What To Wear When You Work From Home
You may have replaced your long commute to the office with the choice to work from home, but that’s no excuse to lounge around on your computer in your p.j.’s, messy hair and bunny slippers.
While some may say who cares what you wear, as long as you are comfortable because no one is ever going to see you anyhow, the truth is this. When you look professional, you feel more professional and it shows in your bottom line.
The key is to dress appropriately,which means dress more casually than you would in the outside work world, but still look sharp, not sloppy.
Here are 5 guidelines for dressing when you work from Home:
1. Create a work at home wardrobe
2. Don’t let Comfy mean Frumpy
3. Stay Tuned to Style
4. Punch up Your Wardrobe with Color
5. Allow yourself a Casual Friday outfit
Photo by spekulator.
Angie McKaig on April 25th, 2008 8:43 am
What a bunch o’hooey.
If you can’t be professional, sharp and businesslike without wearing pants with pleats in them then you’re not cut out for working from home.
I still do not understand this idea that you must be perfectly groomed in order to transact business.
Allow yourself a “casual Friday” outfit? Really?
My work is my brain and my voice, my knowledge and experience and my ability to think critically, speak diplomatically to my customers and business partners, teach, learn, educate, move things forward, plan for the future and motivate my employees. For starters.
My work is *not*, however, my yoga pants vs. khakis, or whether I have a blown-dry bob or a ponytail.
Amanda Griffin on April 25th, 2008 12:40 pm
Professionalism is not measured by the clothes you wear.
Professionalism is about delivering excellent outputs on time even when working at the comforts of your own room.
Daniel Broom on April 25th, 2008 1:05 pm
I wouldn’t be comfortable wearing working clothes in my room if that’s what this post is trying to point out.
To each his own style.
Dane on April 25th, 2008 3:06 pm
Interesting story, Rich — and definitely an interesting response so far.
I’m definitely one of those people with a work-at-home wardrobe.
cassy on April 27th, 2008 9:11 am
Wearing a working clothes at home? I don’t think it works but who knows I might like it :), anyway it’s good to try something different once in a blue moon.
curt on April 27th, 2008 2:53 pm
I love early mornings. Cup of tea/coffee and to work in front of computer. I have big windows around my main table, which cover angle of 180 degrees. I enjoy to see people on the street walking to underground at rush hour, which reminds me of how much time I was loosing for commuting to work, before. They are dressed very smart, while I could be in shorts. I am certainly not dressed smart at home.
Angela on April 27th, 2008 8:26 pm
I definitely agree with this. I don’t even turn on the computer until I’m dressed for the day. I can’t concentrate while still in my pj’s because I’m still in bed mode. Once I’m dressed I always feel motivated to get started on what I need to do. :)
Hilary on April 28th, 2008 5:08 am
It depends on my mood. Sometimes, it’s good to dress smart at home. Sometimes it’s not.
Most of the time i’m just wearing clothes i’m really comfortable wearing.
Koyo on April 29th, 2008 1:12 pm
Don’t put this out to quickly. What if you do a video blog on a daily basis? What if you do video conferencing? I think that if you ‘let yourself go’ and start thinking I can wear whatever I want simply because ‘no one’ ’sees’ the rest of your work may start to suffer because you are starting to loose sight of the fact that you are a business professional expecting (demanding?) respect as a business person.
I really think that most people out there will wear what they would have worn to an office ( comfortable but not formal) with the possibility of a new client just walking in because they heard about your good work.
Back to the video stuff. I have seen many vbloggers wearing sloppy looking clothes, unshaven, messy hair trying to get me to buy something or agree with the point they have and what is even more interesting is that they are likely to use profanity in there vblog. Well, I’m sorry but I tend not to buy or agree with them. What do I do? I go to a competitor that has a better business image.
Susan on April 29th, 2008 2:39 pm
I’ve worked at home for a variety of professions and it does not mean I am in a bubble and never leave my home… While I like to be comfortable in the early morning hours and evening hours in my stylish yoga pants, I try to look a bit more presentable so that when I do meet a potential client or co-volunteer at the post office, I do not leave them with an incorrect image of me or my work habits.
XLOR on April 30th, 2008 11:25 pm
Thirst of all, I must really agree that it depends of kind of work. If you are making videos for your project but customer sees only a man in a lacerated t-shirt who is looking like he was drinking vodka the whole last month - don’t be angry when your business will be failed.
The same thing can be told about voice! When you have got a cigary voice, drunk voice or smth like this - it is not really comfortable to work with you.
That’s all really good but if you don’t need to work with customers directly, believe me that business depends not of the suit you are wearing and not of it’s price, it depends of marketing plan, of interesting materials…it depends of your brain and your knowledges!
It is easy to understand but difficult to reach. It is not to change a suit or trousers.
Angela on May 1st, 2008 7:09 am
In the morning I don’t even turn on the computer until I’m dressed and ready to concentrate on what I need to do that day.
Doesn’t mean I put on something strictly professional, but I do make sure I feel like I look nice. If I feel ready for the day then I find it much easier to get what I need to do, done.
Dane on May 1st, 2008 11:25 am
Although I feel like I have a work-at-home uniform, unlike Angela, I do make my way to the computer immediately after getting out of bed, just to make sure that everything is still online before heading to the gym.
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