This coming week is the end of an era—after Labor Day Weekend, I’ll be heading back to the office for two or three days each week. Our last normal day in the office before the pandemic was March 11, 2020—and I remember it well because I left early from work as I had chipped my front tooth on my laptop in an elevator. (Talk about a total Lizzie McGuire moment.) I remember running out of the office to an emergency dentist appointment, telling my boss that I would “see her in a few weeks!”

LOL—we all know how that went.

In those early days of the pandemic, when the world felt like it was in free fall, I wanted nothing more than to return to my normal routine and head back into the office to work in-person with all my coworkers. As it quickly became evident we probably wouldn’t be returning to the office for a long time, I decided to move back to Arlington so that I would have a dedicated workspace. (For those first five months of the pandemic, I worked from my couch in Dupont Circle—I truly have no idea how I did it! Denial is a strong drug.) And, I accepted reality and bought a desk.

Somewhere along the way I went from mere acceptance of my work from home reality to full blown loving it. I have more time in my day because I don’t have to commute, which for me, often translates to more sleep and being able to meet friends for happy hour earlier since there’s not a 30-minute Metro ride back to the fun neighborhoods with bar specials. I don’t have to spend my weekends doing chores because I can easily throw in a load of laundry between calls or quickly unload the dishwasher as I’m making lunch. And unlike in my very open office concept, there’s always enough quiet for me to do deep strategic thinking and writing, making me both more productive and more efficient.

Change has always been something that I struggle with, and while I am sure there will definitely be a time of transition as I get used to a new hybrid working model, I’m hoping that it creates a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario, allowing me to enjoy the pros of both working from home and the office.

To start, my team will be going in two days a week—and one of the pros of returning, in addition to seeing people in-person and eating at our amazing cafeteria, is the excuse to buy new work clothes! Since I’ve been working from home for over two years, purchasing work clothes hasn’t been something I’ve prioritized in my budget, and I wanted to give my wardrobe a refresh. Fashion has changed and I definitely had some holes in my closet.

So far, I’ve snatched up this beautiful white shift dress from Classic Six New York (I’ve found it runs true to size, but if you’re between sizes, size down as it has quite a bit of stretch!) and have my eye on a couple of dresses from Tuckernuck—namely this one and this one. When looking at my closet, the pieces that stay in my wardrobe for years are the ones that are great quality and classic styles, and all these dresses fit the bill. While they are more of an investment upfront, they pay off in the long run!

I’m excited to see how the transition back to the office goes, and will definitely keep you all posted! x

SHOP MY OUTFIT —

• White Ruffle Shirt—old from Mint Julep Boutique 
• Old Navy Mid-Rise Rockstar White Jeans
• Floating Pearl Earrings
• Gold Anklet
• Apple Watch Gold Band
• Loft Metallic Bracelet Set
• Apple Watch SE

SHOP MY DESK AREA —

• Ballard Designs Margaret Desk
• Home Threads Velvet Green Chair
• Pineapple Lamp
• Sara Fitz Striped Shirt Notepad
• Appointed Co. Notebook
• Custom Matchbooks
• Beautiful by Mark Sykes
• More Beautiful by Mark Sykes
• The best pens!
• Gold Leaf Frame – similar
• Square Gold Frame — similar 
• Britt Bass Navy Geo Art
• Josh Young Emma & Josh Young Eugene, framed in Framebridge’s Marquette
• Vintage Vietnamese Art Prints