Lockdown wardrobe: because comfort doesn’t have to mean tracksuits

The lockdown has allowed many to indulge in the guilty pleasures that come with the ‘invisibility’ of working from home; not needing to wash your hair, not having to get dressed, not feeling any need to wear makeup. For the last couple of years my sister has exercised the mantra “no shower, no makeup, no bra” for her wfh Fridays. (Sorry, Els, your secret’s out.)

However, I just don’t fit into this camp. When working from home (and on my days off) I still like to put on ‘proper’ clothes and do my makeup. It makes me feel good about myself, ready for the day, and more proactive.  Comfort is still key, though, and I’ve realised over the past few weeks that I keep going for similar styles. Clothes that are comfortable but still look a bit polished are my go-to, so here are some pattern suggestions to strike the balance between being comfy, but still a little bit fancy…

The pattern that sparked this thinking is the Safiya from Tilly Walnes’ book Make It Simple:

It’s so comfortable, versatile, a little bit quirky, and it looks really nice. This pattern is brilliant.

More trousers that sit beautifully in the comfy but smart category are Untitled Thoughts’ Chandler,  Anna Allen’s Pomona and the Papao Wrap Pants from Ready to Sew, which are high up on my list:

Trousers are all well and good, but you can’t deny the satisfaction of a good twirly skirt. I wear my Nina Lee Kew skirts all. the. time. They’re so easy to wear and can be dressed down with a tee so they’re wfh-appropriate. Other skirts that fit the bill are the Estuary Skirt from Sew Liberated and the Fiore Skirt from Closet Case Patterns:

And for the days when you just need to stick on a dress and not worry about any styling or matching, we’ve got easy breezy dresses. The Lemon Drop dress from Our Lady of Leisure looks sooo comfy but has a sneaky little flash of leg, the Wilder Gown by Friday Pattern Company is beyond beautiful, and the oh-so-popular-but-for-good-reason, Kielo Wrap Dress by Named is one of my favourite patterns:

There you have just a few patterns that I think would be great to see you through the current situation, but also for the future. There’s little point in investing time and money (and FABRIC!) on clothes just for what will hopefully be a brief moment in our lives. Let’s continue to make beautiful clothes that make us happy. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? That and the hokeycokey, of course.

Please note: Apart from the Safiya photo, all product images are taken from the pattern companies’ own websites to promote their patterns in their styles.