The Working Closet
with Susan Wagner
The Working Closet is your source for the best of what's hip and fresh in fashion and beauty. Susan Wagner keeps you up-to-date on trends and offers tips and tricks for making everything in your closet truly work for you.
You can also catch Susan over at Friday Playdate.
There are a lot of great perks to working from home; this morning, I am counting among them easy access to the leftover Boston Cream Pie my mother-in-law made this weekend. But unlike an office, which often has specific rules about what is and is not appropriate work attire, the home office has no rules. That sounds so great, doesn’t it, until you’re putting on your yoga pants for the umpteenth day in a row and feeling less like a contributing member of society and more like a housekeeper with a laptop.
Working at home is a truly remarkable opportunity, one that most of our mothers didn’t have. Being a WAHM gives you the best of both worlds, and while I would never go so far as to say that working at home is EASIER than going to an office, it certainly has its advantages, like the flexibility to manage sick kids and household chores, and the option to NEVER EVER WEAR PANTY HOSE AGAIN. Thank god.
But once you strip away the panty hose and suits, and add in the housework and kids, what exactly DO you wear to work at home? And how do you keep from falling into the I-don’t-really-need-nice-things trap that seems to come with the virtual office?
Let’s start with this: what do YOU wear when you are working at home? Are you happy with your current work-at-home wardrobe? Why or why not?
On Friday, we’ll talk about what to wear to the virtual office. Hint: there won’t be ANY pantyhose on this list.
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I vow to you and the internets that I will never work at a job (outside the home or not) that requires the wearing of pantyhose. No amount of money is worth that.
bethanywd | March 18th, 2008 at 5:38 am
I work at home and wear a variety of soft, practical, and pretty things. From my days in the office, I have a LOAD of nice clothes that generally go unworn because they’re silks or uncomfortable thick wools and the like. Working at home, after about a month of wearing nothing but PJs I started to feel completely deflated and unsuccessful - and my business followed suit. So I needed a quick fix and fast!
Over the course of a month, I bought some nice stretchy cotton skirts (like, 5% rayon) and cashmere/rayon blend sweaters - all of which are soft and perfect for when I work on the couch
But they also make me feel put-together and capable - a feeling completely lacking in my lounge-around clothing.
The only major difference between these new clothes as I wear them at home vs. how I wear them out is that at home I usually wear them with slippers
Shanti @ Antishay | March 18th, 2008 at 5:38 am
When I worked from home, I didn’t have to dress up, but I did have to be presentable. That was because I had to drop my toddler to pre-school and pick him up 3 hours later. So no sweatshirts allowed.
When I went out to meet clients (usually when the kid was at school) I dressed up. And frankly, there were days when I found nothing in my closet that was worth wearing to a meeting. I admit I didn’t pay attention to my wardrobe. According to my husband, it is only now - almost two years of working in an office - that I have added ’smart’ clothes to my wardrobe.
For the record: I.hate.pantyhose.
A Lost Writer | March 18th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
lol when i work from home i usually just wear ‘weekend ware’ like jeans and a cute top or soomething. but that is mostly because on those days i get to meet my hubby for lunch! and since the kiddo is in daycare (it’s a random day i work from home and why disrupt his schedule so i can ignore him and work?) we used this time to have lunch with just the two of us so i try to look presentable so he isnt mortified to be seen with me in public.
Kate | March 18th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
In winter I usually wear dark wash jeans, khakis, or cords, and a wool or cotton sweater. Anything less doesn’t keep me warm enough (I live in Ontario.)
For summer, it’s skirts, shorts, or pedal pushers and a nice blouse or t-shirt.
I don’t have many client meetings, but for those I’ll wear wool pants in winter or a skirt in summer.
I would like to upgrade my everyday wardrobe, though, because it’s too easy to lapse into frumpiness when I don’t go into an office. I loved your post on cashmere sweaters. I have one but don’t wear it much because it said dry-clean and I have a toddler. But I’m happy to wash it myself more often!
Alison | March 18th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
The main thing that I change when I work from home (about 2 days/week) is that I skip most make-up. I may put mascara and chap stick on after my moisturizer, but that’s about it. I don’t wear a lot on an office-working day, but it’s more than I would at home.
Today I’m in jeans, tank, cardigan and clogs (which would be appropriate for my casual-dress office, too). Thursday, when I do this again, it’s supposed to be at least 80 degrees outside, so I’ll probably be in capris, a t-shirt and sandals. Sometimes sweats, but I do still have to drop the kids off at school in the mornings, so not usually “schlumpy” clothes.
Jamie AZ | March 18th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
For me it’s jeans and brightly colored tops in winter, shorts and tank-tops in the middle of summer — pretty much the same things I wore as a SAHM. I have one meeting a week where I have to “dress up” by throwing on a polo shirt and loafers (software engineers aren’t exactly known for their fashion sense.)
I do prefer to fix my hair and do basic makeup every day (I like the new mineral powder makeup) , but in a pinch I’ll go with a ponytail (which I would never wear to the office.)
SoftwareMom | March 18th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Wow, interesting comments! I work from home 2 days a week and my toddler is with me during the day. I usually wear whatever I slept in the night before! No makeup, ponytail, no deoderant, nothin! I say embrace your time at home while you can!
Now, if we go out during the day, I will change into jeans or something and get myself together, but if we are house-bound, I am a total schlumpadinka and I love it!
