Let's Talk About Dress, Baby

Good Afternoon, Bloggies!

I hope this Tuesday afternoon finds you all well.

Today, I wanna talk about clothes. Specifically, the clothes we wear to work. You see, most of the work I do, I do from home. This means that the people I dress for are myself, the cats and the dog, and therefore more than half my intended audience comes to work naked...just to give you an idea of where this discussion is starting from.

However, there is one other person I work with, and that person is Brian. And as we all know, Brian is not one to follow the "norm." Brian has worked from home for two years now, and I think I have seen him work in his pajamas maybe a handful of times. The man likes to dress, and I mean DRESS, for work. He wears his slacks, his button downs, his loafers...the whole nine yards. When he's feeling fancy, he even puts on cologne.

I, on the other hand, am a subscriber to the theory that working from home means working in my PJ's. I've seen the commercials, you know the ones where the girl is all of 12 and making this great career for herself working from her couch in her PJ's and laughing at her computer screen like the data entry she is doing is a rendition of Monty Python performed entirely by an esoteric mouse troupe. No? Is that just me?

Anyways, that is the category of "dress" that I fall into. I do coordinate my lounge wear though, and keep it classy with bright colors and making sure I don't wear the 10-year-old Bishop Kenny shirt with the mustard stain. But honestly, I get paid for my brilliant writing and communications skills, not to look good, and for the most part my coworkers don't comment on my wardrobe. The other day, however, someone just couldn't keep their thoughts to themselves, BRIAN, and this conversation ensued:

Brian: What are you typing so furiously about over there? And why are you huffing and puffing?

Me: And blowing the house down? I am FINE. I am just commenting on an article online that is filled with completely misleading information.

Brian: Mmmm hmmm. How is that social media strategy coming along?

Me: Are you insinuating that I am wasting my time? Because I assure you I am not.

Brian: I'm just trying to figure out what you're working on.

Me: Serious journalism.

Brian: I may take you more seriously if you didn't say that while wearing Christmas pajamas. In May.

Me: I will thank you not on comment on my choice of outfit, Mr. "What do you mean a purple shirt doesn't go with blue shorts?"


I only wear the Christmas PJ's when all of my other "outfits" are in the wash. Or when it is Christmas...or somewhere around that season. Basically they are very comfortable and it is my house/office and Lord knows the cat isn't judging. And it's not like I don't own work-appropriate clothes. I worked in an office environment for years, so I have the skirts and dresses and slacks and boots and heels and button downs and on and on and on. I just don't enjoy wearing them to come to work in my living room.

I am alone in this? Is there anyone out there who dresses up for working from home? If you don't work in an environment where the dress code has been set for you, is it ok to make your own rules?

I think so.

Thoughts?

- Shana