At the beginning of this series, I asked what you all wear to work at home. Selene had this to say:

I’ve been thinking I need a change. I want to step my going out wardrobe up a notch… I’m feeling the need to feel “prettier” than just my standard same-ole jeans and t-shirt type of thing. I actually had my first hair cut in months yesterday (YIKES!) and am feeling good! I’ve been putting myself second for so long (probably since I had my daughter 2 years ago and she became #1, LOL)

I get up so early in the morning though (4am) that I can’t see getting up even earlier (3:30am) to shower and look nice just to pad on over to the office 20 feet away.

BUT, it would be nice to maybe use my current “out” wardrobe (jeans) at home, and get something nicer for when we go out.

I think we all know what Selene is talking about; at some point, we’ve been so focused on our kids that we have lost sight of ourselves; we stop getting haircuts (I once went almost an ENTIRE YEAR without a cut), we stop buying clothes, we stop getting dressed for anything that’s not a special occasion. It’s inevitable, I think, but it’s not necessarily desirable. And it’s easy to change.

Jeans are a fine wardrobing piece for a day at home, whether you’re working for pay or working for love. What you put on TOP of the jeans, though, can make a huge difference in both your look and your attitude. The key is to find tops that are more stylish than a basic tee but are ALSO machine washable AND affordable.

Thank god for Old Navy.

Old Navy’s Wear to Work section is full of great pieces that balance casual and practical with professional and pulled-together (and all at prices that won’t require you to work overtime to pay the bills). These tops will work equally well with pants and skirts; they can be worn under a jacket or over a long sleeved tee. Because they are basic shapes, they can be dressed up or down.

Oh look, I threw a dress in there! Because you know, you CAN wear a dress to work at home. A great wrap dress in a soft jersey knit is the next best thing to yoga pants. Layer over a cami for coverage and pair with flats or pretty sandals; for cooler days, add a cardigan and some tights or boots.

Old Navy also has tops that are not necessarily traditional office wear, but are perfect for working at home; they are kid-friendly and stylish and comfortable, and can go from a client meeting to lunch with friends to an afternoon at the park.

And THEN go right into the laundry. Perfect.

These tops are a little fancier than a basic blouse — they have embroidery and smocking and dramatic necklines — but they are as easy to wear as a tee or tank. Pair with dark wash jeans or chinos for weekdays, and with shorts or a denim skirt for weekends. The sleeveless blouse can go under a jacket for client meetings; lose the jacket and you’re ready to roll out some playdough.

The absolute BEST part is that even at Old Navy’s regular prices, none of these tops retail for over $35.00. And right now, most of them are ON SALE.

Perfect.