Freeport, ME, September 24, 2020
Comfortable and Styled Looks for Virtual Meetings
Why Not PJs?
Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic and beds have become offices, dining rooms have become classrooms, and time on camera is the norm in our virtual world. While remote employees enjoy not having the stress of a commute, the morning routine has suffered. It is far too easy to roll out of bed, brew a cup of coffee, and get straight to work without getting dressed for the day. In the age of coronavirus with new demands of daily life, what to wear probably isn’t your top concern, but it might be a concern if you’ve had enough of your pajamas.
Because we are more stationary, the staple Work From Home outfit should deliver on ease and comfort while still being styled enough for a day of Teams, Zoom or Skype meetings. At L.L.Bean, we’ve been delivering on form and function for over a hundred years, so we spoke to one of our experts about how to strike the specific balance between cozy and professional for the remote workday.
"Above the Keyboard" Uniform
With office professionals living their lives on screen from the waist up, a polished top is most crucial for the video calls that have replaced in-person meetings. “Our flannels are perfect for the ‘Above the Keyboard’ look because they err on the side of professional, thanks to the fit and collar, but are also incredibly soft and comfortable,” Alex Intraversato, Vice President of Men’s and Women’s Apparel. In fact, we’ve seen flannel sales in both Women’s and Men’s increase over 115 percent over the past few weeks as the weather is turning and people are settling in to their fall Work From Home routines. Intraversato recommends the Scotch Plaid Flannel shirt in Rob Roy Tartan or Black Watch but literally any (or every) color works – especially if you’re looking for the ultimate cozy factor.
As for pants, comfort is key, even if they aren’t your pajamas. Intraversato recommends the Cozy Jogger for Women and the Comfort Camp Sweatpants for Men. These sweats are cozy and versatile. We’ve seen sales for sweatpants more than double in the past few months.
Don’t Forget Your Feet
As seasons change, slippers are perfect to round out the Work From Home uniform. In fact, slippers have been our most consistently sought-after wardrobe piece in 2020, selling a pair a minute since March. “In the initial days and weeks following stay-at-home measures, we saw a spike in purchases of cozy goods as people began to hunker down. Our slippers are most popular, and have been the go-to gift for the last five years - we typically sell a pair every seven seconds during December,” Intraversato added.
Feet will be especially happy and warm checking emails in the Wicked Good Slipper Moccasins or Wicked Good Venetian Slippers – and they even provide a little grip for mad dashes for coffee refills.
Finally, Intraversato added, “All of these essentials mix well with Mountain Pile Fleece Vests or Mountain Classic Down Vests for lunchbreak leg stretches or working in an outdoor space for a welcome change of scenery.”
Just remember: whatever you wear, make it comfortable and build in frequent breaks from your screen – preferably outside!
