Life has changed dramatically for many of us all across the globe and the lives we once had will most certainly never be the same.
The way we; exercise, socialise, travel and work will all likely change and we will need to evolve with those changes.
At Style Doctors, our goal has always been to create wardrobes that people love and that suit them AND their lifestyles
Time will tell if the working world of old will return but with more and more of us working from home, our wardrobes will also need to adapt to these changes.
When video calls have become the norm, some of us are connecting even more with others on a daily basis and some have adapted and some have struggled. One thing’s for sure, and you’ll know this well if you tuned into our webinar on How To Dress For Your Life is that; whenever your life changes, so should your wardrobe.
The Work From Home Wardrobe
Whatever you’re doing, you want to feel comfortable and feel good. As we always say ’if you look good, you feel good’.
It’s too easy to fall into a pattern of wearing loungewear at home. However, wearing clothes that aren’t suited to your job (even when you work from home) does not put you in the right frame of mind.
For example; you may be the head of HR for a large global company or a senior member of government staff. Wearing a tracksuit does not make you feel the part you play at work.
Stylist Roxy shares her tips on how to feel good working from home.
Dress for your day
You should still get ready in the morning in an outfit that you would deem suitable for your day. Are you interviewing candidates all day on Zoom calls? You need to look and feel the part. Are you chairing a meeting of partners at your law firm? You need to look the part. Are you a school teacher? You need to look the part.
One thing is for sure, you need to dress for the day you have in front of you.
Adapting
Style Doctors has been keeping a close eye on how people have adapted to this change and some have embraced this and treated each day as if it’s a usual working day and others staying in their pyjamas all day.
One of the main differences between working from home and in an office is often the commute. This often affects what we wear, such as the shoes we choose; however that’s not such a drastic change that it will affect your whole outfit.
In person meetings
The other factor is seeing people in person. Of course, you might feel like getting as dressed up to walk downstairs to your home office or the kitchen table seems a tad OTT however there should be a clear definition of work in terms of your wardrobe.
We should in fact dress for ourselves and what makes us feel good whilst respecting the job and position we have.
If the Prime Minister were to turn up on screen in a white t-shirt and shorts, he would be conveying the wrong message (not that we think that a stuffy suit is any better!) If you’re on a Zoom call and a colleague is still in a dressing gown, that shows lack of respect for the situation. Respecting the situation has a big connection to your wardrobe choices.
Zoom Calls
What do you do when one of your colleagues (or even worse), your entire team want a video call in 5 minutes? Panic?! Claim your WiFi is down? Run your fingers through your hair? Feign a sudden lost voice? Style Doctors CEO Elin Mai shares her tips on how to get ready for that video call quickly.
What do you do when one of your colleagues (or even worse), your entire team want a video call in 5 minutes? Panic?! Claim your WiFi is down? Run your fingers through your hair? Feign a sudden lost voice?
Basics
These are more important than ever. Wardrobe staples that fit you well and make you feel good.
Bottoms // The lower part of the body should never have been the focus even pre-dating zoom calls however when working from home and possibly sitting down more than you used to, the bottoms you have should be comfortable and work with a lot of the items you have.
Colour // Colour can lift you mood and outlook and looks much better on screen when making video call after call. Colour close to the face gives your face an instant lift.
Small things // Accessories can change an outfit and you can even play around with necklaces, scarves, earrings in imaginative ways to help elevate your simple daily looks.
We have seen first hand for the last 17 years what clothes can do to one’s confidence and well-being and we hope to see a return to a ‘new normal’ way of life soon.
Just like many businesses, we have moved a majority of our services online and are still offering our services virtually during these times. Whether the work from home wardrobe will remain a constant for you or that your life will return to what it once was, one thing’s for sure; feeling good about yourself should always remain high on your list.
Style Doctors has been creating lots of online videos regarding looking and feeling good when working from home and they can be viewed here.
