Written by: Ana In Style, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I've been a work-from-home freelancer for more than 15 years, and I've seen and tried a lot, from working in my pajamas to working in my tracksuit, my everyday clothes, loungewear, or my work suit.
And none of these are practical when you have at least 7 roles to play. You’re a mom, an entrepreneur, a wife, a cook, a cleaning lady, a friend, a shopper, and these days even a teacher. That is many hats for one person… and so little time.
I’ve been following the trend of working from home professionals for several years and what I observed was that they either work in their pajamas, tracksuits, or even underwear, or they put on their complete office attire to make them feel focused and as if they were at the workplace. This is good but not practical.
The Hybrid Homewear™ Method
I, therefore, created the Hybrid Homewear™ Method. It is a method to dress in a way that allows you to quickly jump from one role into the other.
The benefits of the Hybrid Homewear™ Method
It saves time. You keep on the basic layer and just add or take away different pieces of clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Adjusting your hair if necessary, and you are good to go.
It saves space. You don’t need whole outfits because everything matches with everything.
It saves sanity. This reduces decision fatigue because you have a formula, a solid plan, and know exactly how to execute it.
It creates opportunities. When you are out and about, so many things can happen. You can meet your dream partner while walking the dog or using public laundry facilities; you can meet new clients or referral partners while shopping and running errands, for example. There is always an opportunity to network.
It makes you always look put together. This is an important moment for a woman. It helps us think clearer and feel confident in our own skin as women and as entrepreneurs. It is easier to approach someone and talk to them or be approached by someone if we look put together. One of my clients said it beautifully. Since the Closet Edit with me, people started noticing her, smiling at her, and even approaching to talk to her.
The 5 Pillars
Hair
Makeup
Apparel
Jewelry
Accessories
What you need
Basic makeup for your brows, eyes, and lips
A basic outfit you can either dress up or down
2-3 jewelry and/or accessory pieces
The 5 steps to work from home in style
1. Makeup
Put on your makeup first thing in the morning and forget about it. For this to work you need good quality makeup and the right technique for your signature style. Once you have this in place, it should not take you more than 2 minutes to put together.
2. Hair
Do your hair next. Just make it work for you but don’t let it just hang there. Wash your hair regularly. It is super important to keep a clear head and focus. Get your haircut regularly, style your hair, pin it, whatever you need to make it look presentable, just don’t neglect this part because it will ruin everything you are doing. If you don’t know how to tame your hair, seek professional help from a hairstylist or your personal stylist.
3. Outfit
Choose your basic outfit. It needs to be in neutral colors, basic, comfortable, plain, versatile and aligned with your fashion personality as well as your body shape.
4. Additional layers
Add additional layers to create a different story for each of your roles. If your basic outfit is like a plain canvas, your additional layers will be like pops of color on a clean slate. These will be your top layers in your accent colors and will level up your basics to create interest and remove the plain, dull, and boring feel to them. Accent colors are colors that make sure your outfit appears interesting and dynamic. Think aprons, kimonos, vests, jackets, cardigans. Make sure they are of proper length, style, and materials so that they function well with your basics.
5. Jewelry
Switch jewelry and accessories to dress your outfits up or down. Simple earrings are always handy and make you look put together when you cook, play with your kids, or walk your dog. Add a necklace when you go shopping or while on a Zoom meeting for school or work. Make sure the necklace works with your top to flatter your face and enhance your features.
Want to know more?
If this sounds interesting to you and you would like to know more about the method as well as everything that has been mentioned in this article, like your best colors, styles, fashion personality, best basic pieces, makeup, hairstyles, jewelry, and accessories specifically for you and your lifestyle, get in touch with me with the code “BRAINZ,” and I will personally investigate your unique situation.
Ana In Style, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Ana Malovrh, also known as Ana in Style, is the founder of Choose Your Signature Style™. She is a Certified Virtual Personal Stylist and Visual Brand Consultant. As a talented but introverted linguist, she had discovered the power of nonverbal communication that transformed her life. She now works with high achievers and empaths who would like to level up their success by feeling confident and aligned with their inner essence through their signature style. With her keen eye for supposedly unrelatable connections, she created a fusion named The Feng Shui Apparel System™ to help her maverick clients feel confident and secure even in the most unfavorable or highly competitive environments. Outside the public eye, she is a patient and loving special needs mom.
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