The weather in Sydney during lockdown has been ironically gorgeous and sunny, just to make sure we are really feeling the frustration of being indoors.

Since the only thing you can do is exercise, the only clothes you need are sporty, so elastic stretch Lycra has become a 24/7 friend, as have the custard crème pastries from the Roman Bakery, handily located 50 metres from my apartment.

Whoever the sage was who decided that 10,000 steps per day was going to do the trick and keep the weight down, I would like to say, one, that’s seriously a lot of steps, and two, no it doesn’t.

If this lockdown finishes any time before the end of 2021, I am going to need transition clothes to rebuild my wardrobe.

I don’t think I can go from tracksuits to tea gowns in one deft move, or sweats to shorts.

I’ve had a sneak preview of some new spring fashions that will be coming into stores soon, and there were some wonderful options that will allow us to ease back in without too much straining at the seams:

1. The poet’s blouse. Beautiful in crisp white cotton poplin or pretty pastel silks, the new spring blouse features billowing sleeves, high ruffled necklines and lovely details like shirred cuffs, or pintucking, and looks great with anything.
2. The tiered, mid-length cotton dress. It made an appearance last spring/summer, the roomy, forgiving cotton dress that made every woman in the world, of every age and size, say “Yes, thanks very much, that’s a very wearable dress with sleeves and I would like one in every colour please”. No wonder it’s back and probably never going away. You can take your short, tight, bodycon dresses and I will raise you a simple cotton tent dress in chocolate, brown or black, worn with leather sandals and a raffia bag, and win.
3. The slouchy linen pantsuit, cut oversized to skim the body, the most tailored we ever need to be in this weird work/home post-corporate environment.
4. Matched sets. Now this is no fuss dressing at it’s absolute best. A breezy long-sleeved blouse worn with a matching mid-calf skirt with a shirred waistband in a small floral print: a simple crème sleeveless sheath top worn with a crème flared skirt; an ochre linen blouson top worn with cropped linen pants. Everything with elastic or drawstring waistbands, voluminous sleeves, wide legs, tops falling slightly off the shoulder.

While the high fashion pundits are predicting the re-appearance of surrealism as a post-COVID movement, I’m not so sure most of us have the energy or enthusiasm to dress like Pierrot at this stage of the game.

We need soft, forgiving styles to help us re-enter the world.

I clicked ‘purchase’ on a matching beach set this week, elastic waist shorts and a short-sleeved shirt in soft and cosy terry towelling.

I’ve taken up cold water swimming to punctuate lockdown, and this may be the most fashionable purchase I get to make this year.