Lim: Low life

Lim: Low life

I’m talking about the low maintenance life—the life I’ve always aspired to have and the life I’m now finally living—thanks to Covid-19.

In the last six months, I’ve practically lived in yoga pants. I’ve worn one pair of shoes and carried the same crossbody bag every time I’ve left the house since March.

Truth to tell, I’ve always understood Steve Jobs’ black turtlenecks and Mark Zuckerberg’s grey t-shirts. I had my own version of daily black outfits which I completely loved but my mother absolutely hated.

It may be hard to imagine but I’m not completely immune to societal approval. So, once in a while, I have to succumb. During these lockdown months, however, there were no social pressures to dress up only societal expectations to mask up.

And the masks are a God-send. They don’t only keep us safe, they also keep us, for the most part, anonymous. The best part? They make it easy to rock the “no make-up look.” Hair is a quick fix too. I keep mine on a ponytail so my extension strap can go over it and keep my mask snug.

I have to say, these days, it’s pretty easy for the “masked” me to conceal to others that I just rolled out of bed half an hour ago.

In so many ways, life under lockdown is a lot less complicated. The conspiracy of the bare face and the ponytail substantially cuts down the length of time it takes for me to get ready in the morning. And what to wear requires little decision-making.

This season of no socials just makes life so much simpler.

What does every girl stress about when she gets an invite? My father should know. He’s heard this distraught cry from his five daughters through the years, “What am I going to wear?” Puzzled, he finally said one day, “What about all those clothes hanging in your closets?”

Let me just call the elephant in the room. It’s hard to be female. And it’s costly too.

You can’t wear the same outfit twice—oh no, not to the grand events. And you have to wear something nice. And yet, the more fabulous your outfit, the more you’ll have to retire it as everyone will remember it. But men can wear the exact same thing to every formal event and no one would notice.

So, yes, I like to get dressed up and dolled up but once a year is often enough. No, I’m not anti-social—just practical. Sure, I like to spend money—just somewhere else.

A year after my mother passed, I ditched my all-black daily outfits. Last month, I gave my yoga pants a rest and added two pairs of jeans to my daily wardrobe. Last week, I took out a few more pairs of shoes in case I forget how to wear them.

Life changes—every day. And not always through some grand plan or great intention of ours. I’ve always aspired to do something new each year. Well, thanks to Covid-19, this year, I get to live the low life. And I can’t say I dislike it.

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