In the spring of 2008, I quit my job as communications manager at a well-known New York nonprofit to freelance full time. Since leaving the office life, I have had the opportunity to clean out my closet and quickly noticed that all the clothes going in the “donate” pile were items I bought “for work.” And it’s not because I don’t need professional clothing anymore—believe it or not, even freelancers have to look put together from time to time—it’s more that the clothes aren’t “me” at all. In retrospect, I don’t think I even liked them when I was buying them.
Why then? Why did I waste so much of my hard-earned salary (and believe me, in the nonprofit world, every penny is earned with difficulty) on slacks and blazers and blouses that I would never consider wearing anywhere outside the office? And certainly not now that I don’t have an office to dress-code to dress for? I think it was a combination of things, really… In my mind, because I couldn’t wear jeans to work, my work outfits would never be anything that I really loved. I mean really: how does one express personal style without the use of jeans?!? So that lead to a slippery slope to just not really giving a shit. As long as I had on non-jean pants, a shirt that wasn’t a t-shirt, and a jacket of some sort that fit, I figured, I was good. Interestingly, now that I have complete control of what I wear each day (I guess that speaks to the issue too: in reality, I always had complete control of what I was wearing, but I certainly didn’t see it that way at the time), I find myself regularly wearing non-jeans.
I’m not alone in this struggle between work wear and casual wear, this much I know. I’ve been shopping with countless friends that hold something up and say, “This would be good for work.” Well, I’m here to tell you, as someone who’s come out on the other side, that’s no way to shop. Unless you have to wear a suit and pantyhose to the office everyday, there’s no reason not to love the clothes you wear. Don’t just get something for the office—get something you like. If it works for the office, consider it a bonus.
So, what to do for the jeans and t-shirt gal who has to step it up for 9-to-5? Start simple: black trousers cut like jeans and a scoop-neck short-sleeved sweater are a good work-approved alternatives (which you can also pair with t-shirts and jeans respectively on a non-workday). Invest in a jacket or two to polish the look up a bit more, but make sure to pick something that you’d also wear on the weekend with your jeans-and-tee uniform. And don’t underestimate the accessories: a chunky necklace, earrings, the right belt, a scarf, or even a pair of heels can automatically dress up any outfit and make it work-appropriate. The moral: do your best to turn shopping for a work wardrobe into shopping for a wardrobe.
So now that I work from home, what do I wear each day? Not pajamas. I refuse to be a cliche. On top of that, just getting ready for the day (showering, styling my hair, picking out an outfit, spritzing on perfume, etc.) somehow makes it easier to distinguish the day between “home time” and “work time.” Yes, I do usually wear jeans and a t-shirt, but when I leave the house, I find myself dressing them up a bit more than I would have in the past: I cuff the jeans, slip on ballet flats, toss on a schoolboy or boyfriend blazer, and use a polished bag. Somehow this helps me feel more professional. And now that my business is me, that’s important.
It took me not having a job to dress for to enjoy dressing more professionally. In the past, my non-work clothes were a bit of a rebellion from the work wardrobe that I clearly didn’t like and didn’t feel comfortable wearing.
Where I still run into problems is the all-important client meeting. Generally held in a coffee shop, they are a doozy to get dressed for. Obviously I want to be as comfortable and therefore as “me” as possible, but I can’t help but want to go slightly more conservative as I get into “interview” mode. I want to show my creativity (I’m a designer, after all) through my dressing, but I don’t want the potential client to think I’m not taking them or their project seriously by underdressing. This is one place I’m still a bit stuck, and probably always will be, but at least as I struggle to pick out the right outfit, I know I have it and I know I like it. That’s the best thing about my post-office wardrobe: I like it. I like all the clothes I have. There’s no reason that this couldn’t have been the case before, but I didn’t think that I could dress “me” and dress for an office at the same time. Now that I know I can? Sorry, no office for me—things are too good here at the home office!
