This summer has been like none other, and I’m pretty darn sure you’d not say otherwise. A global pandemic brought life and economy to a halt. Among other struggles, we’ve feared for our health and the health of our dear ones. Many of us have been wound up by the terrifying news of layoffs at work and the financial uncertainty and emotional vulnerability that have ensued after. Both with quarantine restrictions and irregular air travel, a lot of us have been forced into distance with our families, myself included. And with a slower pace of life in this new normal, global injustices have become more than a box in our feeds that we can scroll past without a second thought.

It’s been scary finding my pulse in this uncharted territory; at the same time, it’s been heartwarming to see the world come together despite all of our differences to heal from this collective trauma and move forward. I’m counting on hope and kindness to get us through to the next phase.

Whatever that next phase will be, it’s safe to say we’re not going back to old ways. I’ve exclusively worked from home the past six months and will continue to do so through fall and winter as well. It’s ironic how quickly we adjust to new circumstances. This week, I’ve to go into the office for a go to market campaign brainstorming session, and I’m doubting if I’d be as productive in the office for the rest of the day. Honestly, I’ll likely only go for the session and return home for the rest of my work.

A change in lifestyle has naturally led to a change in style too. At the beginning of work from home, I realized that my wardrobe was predominantly workwear with no decent casual or loungewear pieces. This is a consequence of working in a traditional financial services environment for most of my career. I ended up investing in some reliable, casual options that complemented other pieces in my wardrobe and put together a small work from home capsule in April. As someone who works well with structure, this was a game changer in helping me get dressed in the mornings and feel my best, productive self for the rest of the day.

In this post, I want to share some of my most worn pieces this spring and summer. These are all items that stood the test of quality, versatility, and comfort as well as matched my personal style. 

#1 High-waisted paper-bag linen pants

Hands down, I was happiest to have these pants in black, olive green, and beige. These were my everyday go-to pants. They are super comfortable and perfect for pear-shaped bodies like mine. I was surprised to discover that they wash extremely well too; despite the linen content, I noticed no color fading in the fabric. They run absolutely true to size and the colors on offer are true classics. For now I’m considering carrying at least the beige pair to my fall wardrobe as well.

#2 Black leggings

I hate to wear my Lululemon running leggings at home, so it was out of question to include them in my work from home capsule. But these leggings from Uniqlo’s permanent collection, currently on discount, are perfect for wearing at home. These don’t have a high synthetic content like sports leggings, so they don’t dig into the skin or feel too tight at the abdomen or thighs. Instead, true to size, these feel like a soft and cozy hug for the legs. I styled them a lot with knitwear on colder days and button downs (untucked) on regular summer days. I’ll also be including them in my fall wardrobe.

#3 Loose fit cotton/linen button downs

My most worn tops have been two button downs from my capsule. One white and blue striped pure cotton shirt I bought at least five years ago at Zara. Second, a new pure linen addition in the trending sage green color this season. Both paired extremely well with all the bottoms in my capsule and looked put together on zoom calls. I’m on the fence about carrying these into my fall wardrobe because I get really cold on the top in colder months, so unless I wear them with a sweater over them each time, which by the way looks super chic, these won’t get much love from me in the colder months.

#4 Striped tee

Is there anything more classic than a striped tee? This cotton and elastane mixed tee has been with me for years. I love that it has sleeves because we don’t get many spring and summer days above 21 degrees in the Netherlands. The slight boat beck instead of the usual crew neck on striped tee also adds a nice feminine interest to an otherwise pretty basic top. I wore this to death this season because, again, it went with everything in my wardrobe. It’s too light for my autumn capsule, but I’ve a striped sweater that I’ll be using as a replacement in my fall wardrobe.

#5 Polka dot blouse

This slightly cropped polka dot blouse is one of those guilty five bucks fast fashion purchases from my early adulting days. Surprisingly, it has stood the test of time and despite many wears looks just new. As someone who loves polka dots just as much as stripes, I wore this blouse a lot this season. I had planned on taking this to my fall capsule too, but it’s too light and because of its baggy sleeves, it wouldn’t be easy to pair with the cardigans I’ve. So, I’ll be bidding this one farewell until next spring at least.

#6 Slight a-line dresses

I’ve always been a dress girl through and through but surprisingly, this season dresses weren’t my go-to each time besides three pieces that are slightly loose fitting and quite versatile.  These took me from my work zoom calls to picnics in the park or the rare visits to friends’ homes this summer. All of these will be going in storage until next spring and summer at least.

#7 White tweed blazer

Had I been going to the office, this tweed blazer would’ve been my most worn piece. But even with work from home, this cropped blazer in the most creamy white shade went very well with all my dresses and shell tops in the capsule. It gave the impression that I’ve put effort into my outfits when really, I didn’t. I’m still debating whether this would fit into my fall capsule because it wouldn’t style well with my fall knitwear and I don’t have many dresses or shells in my fall capsule this year. I might end up getting a creamy white cropped blazer in a bigger size so that it wears well with my knitwear. Let’s see!

#8 White leather sneakers

I don’t know what I was doing with my life without white sneakers until last year. These have quickly become the most reached out for and reliable shoe option regardless of the season. Without thought, I put them on for visits to friends, long evening walks, running errands in the city, and really everything else too. I might even be able to wear them in the office at some point if the dress code shifts to smart casual and they aren’t too grubby looking by then. Needless to say, these are going into my fall wardrobe as well.

I also identified items in my capsule that didn’t get a lot of wear and pieces that I wish I had. When I plan my spring / summer capsules next year, I’ll share more of those thoughts in a blog post.

I’m curious though did your style change as a result of working from home too? And, have you gone back to the office and what has that been like?