I suspect everyone who went from working in an office to working from home, either full-time or part-time, has gone on a similar journey. Like many people, when I started working from home four years ago, I couldn’t be happier about not having to get dressed. Wearing a blouse on top and pyjamas on the bottom felt self-indulgent. My household acquired sweatpants in every shade of the rainbow. The friend who stuck to wearing jeans despite not leaving the house got bullied in the group chat. The first time putting on jeans after lockdown reminded me of being a kid who puts on trousers for the first time after the two-months Summer holiday. It didn’t take long until I lost my sense of self and started feeling gloomy. They say you wear your confidence, and I was no exception to the rule. Still now, after four years of working from home, a few days of slipping back into old stained and starchy hoodie habits will catch up with me.
I later reflected on what it said about me that I experienced not having to get dressed as a relief. It taught me that getting dressed shouldn’t feel like a chore and got me to revaluate the way I approached it. If that’s you, I highly recommend reading this.
Today, I still don’t wear jeans to stay at home but I made some changes. I went from comfortable and complacent to comfortable and confident. For bottoms, I love pants with few seams and an elastic or drawstring waistband (like the Comme Si ones linked below), lightweight cotton cargos (like the Leset ones linked below), or fluid viscose pants (mine are Studio Nicholson). For tops, I draw the line at hoodies, but I will wear the occasional sweatshirt. Last month, I collided with a pole while walking with my head down reading
’s newsletter ‘Other People’s Sweatshirts; What Is It About Them?’. The accuracy of it nearly knocked me out. I try to wash my sweatshirts - and all my clothes in general - as little as possible. If you have tips to keep them soft and bouncy please share in the comments. I would consider a button-down shirt too high maintenance but, as reflected in the five capsules featured in today’s letter, I make sure that a third of the tops I wear to work from home have a less casual neckline for Zoom calls where I want to appear more professional. For the same reason, I will usually put on a pair of hoop earrings. I’m partial to a large scarf, a throw, or a blanket as I enjoy teetering on the edge of uncomfortably warm at all times. Re-footwear, it’s got to be shoes I can slide in and out of easily (it’s almost always loafers in winter and slides in summer) so I don’t get tempted to go on my afternoon snacks run in my indoor slippers.This capsule column, like the many editions that preceded it, give away that I like matching color tones. I think shopping with the intention of maintaining somewhat coherent color themes in your wardrobe, is one way to put the capsule back in capsule wardrobe, before that phrase became an overly marketed selling tactic. You scarf doesn’t have to match the stripes on your Adidas, but when you drop kids off at school or run into your friends on your matcha-run, it’ll make you look like you made an effort (when really you didn’t) and like you have your sh*t together (when really who does?). More importantly, it’ll allow you to keep affirming your sense of style and personal identity.
For the most part, those who work from home are grateful for the flexibility it provides. However, without discipline, it can lead to feeling lonely and losing your sense of self. Most days, I make a conscious effort to dress in clothes. And sometimes, when I really need to get in the zone or I’m against an impending deadline, I’ll become a strange creature who does her best work in quasi-complete darkness, buried under several blankets, and blasting a heinous deep house playlist. Count yourself lucky you’ll never have to witness it.
Immense love to you all,
L x
PS: You’ll find a new section at the bottom of this letter. I thought it would be fun to close off each week with a bite-sized piece of advice about shopping or getting dressed. Something I’m trying out, let me know if you like it.
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