If no one sees you wear it, did you ever really wear it at all? The dilemma of a ‘wasted’ outfit is one I face daily. I mostly work from home and generally go straight to the gym once my boyfriend gets home. So, unless I have to pop out or meet someone during working hours, my outfit won’t see the light of day. It’s hard to have the will to put any effort in when the only one to set eyes on my outfit besides me is my cat.
I’ve read plenty of conflicting articles on the subject of what to wear when working from home and the opinions oscillate wildly between ‘pyjamas all day every day’, to ‘I would never start work without heels and a full face of makeup’. I’ve certainly never belonged to the latter camp. Those women look beautiful in their photographs, perched next to a MacBook in an expensive looking cashmere sweater (just look at the google image results for ‘what to wear when you work from home’ if you need confirmation) but I’ve just never have that much enthusiasm for dressing within the confines of the four walls of my office. Generally, I tend to sit somewhere in the middle; something comfortable but not quite a full, pulled together outfit.
Today, however, for the sake of argument I decided to dress as if I were heading out for the day - full make up, shirt, neck scarf and jeans. And I’ve got to hand it to those pristine google image ladies, they’re onto something. I do feel more productive, more ready for the day and more like I’m actually at work. And surprisingly, I’m not particularly bothered about no one seeing me. Although I’m definitely banking this look for another day, so it’s not truly wasted...
So, there are the clothes that are worn and then considered wasted, then on the other side of the coin there are the clothes which, in the ultimate fashion paradox, are never worn for fear of being wasted. Most of us have a dress or a jacket that we buy for a special occasion and then never wear because no occasion feels quite special enough. They languish in our wardrobes, repeatedly sidelined for safer, more reliable options; deemed ‘too good’ for every day wear. It’s a common trap that many of us fall into but why have beautiful, fun clothes in your wardrobe that will never be worn?
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| L Jacket: Topshop Unique, T-shirt: Golden Goose, Jeans: Alexander Wang, Shoes: Zara, Beret: Monki / R Jumper: Monki, Skirt: Topshop, Earrings: Toolally, Trainers: Adidas |
I have no qualms about feeling overdressed, but for those who like to keep it a little more low key, most things (barring ball gowns and wedding dresses perhaps) can be dressed down to work for everyday wear. A luxe velvet blazer could be left to gather dust, or it could be paired with a t-shirt and jeans for the perfect fusion of dressy meets casual. A metallic pleated midi skirt may scream NYE party but, when paired with an oversized turtle neck knit and trainers, it becomes a wearable, everyday wardrobe hero.
No clothes are wasted as long as we enjoy wearing them, so let’s stop waiting for a special occasion and rekindle our relationship with those much loved, neglected pieces. And if you do wear it and no one sees it? Well, just wear it again the next day. I won’t tell if you don’t.
