Soon we will reconvene
Beneath the same sky and feel the breeze
Run our fingers through our loved one’s hair
Feel the electric connection of a smile and stare
Soon we will climb high on mountain peaks
Run through poppy fields, play hide and seek
We will fly through the air and sing at the top of our lungs
For a war was upon us but we fought and won
Our daily innocence will be restored
Love and laughter will be reborn
We will leap into the arms of all of our friends
For we all have seen darkness and came back to the light again
Soon we will reconvene
And it will be the sweetest rejoice we have ever seen

We all have read how the South Korean government has been very successful in battling the Coronavirus. But aside from actually saving lives with a scientific yet practical approach, the Korean culture also has been a refuge for a lot of people all over the world. From Korean dramas, K-pop or by cooking samgyeopsal at home, here are some of the many ways that this country has kept me sane these past few weeks:

K-drama 

This has been for me, the most effective way to bring you to another universe by only using your cellphone or tablet. From well-written storylines that tug at your heartstrings to the amazing portrayal of characters that overcome adversities, the Korean Wave has grown stronger now that people have more time to spare. Companies like Netflix have made it possible for me to watch all the dramas that I want uninterrupted anytime I wanted. I can pause and replay my favorite scenes at any point. If you haven’t watched Crash Landing on You or Kingdom, then log-in to your Netflix account after reading this article. There is a reason why it is on the top 10 trending list in your country.

Food 

Fortunately for me, local supermarkets in the Philippines now carry Korean food like ramyun and chapagetti. But now is the best time to experiment and actually cook with your family, so go ahead and treat your loved ones by preparing samgyeopsal with lettuce, kimchi, or stir some gochujang in a bowl of white, hot rice. Some of my friends have been trying out their own soju cocktails while others are making banana or strawberry milk at home with the help of Tiktok and Youtube tutorials. Everyone has also been elevating their instant coffee by whipping up dalgona coffee. As for me, I have been eating honey butter chips and wasabi-flavored almonds while I watch reality shows like 3 Meals a Day on TVN.

Skincare and makeup

I went to Seoul in 2018 to interview Hyun Bin and Park Shin-Hye for Memories of the Alhambra, which was also a great opportunity to bring home a lot of Korean skincare products and makeup. While on lockdown, I have already mixed a few of my lip tints to create a new color, used my pimple patch to heal my period acne and used up a whole lot of facial masks. I have seen how my skin has improved these past few weeks! These Korean products must really be the real reason why your favorite girl group has glowing, healthy skin. And even your favorite Oppa has not aged a bit despite going into the military service! 

Music

Whether you prefer BTS over EXO or would rather listen to Twice than BlackPink, you cannot deny that these performers are highly-skilled in dancing and singing. It takes a lot of years in training before an idol or group will be considered ready to perform on the big stage. But once launched, you will see how each of these entertainers can make you dance or sing even if you do not exactly know what they are saying. Combine all these with their well-crafted music videos and concerts that feature them wearing clothes and makeup that complement their stage personalities, you will find yourself googling the English translations of the song in no time. If the ones mentioned above are not your cup of (Yuja) tea, google IU or Paul Kim to know what I mean.

Day in my Life in Korea

Aside from watching (and rewatching) my favorite scenes from Crash Landing On You when I am anxious or when I have trouble sleeping, I go to Youtube and watch 효녀HYONYEO, CozyDay 코지데이, 해그린달 haegreendal, SEYOUNGDAY or 수린 suzlnne. For someone who consumes a lot of media throughout her life, I have never expected that these Korean content creators can bring the much-needed peace and coziness that I crave at night. I won’t get to travel to South Korea anytime soon, but seeing Korea through their eyes and living their life through a screen has helped me discover new places and find solace in watching them do their house chores or walk with them around their neighborhood. 

Now that you have read this rather long article, I do wish that I have given you useful tips on how you can combat cabin fever and help you cheer up even for a bit in this period of isolation. Let’s continue to connect with one another and explore South Korea digitally, at least for now. Keep your body and mind healthy and keep on fighting [aja aja paiting]!

