KEEP YOUR OUTFITS FOR WORK AND FOR HOME SEPARATE
Sara Hollamby
Style Counsel
THERE’S nothing quite like that Friday night feeling. Coming home from a hard week’s work, changing out of your suit into your jeans and an old cardi and pouring yourself a refreshing G&T is what makes work worthwhile. But what if you didn’t have to wear a suit to work? It wouldn’t be quite the same changing out of your jeans on a Friday night, because what would you change into? A suit? Despite the growing popularity of more casual clothing in the office, there’s something to be said for keeping work “professional looking” and then going home and relaxing in your casual clothes. Its good to have a clear transition between the two, or one blends into the other. If we have both in our lives, one allows you to appreciate the other too. So think about two separate wardrobes, one for work, and one for home. One helps you relax properly and unwind when you’re at home, the other helps you get mentally prepared for a tough week at the office.
That doesn’t mean your work-wear needs to be uncomfortable. A suit should be one of the most comfortable items in your wardrobe. Choose one in a soft natural fine wool, that breathes and moulds itself to your body, and if it’s well cut with good quality fabric and tailoring it’ll feel like a second skin.
When you feel comfortable, you’ll look and be relaxed – even at work. Change your top, shirt and tie daily and you barely even have to think about your clothing. Then at the weekend it’s a totally different story – that’s when your work starts, trying to decide what on earth to wear. Unless it’s jeans and an old cardi, of course.
Sara Hollamby is a business image consultant with workingvoices.com email sarahollamby@blueyonder.co.uk