If you’ve been working from home for more than a couple of weeks by now, then you’ve probably realized – either through personal experience or the advice of psychology experts – that one of the key parts of a successful day whilst working from home is to be sure you get yourself dressed in the morning. It’s an important habit to keep up with in order to switch yourself from home mode to work mode each day. So the question is how to get your own working from home capsule wardrobe?
Some details on why you should have a work from home dress code you find in the article “Should I have a work-from-home dress code?” that you can find in our blog.
However, less has been said about what it is that we’re actually supposed to be changing into. Here, we’ll look over some common questions that we might have about our work from-home wardrobe, the staples that we could all do with investing in for ourselves, and a couple of tips and tricks for how to find your perfect stay at home capsule wardrobe look.
Shop your own collection.
Before you go looking for anything new, take a look through your wardrobe and have a look at all the work clothes you already own. If you’ve anything that seems to cover the middle ground of smart, but comfortable, put it aside – it will definitely come in useful at the moment.
Have a little look through your jewelry box, too! Even though it seems a little unnecessary, who doesn’t feel a whole lot more ready to take on the world when they have their favorite pair of hoops in?
Sweats
Of course, there’s nothing more comfortable than sweats. We all have an old faithful pair of sweatpants, usually that we reserve for lounging around the house, and – if we’re honest with ourselves – that probably don’t get washed quite as often as they really should. Those are a definite for your work-from-home wardrobe, right?
Unfortunately, no. You should avoid including anything in your work from home wardrobe that you directly associate with sleeping, lounging or just generally not working – otherwise, your choice of clothes could directly affect your productivity.
Instead, use this as an excuse to invest in some new sweatpants – something chic, yet comfortable.
However, once you do, try to reserve them for your work wardrobe for time being… even if you really, really love them and think they’d be just perfect for a day of Netflix on the couch.
Business on the top.
It’s a good idea to keep aside some of your go-to shirts or blouses for the days when you have Zoom meetings scheduled. Whoever is on the other end can’t see what you’re wearing on the bottom, so as long as you look presentable from the waist up, it’s fine, isn’t it? It’s not a bad way to meet in the middle.
Of course, if you’re planning on keeping it on for your whole work day, pick whatever feels the most comfortable and non-restricting, whilst still looking smart enough for the office.
Treat for the feet.
Of course, shoes are probably a bit of a wasted purchase at the moment. Instead, treat yourself to a new pair of slippers or cozy socks – maybe even a few! It’ll make a huge difference to how comfortable you feel at your desk all day.
Dress for the weather.
Even though you’re spending most of your time indoors, nobody wants to be wrapped up in sweaters and cardigans when the sun is shining outside your window.
Why not invest in some cool shirt-dresses? They’re smart enough for your work wardrobe, comfortable enough to stay in all day, and stylish enough that you’ll get plenty of wear out of them long after the lockdown has lifted.
Don’t be afraid to let jeggings make a comeback.
You either loved them or hated them at the height of their popularity, but either way, jeggings have made a big return recently.
With the smarter look of skinny jeans but the comfort of your favourite pair of leggings, these are a work-from-home staple. If you find yourself a decent pair, you’ll wonder how you ever went without them.
Team them with a chic jumper or a pretty blouse, maybe accessorize with a simple necklace, and nobody on your Zoom meeting will be able to tell the difference between your $15 jeggings and a pair of $90 Levis.
One stop shop.
Whichever clothing website is your usual go-to, many have put together a working from home capsule wardrobe collection to meet the increased demand for smart, yet comfortable home office fashion.
If you still need a couple more ideas, definitely have a little look around at a few of them. Maybe wait until after you’ve logged off for the evening, though… if my own exploration of them is anything to go by, you’ll get so carried away adding to your wishlist that you’ll be looking around for a while.
Search up some #Inspo.
If you’re interested in seeing what everyone else is doing with their work from home wardrobe, look no further than Instagram! Check out the tags #workingfromhome and #wfhfashion for an instant fix of inspiration.
With so many people now working from home, there’s a tip or two for everyone on there now, no matter your age, shape or style.
Have fun with it.
As with any type of fashion, shopping for your working from home wardrobe should be fun! Whilst you are, of course, a little more restricted in what to pick out than with your average online shopping trip, it’s still worth letting yourself enjoy it!
So, grab a glass of your favorite wine, and spend a post-work evening shopping your favorite websites for a couple of pieces that really catch your eye.
Remember, there’s no rule as to how much or how little you need in your working wardrobe – maybe you want a different outfit for each day of the week, maybe you want to work at building a capsule wardrobe that you can interchange as you like. It’s completely up to you.
And, hey, once you’ve got it all together, you could host a Zoom fashion show with all your other friends who work from home! If you’ve got it, why not flaunt it?
