What I Wore for a Week of Work and Work Events
When I entered the workforce 15 years ago, we women in our 20s were always looking for the perfect outfit that could take us from day to night. If memory serves, this looked a lot like pinstriped suiting with stilettos, which doesn’t seem appropriate for most junior-level employees anywhere my friends or I worked or for happy hour at most of DC’s bars, but the 2000s/2010s were a wild time.
This article suggests that day-to-night dressing is a thing of that past because most offices have relaxed dress codes and trends and/or personalized styles are increasingly acceptable in the workplace now. (And that’s assuming you’re not working from home!) It’s certainly changed for me, but for very different reasons:
As I’ve advanced in my career, I need to look more polished during the day; anything I’d put on to go to happy hour with friends if I were getting dressed from a WFH day probably won’t hit the right note on a day I need to go into the office to meet with leadership or external stakeholders.
For that matter, I go out to bars on weeknights with friends much less than I did a decade ago. (Thank you, children!)
And if I am out in the evening, it’s usually for a work event - not something where I want to try to look sexy.
Last week, I had four straight nights out after work, and what I wore through the week is a good snapshot of what day-to-night-dressing looks for me these days:
Monday
I had to go into the office for internal meetings and went straight home afterwards, so I had to look put together but could be a bit more relaxed. I love Land’s End jersey dresses for this: this is the exact one I wore, but I also love this in Midnight Plum and this short-sleeved option that I’d pair with a classic cardigan.
Tuesday
I had an evening event - an education session plus networking drinks - with my field’s professional association, so chose the burgundy dress from The Fold that I found at Secondi, a consignment store in Dupont Circle, a couple of months ago. It’s structured but made of light-weight stretch knit so still comfy and not too formal. My exact dress isn’t available anymore, but this, this, and this are similar in both shape and color.
Wednesday
I doublebooked myself on Wednesday: I was supposed to head from the office to a reception hosted by Jon’s work that was closing out an important daytime event and, from there, to a National Day celebration thrown by an embassy where I’d be representing my organization. I chose an MM LaFleur suiting dress with a gorgeous drape because I wanted to look polished. It was the first time I’d worn it and I got lots of compliments!
Thursday
Thursday evening was my work’s annual holiday party for our high-level donors, so I went all out in a 50s-style party dress from The Pretty Dress Company. Some of my colleagues were much more casual at the office and then changed for the event, but I’d rather not shlep extra outfits around so wore the dress all day. It’s the same dress I wore to my friend’s wedding at the end of October; it transitioned to holiday/winter-wear easily with the addition of black tights. The burgundy-and-gold colorway I have is sold out, but the pattern and shape are available in black and white and black and red.
Friday
This was the one day I worked from home last week so I was able to wear jeans, but I went to a concert at the Library of Congress that evening. A friend’s orchestra, for whom I’ve been doing some pro-bono fundraising consulting, was performing - it was the first time I got to hear them in person and they were incredible! I pulled out an old chiffon Ann Taylor dress that hasn’t been available for years, though this is similar as is this one from a new-to-me brand called Kobi Halperin.
Sunday
As a bonus, I offered to be the staffer from my department who worked my organization’s Holiday Open House, an afternoon party they put on for neighbors. I rewore that Ann Taylor dress and got some gorgeous family photos in front of the Christmas tree from our photographer Jess Latos!
