I’ve worked in a semi-formal office wearing pantyhose with my pencil dresses and high heels. I’ve worked in a tech office, where jeans and company t-shirts were the norm. And now I work in athleisure. One certainly beats the hell out of the other options.
I started working from home in 2017, and from day one I knew the first thing I was quitting was uncomfortable workwear. For years, my go-to was black leggings, and while I still love the look my post-baby body has one request: less tight waist bands.
It’s not that I’m wearing leggings that don’t fit. I had great maternity leggings, then swapped to some larger ones during the postpartum experience, then switched back to my pre-baby ones once they fit again… but I kept missing the maternity ones with the soft waistband that never starts to dig even after a huge at-home lunch (one of the highest WFH perks, if you ask me).
Then, like I so often do, I found the solution on TikTok.
One-piece workout wear. It’s perfect. They’re stretchy and comfortable, like leggings, but without a dedicated waistband there’s no singular spot taking the pressure. Plus, these post-breastfeeding boobs are more comfortable with at least some light bra support, like what you find built into these types of apparel.
My absolute favorite item to wear while working from home is this Leo Claudia Leopard Playsuit by The Upside; I found mine in an Anthro sale but the quality and comfort are so good I’d happily buy it again at regular price. (I’m wearing an XL because I want to be comfy and was worried about it fitting on the bust but a L would have easily been fine.)
But this isn’t the only romper — er… jumpsuit? athletic onesie? catsuit? — I own and religiously wear as my workday uniform. There’s the extra comfy pant option, the charcoal shorts version with the flattering tummy panel, the cozy brown one… honestly, I’ve just been snatching them up every time I spot a sale and saving the winners.
When I’m working from home, these are perfect on their own or with an open cardigan. And then when it’s time to run an errand, to briefly work in a coffee shop, or (rarely) to make a video call, I add some athletic-material joggers and a casual top, like a denim moto jacket or a cotton button up. And wouldn’t ya know, an outfit made up of stretch and a spite against suits is suddenly put together enough to look fine in public.
And that matters when you move back to your hometown and could run into literally anyone from your entire life at the post office. Not enough to get me into real clothes on the daily, but ya know, enough to invest in flattering athleisure.
