I had to put on pants on Monday.

Not that I spend my days at home running around pantless. I do have some standards – and a lot of shorts. However, I was meeting with a client, and we were visiting a showroom. Neither one would have really cared about my attire, but the professional part of me thought I should at least wear some jeans and a tucked shirt.

And then I went to a job site in the middle of that afternoon. Oof! Suddenly I remembered why I wear shorts during the summer.

Working from home has reinforced my fondness for more casual attire, and as we continue to adjust to officing from home, I suspect others are developing that penchant as well. Business casual has become casual. Although if you insist on working in your boxers, make sure the camera on your laptop really focuses on your top half. Nothing more embarrassing than a Zoom call where you’re business on the top and party on the bottom.

No one wants to see that!

But what does this change in attire mean for how we’re using our closets? If our dress shoes are getting dusty, do we need as many shoe racks or shelves? Do fewer dresses and suits mean less space for long-hanging items? Or if you’re like me, would more drawers for shorts and jeans come in handy?

Like any other room, closets should reflect you. Are you a fashion diva with different shoes for every outfit? Do you attend a lot of events that require dressing up more than down? Maybe a sports fan with a lot of jerseys?

I was taught from the first residential project in 1997 that architects should always allow for flexibility when designing a closet. Every shelf and rod were adjustable in every project we worked on. And nothing was out of the realm of possibilities. That first closet had 12-foot ceilings and triple hanging, and somehow that still wasn’t enough space.

I look at my closet now and think of purging. Since working for myself, my dress attire has grown dustier and dustier. Not that I’m complaining. But do I really need all that? And do I need to rethink the closet layout? Should I trade out the lower rod for some more drawers?

Or maybe it’s time to start hanging up my jeans. For the next time I actually have to get dressed.

Spotted Dog Architecture