Here’s What People are Wearing to Work from Home This Summer

Hands way up if you found yourself staring down a closet full of tie dye jogger sets in May, wondering what the hell you were going to wear when summer finally arrived! (Absolutely same.) First, we got predictions from some of our favourite fashionable Canadians about what would eclipse the ubiquitous sweatsuit as the summer work-from-home uniform (roomy caftans, comfy bike shorts and silky robes were popular answers). Now that the hot weather is actually here, another crop of stylish locals shared their real-life OOTDs with us. All the best summer WFH outfit inspo, right this way.

What people are wearing to work from home this summer

1/16 Marielle Elizabeth, ethical fashion writer, photographer and influencer (@marielle.elizabeth)

“I’m wearing Elizabeth Suzann linen shorts (Sotela Clothing makes similar ones, now that ES is closed) and a Free Label wrap top.  “My style has shifted a lot over the last few months and I find myself reliving the ’90s with crop tops, messy buns and other nods to teenage nostalgia. It’s like, if I’m actually taking the time to get dressed, I want the pieces to be both effortless and fun. With dressing exclusively for myself, I feel freer to experiment and eschew formal or work-typical styling. Why would I hesitate? Am I afraid of running into someone in my apartment who doesn’t like my outfit? Exactly. If I’m not unabashedly dressing for myself in the middle of a pandemic, when will I ever?” 

2/16 Assa Cisse, brand consultant and content creator (@mycurvesndcurls)

“I am wearing a crinkle fabric jogger set from Joe fresh. It works because it’s comfy enough to roam around the house in and chic enough to jump on a Zoom call with partners.”

3/16 Mirian Njoh, content creator and creative director (@miriannjoh)

“I’m wearing a CeliaB top from Shopbop and PrettyLittleThing jeans. I chose this top because I love its romantic, bohemian shape and it was a cheerful, summery contrast to the previous day’s dreary rainstorms. I paired it with jeans to keep it dressed down and comfy. I like to wear vivid colours because they keep me in a positive mood and both pieces were pretty easy to wear all day so I didn’t have to fuss over them while I worked.”

4/16 Amy Shio, artist (@lesbest)

“My WFH look is all about ensuring I use both mine and my husband’s closets to build looks. I’ve been obsessed with all the shorts he’s been buying from Park & Province lately (like this Grammici pair), and have been styling them with a crop top during this crazy heatwave. I’m all about ‘what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours’—having the ability to always borrow and put my own twist on it is my personal go-to. ???”  

5/16 Lora Grady, freelance journalist and body acceptance advocate (@lorakgrady)

“My new favourite WFH outfit is this Joe Fresh jumpsuit. I love a good basic that’s easy to dress up or down. It’s super comfy and easy to throw on, yet stylish enough for a Zoom meeting with an editor or a trip to the grocery store.”   

6/16 Tania Larsson, artist and jewellery designer (@tania.larsson)

“During the summer, my studio moves from inside to the outdoors. I have to tan all my hides during the season to have enough material to create jewellery the rest of the year.

“The outfit I wore today is perfect for the weather and to protect me from the mosquitos. I wore my favourite Jamie Okuma Floral Luxe joggers who were ethically made in Los Angeles with a super soft sustainable bamboo fabric with beautiful hand fused floral appliqué.  I paired it with my Helen Dawn tank top that has a silk screen of her birchbark etchings. I wore a light cotton shirt to protect me from the sun and mosquitos. I wore my dentalium shell earrings and my leather Converse.

“My outfit has to be safe to work in my workshop using a bandsaw or tanning hides using sharp tools: meaning closed toed shoes and hair tied up. I love wearing work made by Indigenous artists, showing all our rich and diverse cultures.”

7/16 Sara Sohail, founder of The Prep Gal (@theprepgal)

“After working strictly from home in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to update all my pyjamas since I was spending so much time in them. This set from Ashley Graham’s collection at Addition Elle is so comfortable, and trendy with the piping detail. I can jump on video calls without feeling self-conscious about what I’m wearing, but still be ready to get into bed for impromptu naps. Also, no WFH outfit is complete without a hair elastic around the wrist.”

8/16 Mei Pang/Meicrosoft, content creator (@meicrosoft)

“Here’s my WFH look—as you can perhaps tell, it’s quite a departure from what I post online, haha! My usual WFH outfit consists of a baggy sweater and a crewneck. I go for comfort over anything else. I also always wear my jewellery to make myself feel more put together. I chose this outfit purely because it’s so simple and basic that I can quickly dash out for some errands or do a quick stretch in it. I have almost completely abandoned the thought of jeans when it comes to working from home as I’m not trying to impress my cat (my WFH companion).”

