Yesterday I wrote an article in which I had to weave the phrase ‘work outfit ideas’ as many times as possible without it sounding awkward. Such is the life of a writer with diversified income streams (there’s a reason why popular culture thinks we all have a bottle of whiskey in our desk drawers and it ain’t because the muse is so demanding).
For said article, I had to write about seven work outfit ideas that would bring some excitement to dressing for the office. As I channeled my inner fashionista (cue insecure adolescent who wore her brand new sweater on the first day of school only to nearly die in the early September heat), I got to thinking about my own work outfit ideas.… Thus, here are a few fashion tips for those of us who travel straight from the bed to the desk.
1. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that pyjamas don’t constitute legitimate work outfit ideas. Hell, if regular people can wear leggings to work, why can’t we don stretched-out leopard print fleece bottoms with a grease-stained T-shirt? You too can rock the bedtime look even if it’s Tuesday morning and you have a high-stakes phone interview with a web developer from Australia who insists on referring to writing as ‘content’.
2. Bra-schmaa. We are, after all, independent, working women (cue the 1970s). As I write this, in fact, my bra is sitting on my desk, having been removed in a fit of discomfort while composing the section on sophisticated work outfit ideas.
3. All you really need is one pair of socks, the woolier the better. All this daily changing of socks is totally unnecessary. If I can wear my Smartwools everyday on a five-day hiking trip, there’s no reason they can’t keep my feet snug for a whole week of work, making five work outfit ideas out of one accessory. Win.
4. Never mind the little black dress that will transition from the office to the martini bar with the right accessories. Instead, invest in a few black hoodies. I own three. They’ll accompany all the work outfit ideas you have, keep you warm, and allow you to answer the door (should it become necessary) looking relatively normally day-dressed.
5. Get-down-to-business clothes are the work outfit ideas you need when you have a deadline and want to feel fully awake and like you’re in charge of your life. Lately the main one I wear is a pair of worn-soft jeans with an oversized taupe sweater from Value Village that has a giant white heart on the front. When I slip on that pair of old slippers with the heels collapsed that are normally kicked off under my desk, I’m ready to walk the runway (meaning the hallway to the kitchen to get another cup of coffee).
6. Don’t forget to occasionally apply deodorant and brush your teeth. These go-to grooming habits will help you truly rock your work outfit ideas.
By: Lauren Carter