What 4 Stylish Girl Bosses Wear To #WFH (+ Work From Home Tips)
Rachel Lim, Tjin Lee, Charmaine Seah & Jaime Lee share their #WFH style tips.
While some of us rock up to work these days in our PJs and with disheveled hair and no make-up, others believe in the power of dressing up, a slick of red lippie and looking put together and profesh even in your living room. Here are tips from four women who run their own successful businesses and always look uber stylish, whether they're out and about town or circuit-breaking and zoom-calling at home.
Tjin Lee's #WFH style: Red lipstick and local labels
This perennially busy overachiever is the managing director and founder of Mercury Marketing & Communications and a founder of the Life Beyond Grades movement, as well as a founder of Crib, a network which empowers women to fulfill their business dreams. She's also mum to two boys.
She tells 8days.sg about her #WFH style: "Dress for comfort, and I’m always ready for zoom calls! Even while working from home, I still like to get dressed up. Looking normal makes me feel more normal. At this time, it’s also so important to support our local labels. I try to wear local brands as much as possible! My top and skirt in this pic is from Womb, the necklace is from Kat by Kat, and the earrings are from The Flaunt. They're all local labels. And yes, I put on make-up as per normal. My signature red lipstick always makes me feel happier, and more like myself. My team and I do a lot of Zoom calls, so I try to look like I would if I were in the office. It absolutely helps frame your mindset for work."
Charmaine Seah-Ong's #WFH style: Fun accessories and making an effort to dress nicely
The effortlessly stylish and uber-cool mum of two and co-founder of creative agency Elementary Co always looks on point, even if she's just in a tee and denim shorts. She tells us, "A lot of people talk about dressing up while working from home and that's great for helping you feel good, but I've always dressed pretty casually at work. I feel great in my denim cut-offs, so that's what I've been wearing almost daily. I do, however, try to make getting dressed in the mornings more fun by accessorising with some of my favourite jewelry. We had a crazy earrings theme for yesterday's weekly WIP on Zoom which definitely gave the ladies in our company something to look forward to!
The most important thing that I've learned from years of working from home (I used to work freelance so my home was my office!) is that you need to set a proper routine for yourself. And that should include:
1. Waking up at the same time every day. Resist the urge to sleep in as it's been found that oversleeping can actually reduce your cognitive function.
2. Making the effort to dress nicely (casual can still = nice!) and look good — for yourself, as well as your colleagues during Zoom calls!
3. Carving out time for wellness — by this, I mean putting aside time to exercise at home (search "madfit" on YouTube for great, short workouts), making time to step away from your computer to give your eyes a break, walking to the window/your garden for some fresh air, or even calling someone to have a casual non-work related chat.
4. Giving yourself a cut-off time. A lot of us will find ourselves working even longer hours from home since we no longer need to commute to and from work. Know when to call it a day so you don't get burnt out!"
Rachel Lim's #WFH style: Dressing up for a better mindset and mood
The founder of Love, Bonito, one of our most well-loved local fashion brands, never looks bad or has a hair out of place, and her work from home style is simple yet so chic it hurts. She tells us, "I've always believed that how we look has immense psychological effects on ourselves. Dressing up and looking good — instead of sloppy — for ourselves, even at home, does wonders for our mindset and mood!"
By the way, Love, Bonito just launched a new range of loungewear — Rachel is wearing one of the pieces in this pic. It's easy, breezy chic that makes working from home just a bit more stylish and sexy. LB is offering 10 per cent off everything on its site with the code "STAYHOME", valid till April 30.
Circuit Breaker Chic
Another tip from Rachel, who's working from home with her hubby here: "I go to bed and wake up at the same time daily. And my morning and nightly routines are the same — I find that this really grounds me and keeps me sane."
Does your #WFH look this good?
The girl boss also reminds us to set the alarm to eat and to take breaks: "Working from home really makes you lose track of time — I find myself missing meals and sitting at my desk for 8 hours at a go. So now I make it a point to set my alarm for meals and to take breaks throughout the day."
Jaime Lee's #WFH style: A good skincare routine and comfy casual chic
The fresh-faced founder and creative director of The Paper Bunny, a homegrown stationery and lifestyle brand, is an advocate of not neglecting your skin while working from home. She says, "Even when I’m working from home, it’s super important to me to wash my face, get my skincare and sunscreen on, and get out of my PJs. I make sure I’m comfy, but look presentable enough to be on video meetings or answer the door for deliveries! My go-to is usually high-waisted shorts or breezy pants, with a tucked-in easy camisole or tee. Makes me feel ready for a new day!"