9/16 Rebecca Ramsdale, fashion blogger (@rebeccaramsdale)

“While working from home I’m all about being comfortable and flexible. We’re working in an environment we’re not necessarily used to working in, with a desk that perhaps isn’t as ergonomic as the one in the office, so we’ve got to be a little more gentle on ourselves (and if wearing sweats is what it takes, then so be it)! Today I’m wearing my Holiday the Label Kokomo pants because they are one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe and make me feel great, my boyfriend’s old Thrasher tee for optimal comfort, and my favourite necklaces from Canadian jewellery brands Wolf Circus, Above Average Studio and Lisa Gozlan. I feel comfortable enough to be sat working all day, but also feel fine to jump on a video call, run errands, and get stuff done!”

10/16 Kelly Boutsalis, writer and journalist (@kellyboutsalis)

“Most days I’m wearing a uniform of shorts and a tee while I’m juggling my freelance writing career and parenting my two kids—I’ve got to be at the ready to play tag at any moment. I loved these soft denim jersey Uniqlo shorts so much that I have them in three colours. The top is a Simons x IFWTO collaboration, and this one is from Métis designer Evan Ducharme. I put on makeup and earrings for Zoom calls, and these are just one of the many pairs I own from Toronto-based Indigenous designer Warren Steven Scott. The lipstick is from Cheekbone Beauty, another Indigenous-owned company, and I’m obsessed with their lip colours. There’s so many incredible Indigenous designers and companies that I am happy to support. My six-year-old daughter Olive volunteered her art directing and photography skills.”

11/16 Afiya Francisco, style advisor and on-air personality (@afiya.francisco)

“A shirt dress and runners is my WFH repeat outfit. With two boys, I’m balancing filming remote segments with camp counsellor duties, and this light dress works for both. It’s dressy enough to wear on air but is also great for running around with kids on sweltering days. Typically, I would throw on a dressier sandal for work but, as my feet aren’t usually visible, these Allbirds sustainable runners are the most comfortable shoes ever and I love the athleisure vibe.”

12/16 Julia McEwen, stylist and editor (@juliapjmcewen)

“In a word, my pre-pandemic style was extra. Amid the pandemic, not much has changed. The main difference in my WFH style is that I’m wearing fewer accessories, less makeup, no sky-high heels and I’ve kicked my heat tool habit to the curb, now opting for topknots and braids.  “Clothing wise, I’m wearing a steady diet of dresses that aren’t fitted but also aren’t muumuus. I look professional for any Zoom calls but the garments are still flowy and comfortable. In my opinion, an effortlessly stylish dress is a far better option than the sweatsuit trend that swept the world at the start of the pandemic. It’s more comfortable, fashionable and just presents a more pulled-together look.”

13/16 Jennifer Francis, content creator and business owner (@myspicedlife)

“Working from home with a little one is tricky. Most days when I’m working from home, I’m in pyjamas BUT on Fridays I do dress up as if I were going to the office. On this particular Friday, I was wearing an African head wrap and dark green wrap blouse with wide-leg denim overalls. The joke is that it’s just for my Zoom calls. I love it because it makes up for my outfit choices at the beginning of the week, haha!” 

14/16 Sisi Berhe, PR manager (@sisi.ber)

“I’ve always loved oversized anything and am not a fan of pants. Now that I’ve been working from home since March, I’ve opted for oversized dress shirts. I’ll occasionally wear these shirts with basketball, biker or boyfriend denim shorts, but I’m usually pant-less. The dress shirt I’m wearing here is a vintage find from last summer; it’s 5XL and pre-ironed so it’s never wrinkly. I love that it’s lightweight and large enough to wear as a dress. I try to wear by hair down, but it gets too hot so I throw it up in a bun using a silk scarf from India. I sometimes use it as a top, but it works wonders to be wrapped around my hair even if I’m not going anywhere at least my hair looks decent. I’m always wearing fluffy slippers from Costco, you feel like you’re on a cloud and weirdly enough your feet don’t sweat.”

15/16 Hilary MacMillan, fashion designer (@hilarymacmillan)

“For summer I live pretty much in denim, skirts, oversized tees and sneakers, and because I’m at the studio every day I need to wear clothes that are easy to move around it. Here I’m wearing a denim oversized boyfriend button-up, our vegan snakeskin mini-skirt, and one of the new tees from our summer capsule that have fun feature embroideries. This one in particular has the phases of the moon.” 

16/16 Yvonne Chiang, multidisciplinary creative (@vitamin_yve)

“Comfort is king. I sewed these paper-bag waist shorts during isolation to look and feel put together even though they’re really just elasticated shorts in disguise. Plus, having house slippers that provide arch support is so key. Don’t neglect your feet, people!”