WORK STYLISHLY FROM HOME
HERE'S WHAT FASHION EXPERTS RECOMMEND TO ACHIEVE THAT PERFECT WFH LOOK...
A lot of things about this season are unusual, and as COVID-9 spreads across the planet, shutting down malls and stores, this is the time to make the best use of what you already have in your wardrobe, and improvise to stay fashionable! As the world of fashion is fond of saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get creative. And the silver lining in the work-from-home scene is that one can be innovative to be comfortable when it comes to outfits.
MIX-N-MATCH
Designer Saaksha Bhatt says, “Choose comfortable clothes to help you through this chaos. For those who have to be a part of video chats/conferences, there are smart clothes that can be paired with home-wear to maintain boardroom decorum. For example, one can pair track pants with a smart shirt, so during video calls, you look appropriately dressed while being comfortable. Another set of options could be light dresses, leggings and shirts.”
You want comfort, but don’t want to look sloppy when you WFH, says designer Deepika Nagpal. In her list, she includes comfy cotton shirts and stretchable jeans. “These are easy to dress up or dress down,” she points out, and adds, “Team them with a stylish blazer for video calls with clients.”
TRY SOMETHING NEW
With social distancing being the new norm, designer Poornima Vardhan, CEO of Three Thirty Fifth, recommends silk blouses with mom jeans, pleated maxi dresses accessorised with statement gold earrings and a mix of happy colours to uplift the mood, as part of ‘dressing for success’. Poornima adds, “I strongly suggest dressing up to feel better every day — be comfortable but get out of those PJs. Try a new hairstyle, mix and match your separates, practice a new workout.”
RECYCLE, REUSE
Online meetings and conferences and video calls are all now part-and-parcel of the work-from-home scenario. Mixing and matching lounge-wear with office-wear can be interesting style experiments, suggests designer Nidhi Yasha. “Depending upon the kind of meeting, whether it’s an internal brainstorm session with the team or a client presentation, one can take a call on what to mix with what,” she says. Her recommendations, “Athleisure matched with smart casuals can come in handy. Dye old cotton or silk pieces and wear them as brand-new outfits. Old Patiala salwars can become nice lounge pants with the right kind of shirt. An additional band can be added to the bottom, gathering in the excess fabric. Lounge pants or dhoti pants with crisp shirts give an interesting look. I am also a big fan of patchwork; it may be a good time to cut up old garments and bring them together in an interesting collage of fabrics and create a shrug.”
ACCESSORISE IT Statement neckpieces and earrings and interesting velvet hairbands are great for amping up looks and making you feel good during quarantine. According to jewellery expert Priyanka Thakur, founder of Nirwaana, “It wouldn’t take a lot to dress up even while we are working from home or just chilling. I would say earrings are perfect go-to jewellery that can instantly take any outfit up a notch. One can do so much by just adding the right earrings. You can even use earrings as buttons on your tops or kurta. To look good during video calls or live streaming with colleagues, just add a dash of pearl jewellery as classic tops or a small pendant. And to shift from work to lounge mode, team up your regular outfit with a dazzling pair of danglers or add a pair of quirky ear cuffs while enjoying a meaningful evening with your loved ones.”
Choose comfortable clothes. For those who have to be a part of video chats/ conferences, there are smart clothes that can be paired with home-wear to maintain boardroom decorum. For example, one can pair track pants with a smart shirt, so during video calls, you look appropriately dressed while being comfortable — Saaksha Bhatt, Designer