Thoughts on Workwear

Workwear has always been a point of frustration for me. It has varied with every job I've ever had, and I've never fully felt like I had the right things or enough things to wear. Don't even get me started on the dry cleaning.

Now, having to return to the office on a part-time basis, like many others, I felt it especially relevant to write a quick note about workwear, how my views about it have changed since COVID and how I plan to tackle it going forward.

I decided to make a somewhat bold move during 2020 by selling or giving away nearly 80% of my work clothes.

I got rid of many silk blouses and dresses that always needed to be dry cleaned (workwear, not formal wear). I removed less expensive polyester pieces bought as "closet filler" (things I could wear when the dry cleaning and handwashing was piling up) and pieces that I couldn't see myself wearing at any function outside of work.

After some reflection, most of the pieces in my work wardrobe were bought out of necessity or haste, pieces that would check the boxes and stock my wardrobe but not necessarily ones I loved. This was why I always felt like I had nothing to wear.

So what's my plan going forward? Simplicity with a bit of a uniform mindset. I invested in several quality button-downs from one of my favorite french shirting brands and have been pairing them with well-cut jeans or trousers. Structuring my work wardrobe around this pairing has already made my life much simpler in the mornings. Not to mention, the button-down and trousers combo is a classic, both in and out of the office, so I don't feel like I'm wasting my money on work-only items.

I put together the list below of a few items that would work well as office/out-of-office wear. Everything on this list is washable at home and would mix well with the rest of your wardrobe.