A Decadent Girl by Ramon Casas
My wardrobe has 3 or 4 stages of formality (or slovenliness, as the case may be).
My workplace is semi-casual. There is no dress code, but I set my own. I wear dark-wash jeans or dress pants with shirts/T-shirts or pullover sweaters (occasionally other “tops”) and a cardigan or jacket. When I have a business meeting, I wear nicer shoes! We managers joke about it: “What do you mean, the meeting’s cancelled? I wore jewellery!”
When I’m off work and I leave the house, I wear jeans and a different selection of casual T-shirts and hoodies, with either boots or sneakers. I dress the same regardless of where I’m going: the mall, a movie, church, or a family dinner. But I am more likely to wear a pleather jacket to a concert in the (probably misguided) belief that it’s “cooler.”
“Me” in my sweats hahaha! (Photo: underarmour.com)
After work, I immediately change into “house” clothes. I got into this habit because I refuse to get cat fur on my work clothes, and I don’t want cooking stains either! My house clothes are sweatpants that I am not ashamed of – they are wider-legged yoga pants made of fleece – and a selection of T-shirts and hoodies that I wear only at home. I have a super-thick fleecy hoodie for those days I just can’t get warm, and if all else fails, I have a “TV blanket” for curling up and reading. And two cats!
I also wear slippers. My current pair have a hole in one toe but I haven’t given up on them yet.
In the summer I have one pair of shorts I will wear around the house, but otherwise they are on my no-no list. The two weeks of the year it is 30+ degrees, I will wear a skimpy nightdress around the house.
Right up my alley (photo: amazon.com)
Saturday and Sunday mornings, I try to get dressed by lunch time. Until then I am happy to stay in pyjamas and a bathrobe, hanging out online and drinking homemade lattes. I like silly pyjama pants. I have two pair of Hello Kitty, and one with owls. I wear them with tank tops because post-menopause, I am always too hot (which seemed like it would be heaven during the decades when I was always freezing).
Photo: sleepsugar.com
When Rom first moved to Canada, I told him all Canadians wear socks to bed, as I did. I’ve only recently confessed this may not be the case.
I am super-modest. I never have a coffee on the back deck in my bathrobe or take the garbage out while wearing my pyjamas.
But Jessica Biel does (apparently this is from an ad she did promoting recycling) Photos: usmagazine.com
If anyone rings the doorbell on weekend mornings (like kids fundraising for their sports teams) and I’m not dressed yet, I don’t answer. This isn’t uncommon, though. I don’t see my neighbours outside in their bed-clothes, either. I tried to talk to my next-door neighbour once when I noticed shingles missing from his roof. He scurried away and pretended not to hear me because he was under-dressed!
I will leave this look for Ed (Sheeran)!
Lots of people of all ages hit the grocery store or Walmart in their pyjama pants, but it’s not for me.
And leave the yoga pants for J-Law (2012)
I have yoga pants but I only wear them to the gym. When I was coming of age, leggings or stirrup pants (!) were worn with tunic-length tops, and I haven’t moved past that yet. With a shorter top, I feel like I’m wearing tights without a skirt!
I don’t mind what other people wear and I admire people who are more audacious than me.
House Dress (photo: amazon.com) – available!
Sometimes I wish we were back in the era of my grandmothers’ house dresses. These were simple dresses that you wore only at home, for doing cooking, cleaning and childcare. You might wear an apron, but it was OK if they got dirty because your nice dresses were saved for going out.
But I would not be cool with (a.) staying home, and (b.) changing into a nicer dress and doing my hair and makeup in time to bring the newspaper and a cold drink to the husband as he sat in his easy chair after work!
Luckily Rom and I have similar apparel standards for in and out of the house. Or in and out of bed, socks notwithstanding!
What do you wear at home? Around the neighbourhood and out for errands?
An Exacting Life 
I have a tendency to change into pajamas or sweats as soon as I get home from work. I have some stretchy flow-y type turnover waist pants that are my absolute favorites. I’ll typically pair those with a tank top and zip hoodie or sweatshirt. It’s my ‘loungewear’ I guess.
I want to be as comfy as possible, as quickly as possible once I’m done working for the day. The only exceptions to my loungewear rule are (1) opting for a swimsuit and sunscreen on super-hot summer days so I can safely sit and soak up some rays, and (2) opting out of clothing all together, because my body temp has gone berserk (or because it’s exceedingly hot outside).
On non-work days I stay in my comfies as long as possible, and if I don’t have to go out anywhere, I’ll put clean ones on as soon as I bother to shower (which may not be til noon). 🙂
Yes to loungewear!
