Online meetings and alternatives to a dressing gown

[MiserableMrsMopp]

Yes, I know the topic is style and beauty and given the title of this thread including a dressing gown for work attire, I am not the target market for this section of the forums. However, here we are.

I WFH exclusively and am in online meetings daily. If at all possible, I like to keep the camera off because I'm a slob. BUT sometimes I do have to go on camera. I need something to wear over my clothes, to stay warm, because I don't have the heating on in the day.

If it's a camera off situation, you'd better believe I'm in my dressing gown. But clearly, as a professional, it isn't appropriate with the camera on.

Does anyone have a suggestion for something I could look less slob-like in, but with the warmth factor of a fluffy dressing gown?

I don’t WFH so no idea but can’t you just wrap an attractive big scarf over your dressing gown so it’s not obvious on camera?!

I have an old Boden alpaca-mix open-fronted cardigan that's excellent for this. A pp's mentioned coatigans - Boden used to do lots of those and I bet there's plenty on Vinted.

I have a down body warmer for exactly this situation.

If you're not warm enough with all that, you're going to need some heat on. Can you not afford to put it on in one room, just for a short while?.

Absolutely! 💯

Heat one room.

Heated blanket 100%

I wear a thick hoodie for internal meetings - I take it off for more formal meetings and have a fleece blanket with a hot water bottle on my knee.

Yep. I do this at the moment as my home office is still really cold.

A smart pashmina? Can be thrown over whatever your wearing-even pj's!

I’m in NE Scotland in an old granite house which is chilly even with heating on. My standard winter wfh outfit is:

Uniqlo heat-tech long sleeve top tucked into jeans
T-shirt over that, then wool or alpaca knit
Merino socks under chunky knit lambswool socks, shearling lined Birkenstock Boston clogs. Occasionally I add cashmere wrist warmers from the Turtle Doves sale, and if all else fails, the cat on my lap!

I LOVE some of these. But not stocked in the UK?

I have a heated blanket (Lakeland I think) which has paid for itself many times over. I sit on it and it’s long enough to wrap over my legs too and right up to my waist - so that’s v cosy. Wear something warm and comfy on bottom whether leggings or comfy jeans socks etc. Always my slipper boots as I find it’s my feet and neck that keep me warm. Top half warm vest long sleeved t shirt and jumper with a woolly scarf to keep neck warm. That keeps me warm and i have a fan heater for occasional bursts.

Nearly always do hair and makeup after morning wash and wear earrings even if not other jewellery.

I find when I’m cold at work, after I’ve had hot food I warm up loads. Porridge, weetabix with hot milk, rice pudding and obviously soup. For extra comfort something involving custard. I’m sure it’s psychosomatic as toast makes naff all difference 😂

I can get onboard with things with custard!

A coatigan is a really good option for WFH in winter. It serves a similar purpose to a dressing gown but doesn't look like one.

I've got a really warm handknit jumper, I made it but Pachamama are similar. Winter online meetings often see me in that with a woolly scarf and fingerless gloves.

If it's cold enough for three layers on your torso, but you only have one on your legs, you will have cold legs and feet. You can put all the socks you like on and you will still have cold feet because the blood vessels in your legs constrict, cutting off the blood supply to your feet.

Wear longjohns. Honestly. You will be warmer and more comfortable.

Sit with your bottom half in a sleeping bag, toasty warm and not visible on camera

I do multi layers: thermal top, shirt, wool jumper, blazer. Blanket on lap with hot water bottle if needed.

It isn’t that cold at the moment where I am, where are you in the UK?

Must be hard to work effectively if you’re that cold, is there any kind of heating you could put on? What is the temperature in the room you’re working in?

Easy if you have thermostatic valves on every radiator & don’t mind going round the house to turn them down (then doing the reverse later). Less easy if you don’t/can’t be bothered/want something easier.

I'd rather that than be bolstered up like the Michelin Man, but we're all different!

Never have cold legs! I find it’s the small of my back that gets chilly, so having a tucked in layer is key. We were back at “feels like -5” this week, I am so, so ready for warmer weather now 🙏🏻

If you won't put the heating on, I'd suggest thermal underwear (long johns and long sleeve top) I got some good ones in M&S last year.
I'd suggest real suede Ugg type boots and a long WOOL cardigan. Agree with earlier comments about wool g BF ring so much warmer than man made clothes. The same with wool jumpers and cardigans as inbetween layers.

Hot water bottle on my lap works a treat! Keeps me really warm even without lots of layers.