keep your focus on something just enough to keep your mind away from the things that make you feel anxious or blue. On top of that, the result also makes you feel good. Even just putting on red lipstick for Zoom calls can boost your mood. Pull your hair up into a sleek ponytail or bun, and people won’t notice that you haven’t showered!
If you’re not much of a makeup wearer, you can also achieve the same benefits from painting your nails. Getting a mani-pedi has always been therapeutic, but there are also benefits to painting your nails yourself. And with COVID restrictions still in place, a DIY mani-pedi is much safer than service from a stranger.
You can follow the techniques of wellness-based nail salons such as New York City’s Sundays. The Manhattan-based salon lends its customers headsets that play a series of meditations while they’re getting their nails painted. Customers also sip on cups of organic tea during their session. Many experts have been recommending daily meditations to help cope with the stress of the pandemic. Doing it during your makeup or nail care routine will help you shoot two birds with one stone.
Improving your lifestyle and changing your mindset for a more prosperous new year can start with taking your self-care routine and interior decoration more seriously and making an effort with your at-home outfits. Roll up your blinds, light your favorite scented candle, and keep the good vibes rolling in this 2021.
