The New Work From Home Dress Code
I don’t know about you but I’ve had to get a little creative on how I manage dressing for working from home while maintaining a professional appearance on ZOOM calls. I’ve been in the corporate space for over a decade and required to wear business professional for meetings. Fast forward to today and jumping on ZOOM calls in a full suit isn’t exactly comfortable when you will immediately get off a call and go walk your dog. Welp, time for a new dress code - essentially business on the top and comfy on the bottom. With a little creativity and a lot of stretchy pants you can achieve a comfy but professional at home look sure to fool any client or boss on a web conference meeting.
Start with a breathable loose fitting top
I love items that are made of silk or a lightweight blend that drape instead of fit tightly. Look for blouses that have detailed collars, neckties or embellishments that don’t distract. I also recommend picking a couple of colors like blush, cream and even a brighter palette since cameras tend to wash things out. If I want to be noticed on a web meeting, I’ll go with something bold.
Add a blazer
Blazers have been a staple in my wardrobe since the first day I stepped foot onto an elevator in a high rise in Houston when I began my first corporate sales job. They are the perfect way to look polished and when you are done with the meeting, simply switch out for a more comfortable cardigan like this super soft one I’ve had on repeat lately. I shop mostly Amazon these days and this cardigan is my at home go to.
Wear earrings
Another tip I have is to find a couple of simple, elegant and expensive looking earrings that won’t distract from your meeting but pull the whole look together. I prefer to stick with pearls or a simple shape so that I’m not blinding my audience. Sometimes I’ll get a little bolder with a fun shape in a color that matches my top, but either way I stick to less shiny objects. You’ll find a round up of some of my favorites below to browse. When in doubt, pearls are one of your best options!
Stretchy Jeans or Black Leggings
Most days I switch between stretchy jeans, boyfriend jeans or leggings as my bottoms. I also have a variety of midi skirts with elastic waistbands. If I am going for a mid-day walk or run I simple switch out my professional top with a cotton one and return to my business blouse and blazer when I get back home. You’ll often find me in black leggings since I typically choose looser fitting tops that cover the waistband. Most of those who jump on meetings with me have a tendency to compliment my attire - never knowing that I live in stretchy pants underneath my desk lol.
Last but not least, you’ll want to have a simple makeup routine that allows your features to show up on camera. I’m going to share upcoming tips next week on how to achieve a stellar contour and simple eye makeup but you can check out this tutorial on Facebook in the meantime on contouring. The key is to create depth in your face and bold lashes so you look polished on camera.
Shop the look
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