Workhorses Only, Edition #3

Workwear not Zoomwear

Apr 05, 2025

There’s no romance in my weekday mornings.

To get the kids to school on time we must leave by 7:23am. Really by 7:20 but what’s life without an extra three minutes of padding. The house rises at 6:50am and in 33 minutes: the kids get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, make a pony, find a lost water bottle and lose it again. Meanwhile I’m packing their lunches, my breakfast, making coffee and directing. I view myself as the coxswain (cox) of our crew boat, my boy and girl the rowers, sometimes dad is onboard.

But no one questions the authority of the cox.

I know precisely where we should be in the process at exactly each minute and how much that lost water bottle is going to throw us off. I shout encouraging commands to my crew, “brush those teeth”, “get those socks”, “Wednesday folder!”

Did I mention I also have school? I do. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the college class I teach starts at 830am so when I say we have to get out the door by 7:23, I mean it.

See, no romance. I take pride in being able to execute this operation in 30 minutes. Well, 33, to be exact.

It used to take longer. In fact, the problem used to be me. I’d get up at 640am (still do) which gave me about 15 minutes to get myself dressed and put together so I could then have hundreds of eyeballs stare at me once I entered a classroom. (Side note: I always laugh when people talk about their five minute make-up routine, because, for me, there is no other kind).

If I tried something on that was an outfit fail, that tiny event was enough to domino the entire morning routine and turn me into a shrieking banshee (let me tell you, that does not keep kids calm and moving). Yes, I could have solved my outfit selection conundrum by getting up earlier. Or by picking my clothes out the night before. But, both of these solutions feel like a waste of time. That’s when I realized, if I just had work outfit templates, I’d never freeze up. Which meant I could sleep longer and experience fewer morning cortisol spikes. The bonus is that since I know what I wear, I also shop smarter.

In last week’s, Workhorses Only, I shared three templates, today, two more. As a reminder, my three words are professional, composed and classic. I dress as a sign of respect for my class or anyone I’m meeting with and I dress to remind myself that I do indeed have it together.

#1 Blazer / Fitted top / Bottoms

Why I love this

I have been wearing this white blazer since 2018! It’s LOFT. I got compliments when I wore in 2018 and I get compliments in 2025. I know it seems like the latest “modern” cut but no, it’s never not “in”.
Love the light colors for Spring: I wear it from March to September. In the summer, when everyone is shriveling from the AC I’m sitting pretty in my blazer.
This is not just for work. Replace black pants with jeans, heels for a flat sandal = Trés chic.
For your tight-fit under-blazer top, don’t break the bank. Unlike my blazer, I replace these often (sweat & life). I want a wrinkle-free, maintenance free situation: like this or the one I’m wearing or this.

On to the star: the blazer.

The Rhone option is under $200 and is part of their Commuter collection. It’s been designed to be wrinkle proof and spill proof. It’s machine wash cold / tumble dry low. Did you hear me? No dry clean and wrinkle proof. J.Crew option also under $200 (with promo) and I love the lines, classic, nothing extra. It’s soft and perfect for summer (dry clean only). The LOFT one at 40% off comes in at under $100 making this is a great entry point. Finally, if you’re ready to make a light blazer an investment, Reformation can do no wrong with their lines and this looks so lightweight.

P.S. This week I hosted Peloton’s CMO (Lauren Weinberg) in my marketing class. And, guess what, she was also wearing this exact template which just made me smile. Believe me this incredible leader does not have mindshare to put towards outfit selection. She uses a uniform.

#2 Blazer / Embroidered Top / Jeans / Flats

Why I love this

This is the epitome of a capsule wardrobe. Embroidered top and jacket are timeless. The jeans and flats are newer. Combo of classic & current.
An embroidered shirt like this is what it means to be Workhorse. I’ve waxed poetically about them before. They need not be white!
I’m not sure if I’ll ever share pants recommendations. This is so specific to body type and height. So, you do you!
The Mary Jane flats from Everlane are a 10/10. At $168 they are pricey. I’ve never seen these go on sale and I do hate that for us. These are a wonderful alternative for $98 from Madewell (I’ve tried on and it’s 10/10 for comfort & style).

On to the star: the embroidered top.

The Sezane version, called Chlo, is spot on (hand wash not dry clean). This French brand can do no wrong. Chlo comes in white but also some stunning shades of navy, green and rose. Boden also does an embroidered shirt beautifully and so I included two versions, the Felicity and the Broidery. Both are machine wash. None of those are budget options but all are under $150. For budget, the Gap one deserves praise (100% cotton, machine wash). With 40% off promo this comes in at $30. Walk don’t run, only a few sizes left and they won’t restock. The Target one looks terrific. Great texture and material and machine wash. No red flags here and its on sale for $30.

If you want to see everything I mentioned today, all in one place, it’s here.

I’m sharing my love for using a capsule wardrobe because I value hobbies and leisure so very much that having clothes on auto-pilot gives me time back without sacrificing looking great or feeling confident.

I hope to share this with you. Remember, your clothes should serve YOU.

Confidently yours,
Marina

Thanks for being a reader

Exactly 30 days ago, on March 5th, I launched Prof Off Duty.

I will be pouring my heart and talent into creating a community for Whole Humans. This means I’ll be foregoing paid consulting work, a financial risk, but one I’m willing to take to fulfill my dream of writing.

Thank you to the 40 paid subscribers who have chosen to support me. You are the first people to believe in my dream.

Paid Subscribers receive all free content PLUS

Monthly entry for a free 1 hour consulting session on how to build your personal brand or your business brand. My brain is yours.
- I’ll do this every month for the first 6 months of Prof Off Duty
Monthly Off the Record post with a personal update on what’s going on behind the scenes - the non-glossy stuff I won’t share anywhere else
My gratitude—you are directly supporting me and my writing (!!)

TODAY is the last day to become a Paid Subscriber before the March drawing. I’ll randomly select one person from those who subscribed before 11:59PM on April 5. I appreciate, and need, your support.

If you like this post, give it a heart. They say it helps with discovery.