Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Style Question Wednesday: The Stay-At-Home Wardrobe

Hello All,

It is week #2 of my self-imposed rest period.  All is going well, although I am very tired still.  I guess that will take some time though, won't it?  I seem to keep quite busy with medical appts, re-organizing and now planning for the reno (more of a redecoration really, although we will be replacing the windows that are 30 years old, and maybe doing something with the fireplace) of our family room.

I am also trying to very careful not to hang around all day in my sweatpants or pajama pants.  I have a lot of clothes, even after the purge, probably still too many, but many of them are dressy and too dressy to wear around the house.

Today, I tried one of my joe fresh dresses in blue with a white long sleeve T and boots.  What do you think?



Any good ideas?  Right now, I wear either jeans or minnies.  I find pencil skirts just too constricting and not comfortable at all for being active around the house.  This was not an issue when I was only home Saturday and Sundays.  I know a lot of you are at home and all advice is gratefully accepted!!

I am trying to take photos with my camera these days (this was with my BB and was really grainy) but we forgot to plug it back in after my birthday the other night...

Sigh...

Have a most enjoyable Wednesday!  Stay Safe Out There!

36 comments:

  1. I'm going to have to sit this one out, I'm Nick Nolte when I'm at home.
    I cower if the doorbell rings!

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    1. Now that is funny! I do confess to jumping into pj bottoms right after supper

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    2. Tabitha- you nailed it...Ha! WMM- I used to do the flannel pants thing and then I started to feel like a total loser, so now I wear my daywear of jeans and tees/knits/hoodies/cardigans. I find myself being able to be creative (i.e. excuse to shop J.crew) with the tops but the jeans give my bottom half the structure it needs to feel like I am functioning in "society". Hope this helps...NJ

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  2. I stay at home and i have to confess that i also live in jeans and minnies.I dress it up with lots of bracelets and a nice bag!
    In the summer i live in maxidresses and shorts.

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    1. Thanks Ina! I may just be getting used to being so casual!

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  3. Hi WMM. I've struggled with the "at home" one some over past few months as well, complicated by needing to look nice enough to dash out for freelance jobs etc. (jeans/ boots are not on in all offices here) and an uber-friendly kitty (should buy stock in lint brush co.) Some solutions that worked for me:
    1. A couple of other non-jean bottoms in addition the Minnies - in my case a pair of DKNY jodpur style pants, on-sale BR capris (lined and cut easier to do things in than my JC ones) and an Eileen Fisher stretchy, walkable, washes like dream pencil skirt (thanks DBP)
    2. Thin layers on top (Brora thermals, silk shells, St. James tees, tank & blouse or sweater) and then putting a jacket, bracelets, scarf etc. on a hook by the front door every morning for when I do go out.
    3. Making a point to wear my more casual dresses (sometimes with leggings) on days where there's not a lot of cleaning (somehow I need "pants" for my "mop" days).
    Totally get Tabs and NJ Anon, but personally very afraid if I didn't dress and do my hair first-up every weekday I would find desk discipline tough and likely end up a totally mental Nick. N. - not just the bed head.
    Also, I am not advocating shopping. But now that you've pruned, I would highly recommend spending an hour seeing what new "everyday" outfits you can come up with from your closet, comfortable favourites. (I broke up a couple of suits in new ways and started wearing more cardigans.)
    P.S. That blue dress very pretty!

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    1. Get Fresh - hubs is the same when he works at home, he wears a shirt and tie which I think is insanity but he can't work otherwise. I can work in any ratty old clothes.

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    2. Oh Tabs, wish I could office share with your hubs. Mine works with young techies/ on sites now so, outside of meetings, lives in cords and v-neck jumpers (which is well dressed there.) I truly miss the ties and jacket, which I only get by weekend request and for events.

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    3. I think I could live in my PJS, but am trying to resist my natural state!!! Good advice GF and I gotta get me one of those skirts! That is 3 ringing endorsements (I say 3 as I assume Eileen would also endorse her own skirt!)

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  4. My stay home go to is black cigarette pants with a slight stretch in them for comfort, and sweaters with a scarf or not. They're a step above sweats, made by Eilleen Fisher and great work horses for the wardrobe. Black or coloured jeans also step it up a notch but aren't as comfortable as the pants. Flat boots and shoes never sneakers. Casual skirts with stretch, good brands are NYDJ and Eilleen Fisher.
    I love Joe Fresh for items that last one year or so, but these pants have been working for 4 years and counting. Worth the investment. I agree with Tabs, if I look like jammy time, I don't answer the door:-)

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    1. I like this! I got these amazing paige premium trousers that look just like those E.F. ones and I wear them a lot - I think my wardrobe must be okay! Then toss a blazer if you need to see real world! Thanks for good advice!

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  5. My biggest problem with working at home is not wanting to wear a bra...which makes everything unattractive BUT sweats. However, I force myself to dress so the weight stays at bay. I love AG Stevie cords in the winter, so soft, cozy, and comfortable.

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    1. Oh you made me laugh out loud! I could let my girls go free, but they keep knocking into my knees...

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    2. I am with you completely. I hate wearing underwire bras in my house (I wear light sports bras, though). Why do they magically become 100% less comfortable the minute I walk in my door?

