For the past 11 years I’ve worked from home. Admittedly, there have been plenty of days where I’ve found myself in my pajamas at 2pm in the afternoon. However, I’ve also noticed that my productivity and how I feel about myself greatly improves when I take some time to pull myself together. For those of you who either run a business from your home or spend some working hours telecommuting, tonight’s post in this series about how to dress when you work from home.
Dressing when you work at home is completely different than when you are expected to show up at an office. Nobody really cares what you look like. Does it matter if you never get out of your pajamas or wear yoga pants all day? Not really. However, what I have learned is that when I don’t take the time to at least put a brush through my hair or put a bra on that I feel more isolated from the world, like I’m hibernating. Working from home can be lonely enough, and that extra effort put towards myself can be the difference between feeling cut off from the world and part of it.
Secondly, getting dressed when you work from home puts you in a work mindset. Who feels productive in their pajamas at three in the afternoon? Plus, most people who work from home will tell you that it’s important to get out and about a few times during the day, even if it is just to grab a cup of coffee. The epitome of sloth would be to do that in your pajama bottoms.
So what is work at home style? There is no right answer but after years and years of doing it myself I’ve mastered what works for me. Here are a few of my tips along with some outfits to consider.
#1- Put shoes on and other things that will make you feel dressed
Whenever someone starts telecommuting or working from home the first thing I tell them to do is wear shoes while at home. The simple act of putting on a pair of shoes can change everything about your mindset and put you in a work frame of mind. If your home is a shoes-off home then consider having a pair of shoes for the home that never go outside, like a pair of ballerina flats, flip flops or something else that is casual. Slippers can work but I find they are too comfy cozy for me.
In addition to your shoes, even if you are wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt, put a bra on. Again, it is simple but can go a long way towards getting your work head on. Next, as stupid as this tip sounds, brush your teeth, comb your hair and even consider a little bit of makeup. I make these suggestions because if you’re someone who jumps right on their computer the second you wake it can be incredibly easy to let these things slide. How many times have you started working first thing in the morning, gotten lost in answering emails or working on a project and looked up at the time and noticed it was time for lunch? Giving yourself a morning routine, even if it is after you do a quick check of emails, goes a long way towards feeling like you are working and not taking the day off. One tip is to set a timer after sit at your computer first thing in the morning. Set the timer for 15 minutes, for example, that you will use to scan emails or get some work done. After the timer dings focus on doing some morning routines like showering, getting dressed and preparing yourself for the workday.
#2- Be able to dress up your work at home clothes to go out
The beauty of working from home is that you don’t have to get dressed up everyday. The work-at-home wardrobe is typically casual. Yet, for many, working from home does not mean that you spend the entire day in your house. Being based out of your home often includes meetings, networking events and lunch and coffee appointments. Plus, the benefit of working from home also means that you can usually take time during the day to get personal errands done. Therefore, the goal is to be able to change a work-at-home look to an outing look with little change. Here are some examples.
The outfit on the left is pretty typical of what most women would wear at home to work. You have a pair of jeans, a basic long sleeved t-shirt and a pair of comfortable sneakers. While it’s not a terribly exciting outfit the beauty of it is it can be upgraded with a few tweaks.
On the right is the same base, the long sleeved t-shirt and jeans, styled with a pair of casual boots, a corduroy blazer, a scarf, earrings, a bracelet and a handbag. Being able to take a ultra-casual work-at-home base and upgrade it with just a shoe change and some additional components means you never lose momentum and you look and feel good at home or out at a meeting.
Here is another example of how a super casual outfit for home can be upgraded to go out. An additional tip about casual work-from-home pieces is that they not be totally ratty. Yes, leggings and a sweater can be great for the at home worker, but do they have to be your worst leggings and a dumpy stretched out sweater? These pieces don’t have to be super precious or expensive to be decent work from home clothes. Comfort is one thing, sloppiness is another.
In addition, by wearing upgraded casual pieces, you never have to completely change if your day progresses to something a little dressier. This pair of leggings and sweater that is paired with UGGs for home gets a simple upgrade with a pair of heeled boots, a bib necklace, a pair of earrings, a bracelet and a metallic handbag.
#3- Get more use from work from home pieces
If you telecommute or your work-from-home life means client interfacing or the occasional business look, having pieces that you wear to work from home are most useful when they can be used for getting dressed up as well. An example of this is the use of this Zara cardigan. While it is perfect for cozy home office days when styled with a tank top and yoga pants it can easily float into your dressier wardrobe by pairing it with a Modcloth dress that has been belted, heels, a bracelet and handbag.
#4 Jazz up your work from Home pieces
My next tip is to add simple touches to your work-from-home outfits. The outfit above is a perfect example of what I mean. I have found that just throwing on a necklace or pairing my tank and yoga pants with a fun pair of flats can make my super casual work at home outfit feel more like I am working. And it’s not like a necklace or a pair of ballerina flats will make me uncomfortable as I lounge around and do work. Pieces like this aren’t fussy yet they just add a little something extra.
#5- If someone was to ring your doorbell in the middle of your work day you would feel ?
If you filled in the blank with mortified you may want to think about what you are wearing to work from home. On more than one occasion I’ve had my exterminator visit me for his monthly visit and I’ve been unshowered with my hair looking like a bird created a nest in it. Again, you don’t have to dress like you are going to the office but if you avoid answering the doorbell in your work at home attire you may want to make some changes. Just be prepared for the unexpected.
Like I said there is not right way on how to dress when you work from home, however, I think the most important goal to keep in mind that you are working from home. How you spin that so that you get your job done and feel comfortable is ultimately the right way.