I wear sweat-pants too when I am at home, pairing them with T-shirts and hoodies if cold. Going out, I tend to wear newer clothes to the movies, theatre, or malls than to work (it’s only work, after all). For bed, I wear nighties in summer and flannelettes in winter. Gosh, two weeks of 30+ days? I could come and live in Canada. I sure am not looking forward to the three months of sweltering summer days coming up.
Today was our first cool Fall day (9 for day and 5 for night) so it’s time to get the gloves out!
I wear almost the exact same things you do except for work I wear scrubs. It feels strange when I have to dress in something fancy so I tend to stay casual.
I seriously wish I could wear scrubs to work. It would take away a layer of decisions, and I could spend more on my casual wardrobe instead of on pricey work clothes!
I also wear sweat pants and T-shirts when I’m at home and I never wear a bra at home either. The older I get the more comfy I want to be,
I change from an underwire T-shirt bra (which I call my body armour) to a pull-on crop-top bra when I get home from work!
When I worked it was mostly dress pants, dressy tops & cardigans – now it’s jeans with casual shirts, t-shirts & sweaters, with good walking shoes or my Converse All Stars. But either way – when I get home I change into sweats or PJ’s. When we were kids we always changed out of our school clothes as soon as we got home and into play clothes so that habit has always stayed with me.
The one and only time I leave the apt. in my PJ’s is on Christmas morning. A friend who lives downstairs always does Christmas breakfast for us singles in the bldg. and the only rule is that we arrive in our PJ’s!
I love that Christmas tradition – what a fabulous idea!
When i worked, I wore black cotton pants and a short sleeve or three-quarter sleeve blouse with a cardigan because of the vagaries of HVAC and my own internal thermostat. Now that I’m retired, I wear jeans every day with a t-shirt or flannel shirt and socks. I keep my shoes by the front door and never put them on until I leave. And I no longer have callouses on my feet or surprisingly my elbows. I used to spend a lot of time leaning on a counter, juggling a phone on my shoulder while writing down orders, comments and complaints and could never get my elbows smooth.
I wear short-sleeved t-shirt style nightshirts to be bed, knee length in summer and mid-calf in winter. I often slip my bra off in the evening but I don’t get undressed until I’m getting right into bed.
I don’t wear shoes in the house either. Interesting that your feet and elbows have rebounded from their work life! I like to get into pyjamas earlier in the evening – if I change right at bedtime, it wakes me up too much. Maybe I could change IN bed!
I think people should wear whatever they want at home. But the public realm is different. We have a lot of pyjama-wearers in our little city, and I can’t understand it. Whatever happened to decorum?
But indoors, anything goes. For my wife, sometimes that means nothing at all! I’m not that brave, and I’m usually in my work clothes until bedtime. Food stains be damned, I’m usually just too lazy to change clothes. I am really interested in what people wear on their feet. It’s colder today, so I’m in socks and slippers, but during the summer I wear flip-flops around the house, or go barefoot.
Yeah, I know the colder weather is coming because I am wearing both socks and slippers in the house. So, you must do the laundry for your household? 😉
It’s interesting to hear your feelings on leggings since they are pretty much a staple in my daily wear. I’m lucky that even for my job and volunteerships, I can be comfy. I usually wear activewear-type clothes (leggings/running shorts with tank or Tee). If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll put on skinny jeans or jean shorts with a tank or tee shirt. I have a couple dresses I wear around the house, and usually by the time I go to bed, I’m in undies and a shirt. I also generally sleep naked and generally dislike having to wear clothes. I’m wearing more clothes around the house than I would prefer, but only because our boys are reaching an age where they are uncomfortable with mom walking around topless lol. I’m sure once they leave the nest, I’ll be clothed far less!
Hi Megyn! If I disrobed at home, I would have to turn the thermostat up to about 24, and that would literally cost me thousands in the winter!
I just put on one of my (maybe) seven house dresses for summer and thought “I should set a challenge to wear them all in a week… or else HAVE LESS!”. I rationalise that in the heat, I need more as I get sweaty. But I know I don’t usually wear all of them between washes and could do without some. In winter, I have a handful of pants I’ll wear and some house pullovers (sweaters).
I also grew up wearing leggings where one would want to cover their crotch. I have largely moved with the times, but sometimes working out I think… maybe I shouldn’t have!?
