Like it or not, what you wear for work affects both your perceived and actual professionalism. Trust me, my working week consists of a couple days with the laptop at home and the rest in an incredibly chic office where Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin and Chanel make daily appearances. Talk about extremes.

Today as I’m writing from home, it’s a pair of Embody Denim jeans (my current addiction – check them out at www.embodydenim.com.au ), a beloved Something Else t-shirt (soooo deliciously soft) and a Scanlan and Theodore baby wool cardi. And that’s pretty much my uniform when keeping my own company during the working week – it’s comfortable, decent enough to open the door to a courier and fine for fetching coffee. But it’s a far cry from what I wear when I go into the office.

That’s because I feel pretty silly wearing a dress, heels and (much) make-up at home unless I have meeting scheduled. Even then I find I’m way too eager to leave the house to be terribly productive when all frocked up. But I don’t believe in lounging around in PJs or gym gear either.

Having established my work-from-home uniform also means I’m excited to dip into the more tantalising sections of my wardrobe when it is time to return to public view. Strangely I find myself conjuring up office-ok looks (like what to wear with my new Antipodium Frills Aloud grey dress) when my mind drifts from the laptop.

The power of clothes to change how we feel and perform is equivalent to a double shot mocha in the morning or a glass of pinot noir at the end of the day. Revved up or wound down? You decide every time you get dressed. Especially for work.

Most professional women regard their workwear as a form of armour, even if it’s on a subconscious level. Job interviews, media appearances, client meetings and corporate takeovers all call for something special that delivers a greater shot of confidence. And frocking up is the quickest way to do it. Just goes to show, you are what you wear.

Clockwise from Top Left - Embody Jeans www.embodyjeans.com.au , Image courtesy of The Devil Wears Prada www.thedevilwearsprada.com , Dolce and Gabbana www.dolceandgabbana.it , Chanel www.chanel.com