Allison CO | March 19th, 2008 at 12:28 am
[...] to see! move along! watching trashy Bravo reality TV! sheesh). At Work It Mom! I’m asking what you wear to work at home; at BlogHer I’m wondering what inspires you to get dressed up. And at AisleDash I’m [...]
Friday Playdate » what have I been doing? | March 19th, 2008 at 3:08 am
I just throw on some stretchy sweats (or shorts) and a t-shirt most days. When I feel like getting my dressed up, I put a flowing cotton skirt. Since I drop my daughter off at school and walk her to the gate, I have to “not look embarrassing”. But that’s during the day. The advantage of working from home is that when I’m working at night (like right now at 11pm), I just throw on a robe and some socks. Can’t say I’d ever do that at the office!
Grace | March 19th, 2008 at 6:20 am
Jeans and t-shirts. On the days I remember to take off my pajamas, that is.
Mir | March 19th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
My goal every day is to shower, put on clean jeans and a clean blouse, move my shoes where I can step into them easily, and mascara. I accomplish this goal about 3 days out of 5. The other days I stay in the exercise clothes I wore to the gym. Inevitably, I get called to an in-person meeting on those days.
Margaret | March 19th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I’m seeing a divide here, between those of us who work at home but have to face the public long enough to take the kid(s) to school, and those who can actually stay in the house all day. I fall into the first camp: I walk my son to his kindergarten classroom every day, and every day there is a small-but-real chance that I’ll have a client stop by, or I’ll have to go out to someone else’s office. So I wear makeup every day, and dress to at least the clean jeans + sweater level. At least once a week I’ll wear a skirt or dress and heels/wedges, if for no other reason than it makes my husband happy.
Summer | March 19th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I wear stuff pretty similar to what I wear for the office (I’m also a software engineer, so it’s not like the office is fashion central). At home I often skip the makeup, usually skip the accessories and virtually always skip the shoes.
Jan | March 19th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Well, I just recently started working from home nearly full time, but it’s because I’m 34 wks pregnant. So…my wardrobe is 1) comfortable 2) functional and 3) limited by what will fit my amazingly large, protruding belly! (Sorry, this is my first and I’m in shock over how large I’m getting and terrified of what the next 6 wks have in store for me!)
It’s a lot of yoga pants and long sleeve tees right now because it’s still cold in Chicago, but I have 2 knit skirts I’ll wear the heck out of as soon as they take the SNOW out of the forecast. In general though, and like most of you, I feel infinitely more professional when I’ve showered, dressed, and swiped on a coat of mascara, even if I am just crawling into (clean) yoga pants and working from the couch.
Rebe | March 19th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
LOL, I’m just about the same as Allison CO
” I usually wear whatever I slept in the night before! No makeup, ponytail…”
and
“Now, if we go out during the day, I will change into jeans or something and get myself together”
Funny timing on this post, though because I’ve been thinking I need a change. I want to step my going out wardrobe up a notch… I’m feeling the need to feel “prettier” than just my standard same-ole jeans and t-shirt type of thing. I actually had my first hair cut in months yesterday (YIKES!) and am feeling good! I’ve been putting myself second for so long (probably since I had my daughter 2 years ago and she became #1, LOL)
I get up so early in the morning though (4am) that I can’t see getting up even earlier (3:30am) to shower and look nice just to pad on over to the office 20 feet away.
BUT, it would be nice to maybe use my current “out” wardrobe (jeans) at home, and get something nicer for when we go out.
Selene M. Bowlby | March 19th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
My comment would have been very different two days ago, but yesterday I was laid off from my office job! I woke up this morning and stood and stared at my closet wondering what the hell to wear. The exciting thing is I can finally wear my dream outfit of jeans and a great blazer. The scary thing is - I have nowhere to go in it!
This is going to be an interesting journey.
Tara | March 20th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I take a shower and dress! Try to be fashionable too. I think it’s psychological.
mrsmogul | March 20th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
jammy pants, tank top, yellow robe with stars all over it, leopard slippers and a coffee mustache.
–steph
crockpot lady | March 21st, 2008 at 7:55 pm
[...] the beginning of this series, I asked what you all wear to work at home. Selene had this to say: I’ve been thinking I need a [...]
More than just a tee: Affordable inspiration from Old Navy - The Working Closet - Work It, Mom! | March 28th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I work from home my entire work week now. Mostof the time I wear casual wear - essentially what is presentable enough to drop my children off at daycare.
It’s really easy as a mother working from home to fall into a rut of not making an effort, so I really try to go the extra mile. Why? It’ not really for my clients (they don’t see me) but just to make myself feel good.
Lidia | June 20th, 2008 at 12:46 am
[...] Most of the answers won’t come until I’ve had a chance to test things out and see what flies and what falls flat on its face for my particular situation…whatever that turns out to be. I still haven’t nailed down a plan for childcare (I don’t know if I’ll be working at home while caring for an infant or working at home while the infant is in daycare), and that’s just one of several factors that will influence how my home office needs to look and function. For now, I’m (you guessed it!) busy collecting stories and advice from people who have been there and found a way to make it work. Just poking around the WIM archives gave me a good start: Sabrina Paradis writes about the balancing act (”My home life and work life weren’t blended, they were pureed”). My favorite tip from NSB Mom’s article “Set Up Your Workspace” is “Get out of the house every day.” Susan Wagner (formerly of WIM’s “The Working Closet”) started her series about work-from-home attire with an article titled “Working at Home? It Won’t Kill You To Get Dressed.” [...]
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