When I say San Diego winter work uniform I am referring to a San Diegan’s go-to look for work in the winter. As you can imagine, it is not the winter work uniform of a New Yorker. San Diegans rarely need waterproof clothing or shoes. But it does get chilly and cold weather tends to bring out the uniform in us all. I teamed up with fellow San Diego fashion blogger, the esteemed Paulina Morales of Lil Bits of Chic, to discuss our go-to looks for work this winter.
My San Diego Winter Uniform
My job has me hustling in homes or stores that are well heated, so unless it is seriously cold, I generally skip jackets and coats when I am working. Outerwear gets in my way, feels bulky, and tends to get left behind in a dressing room or client’s house if I’m not careful. To make up for the lack of outerwear, my San Diego winter uniform is a long sleeve dress, my favorite Hue socks, and booties. If I am meeting a client I have been with for some time, my second go-to winter work look is jeans, Rothy’s pointed toe flat, a Madewell Northside Vintage T-Shirt, and my olive green Rebecca Taylor leather jacket. I have also been enjoying jeans, Rothy’s, and a unique pullover sweater. (Can you believe the woman who didn’t wear jeans for a decade — me — is wearing jeans now? And to work?! Times are a-changing, or to be more accurate, jeans are a-changing.) I have also been loving high-end midi dresses this winter. The coverage is truly warmer than a shorter dress. Here is the break down of my four winter uniforms I have been sporting this season:
- Long Sleeve Dress + Booties
- Midi Dress + Booties
- Madewell Tee + Good American Jeans + Booties + Rebecca Taylor Leather Jacket
- Pullover Sweater + Madewell Jeans + Rothy’s The Point
Paulina Morales’ Winter Work Uniform
Paulina is a manager at a financial services firm in a chilly UTC office. Her winter work uniform is about being sleek, yet comfortable and warm. To showcase her go-to chilly season look, Paulina opted for a midi length turtleneck knit dress that “feels like wearing a blanket.” She wore it with a structured coat to create that aforementioned sleekness and keep it office appropriate. “I paired it with ankle booties vs pumps because I can sneak some warm socks in there,” she said. You can read her full blog post on her winter work uniform here.
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Your Winter Work Uniform
In the past, my winter work uniform was leggings, taller boots, and a longer sweater. Your winter work uniform could be trousers, pumps, and a turtleneck. The key to a successful winter work uniform is to have all your pieces ready in the quantities and colors you need, instead of scrambling in your cold closet every morning. For example, I have five Madewell Northside Vintage T-Shirts (2 Dijon Mustard, 2 Golden Pecan, 1 tranquil lake) and numerous unique sweaters to wear with my jeans. I have every color of bootie I need for all my dresses and jeans look (tan, black, navy blue, and off white). I have three pairs of Rothy’s The Point (navy, marigold, and flame), and so on. If you need help creating your own winter uniform, let me know. I am happy to steer you in the right direction, or create a blog post with your needs in mind.
Photos by Dayley Photography