by Candidate #10
Ah, freelancing, the life of pajama attire. It’s the dream of every hopeful freelancer: to work wearing nothing but that oh-so-comfortable home office attire that so many out there promote.
It starts off simply enough. The first day at your own job, you fall out bed, blindly grope for coffee and decide that changing into sweatpants is just too much trouble. Why bother anyways? Who will see you?
This is your life now. This is the world of the free, where corporate suits and skirts are banished after exorcism and three rounds of the house while burning sage (complete with low-spoken chants).
Brushing your hair is optional. Meals are a bag of chips at the monitor. Unplug the phone, put on funky music and all your dreams come true – you’re a writer now, and writers live by their own rules. You could rotate between bed and desk for days on end!
My first three days into my new dress code routine went brilliantly. I was free, free as a bird! It didn’t matter what I looked like (or when my last shower was). People liked what I wrote and they paid me for it, too.
I did reassure my neighbors I was quite fine after they asked if I had been sick with the flu. “No, no! I’m a freelancer now. This is what we wear to work,” I smiled. Somehow, they didn’t buy that.
My partner needed reassuring too. Spouses don’t seem to buy the reasoning that pajamas help save the environment. (Wearing them really does cut down on water use – who likes doing laundry anyways?)
Of course, the situation got a little tricky when I needed to go out for groceries like chips, Coke and pre-packaged meals. My flip-flops matched my pajamas and I did stick on a hat, but I was still getting funny looks.
“Poor them,” I thought. “Stuck in their day job… If only they could live the freedom I have!”
The police didn’t understand either. I tried to explain my wonderful life of freelancing to the nice officer who had stopped me on the street, but he wasn’t listening. He drove me to the local second-hand store and even gave me a twenty to do some shopping.
(For the record, I didn’t agree with his opinion of indecent exposure. My bottoms haven’t worn out that much yet.)
I’ve had to retire my pajamas, unfortunately. It’s not that I didn’t love working in them, but it’s hard to pass out a business card when the waistband elastic of the bottoms has loosened and you need to hold your pants up (or risk that ticket for exposure).
Plus, I’m getting tired of trying to explain to my mother that I wear pajamas by choice. It’s not because I’m so poor that I can’t afford anything else. It’s tough enough to be taken seriously as a writer, and she does have a point.
The irony? As I folded my pajamas and tucked them deep inside the closet, I realized I don’t have to buy clothes to go to work – I have to buy clothes for when I leave the office!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Hehe, that’s just great… love the post!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:25 am
i love this piece! so true
July 9th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Well done #10. My husband cringes in embarassment when I walk my son down the drive to the school bus in my flannels - though I do get dressed to drive him to camp.
In all seriousness though, I do believe getting dressed put me in the “work” frame of mind. Even if everyday is casual Friday.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Cute! I love the last sentence the most.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:47 am
I have UPS, FedEx and DHL who stop by daily and I just can’t seem to grow comfortable enough to answer the door to those guys while in PJs. So usually I stick to casual wear. Makeup is the bigger issue. I hate answering the door without at least some makeup on (curse the Irish pale, ruddy complexion) but I really hate the bother of using makeup every morning.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Funny. Like Ann, I can’t do the whole PJs to answer the door, check the mail or step outside thing but I often spend the day in sweats unless I have Toastmasters or something else to go to. It’s not unusual for me to finally step into the shower at 3pm. Also like Ann, I have my pale English complexion. I can do without makeup in the house but otherwise I need a little lipstick.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:04 am
A very fun post #10.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Too funny. Reminds me of my mother:
“Do you have pants?”
I glance down at my ragged sweatpants. “Um… yeah, mom. Of course I do.”
“Well, do you think that you could wear them sometimes?”
Sheesh.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:28 am
@James - At least your mom says something. Mine just gives the silent, pursed-lips, up and down look over. She doesn’t say what’s on her mind but her silence speaks volumes.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I’ve gone from wearing stretchy yoga clothing all the time, sans shoes, to wearing PJs and no shoes. When I’m teaching I alternate between the two, occasionally throwing on a bathing suit to take my kids to the beach.
