What to Wear While Working at Home
Everyone has their own work-from-home style depending on their own work habits. Some enjoy feeling comfortable and casual, while others like to uphold a feeling of normalcy and dress and act as they would in an office setting. Choosing what to wear when working from home asks us to think about what we need to feel the most productive and comfortable. What you choose to wear to work at home can also depend on what your home office looks like.
Are you in the living room surrounded by pets, children, or housemates? You might prefer creating a space where you can close the door, take it over and settle into a more professional environment. If staying in your flannel pajamas and not leaving the bedroom is your vibe, go for it! The most important thing is to ask yourself what you need to be productive and also stay relaxed. This differs for everyone. Perhaps if you stay in your pajamas you’ll feel lazy and like you’re slacking.
Work-from-home apparel is completely a personal choice, but we have compiled some of our top suggestions for a wide variety of work habits. From comfy clothes to blazers, we have tips for how you can feel productive and comfortable while working at home.
Cozy and Casual
Even if you prefer dressing up to go to the office, there is a strong argument for keeping it cozy and casual. Generally speaking, most employers don’t mind what you choose to wear when you work from home, as long as you get your work done. This gives you a lot of freedom to relax and wear something that will help you feel comfortable enough to efficiently get your work done. Depending on your employers, you may even be able to wear cozy and casual attire for video conferencing.
Establishing a new routine of casual at-home work attire can help to free up mental space, time, and inspiration for more productivity at work. Rather than doing your hair, makeup, and choosing your outfit, simply slip on what’s most comfortable and enjoy the extra free time and energy to dedicate to productivity and projects. Dressing down allows for more time to spend on other activities, which is especially helpful for mothers who are currently working from home. Dressing to relax while working at home can also help to alleviate mental stress and support more self-care.
Men’s and women’s loungewear is truly a great choice to wear when working at home. Loungewear itself is quite stylish and trendy these days, and will feel like a step up from pajamas without compromising on comfort. Alternatively, you can mix and match by keeping your pajama bottoms on and wearing something a little more work-appropriate up top, like a nice sweater or a women's polo shirt. Your level of comfy casual is up to you. Whether it is jeans and a T-shirt, your PJs, or a mix of professional and casual, find what works best for you so you feel productive and ready for work.
Dress for Success
There is also a stellar argument to dress for success, even when we are working from home. Working from home can throw off our normal routine, and when workspace mixes with living spaces, we can struggle to find our work mode and achieve ideal productivity. A good way to remedy that is to set a separate space in the house for working and to dress as though you are planning to go to the office.
Even if you are not wearing full-on corporate attire, wearing something a little dressier, like khakis and a blouse, can help you feel like you are in a work rhythm. Wear a pair of pull-on chinos with your favorite women’s white blouse and you’ll feel comfortable while being more aligned with your professional vibe. Working from home is also a fun time to rediscover your wardrobe. Without office dress codes, you can explore fun items you would not otherwise wear to the office. This way you can feel dressed up for work, but still keep it fun and creative to help inspire your mood.
Lift Your Mood
Falling into work-at-home pajama life can definitely feel at times like Groundhog Day. It’s easy to let yourself go a bit too much when working at home and with no one to see or care about what you’re wearing. While it’s okay to go somewhat into the laziness of working at home in pajamas, it’s also good to lift your mood and spirits by dressing up and taking care of yourself, too. Take a day to do your hair, do your makeup, wear some heels, put on your designer blazer, or anything else that will lift you from bathrobe mode to runway feels.
The key to what to wear while working at home is to ensure you are familiar with your work habits and to find the rhythm that works best for you—and for your clothes to ensure you are relaxed and productive.