For work, I wear trousers and felt scandalous wearing black skinny jeans when I first started a year or so ago. No one has said a thing! I always wear blue jeans on Fridays. I wear button down shirts largely, with a blazer, cardigan or tank top underneath, depending on weather (and the cut – tops that might ride up or show flesh need an under layer).
For weekends, many tops from work continue to be selected for going out etc. I have some cotton long and short sleeved tees that I wouldn’t wear to work, for weekends, but noticing the winter weight ones are seldom chosen and perhaps I should start to reduce and not replace those.
And Megyn – if I lived somewhere less visible to others, I reckon I’d wear less! I often do without underwear in house dresses cause… why bother?
For workouts, I rationalize that the way I dress is the same as everyone else in that environment so I try not to be self-conscious. Your weather must be heating up now!
hahahahha… I think that image of your pyjammed neighbour scurrying away is going to stay with me for some time.
Dressing up is such a bother for me. I spent 8 years working in a profession where jeans and t-shirts were the norm, now having to wear dress shoes and actually make sure that my hair is all facing the same direction I find just painful. so when I get home, it all has to go and I morph back into a happy vegetable in an oversize t-shirt and shorts. mmm purrrfect.
Happy vegetable – I love the sound of that! Which one? Lately I am enamoured with radishes 🙂
Oh no, not radishes …maybe broccoli 🙂😜
OK, let’s be Couch Broccolis, then!
Hahahaha Couch Broccolis. I love the sound of that
I have to admit that when the dog wants to go out at 4am then I do wear my pajamas outside but it is a very quick trip! Otherwise I change into something more in line with loose yoga pants or shorts for the early morning and late evening dog outings. Being retired I am trying not to fall into a sloppy clothes during the day routine so I wear jeans/capris/shorts and a nice top appropriate for the weather. If it is really hot then a sundress. I too am keeping leggings and shorter tops for exercise only although why it is ok in my head to be seen that way by others in my yoga class and not at other times I haven’t quite worked out LOL.
You would all dress kinda alike in yoga class so no worries? I surely would not get dressed to take a dog out and I don’t envy you that! I dread how I will look when I ever retire and whether I will get dressed at all. You are a role model! (Readers: Juhli has done variations of Project 333 several times and posts her wardrobe).
My office is casual, too, with a few things prohibited – ripped jeans, t-shirts with logos, and, oddly, hoodies. Still, when I get home, the first thing I do is change into pajama bottoms and a t-shirt with a logo. I have definite “at home” wear and “outside” wear.
I think it goes back to my childhood. My family never, ever wore shoes indoors (unless you’re in someone else’s house). Shoes were “outside” wear, not “at home” wear. (That’s why our dogs would get so excited whenever anyone put on shoes.)
I sometimes wish my workplace had a dress code, even just a short list. I am the boss and it is hard for me to speak up when staff wear ripped jeans, yoga pants with mesh panels, logo T-shirts, have bra straps or brief bands showing, etc. because nothing is really prohibited.
I would hate that.
I have work clothes – always skirts usually of stretchy material – more comfortable for sitting in all day and no tight waistband – I have black tights unless wearing a navy outfit then I have navy tights and shoes. I then have smartish tops and go through periods of jewellery/no jewellery. At home if I am staying in or gardening it is stretchy leggings, t-shirt and a baggy jumper – when I go out I change for jeans and a smarter top. If it is somewhere requiring a bit more dress I have a few outfits that fit the bill. I like mooching around in my dressing gown doing jobs before I get dressed but I can’t open the blinds until I am as I feel I need to be dressed in case anyone peering in! We never wear outdoor shoes indoors but I do wear a lightweight trainer type shoe rather than slippers to give me more stability but I keep these only for inside. I wear furry slippers after a shower. I would dress up more if I had somewhere to go but I quite like my gardening clothes – they are just comfy.
I have a few dressier pieces for “occasions” and I like dressing up more when I’m on city vacations. A person would have to be looking very deliberately into the houses on my street to see anyone inside. I think people are doing their own things in separate rooms, rather than spending time together in shared living areas. I think my neighbour (the one who scurried off) has a household of 3 adults and they have 3 cars and 3 rooms with TVs that are on every evening 😦
Just found you.I wear nice yoga or black stretch pants (and the occasional jean) as part of my retirement clothing. I always find it interesting because I figure if they are the long straight leg or bell bottom stle they look more dressy than jeans depending on the accessories. I’m big on the accessories. I have a backyard patio and almost ever morning go out in a robe (winter) or my long gown (summer) and never think about it. I suppose if the neighbors really wanted to they could see me, lol. Because Ilive in the strange climate that is colorado I’m working on 66 for two seasons, we’ll see if I can do it. http://www.richlyretired.blogspot.com
Hi, Barbara! I doubt if the neighbours would care if they saw me – I am just self-conscious. I am not really big on accessories except for earrings and watches! Our seasons are extreme, too (although summers are not as hot as yours).