You have no idea how this post is cracking me up!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am
A good laugh on a bit of boring morning for me. Thanks! I haven’t fully moved passed the comfy clothing yet. It isn’t always pjs, but is usually some comfy track pants and a shirt that does match. At least I can go out in that.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
I suggest just sleeping in our clothes instead - much more expedient xD
July 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Ha ha! I enjoyed reading this. I’m a full-time telecommuter, so I am in the same boat. I walk to the mailbox in slippers, I’ve worn my PJ pants to the post office, and I once went grocery shopping in my sweats (never again!). I’ve lost any fashion sense I ever had — socks with sandals — why not? Blue tank top brown sweater tan pants, sure!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Bah humbug to those who don’t understand the creative freedom of pjs!
Lil trick: buy cute knit dresses to wear. They’re as comfy as pjs, but you look pulled together in about 5 minutes. Aim for the heavier knit if you have lumps and bumps; it’s more forgiving.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:43 am
p.s. guys can wear the dresses too, if they want…
July 9th, 2008 at 9:47 am
@ 12 - I’m sure my mother would like that, eh?
July 9th, 2008 at 10:17 am
NO #12 no they can’t wear dresses- I divorced my first husband for that- but I do love a nice long t-shirt knit dress.
Being a farm girl however- I have a tendancy to just ignore the shoes… who needs shoes in the summer… LOL. Well, I do have to run the kiddos to the library, camp, to get more rabbit food, etc., etc., etc. I did notice my favorite pair of jeans really had too many holes to wear decently without a really long shirt last week… Too bad
July 9th, 2008 at 10:24 am
@James: Well, it would stop any unannounced visits wouldn’t it?
@MJ: Oh you’re no fun either. I once knew a giant Samoan who wore flowered wrap skirts and played rugby. Let me tell ya, no one gave him crap for wearing flowered wrap skirts.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:25 am
#12 Well maybe the difference was that my husband wanted to shave his legs, wear makeup and have me call him Charlotte.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:26 am
@MJ: Ew. Could never call my husband Charlotte. Mabel maybe. Or Catherine, or….
July 9th, 2008 at 10:39 am
@ Fiona: “Surely, you can’t be serious!”
“I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley!” (Quick flashback to Airplane!)
July 9th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Great post number #10! I have to say, the comments following are hilarious though. I’ve been giggling hard.
MJ - Charlotte…I can see where that may be a deal breaker. My mom always said never date a man who spends more time in the mirror than you do. Jus imagine the fights over lost eyeliner & hair appts…
Thanks for the laugh!
July 9th, 2008 at 11:04 am
@ #3: You probably don’t want to date a dude who is prettier than you, anyway!
July 9th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Very funny and oh-too-true post!
My things:
Hair - mine is to my waist, so a quick grab, twist, and clip pulls it up into a neat little ‘do so no one can tell if its been brushed or not.
Yoga Clothes. Comfy enough to sleep in, decent enough to go out in, and have a side benefit. Instead of getting a disgusted look from those who come to the door and see you in pjs (thinking you have been napping your life away), Yoga Clothes cause the intruders to immediately get a guilty/apologetic look upon their face as they imagine they have interrupted your exercise routine.
Sunglasses. They lend an air of ‘mystery’ to the image of a writer, and leave people guessing - are you wearing them because its sunny, you want anonymity, or you are hungover? You know all writers are drunks, right? lol.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Cute post! I still havent worn the PJs all day though!
July 9th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I’m thinking a group photograph of everyone posting would be hilarious right now!!
July 9th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
@ Dee - Do I get to wear a skirt and flipflops?
July 9th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
LOL @James! Yeah, go ahead…but just this once!
July 9th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
@ James: We’d be disappointed if you didn’t, LOL!
July 9th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Funny post, thanks for the laugh….I look forward to the PJ days when I go full-time….
July 9th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Ain’t it the truth?! That was great. Well done!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
When I finally made it through my first year of freelancing, I took all my “office clothes” to good will. The only downside is that whenever I have to go somewhere, I have to scramble.
Someone once said that my entire wardrobe seemed to be made up of clothes that I could sleep in or wear to the gym. Yup. That’s it.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
*smacks head to rid it of images of James in a flannel pajama dress*
Funny post. The last line is totally true. One day a week I go downtown for a class, and it’s a huge chore now having to shower, find clothes that fit and match, brush the knots out of my hair, put on a bra, etc. I don’t get all drastic and shave my legs or put on makeup, but I have to say I won’t be disappointed when the class is over and I can go back to my hermit-like ways.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Love it. I don’t actually wear pajamas, though.