Self-Isolate With Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung - presenter, designer and creative director of her eponymous fashion label, AlexaChung - stars in the first of our new series of self-isolation diaries, where friends of Bazaar share what they're eating, reading, watching and wearing at home right now.

Read on to self-isolate with Alexa.

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1. I'm reading...

I’m reading Chronicles: Volume One by Bob Dylan, which is about him moving to New York and beginning his career. I’m not far in but it’s already pretty gripping. I love reading about music history because it gives a snapshot of culture at the time and explains the context of songs that we might take for granted now, but were totally revolutionary at the time. I have that even now with some pop songs that initially sound so far out and then you just very rapidly get used to that sound that felt so modern when you heard it last week. Anyway, aside from Bob I love Ready Steady Go, Please Kill Me, Be My Baby and I’m With The Band. Those are great music reads.

2. I'm watching...

I watched all of Love is Blind in two days. That show is so nuts but the weirdest thing about it is that you start to not think it’s weird that people are proposing to strangers they’ve never seen before. I was crying at the alter scenes.

3. I'm wearing...

Here I am clowning around in my AC dress. So grateful to have had some fresh air today.

I’m living in our new essentials collection from AlexaChung. Navy blue jumper and jeans or dungarees seems to be what I can manage to crawl into most days. I’ve also been wearing our clown dress because actually making an effort every day - even when I’m not leaving the house - actually helps my brain to feel normal. I hope I don’t get into day pyjamas and night pyjamas but if I do end up becoming that person we have a lovely sleepwear line I can dip into.

4. I'm listening to...

Each night I’m trying to learn a song on the guitar with my boyfriend. We’ve been listening to Strangers in the Night by Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark. I love his lyrics in that song. I never really paid attention to them before because I associate him with these big anthemic arena-style songs, but the idea of this guy just trying to get laid in that song is weirdly melancholic.

5. I'm eating...

Cavolo Nero? I think that’s what it’s called. Anyway I wilted it and served with butter and salt as a side with my delicious roast. I’ve never been one for cooking. This is something I was sort of previously ashamed of but actually I realise it’s because I was just literally too busy and so cooking for me was the thing that’s always taken a back burner (pardon the pun). BUT it transpires I CAN read instructions from a book and make something. On Sunday I made roast lamb with celeriac dauphinois because I can’t eat potatoes right now. Some long boring story about eliminating things vs psoriasis.

6. The new skill I'm learning...

Taking boring selfies seems to have been pretty high up on my to do list according to my phone. Sorry about that. But I want to learn Italian so I’m looking into finding a teacher.

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7. The app I've used most...

HOUSEPARTY. I can’t remember who told me about it first now but I think I managed to get about 20 friends to sign up to it within a couple of days. I love that when you don’t lock the room people can just gatecrash your conversation. It’s led to some funny virtual gatherings of people I never thought would meet.

8. What I'm doing to feel less anxious...

Nothing yet. All tips welcome. I’m so not a relax-breathe-meditate kind of person, but I suppose I’ll have to figure out how to do that at some point. My brother’s girlfriend has a lovely Instagram called Happy Heads and she does breathing exercises on there so I’ll probably end up following those.

9. I've been entertaining myself with...

Cooking has occupied my time so far. I might get my at-home karaoke kit set up to really annoy my neighbours.

10. The self-care I've been practising...

I did a skincare video with Rio Viera Newton and went and bought the things she suggested, so I’ve been cleansing with this really lovely balm and then adding this serum by Dr Loretta. I’ve been keeping my nails plain - unpainted and short. It’s tempting to paint them but I’m sure I’ll mess it up.

11. The workout I've been doing...

I’m lucky that I did Ballet Beautiful for so long with Mary Helen Bowers as that’s something I can do on my living room floor. It’s a repetition of exercises that focus on your bum, abs and arms. Aside from that I’ve been lucky enough to be taking long country walks.

This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR UK.

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