I love your workplace joke on wearing jewellery. I also love how this post has prompted so many different views.
I with you on weekends – in my pjs until whenever. The pjs may be old, holey track pants and t shirts or some light cotton dresses I have bought. Or, horror of horrors, a cotton dressing gown with nothing on underneath.
I stay in my work gear after work. After all, if I’m home at 6 it is not too long until bed. But change if I go for a walk and then stay in my walking gear. If I am wearing tights (as in stocking-like tights), I whip them off straight away. Often whip off the bra too.
As to wearing tights (as in tight exercise pants) I wear them if doing exercises. I wish women wouldn’t wear them around as pants. They are not. I don’t want to see all the crevices and jiggly bits. I have only seen a couple of women here in Paris wearing them in the street and I think they were Australian or American.
Well, I don’t mind young women wearing whatever – youth is fleeting, and all that. I have come to believe that my opinion on what other people wear is insignificant; I am not them and they have their reasons! I have seen people snicker over what I wear (too plain, not enough colour, too covered-up, not feminine). I lean towards modesty and decorum but only for myself 🙂
I get changed as soon as I get home. I tend to go for either loungewear, my parents buy me pyjamas every year and recently they’ve chosen a tunic top and leggings style which is great. Otherwise I wear a tunic or dress with leggings, comfy enough for lounging, doing housework etc but smart enough if I have to go to the door, or flee the house.
When I’m out and about I wear a dress and either tights or leggings – just slip on the dress and don’t have worry about it, no matching a top to a bottom just that one thing to deal with!
I could do that if I had a couple of pairs of cute boots!
I work from home and have a young child. Pre-baby, I wore dresses/skirts in warm weather and dresses/skirts/yoga pants/tops in cooler weather. Sometimes jeans, but less often. Always with casual-but-nice flats– sneakers were only for working out. Sweaters often. For work trips, I wore occasional suits, the more formal dresses, and dressier flats.
Post-baby, it’s mostly nursing tops and yoga pants, with sneakers added now that she’s a toddler. (We take a lot of walks.) I’m looking forward to getting out of the nursing wear, but we aren’t there yet. No work trips since she’s been born, though I know the day will come.
I don’t have house vs. non-house clothes– too much effort, plus no pets. The little one does get a fair amount of yogurt/peas/etc. all over, including on me, but– that’s life with someone at this age, and I don’t have time to fuss about it.
Hi Lissa, nursing wear aside, your wardrobe sounds super-versatile. It sounds like you have a good sense of style that works for you!
I enjoyed reading this a lot! I’m quite intrigued to hear that people really do wear pajamas to Walmart (I thought that was just a meme!) In Australia, we do wear skimpy clothes in summer as the norm (climate) but it is really unheard of that people wear pajamas into a store. But instead, it’s not unheard of in beach areas to see people shopping in swim wear, even bikinis, in the supermarket. Certainly, if I’ve come off the beach and need to go into a store, I might just wrap a towel around me or slip on a tee-shirt and thongs (the shoes, not underwear!!!), but I wouldn’t hesitate to go into a supermarket in swimwear!
As for me…at home, I’m really a ‘slob’! I happily walk outside in my dressing gown and pajamas to get things from the car or put the rubbish out, despite living in an apartment complex where I am completely guaranteed to see other people at all times. I feel a small hesitation about answering the door in PJs but I do do it. My default at home is leggings or jeans with oversized tees and preferably no bra.
We have a prescribed work dress code and they are quite finicky about it! We can expect to get a few reminder emails each year about sticking with the code! No denim, closed-toe shoes, ideally no visible tattoos, ties for men, similar formality for women etc.
As for the pyjama thing, it is pyjama pants mixed with other regular clothes like sneakers, T-shirts and parkas, haha! A few teens still wear pyjama pants to school – it was a big trend a few years ago. I have never been to a supermarket within walking distance of a beach but swimwear in Canadian stores is unfathomable! I don’t think I would like a dress code a strict as yours for either staff or students, but I wish we had something. In particular, I have a couple of staff who wear very revealing tops which I think are unprofessional. But if I said anything, they would probably put in a complaint that I was body-shaming them.