You Better Work
Stylishly and sustainably, if possible.
As that exemplar of labor that she is, Kim Kardashian recently said: “get off your ass and work. Nobody wants to work anymore.” Such good advice for me, a surgeon, who has been working nearly every single day since long before and during a deadly pandemic! Thanks, Kimberly. For those few of us who do still work, we must generally wear garments to do so. The majority of the work that I do necessitates the wearing of scrubs and rubber shoes (messy work, being a surgeon), but occasionally, I do have to wear “professional” attire to work. So what exactly is “professional attire”, and can our workwear be more environmentally conscious without being horrendous?
Now that many Americans are taking Kim’s advice and getting off their asses and going (back) to work after working from home (in the nude or in whatever attire is otherwise not deemed socially acceptable), the time has come to once again regard one’s work wardrobe. But in one of the few positive turns of events since the pandemic, we seem to be rethinking office culture and the sexist, racist biases that dictate what is considered professional attire. Who are we to say that natural hair is “unprofessional” because it deviates from the Eurocentric aesthetic definition? Why are bright colors often deemed too “much” for the workplace? Who decides that a woman or female-presenting-person’s attire is too “revealing” to be appropriate for work?
These conversations are worth having, and while we’re having them, we shouldn’t forget that our clothing and style choices have impacts beyond just adorning our flesh prisons. The concept of a “work wardrobe” in and of itself is not particularly sustainable; if you have an entire set of clothing that’s restricted to one facet of your life, the implication is that you need an entire other set of clothing to wear when you’re not at work. That’s potentially TWO distinct sets of clothing per person, as opposed to a unified look that can transcend the circumstances and be worn for multiple occasions. Perhaps the most sustainable thing to do if you like to dress like an ayahuasca-using goth Ms. Frizzle in your personal time is to dress like an ayahuasca-using goth Ms. Frizzle at work.
If you’re a bit more conventional, as I am, it’s not so difficult to ensure that your workwear integrates well into your wardrobe proper, even if your job has a conservative and traditional culture like mine does. As I’ve discussed elsewhere, the most sustainable approach to fashion is to incorporate high-quality items that can be reused and repurposed in a multitude of different ways, don’t follow “trends”, and are consistent with your personal style aesthetic.
Monochrome Moments
A well-made, high-quality suit in all black, gray, white, or—at the risk of reliving the terrible Barack Obama scandal that rocked human civilization to its core—tan?? It’s giving chic, timeless, put-together, and expensive-looking. AND. AND! The separates can be used in different ways. The blazer? Throw her over a crop top and jeans for a night out (as long as we can all go to bed by 9:20PM because I’m a millennial and I have no serotonin left). The trousers or skirt? Obviously can be dressed down with a tee or sweater and chunky loafers. (Not for me, because I don’t wear flats.) But you understand my point. A good suit is a wardrobe essential. And you don’t have to buy a brand-new suit! Get yourself measured and then head on over to thredUP, TheRealReal, Tradesy, or Poshmark for a secondhand suit in excellent condition.
If you’re not into suits, monochrome is still the move. A pair of ivory wide-leg trousers with an ivory (ethical) silk blouse, a gray (ethical) leather skirt with a gray tweed blazer and a yellow blouse peeking through underneath for a pop of color, a black belted blazer dress with black tights and black pumps. Feel free to use different textures and fabrics to add dimension to a monochrome moment. Neutrals aren’t mandatory either; go with colors that speak to you and that compliment the rest of the colors in your wardrobe. Thinking in terms of monochrome when throwing together your work lewk for the day will allow you to incorporate various items from your wardrobe that you might not necessarily think of as “workwear”. For example, the other day, I slapped on a beige turtleneck that I normally consider a “weekend” item, tucked it into some beige trousers, and layered on a beige blazer with gold accessories. This easily and instantly elevated a piece of clothing that isn’t a usual part of my work wardrobe, allowing me to get more out of my wardrobe (whereas the old me would have probably decided that I needed to buy a whole new blouse to go with that outfit instead).
2. Dress Dodging
I’ll speak for myself and myself alone on this one: my taste in dresses that can be worn at work is very different from my taste in dresses that can be worn outside of work. And in general, I will say that there aren’t that many dresses that are suitable for work, parties, dates, concerts, AND brunch. But I LOVE DRESSES. So I’ve always bought tons and tons of dresses for work, and tons and tons of dresses for everywhere else. This is, to be frank, wasteful. So when it comes to workwear, I’m putting myself in dress rehab and sticking to suits, since these are easier to adapt to other situations outside of the workplace. As much as I may want to, I just never end up wearing the structured, form-fitting but modest, midi-length dresses that I prefer for professional attire anywhere else, because my style aesthetic for other situations in which dresses can be worn is totally different. IYKYK.
3. Shoe Shoe-premacy
(Not sure how we feel about that attempted pun.) Shoes can elevate any look. When a white coat covers up a lot of your outfit, as it does for me, your shoes can even become the focal point of your look at work. Well-made shoes in good condition are mandatory. As I stated above, I don’t wear flats, so I also have to make sure that the shoes I buy for work are at least somewhat walkable, even if the heels are 5 inches. It is frowned upon to request to be carried on a litter from one patient’s room to the next. If you invest in nothing else, invest in high-quality shoes that you love and will wear over and over again, and don’t let your dog chew on them. A delightful pair of shoes will take a mediocre work outfit to the next level. Protect the shoes!
4. Wear What You Love
I recognize that not everybody has the privilege to do this, depending on what the nature of one’s work is and the culture of said work environment. But to the extent to which you’re able, wear what truly speaks to you, because then you’ll be more likely to wear it again and in different, creative ways. If you buy clothes because others are telling you that those are the clothes you should be wearing to fit in or to maintain the status quo, just remember: humanity is doomed and doing our stupid little jobs at our stupid little offices is ultimately meaningless. So wear whatever you want! And wear it over and over and over again.
