I’ve worked remotely pretty much full-time since 2017, and have a 30 seconds-or-less approach to my wardrobe. So it should come as no surprise that my pandemic style these past two years very quickly became athleisure every day (with a blazer sometimes thrown in for flair).
While there’s nothing wrong with that, I have put time and thought into cultivating a multi-functional wardrobe that serves my needs and current lifestyle as an expat.
In other words, I own “real” clothes, so I should wear them more.
My January challenge
It was simple: during January, I would wear clothes that were not gym clothes, athleisure, or pajamas while on the clock. I’d save gym kit for actual workouts, and only wear athleisure/lounge-y stuff after finishing work for the day or on the weekends.
5 work days per week for 4 weeks (plus two extra days) meant I’d need 22 outfits for the month.
Easy, right?
Here’s what I wore and how it went. *Quick disclaimer: I share links to certain pieces, but am not being compensated in any way by anyone for doing so. I’m not that cool. I just love this stuff.
Week 1 – Basics
It was a shorter week thanks to New Years, so I eased into this challenge and stuck to black pants. They go with everything, so it made getting dressed this first week pretty brainless and painless.
I chose the Everyday Pant from Vetta Capsule, Levi’s® 721 skinny jeans, and drape joggers from Uniqlo. Both the Vetta and Uniqlo pants have hidden elastic waistbands, which is a game changer when working from home often means sitting a lot. The jeans are high-rise and have an insane amount of stretch – they fit my calves perfectly, which doesn’t always happen with skinny jeans.
Week 2 – Fancy?
I started and ended the week more casually, but got a bit fancier in between. I even wore a dress.
Hero pieces this week were Rigid Slouch jeans from Everlane, a camel “coatigan” from Mango, and Vetta Capsule’s convertible blazer dress that I wore open as a long blazer.
Week 3 – Color (sort of)
I tend to wear neutrals, and so wanted to wear more color this week. However, two things nearly derailed that plan:
- A cold snap meant the “high” was maybe 40 F / 4 C all week
- Most of my more colorful clothes are for warm weather (*facepalm*)
HEATTECH layers from Uniqlo were this week’s heroes. The leggings and camis with built-in bra cups kept me warm and were thin enough to layer under my more colorful pieces. I actually really liked being able to wear a floral maxi dress with a leather jacket in winter.
Week 4 (plus Jan. 30th and 31st) – Back to basics
We spent the last week of January on vacation in Oman (which, by the way, is amazing and you should absolutely try to visit if you can). I was taking pictures of everything but my outfits. The pictures I did snap aren’t the best, but still give you an idea of what I wore.
I will once again sing the praises of Vetta’s Everyday Pant, as I wore them nearly every day. They’re a great pant for travel, especially within the Middle East. They’re made of tencel, loose enough without looking baggy, and you can dress them up or down by changing shoes.
I also wore flowy satin pants from Oysho (featured in my Week 2 outfits) and a white linen dress – with pockets! – from Madewell (not pictured).
After getting back online, I kept it simple for the final two days this challenge with mostly black ensembles. The long vest in the Monday picture is the Vetta Capsule convertible blazer dress with the sleeves zipped off.
Takeaways
I really enjoyed this challenge. While I appreciated my approach to style before, I appreciate it even more now.
Here are some takeaways from this month:
My style really is a good tool for me. As I shared in that previous blog post on my style, I use my wardrobe as a tool to help me simplify my environment and calm my brain. This challenge proved my theory that owning neutrals and pieces that can be worn numerous ways makes outfit decisions easier for me.
“Real” clothes don’t have to be complicated. This challenge also showed me that I have “real” clothes that are just as comfortable and uncomplicated as my athleisure. Putting on the Uniqlo drape joggers with a blouse and blazer took no more time than slipping into my favorite leggings and oversized sweater would.
More color for winter wouldn’t hurt. Something colorful that’s also suitable to wear in winter/colder weather could be a good addition to my wardrobe. I wouldn’t call this a true gap, though, as the HEATTECH layers helped me adapt stuff for the cold. But it does give me something specific to look out for, which will keep me from buying pieces I don’t need.
So what’s the verdict? I’m still a die-hard athleisure fan who thinks the “sweatpants are a sign of defeat” mafia is crazy (because sweatpants are wonderful). But, I think I’ll try to switch up the outfits I choose a bit more after this.
