Working from home is great, isn’t it? As long as you don’t have to get out of the car when you drop your kids off at school, you can get away with going braless and hanging out in your pajamas until noon. Right?
Eh, while that may be comfortable, it’s not exactly presentable. And you never know when Jimmy’s mom is going to knock on your car window to chit-chat. So while doing your mom-boss thing might be comfortable in your pajamas, I’d like to recommend a different route.
They way you dress determines how you present yourself to your prospects and clients, even when you hold your meetings virtually. No makeup and sloppy T-shirts tell people that you didn’t care enough to take the time to put yourself together for them.
Not only that, but wearing your pajamas all day puts you in that comfortable, snuggle-up on the couch mood. That doesn’t exactly allow for a ton of productivity.
So while it’s true that you don’t need to be dressed to the nines with heels and a suit, you should try to pull together a business casual look when working from home. Here are some quick tips to dressing like the boss that you are.
Dress down the dresses
If you’re a dress girl, you’re already a step ahead of those who pull out the pajamas to work from home. But dresses can feel more dressed-up and corporate, so choose wisely and use accessories to dress them down. Wear wedge heels rather than flats or traditional heels and go for statement jewelry that isn’t too flashy. The dress needn’t be form-fitting and fancy—try something fun!
Pull out the athleisure
If your only meetings are virtual, head to the athleisure clothes in your closet. Dressy sweats and comfortable tops allow you to feel like you tried, without having to coordinate a professional outfit. Make sure your top looks nice on video and take the time to put on some makeup and run a brush through your hair to show your clients and team members that you’re a pro.
Elevate the business casual
Most business owners have to get out of the house from time to time to network and meet with clients. In today’s casual world, business casual is usually a good go-to, depending on what kind of clients you have. And even jeans are widely accepted as business casual, as long as you dress them up a bit. Go for sleek, slim jeans with a nice blouse or pair them with a T-shirt and sharp blazer. Flowy pants are also a good option if you don’t love jeans.
Overall, spending a little time getting dressed in the morning is a good habit to get into when you work from home. Think of the time it takes to get ready in the morning as your work-from-home-commute since you don’t have to travel to an office. It’s not just about the clothes you need to wear; it’s about the whole attitude that changes when you look and feel put-together!
Model and work mom extraordinaire: Mallika Malhotra
Photo credit: Laura Lee Photography