When our “normal” life becomes unstable and we experience a big transition, such as working from home during a global pandemic, our focus tends to get away from us. Working from home is seen by many as the ideal job because of the flexibility it gives you to work on your own terms and take time off when needed.

Most people are sure they would be able to be productive in a work from home environment, but they fail to realize how much structure they lose when their work becomes their couch instead of an office.

Here are the best tips to make working from home, work for you:

Create a routine

Having a routine in place can be so beneficial for those who are working from home for the first time or for those who are not used to doing it full-time. A productive and positive, yet simple routine, can set the tone for the day and help you get into ‘work mode.”

However, having a healthy routine does not just help you to achieve your work goals, it will also help your mental and emotional well-being. Make sure you give yourself time to wake up before you get started on work so you can start with a clear head.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different aspects of your routine. Changing the time you wake up or the order you do things in is a simple way to do this.

One thing you should incorporate into your routine is changing your clothes. (Yes, you have to get out of your pajamas and put on real clothes.) This helps you prepare for the day mentally and you get into the mindset of going to work.

If your job is a 9-5, then continue that schedule at home. It is easy to lose track of time and get burnt out, so try to stick to your “normal” as much as possible. Setting specific hours for working can help you concentrate and get done what needs to be done, and when it is finished you can relax.

You must create a routine you find enjoyable because this will make it easier to form it into a habit.

Plan breaks

Even if you have a busy and hectic schedule you need to make time for breaks. Breaks are vital to your health and your creativity and taking the time to relax and recharge is just as important as getting the work done. This includes scheduling in a 30 minute or 1-hour lunch break.

Even though it is very tempting, do not work during your lunch break. Spend your break eating lunch, reading, go for a walk, or maybe take a much-needed nap. Your body snd mind will thank you!

Open your windows and get fresh air

It is important that you get fresh air at some point. Open your windows to let in as much fresh air and natural light as possible. The introduction of outdoor air is one important factor in promoting good air quality. Opening windows and doors, when the weather permits, increases the outdoor ventilation rate.

Spend time in the backyard if you have one, or take short walks if you live in an unpopulated area. Be sure to wash your hands when you return home.

Move your body

Get your blood flowing! Sitting down all day is not healthy and moving your body should be a priority if you are working from home. You may not realize how much more movement your body is used to if you do not typically work from home.

It is easy to sit down and work for hours on end when you get into that focus mode and you do not even realize how much time passes by since the last time you stood up and moved around.

Get rid of distractions

We all get distracted by texts, social media, and a variety of other things. If you constantly hear your phone go off or are checking your notifications then you will get little to no work done.

Turn your phone off if you do not need it, and if you do need it on for emergency/work purposes just set it across the room. This helps remove the urge to browse the internet or scroll on Instagram and allows you to work more efficiently.

It is hard to stay motivated when you are working from home for the first time and you will have to go through some trial and error to find what fits just right for you. This is not always an easy adjustment to make so be kind to yourself and anyone else working from home with you. Remember, this is only temporary and you are not alone.

This past fall, I became the proud owner of a faux fur vest originally worn by Grammy award-winner and country queen Kacey Musgraves. All it took was a direct message (DM) to Stage to Closet. The fashion Instagram account, co-created by Little Big Town singer Karen Fairchild and her personal assistant/nanny Kristy Mondelli, sells designer clothing and accessories from country music’s biggest stars directly to their fans—pieces worn for tours, music videos, awards shows, interviews, and photoshoots. 

What started out as cleaning Karen’s closet turned into an online retail strategy to creatively fill a glaring gap between high-end consignors and donation bins. Having consigned clothing for the past four years, Kristy and Karen knew their options for selling the country singer’s outfits were limited. Online consignors only accepted luxury brands and had strict “no wear and tear” rules for items, regardless of whether they were worn to the Grammys or Dan Rather interviews. At the same time, local brick and mortars had laborious consignment processes and often weren’t the right price range for Karen’s higher-end articles of clothing. As both women stood facing a mountain of clothes, the idea dawned on them: why not sell the items to Karen’s fanbase on Instagram? They could then donate the profits to a charity. 

