Work from Home Attire

This blog started as a place for women to discuss what to wear to work.  But what do you wear when your office is also your home?  As telework, self-employment and side hustles become more common, more and more women are asking what to wear when you work from home.

As someone who works from a home office most of the time, it took me a while to sort out what to wear to work.  After a few months, I realized that working from home needs to be treated more like going to an office and less like being home.  Getting up and getting dressed for work can really change the trajectory of your whole day.   It creates a psychic delineation that helps me focus on being at work and ignore the distractions that can derail those who work from home (like dishes in the sink, the television in the other room, etc.).

But not every work-from-home day is created equal.  Some days, I can relax in casual clothes.  Other days, I have video conferences or off-site meetings that require business casual attire.  And occasionally, I take the opportunity to dress up.  Here are a few sample outfits.

Casual Days. Daily Ritual Sweatshirt // Daily Ritual Leggings // Huggie Hoops // J.Crew Excursion Vest (plus) // Superga Leopard Sneakers

My favorite work days are the ones where I can put on comfortable clothes, grab a London Fog, and power through my to-do list.  These interruption free days are the days when I love working from home, and this is my favorite outfit to wear on those days.

This Daily Ritual sweatshirt is one of the best pieces that I have ever purchased.  It’s a good weight, has worn like iron, and is so comfortable.  And while I never, ever thought I would embrace the Pacific NW’s love of puffer vests, this one from J.Crew keeps me warm in my chilly office.  Oh, and these ponte leggings are so soft, I could wear them all the time.

Add a cool leopard sneaker and a pair of simple earrings and this is an outfit that works in my home office or on a lunch time Target run.  This look is relaxed and comfortable, but still put together.

Most Days. Halogen V-Neck Top (petite and plus) // AG Farrah High Rise Jeans // Lapis Pendant Necklace (<$30!) // J.Crew Regent Blazer // Rothy’s Leopard Flats

As the election year heats up, video conference calls and in-person meetings are becoming more frequent.  On these days, I like to go full business casual in jeans and a blazer.  Yes, the jacket spends most of the day on the back of my chair, but I like wearing it during the video calls.  Putting on a blazer to go to work feels like a baseball player putting on a uniform.

For this outfit, I chose a simple v-neck blouse from Halogen (such a great buy) and my go-to camel jacket from J.Crew.  My favorite AG Farrah jeans and a pair of animal print Rothy’s complete the foundation of the outfit.

To add a little something extra, I’ll sometimes wear a long pendant necklace to complement the blouse’s neckline.  This lapis pendant is a great buy.  If you want something without color, the Stella & Dot Rebel necklace is still my favorite, even seven years later.

Dressy Days. Vince Funnel Neck Sweater // Vince Camuto Pull On Pencil // Ettika Drop Earrings // Senreve Bracelet Clutch // Sam Edelman Hilty Boots

Some days, I’m lucky enough to have an after work event to attend — a happy hour, a bar association event, a fundraiser.  It’s funny how the after-hours events that I used to dread when I worked in an office have become a welcome escape from the house.  Working from home can be so isolating, I’m usually just glad to have someone different to talk to.

On these days, I try to find a balance between professional attire (a suit or structured dress) and business casual.  Everything out West is more casual (except court), and mixing a pencil skirt with a sleek sweater is a good middle ground.  Here, I paired a pull-on skirt (so comfortable) with a funnel neck sweater and a pair of sleek boots.

I added evening accessories because, if I’m going be out after work, Kyle will usually meet me for a drink after the event.  So what I like to do is take a work satchel and wear simple earrings (these black Freida Rothman’s are a smoking deal), and then change into something more dramatic on my way to meet Kyle.

This Senreve clutch is the only one I could find with the bracelet strap.  It’s such a game changer because you can slide your hand through the slot and carry your clutch all night without having to tuck it under your arm or worry about dropping it.

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Of course, there are days when my morning gets away from me and I wind up wearing my pajamas and showering at noon.  There are also days when a CLE or meeting has me vastly overdressed for my home office.  But the majority of my work attire falls into one of these three categories.

If other ladies who work from home have outfits that work for their needs, share them in the comments.

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