HOW TO LOOK PROFESSIONAL IN 5 MINUTES - DRESSING FOR THE SCHOOL RUN AS A WORKING MUM

When you’re juggling work, parenthood, school runs, and meetings, you want to be able to quickly and confidently create outfits that work for all of the hats you wear.

For many of us, the way we dress for work may have changed since the pandemic, but this doesn’t mean we are going to work in the comfy yoga pants we wish we could do the school run in (unless we are perhaps working from home!).

For my clients who are parents, like myself, the additional requirement to quickly and effectively get dressed before all of the additional morning tasks like breakfast, packing bags, and helping our children get out the door, is just another reason we want to get dressed in a flash.

If you feel the same, then I hope this article will help you with some advice on how to get dressed quickly for your morning, while remaining professional and ready for work.

Preparation is key!

Preparation really is the key to success when it comes to making your morning routines more enjoyable, and the same goes for when you are dressing. If you can prepare your outfit for the next day the night before, then this will drastically reduce your thinking time in the morning.

When the kids have gone to bed, and just before you tuck yourself in, take 10 minutes to create your outfit for the next day. You could go as far as putting your full outfit on the back of the bathroom door, or on a hanger together in your wardrobe. Putting it on the bathroom door can actually help by taking away any wrinkles by the steam of the morning showers!

I often create the full outfit on a hanger together with the accessories I want to wear such as a belt, head scarf, and jewellery, so I can quickly grab and go. By doing this it drastically reduces my morning stresses of trying to make an outfit that works for my day ahead, while also juggling all of the other morning requirements.

Utilise apps to save you time

When you know what you like, it can save you time buying new items and creating outfits. The beauty of tools like Pinterest and Moonsift is that they can quickly be accessed and remind you of the looks you liked and felt suited your style. On days when you are in a rush and can’t decide what to wear, you can head to the previously saved outfits & looks to inspire you in a flash.

There are also apps that you can spend a little time on at the beginning, but that will save you time that you can upload your wardrobe items to, and create outfits from them. Just like the iconic wardrobe scene in “Clueless” technology has now let us have our very own Cher moment and swipe through our items in our wardrobe to mix and match without getting sweaty.

Consider a capsule wardrobe

The most important thing, I find, when wanting to feel my best but save myself time is knowing that the items in my wardrobe can be pulled together and work together with minimal thinking. I know, as a personal stylist, I have the added benefit of training in this area, but there are some top tips to help you get there, alongside meeting with a professional who can help you do this.

A capsule wardrobe is something that can truly transform your dressing experience. A capsule wardrobe is unique for everyone, it neds to reflect your needs, your personal style, and your seasonal colours, but ultimately it will be a space that has outfits and pieces that work succinctly together. If your morning is spent worrying how you can create an outfit that works for you from everything in your wardrobe, that is an additional stress that you don’t need. I created a blog on how to create a capsule wardrobe, that explains what it is, and how to create your own. It could be a really great option for you to save you time as a working parent, to make your morning routine a little more enjoyable.

Comfort vs Workwear

While we want to remain as professional as we need to be when going to the office or meetings, we also need to be able to do the running around in comfort. This is where the requirements of comfort vs workwear can become a little tricky.

Depending on where you work you may have some wiggle room in terms of the attire you need to wear to be appropriate. For example, you could wear platforms, high quality sneakers, or flats to work, if these are appropriate. These will make a huge difference to your comfort levels when you are walking or driving the kids to school.

If the shoes need to be heeled, you could take a bag with you with those change of shoes in, and wear ballet flats or sneakers while doing the school run.

Another thing to consider is the comfort level of the bottoms. A pencil skirt or dress can be quite restrictive, while wide legged trousers or a silk midi skirt enable more room to walk and move, while still remaining professional. Paired with an elegant blouse, shirt, blazer, or high quality jumper will mean you feel comfortable while also looking professional.

Fabric choices

As we head into the warmer weather, fabric choices are essential to keeping yourself cool while doing the school run. You won’t want to wear restrictive fabrics that prevent you from being able to carry your children if they need to be, or strapping your children in safely into their booster seats. Linens, silks, and cottons are great for the warmer weather and suited to the office.

You will also want to look for darker hues in case of the (inevitable) spill of juice or cereal as you head out of the door!

If you want to change how you feel about your professional and personal styling, and make each morning more joyous and time-saving, my services might be the perfect solution for you! Explore how I can help you HERE or get in touch with me to learn more.

PERSONAL STYLIST TOP TIPS TO ORGANIZE YOUR RETURN-TO-WORK(WEAR)

If you’re anything like me then you will be getting very excited about what the next few months will hold for us. Not only are we now able to once again see one another (within the government guidelines) but also, many of us will be beginning to go back to “normal” working lives. Whether it’s coming out of furlough, seeing clients face to face, or returning to the office after months at home, your wardrobe is going to need to return, potentially, to a more professional style. But how can you reorganise your wardrobe to reflect these changes?

Give yourself time

We have indulged, sat at home, and simply started to get used to the comfort of our working from home wear. This means that your previous professional outfits may feel uncomfortable or different to how they used to. Give yourself enough time to retry on your professional clothes, and permit yourself self-care should they no longer fit. Prevent yourself from holding onto clothes that are too big or too small, and just donate them. Take them out of your mind, and give yourself a little boost knowing that now you can upgrade your wardrobe to reflect your personality a little more with some clothes shopping. If you want to know my tips for making your online shopping experience successful, read my blog here.

Plan ahead

Now you have your clothes sorted in your wardrobe, and you’re ready to get back to your working routine, you’ll want to save yourself valuable time! For some, this return to work means extra early wake ups, and long commutes, so any time saved means more time in the shower, having breakfast, with the family, or just simply saving stress in the morning. Plan your outfit the night (or even the week!) before, so you know exactly what you’re going to pick up and put on.

If you are unsure on what outfits work well, then why not head to Pinterest for some inspiration (or give me a call to discuss a Personal Styling Session!) to help create outfits that you love. You can then plan them in a “flat lay” on the bed, see what accessories and shoes work well, and make some fun out of the whole planning process. Once you’ve curated outfits for the week, you can hang them all together so they are easy to pull out of your newly organised wardrobe in a flash.

You may also want to prepare a bag for your change of shoes if you are someone that does a lot of walking but needs to transform into high heels or less comfortable smart shoes for the office.

Create capsule spaces in your wardrobe

If you are changing up your routine with flexible working, meaning you may be working from home some days and then at the office on others, then you may want to create easy to access capsule areas in your wardrobe so you can easily switch between office workwear, and home workwear, as well as the fun clothing for outside brunches and, soon, date nights! When you know the area to pick and choose from for your outfits for specific days, it will make the experience so much more fun.

Manage your expectations

If you are feeling overwhelmed by what to wear, as it’s been a very long time for all of us living in the sort of “half professional” look, then you deserve to give yourself some time to manage your expectations for what the coming weeks and months will look like for you. Planning your outfits, getting clothes together in advance, and making sure there are no items in your wardrobe that don’t fit or suit you, will be one way to help keep the process smooth and calm. If you work in an office, or have networking events that you attend with close friends or contacts, you could all chat together before the working week to see how you’re getting on, help one another with outfit choices, and make it a more fun experience for you all.

My final piece of advice is to enjoy these changes – remember how fun it can be to dress up, create workwear outfits for a meeting, and feel professionally pulled together, and embrace that fun. If it doesn’t feel fun (or if you have always dreaded getting your clothes together for any occasion) then please get in touch – I can help you feel confident, comfortable, and make every morning an enjoyable one when it comes to clothes.