Quarantine Chic... But Make It Fashion
There’s no shame in wanting to take advantage of the newfound time you have working from home and being comfy while doing said work. We’re all relishing in the fact that we don’t need to waste morning minutes staring at our closet wondering what’s clean, doesn’t smell, hasn’t been seen by our coworkers in at least a week, isn’t going to be too thick (it’s 91 degrees out), won’t ride up our butt because we’ve gained a few pounds, and is nice enough for the client meeting today. That being said, we still need to show up digitally so we can’t start the meeting camera showing our Harry Potter t-shirt and messy bun. If anything, we want to dress up for ourselves so we can feel more productive and ready to stay focused and kick ass.
Here are a couple go-to’s that I’ve used as my #QOOTD (Quarantine Outfit of the Day) and have heard of others’ success stories for secretly rocking sweatpant-level comfiness while showstopping with boardroom-level Zoom style. And what if you need to step out quickly for a coffee to keep your sanity or picking up take-out to support a local business? Then you don’t need to bat an eye at trying to figure out how to get presentable enough to leave the house. Just grab your mask, you’re already Quaran-chic and good to go.
Business in the Front, Party in the Back
No, mullets have not resurfaced in today’s trends (nor will they ever), I’m talking about frontin’ with that business profesh while giving your Quarantine Bod the ability to sit back and relax. As the summer heat has us donning bike spandex or your fave pair of Nike running shorts, nothing pairs better than a soft tee and a blazer. Once you wake, you can immediately slip into something sporty and comfy to get that body out of bed and over to the far yonder other corner of your 500 sq ft apartment. When meetings roll around, throw on a blazer with ease and you’re set to face your CFO while looking fierce.
Hot Cross Buns
For those who have hair past your chin, I know you’ve experienced the arduous and lengthy task of combing and detangling to tame your locks. After that, we have to add even more time for styling! The simple and chic solution is to easily twist that ton of hair into a bun at the nape of your neck or at the top of your head. It’s quick, comfortable, and classy which comes in handy for a day spent popping in and out of video calls. If you’re rocking wireless headphones, you don’t have to worry about headphone hair (lucky you) and can throw a headband on top to switch up your look.
Let’s Have a House Party
A house dress may make you think of your grandma or an episode of the Golden Girls but you can choose a cute sundress or an oversized cotton tee and deem it a “house dress” - only requirements are that it’s comfy as f&%# and you wear it in the house. When that meeting comes along, slide a blazer or long-sleeve button up on top and get ready to get down to business. If you need to take the dress out of the house, does it take the house out of the dress? It may happen, so step out in your house dress to pick up some groceries and you’re still golden.
My Lips Are Sealed
Lock up a killer look with a single swipe, and I’m not talking about on Tinder. Grab some lip gloss or a tube of bright colored lipstick to give your look a pop while working in lockdown. Whether you’ve been using quarantine to practice your smokey eye and wearing makeup because that’s helping you feel put together, there’s no shame in taking advantage of poor lighting on a video call and rocking an au naturale look. With one swipe, you can apply some color or gloss on those lips to easily level up any natural look, even makeup-free and a plain white tee. This is one of my favorite tricks, so keep it tight-lipped.
I Can’t Ear You
Besides your trusty AirPods or the comfy new Powerbeat Pros, you can still flaunt some fancy hardware during WFH life. Spruce up that tee-blazer (and bike shorts) combo with a colorful pair of statement earrings or dress up that v-neck with a bright statement necklace. If you don’t already own any, now is the perfect time to support an individual artist and buy a pair from Etsy. And if it’s not normally your style, this $15 fashion experiment could really brighten up your day and help add an extra pep in your step when you open up that front camera on your laptop and see some glimmering gold bookend that fabulous face of yours. You’ll probably shine so bright that you’ll be showered in compliments by coworkers and who doesn’t want to brighten up the Zoom grid?
With quarantining evolving into a new way of life that leaves us at home most of the time, our lifestyles have been changing in numerous ways. No need to make it harder on yourself by putting up with discomfort or sacrificing the feeling of being a put together human. The fashion police may have given you a pass earlier in 2020 but now’s the time to flex those WFH chic muscles and make it fashion.