It’s easy to fall into a rut of wearing your most comfy clothes and even not taking a shower every day if you don’t have plans to leave the house. I’ve been a stay at home mom and homemaker for almost 30 years and understanding how to get dressed for your day is something I’ve always struggled with. 

But getting dressed every day is one of the best ways to feel happier and be more productive with your time.

Let’s face it. If you’re wearing your favorite cozy clothes – perhaps your frumpiest outfit – you’re more likely to feel lazy, move slow through the day, and get less done.

Dressing as a Christian Homemaker

If you’re used to putting on your favorite yoga pants and stained t-shirt in the morning because you don’t have plans to leave the house, you may not realize how important getting dressed for the job of homemaking really is!

Getting dressed has the power to change your outlook on the day. You wouldn’t show up at a place of employment looking frumpy. Your job as a homemaker is just as important – if not more!

Homemakers play such an important role in the life of the family. How you feel about your job is very much portrayed in how you present yourself to your family. You might not mean to look frumpy, run down, exhausted every day. Obviously, you do have a hard job! But just think about how your appearance speaks to those you love.

The Proverbs 31 woman was well dressed. She wore clothing suitable to her position in life. “She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.” Proverbs 31:22

I’ve raised five kids. My oldest is 29 years old now and my youngest is 16. In those nearly 30 years, looking put together is something I’ve always found to be a struggle.

Some women seem to be born with a natural knack of putting an outfit together. Me? I usually ask my daughters what looks good.

However.

I’ve been slowly learning how to look more put together and there are a few resources that have been a big help to me. Being vain and wanting to look nice are two different things. It’s okay to want to look nice. People take you more seriously and I believe you can be a better witness for Christ when you dress in a way that is becoming of a Christian woman.

The Importance of Getting Dressed 

Let me start by saying I know you aren’t running around the house naked! What we’re talking about today is the importance of not wearing our pajamas all day long, or always choosing our oldest comfy sweatshirt and yoga pants. It’s about old-fashioned homemaking skills.

Get Dressed for the Day You Want to Have

You may have heard of the idea to dress for the job you want, not the job you have. I hope you see homemaking as not only the job you want, but the one you love. So let’s replace the word job with day. 

Dress for the day you want to have.

If you’re here, then I’m guessing you want to live like the Proverbs 31 woman. What were her days like? She lived with intentionality and purpose. She looked well to the ways of her household. She worked hard and was prepared. She made time for ministering to those outside of her household. She was even a businesswoman. And she did it with strength, dignity, and a healthy dose of laughter.  

For some reason if she lived now, I just can’t imagine her doing all those things in her pajamas and fuzzy socks!

How we dress directly impacts how we approach our days. Getting dressed first thing in the morning gets us moving. You’ve heard of Newton’s 1st law of motion: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion. Pajamas or our ultra comfy yoga pants say rest.  The motion that gets you going is getting dressed! 

Who Are You Getting Dressed For?

It’s interesting to see in Proverbs 31 that there are two ways she clothes herself. 

She dresses herself with strength…(verse 17)

Strength and dignity are her clothing (verse 25)

If we only read those two verses, we might think that it doesn’t matter how we dress ourselves physically. But there is another verse as well: Her clothing is fine linen and purple (verse 22). She didn’t just get dressed, she dressed well. Purple was symbolic of nobility. 

Although your character is of most importance, let your outward appearance reflect your inner reality—you are the daughter of the King!

It’s a good thing to get dressed for:

• Yourself. Getting dressed can help us feel energized and confident. It will help you see yourself as you truly are—a woman of purpose, whose job is of utmost importance.
• Your kids. When it comes to teaching your children life skills, the most effective method is modeling the behavior you want to see in them. Teach them to take pride in themselves, in a godly not worldly way. Help them to see the importance of presenting themselves well.
• Your husband. Do you want to show your husband that you love him and care about his desires? Then dress in a way that he will find attractive. That doesn’t mean you have to dress like it’s date night. But dress in a way that says “I care what you think!”

8 Tips for How to Get Dressed for Your Day

Maybe this idea of getting dressed as a homemaker is making you feel a bit overwhelmed. I want to share some tips on how you can start dressing better without breaking the bank. Some of these tips don’t require money at all!

#1 Do it first. Wake up your body and mind by getting out of bed and getting dressed. Take a shower, put on some makeup, and get ready.

#2 Get dressed all the way to your shoes. Yes, I know you may spend the majority of your day at home, but there’s something about putting shoes on that helps us be more productive. Don’t believe me? Try it for one week and see what a difference it makes.

#3 Feel good about your clothes. You don’t have to sacrifice comfort when dressing well! There are so many great choices today of soft but flattering pieces. 

#4 Invest in quality, versatile pieces of clothing. Quality sometimes costs a bit more, but will save you money in the long run. This is especially true when you spend more on those pieces that are the foundation to your wardrobe. Consider buying neutrals in these items so you can mix and match them with your whole wardrobe. 

#5 Think layers. If you live in a climate that seems to be constantly changing, buy items that layer well. As the weather changes, you can adjust easily. 

#6 Have some fun. Buy a few inexpensive, fun pieces that bring your outfits to life. This is a great place to add a splash of color whether it’s a scarf or fabulous earrings. But don’t think you need a lot of these items. We want to stay within our budgets!

#7 Shop your closet first. Before buying anything, shop your closet first. Take out all of your clothes and lay them out on your bed. Then put the things you love and use often back in your closet, along with those things you need that you wear less often (I go to weddings in one particular dress most of the time!). Then let the rest go. Don’t feel guilty, either. Have a garage sale, have a clothes swap with friends, do a sale online, or give them to a local charity.

Once you’ve chosen the things you’ll keep, play around with different combinations to find some favorite new outfits.

#8 Get help. And if you feel like you just can’t do this on your own, ask for help. Maybe it’s a good friend who seems to just exude style. Or maybe it’s your teenage daughters. 

Or maybe you need to learn from the experts like Corina Holden of FrumpFighters.com. 

Frump Fighting Resources:

• Frumpy to Fabulous Course
• The Body Shape Cheat Sheet
• Roadmap to a Better Wardrobe + Free Printable

Get Dressed for Your Life

Our lives are made up with both big and small moments—big and small decisions. It’s funny though, that it’s in the daily, smaller decisions, we often set the course for our lives. 

Getting dressed for the day you want may seem so inconsequential. If you see it only as a way to cover up your body, then maybe it is. But intentionally getting dressed for the day has a bigger impact than what you might imagine. Go ahead and try it. What do you have to lose?