I Asked Fashion People to Dress Up at Home—Their Looks Are So Inspiring

While working at home, loungewear has been in heavy rotation in my wardrobe. I’m all about cool sweatpant outfits worn with tube socks and retro sneakers, and the outfit formula has become a mainstay in my wardrobe recently. But as comfortable as sweatsuits are, I’ve been feeling inspired to get more dressed up at home. A few weeks ago, I challenged myself to put together outfits with leggings that go beyond workout wear, incorporating some of my regular wardrobe essentials like mules and button-down tops. It felt great to dress up a bit each morning and gave me a mental boost to get creative with fashion.

I reached out to some of my favorite fashion people and asked them to dress up at home, and their takeaways are leaving me reenergized. "For once," Doina Ciobanu told me, "our style can be 100% about ourselves and what we feel like, with no social expectations." And I couldn’t agree more. Scroll on for their looks and personal takes on getting dressed up at home right now.

"I work best when I am comfortable, so it takes a lot of effort for me to wear something other than leggings at home. But this genius two-piece from Nanushka is my sartorial guardian WFH angel—what you can’t see so well is that the bottoms are elasticated so look like trousers but feel like sweats. The blazer is tailored but in the softest vegan leather that feels like a knit. A pair of earrings, painted nails, and my everyday rings (got to be prepared for those Skype/Zoom/FaceTime meetings) and I'm ready for my workday."

Shop Anna's look:

"I know getting dressed up feels unnecessary and not a priority with everything going on right now, but changing out of pj's and sweats does provide a bit of normalcy with so many of us spending so much time at home. It can make you feel more productive for a day working from home or more ready for a Zoom call."

Shop Jordan's look:

"My approach to fashion is very relaxed at the moment, more as a therapy. If I feel like it, I'll stay in my pajamas all day. If I feel like overdressing, I will do exactly that. I think it should be the last thing that stresses us, and it should all just come naturally. For once, our style can be 100% about ourselves and what we feel like, with no social expectations."

Shop Doina's look:

"When I left NYC to quarantine upstate with my family, I naïvely assumed I'd be gone for a week or two. That said, dressing up at home forced me to be less uptight since I have less to work with, being separated from the majority of my wardrobe. I'm a firm believer in co-ords, sweatsuits, and sets of any kind because they're low-effort and high-impact. So I doubled down on denim and borrowed one of my mom's old Coach bags to lean fully into the '00s vibe (think Britney x Justin at the 2001 AMAs). I didn't wear shoes because that's against the rules in this house; what mama says goes."

Shop Imani's look:

"All I care about is comfort right now with being at home. But I still like to stay chic even if it's just for myself. I think that's important. So I'll wear a silky top with my favorite sweatpants."

Shop Fong's look:

"Dressed and ready to wine and Zoom."

"It's so easy for the days to become a blur. I like to do one thing a day that makes me remember each day as it's own. Dressing up head to toe at least once a week gives me that sense of normal."

Shop Stella's look:

"It really depends on my mood, but I stay in pajamas most of the time. If you want to feel a bit dressed up, you can mix a blazer with jogging pant,s and it's okay."

Shop Anne-Laure's look:

"I’m dressing as cozy as possible four days a week, then putting a cute outfit on to go to the grocery store or coffee shop. Getting dressed also inspired me to design new things I can pair with my vintage stuff. This time at home alone is really expanding my mind and I'm looking at creating in a whole different light."

Shop Jessie's look:

"Dress for YOU!"

Shop Jen's look:

"Getting dressed for me right now is about comfort and personal inspiration. In dire times, it is important to feel your best on the inside however you need to do that."

Shop TyLynn's look:

"Sweatsuits have been my immediate go-to. A matching one really makes me feel like I've got my shit together."

Shop Devon's look:

"During these uncertain times, treat yourself and dress up just because we can, because we will get through this and we will meet once again. Dress up at home so that we remember to never again take for granted the simple pleasures of life."

Shop Amy's look:

Next, see how Who What Wear editors are dressing up at home.