After creating an account, the two worked with Little Big Town bandmate Kimberly Schlapman to post photos of clothing that she and Karen would sell. The rules were straightforward: the first person to DM Stage to Closet the item they wanted and their shipping information would win it. Within seconds of the first sale going live, every item had been sold. Stage to Closet has since held four more sales, featuring the wardrobes of some of country music’s biggest names including Jimi Westbrook, Ashley Monroe, and Kacey Musgraves. The proceeds from each sale go to a charity of the artist’s choice. (Past recipients have included One Love International and the Ocean Conservancy.) In the last sale alone—a second sweep of Kacey’s wardrobe—Stage to Closet raised $30,000 for tornado relief efforts in Nashville, after a storm hit the city on March 3. 

Although Kristy and Karen have had a working relationship since 2015 (the two women met while Kristy was a school teacher), Stage to Closet is their first foray into working together as business partners—and they are full of ideas for what comes next. I spoke with Kristy about what it’s been like to co-lead a creative venture with Karen, why including a charitable element was important to the sale model, and how she envisions Stage to Closet growing as an inclusive marketplace.

What inspired you to create Stage to Closet?

Kristy Mondelli: First and foremost, a need: filling the gap between luxury consignment and donation bins. Karen and many other notable women in her circle have had the conversation, “What do you do with your stage clothes?” Once these women are on stage or the red carpet in certain outfits, they usually don’t wear those clothes again because they’ve already been photographed in them. So, they just sit there in their closet. Of course, Karen has kept important, sentimental pieces. But this retail gap made it tough to sell the rest of her stage clothes. So, we decided to sell them on Instagram. I had seen bloggers do it all the time. They put items up on their Instagram stories, link to a PayPal, and say “Send me your shipping address.” I told Karen, “We should totally do this and let fans know that we’re selling your stuff.” We could’ve posted these clothes on Ebay, Poshmark, or TheRealReal, or I could’ve taken them to a consignment shop in Nashville. But if I gave a store a pair of pants that Karen wore on the Grammy red carpet, they’re just a pair of pants to anybody walking into that store. People wouldn’t know the story behind them. If an actual fan could get those pants, that would be so much cooler. So, the idea was to create both a retail outlet and an exciting way to engage with fans of different artists.

What do you like about consignment and fashion?

KM: Honestly, I’m not that fashionable. (Right now, I’m in jogger pants and a t-shirt.) But working in fashion has reignited this creativity I had as a teacher, when I would find ways to get the children engaged with material. As a nanny, I sometimes feel stuck in the day-to-day of grocery shopping and picking socks up off the floor. Don’t get me wrong, I love the whole Little Big Town family and adore my job so much. But I will say that Stage to Closet has really sparked a lot of newfound joy for me. Even though I’m not wearing sequins or heels every day, it’s fun to dress my mannequins and take all the photos using the photo roll and ring light in my guest bedroom—which I’ve now turned into a Stage to Closet office! I could not do this without Karen, though. She has all the fashion and business knowledge. 

How has Instagram impacted your consignment work?

KM: The reach that we have on Instagram versus a brick and mortar store is what really drives our success. We’ve sold to people from Los Angeles to Boston, Florida to Montana—even Canada and New Zealand. Everyone’s on Instagram, and we don’t have to get people to do much more than follow our account. Plus, we work with celebrities who have hundreds of thousands—or millions—of followers. So, when they tag us in a post saying “I’m selling my clothes with Stage to Closet,” their fans flood our account. We’re not really advertising. We’re just letting the celebrity’s followers come to us. If they unfollow us after the celebrity’s sale is done, that’s okay. As long as an artist’s items sell, and the people who are actually fans are the ones getting the items, we’re happy. 

