A Week’s Worth of School-from-Home Outfits
Written, Modelled, and Photographed by Harley Frechette
In a world of working from home and Zoom University, I find that getting dressed every day is more important than ever. This doesn’t necessarily mean sporting a runway-ready outfit every single day, but at the very least it does mean putting on a new pair of sweatpants or pajamas. Whatever the costume change may be, I find that it makes a massive impact on my focus and work mindset. This week, I documented my school-from-home looks — ones that are comfortable, adaptable, professional and most importantly, make me feel good.
Monday: Oversized cable knit sweater, frayed bootcut jeans, and sparkly purple loafers
Monday was a particularly autumnal day, honestly my favorite kind. There are few things better than slipping on an oversized sweater and sipping on a cup of tea (i.e. me in every class). It wasn’t quite cold enough for a jacket but also not warm enough for any old shirt. So, I grabbed my favorite thrifted find and tossed together an outfit. The happy colors of the outfit stood out and it was a really fun way to tone down a pair of super funky shoes.
Recreate the look: Grab a pair of skinny jeans and an oversized sweater. Try to match them with a pair of shoes you rarely find yourself reaching for!
Tip: I am someone who constantly plays with their hair when it is left down. So, at the beginning of the day I decide how I am going to keep it out of my face and try to stick to it. On Monday, it was a slicked back claw clip and on Tuesday, it was a pair of sunglasses. I find that it helps me stay more focused in class while making me look more professional and present.
Tuesday: Slip dress, leather jacket, and white sneakers
On Tuesday I threw on one of my favorite dresses — a slip dress from Topshop I bought a few years back. What’s so great about a good slip dress is that it can be dressed up or down in so many ways. Today, I simply paired it with a leather jacket and a pair of white sneakers.
Recreate the look: Grab any dress that you would typically wear on a night out and pair it with a simple jacket. This can be a leather jacket, blazer, or jean jacket — anything works here! Keep the shoes simple and comfortable.
Tip: On days that I dress a little less conventionally, I keep a blazer next to me while in class or a meeting. I don’t always use it but it gets rid of any anxiety I may feel around my outfit and lets me stay confident and ready for school.
Wednesday: Pajama pants, black turtleneck, and white sneakers
On Wednesday, I hit the mid-week rut. Let’s be real, it happens to all of us. And my tactic for it is to lean into the fatigue and stress rather than try to push it away. So this week, I pulled together an outfit that I knew I would be comfortable in. I paired the bottom half of a Zara pajama set with a black turtleneck and pulled it all together with my trusty white sneakers. I’ve done this look with various sweatpants and loungewear — something about the turtleneck brings sophistication to the look while keeping it incredibly low-key comfortable.
Recreate the look: Pick out your favorite loungewear bottoms and any turtleneck, plain shirt or sweater that you may have. I love to pair this look with sneakers, and I let the jewelry and accessories I pair with it elevate the outfit.
Tip: Sometimes turtlenecks or plain tops can feel boring. But I see it as a fun opportunity to let your accessories shine. Try out a funky pair of earrings that never seem to match any outfit or a chunky necklace that might usually feel a bit “too much.”
Thursday: Oversized button down, baggy jeans, and colorful sneakers
I am a sucker for baggy clothes. I don’t exactly know why, but I always feel comfy and confident in them. Although I often follow the tight on top, loose on bottom or vice versa “rule,” I do love a good baggy-on-baggy look. On Thursday, this meant pairing a pair of loose light-washed jeans with an oversized button down and some colorful Vans. Wrinkles aside, the outfit looked put together while maintaining a casual and incredibly comfortable feel. The look was perfect for transitional weather; I wasn’t overheating but still had the comfort of long sleeves.
Recreate the look: Grab your comfiest pair of jeans and a loose fitting top that you always reach for. I have done this look with sweaters, sweatshirts, and T-shirts. Be creative here — the goal is to be comfortable.
Tip: One of my favorite ways to wear an oversized button-down is layered on top of a dress. I got this one from Zara and it makes all of my dresses class-friendly when layered.
Friday: Graphic t-shirt, trousers, and white sneakers
For my last day of classes this week, I paired a Harley Davidson T-shirt with tan trousers. I usually find the suit pant trend hard to style, but I love the way they look with a graphic T-shirt and sneakers. They are incredibly comfortable and add a level of effortless elegance. I spent the day running around and this outfit kept me comfortable throughout it. At times when I felt like the look needed to be dressed up a tiny bit, I added a blazer.
Recreate the look: grab your favorite graphic T-shirt, add a pair of solid colored pants, and voila!
Tip: When I feel like I just want to wear some jeans and call it a day, I reach for an old T-shirt in my “pj pile” that I would usually never wear to change up the rotation.
Although it can feel silly to put on a cute outfit to sit in front of faces on a computer all day, it can help with focus and creates a sense of normalcy in our bizarre reality. It may not work for everyone, but putting on an outfit that makes me feel confident and happy changes my day. I have found that in the past few months my taste and style have changed — I have started dressing for me, and only for me, and I have never felt better.
