What to Wear When you Work from Home

Recently I did a personal shop for a client who has over the last couple of years had a rather major lifestyle change. My lovely client, in her 30s used to work in the corporate world and has since gone on to be her own boss, but much of her new career involves working from home. So what could she wear that made her feel good but ensured she was comfortable….we hit the shops in Manchester….

Client’s Vital Stats

Age: Mid 30s
Size: 12
Height: 5’3

THE CHALLENGE: Living in pj’s and tracksuits!

The challenge was, like so many stay at home mums and women who work from home, the wardrobe can quite easily be condensed in to tracksuits and pj’s if you’re not careful, just because when you don’t need to leave the house, you want to be comfortable and cosy!

The problem with this is that over time you get out of practice when it comes to buying clothes (especially if you’re on a tight budget in the early stages of business growth). When you’re out of practice in something you tend to lose confidence. And when you lose confidence in your image and wardrobe, it creates all sorts of issues for your self-esteem, productivity and the results you get in your life.

I always suggest that you should dress in a way that puts you in the mindset for what you want to achieve. For example, if you want motivation to go to the gym, buy some gorgeous new trainers and workout gear and put it on! You’ll be surprised how motivated you feel. When you need to be productive, confident and professional – dress in a way that makes you feel in this mind-set. This doesn’t mean sitting around your dining room table on your laptop in a full power suit! BUT you’d be surprised at how getting up, doing your hair and getting dressed as if you were ‘going to work’ can boost the productivity of your day and keep you feeling good about yourself.

Style AND Comfort

However let’s be practical (as I always am!) The clothes you wear need to be comfortable – after all you are at home. Plus they have to be functional if you have to dash out of the house for a meeting or to run an errand, so they also have to be suitable for that. The key is finding the balance between style and comfort, so here are a couple of things that my client bought for her new lifestyle….

The first outfit ‘WORK’ shows how you can run out for a meeting looking trendy and effortless but still professional, but with the simple change of boots and a leather jacket the outfit can be transformed in to a ‘OFF DUTY’ look. Notice how the black tailored jacket, the leather and both the shoes and boots, are really really versatile, therefore great wardrobe staples you could wear with lots of outfits.

The next purchases show how one cream tuxedo jacket can be used for a variety of different looks and functions. The first look on the left simply dresses up a pair of jeans and top to make it look smart enough for a coffee with a potential client, as a lot of my clients who work from home often don’t require formal-wear when meeting with clients – they just want to look stylish, modern and smart. Mission accomplished.

The jacket is then used with a nautical tunic which can be wore with leggings (or bare legs) in the summer for a classic look. The tunic then can be transferred over to your AW wardrobe and worn with tights, boots and a warmer jacket.

The coral maxi is without a doubt a more comfortable and casual dress, however if you’re nipping out to do errands and are worried you could bump in to a client, throw on the jacket to dress up the look – this works far better than bumping in to someone you know in your oldest and comfiest trackie!

Working from Home Style Advice

If you’re looking for style advice and have your own business, perhaps My Style Companion can help? We ensure that you invest your money wisely in garments that you LOVE wearing and get loads of ppw from. Not only that, but you’ll be brimming with confidence after all the compliments you keep getting – just see what our other clients have said about personal shopping in Manchester with Nicola……Email info@mystylecompanion.com