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  6. Now you understand why I gave all of my pencil skirts away. I couldn't do anything in them!
    I wear full skirts as you know, every day. Right now I have a few Brora skirts that I wear everyday with a sweater, that's easy. In warmer weather (fall) I wore my EF brown pencil skirt (the one that GF has as well!) with sweaters and jackets. I also have riding pants from Eileen Fisher, highly recommend her pants , echoing AWSL above, they are pricey at outset but very well made and long lasting. They make petite sizes. Look great with almost and shirt/sweater/jacket, things you already own.
    I have one pair of Goldsign jeans that I occasionally wear, but usually only on Saturdays.
    For mornings before getting dressed properly (and while in my stretching exercise/getting kids to school mode) I wear a couple of long EF dresses I bought on ebay. I can exercise in them and answer the door if need be.
    I'd love to wear my pajamas all day but then I'd probably start drinking at lunchtime too and I'd reach Nick Nolte stage faster than all of you!

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    1. Dani - here's to NEVER doing the Nolte downslide duel.

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    2. Thanks Dani - good advice! Where is my Nick of the old "Rich Man, Poor Man" days? I miss him so. He was beautiful....

      I am usually in my housecoat these days till around 9. I am feeling all Sue Ellen-ish from Dallas...

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    3. Wow...DaniBP you can clean house and do your exercising in dresses. I have to wear yoga pants but only to the gym or at home....never really out and about.

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    4. Hey unknown! Our Dani is amazing, isn't she? I am like you - have to do it in sweats or yoga pants!

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    5. Yoga pants are way more sensible but I am terrible self-conscious in pants, I do have danskin leotards for my stretching as well, I can wear those with those long EF dresses, I like dancing clothes for exercise and I grew up wearing that stuff, it's good for ballet based stuff but not actual sweating.
      WMM how did you like the classical stretch?!

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  7. Good question! Jeans are my go-to, and I'm becoming intolerant of jeans without stretch. My current favorite pair is by AG called Prima Cigarette, it's a dark wash and stretches and looks good no matter how much I eat lol. They aren't super skinny, but tuck nicely into boots. Today I'm wearing BR straight jeans (just okay) with a gray J. Crew long sleeved cashmere tee. It's usually sweaters over jeans in cold weather, button-downs or tees over jeans in warmer weather. In summer, I live in J. Crew's 5" chino shorts. I'll wear them with a lightweight, untucked button-down sometimes or just with a tee. In recent sales I got a few of J. Crew's Mixed Tape Cardigans to throw on over a tee in summer when the A/C is too cold. I always mean to dress up the jeans or shorts with a blazer but haven't yet. Lately, I have been annoyed with most of my jeans (and my weight gain, see the correlation?) and have been wearing my J. Crew maritime dresses over leggings with boots, this is the comfiest outfit ever and why am I just now discovering it? Could put a tissue turtleneck under it too. This looks fine with my tall black Uggs or with my snow boots. Anna Wintour is not knocking on my door, you can imagine! but I like it so whatever :-)

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    1. However, Stacy and Clinton may stage an intervention on me lol.

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    2. I am going to check into those jeans - sound great!

      I don't know who will do my intervention - I keep asking George Clooney, too, but he is ignoring me... sigh.. :-) thanks for the good advice!

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  8. What are minnies? Are they like capri pants?

    My uniform for housework is a pair of chino capris and a v-neck tee. Although it isn't very glamorous, I wear old clothes for the heavy duty stuff because I invariably get bleach on myself.

    For errands on weekends, the uniform is jeans, cardigans, and loafers or ballet flats. I would really like to get away from the jeans though.

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    1. Hey Merry Wife - Minnie's are jcrew's hybrid capris and skinny pants. I am like you - I have to wear dumpy stuff for heavy cleaning!

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  9. I work longer days so I have days off during the week. I'm not a big fan of sweats or yoga pants. I like well fitting skinny jeans with stretch. That way I feel more pulled together and not like I should be exercising. Lord knows I don't want to be mistaken for a gym rat! I wear slouchy sweaters or a sweater/blouse combo in winter. Love the dress you have on!

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    1. Shopping Celle - you made me laugh at your gym rat comment!! I am convinced that 50 is all about material with stretch!

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  10. I'm with Tabitha. Nick Nolte is my sartorial inspiration for at home wear. I admire all of you greatly though who actually dress.

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  11. I work from home on Wednesdays and sometimes on Fridays and I usually wear cords in the winter, most of them J.Crew matchsticks. I pair them with perfect fit long sleeve tees and cardigans. I always do my makeup routine and I add a necklace which makes me feel more put together. I never wear sweatpants (unless I am exercising) but I change into pajamas after I put my daughter to bed.

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  12. New reader here :)

    I must admit, I often wear lululemon head to toe at home. At least the lulu stuff is flattering and it does actually encourage me to work out some days! They used to make these incredible soft and well-cut cotton tees, and I often wear a bright tank with one of those on top. Then if I am going out, I can switch into jeans and it's actually a cute outfit. Not for meetings, though!

    My main problem is that I get so cold in a "nice" outfit.

    All that said, wearing something approximating work clothes does help with the mental game of working at home.

    I am abandoning working at home, I think, though not just for sartorial reasons! There is a very nice municipal library, and I'm going to shift to studying or working there.

    When I am there, which is likely akin to work at home for most people, I usually wear pants (jeans, BR sloan crops tucked into boots, a pair of cotton Sisley pants that look jean-like) and a casual button up or a form-fitting sweater with a nice scarf for extra warmth.

    Housework? I just don't do it. ;)

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    1. HI Abby! Thanks for commenting! You made me laugh out loud about the housework! I have never tried lululemon, but I have a very good friend that swears by it!!

      I am like that with my dressing clothes as well - they often make me feel cold! It is all layering I guess. There is nothing I like more than my uggs and a warm cardigan!

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