What made you decide to include charity donations in the sale process?

KM: We keep the charity donation optional, but we felt that it was needed to include when pitching to clients. Obviously, the celebrities we work with aren’t looking to make money off of this. They just want to see their clothes go to someone who will appreciate their sentimental value. But to make it more personal, we decided that each celebrity would pick a charity that was important to them instead of us. During a sale, we’ll add a donate button for the charity in our Instagram story. Whatever money is raised off of that goes directly to the organization; it never passes through us. Then, we leave it up to the client to figure out how much of the sale’s proceeds they want to donate. It’s usually a surprise to the charity, which is cool. We don’t partner with them ahead of time. They find out the second that we (and the celebrity) post about it on Instagram.

How do the two of you go about putting a sale together?

KM: We pursue potential clients from Karen’s contacts, collect their clothing, and take inventory. We’ll separate the items into categories and type up the necessary information: brand, size, any noticeable rips or stains, and a suggested price based off of online retail research. Since Karen’s so knowledgeable about fashion, I always consult her on the selling price. Afterwards, I photograph the pieces and sometimes model the items if I think it makes them look better.

Then, Karen steps in with the creative direction. She makes everything go from good to exceptional. She’ll adjust the mannequins so that each outfit’s aesthetic is cohesive, and she makes sure we have the right supplies to make our content look its best. Karen’s all about the details. She’ll even take the extra time to steam each item and curate our photos. 

Finally, I upload the photos to Instagram, facilitate the sale when it goes live, and ship out the clothing to the winners. I go through all the DMs from the sale, starting from the bottom and working my way up to see who replied first for each item. It’s pretty tedious, so we’re thinking about other ways that we can make the sales more efficient—like a website for starters! 

What’s it like working together on these sales?

KM: It has added a new layer to our relationship in the best of ways. Karen has been my boss and friend for the past five years. Because we had a great working relationship already, we fell into our roles as business partners pretty easily. We’re both go-getters, constantly striving and wanting to up our game. And we’re very respectful of each other. I’m not afraid to voice my opinion, nor is she. 

What’s next for Stage to Closet?

KM: So far, we’ve only worked with country music artists, but we’re open to anyone with a significant online following that can bring people to our sales. A couple of actresses that Karen knows have shown interest, so we’re trying to expand beyond music where we can. We also have a male celebrity who’s interested, which is one of the reasons why we did a “his and hers” sale between Karen and her husband, Jimi—to see how selling men’s clothes would do. About 96% of our followers are women, so it was kind of a tough market. But we hope to grow Stage to Closet to a point where anybody can sell. 

We’ve also thought about going beyond sample sizes. There has yet to be any clothing that I could buy on Stage to Closet, and I think that matters. If we just keep selling celebrities’ clothes that are sizes zero to four, we fear that some of our followers will get discouraged because they won’t see items in their size. It’d be really great to work with a client who isn’t afraid to share their clothing size on our account, especially if it’s larger than a sample size. Another idea we have is to share an outfit on our Instagram story and include the swipe up feature to purchase the item at its store’s website, so followers could buy it for themselves. That’s our biggest goal: to make Stage to Closet more inclusive.

What do you find most rewarding about being part of a female-led creative venture?

KM: It’s empowering. I’ve never been a “co-boss” before. It feels good to have my thoughts, opinions, and ideas hold value—and then see them come to fruition. I’ve learned a lot from Karen these past five years. I see her on business calls, working and writing with her bandmates, messing with art, designing her Fairchild fashion line, directing and producing records, and styling music videos. The way Karen takes the reins, makes decisions, and has her hands in it all is really inspiring. We’re both natural leaders. I see myself both following in her footsteps (except for singing!) and, with Stage to Closet, walking beside her.

To make a donation to the ongoing tornado relief efforts in Nashville, go to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee or the Community Resource Center for more information.