Last week I saw an article on NPR.com that caught my attention. It was titled, “Don’t Sweat(pants) It. The House Dress is Here to Rescue 2020.” It immediately brought back sweet memories of my old Italian aunts (Aunt Adele, Aunt Connie and Aunt Emma) who lived and breathed in their floral house dresses with big pockets in the front (undoubtedly with crumbled tissues in them). I always thought they were unattractive and silly. But I realize now that they were a comfortable and in some ways powerful uniform to wear when they were doing the important work of running their households and keeping their families safe and secure in the small New York City apartments where they lived in the 1940s and 1950s.

And now, after being cooped up for the past six months, I understand even more the appeal of house dresses. They’re functional, comfortable, and easy to wear!

But here’s where the story gets really interesting. After posting the article with a small comment on LinkedIn last week, I realized house dresses were a “thing.” So far, my post has been viewed by 5,360 people, with many folks commenting on how much they love their caftans, house dresses, frocks, robes, etc., and how they’ve been a saving grace for them during the current dog days of the pandemic. I also learned about a Facebook group with more than 1,000 members called Caftan Cuties, founded by Nicole Ndzibah, a retail business trainer at Tommy Hilfiger. According to its Facebook page, Caftan Cuties was created “less than a month into sheltering at home from the COVID-19 global pandemic” with the goal of “creating a stress-free space where the members don caftans, share how they feel transformed by the garment, and uplift each other.”

Who knew the house dress was so inspirational!

Are you wearing a caftan/house dress while working from home? If not, what’s your go-to uniform? Let me know by dropping me a line at mcampanelli@napco.com.

Women in Retail Leadership Days

And what will you be wearing while tuning in for Women in Retail Leadership Days?

As I’ve mentioned here before, we’re super excited about this online virtual event, thoughtfully designed to connect our community of women leaders throughout October. Our agenda is filled with bite-sized sessions spread out over the course of 30 days. We’ll have a mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions, networking opportunities, workshops and unique activations. You can gain access to a month’s worth of exclusive content for just $49 (and it’s FREE for WIRLC members). Grab your VIP All-Inclusive Pass here.

I can’t wait to “see” you there … in your caftans!