From a fashion standpoint, this shift has yielded an enthusiastic wave ‘good-bye’ to suits and ties and, perhaps best of all, uncomfortable shoes by the newly minted home-based workforce.

Simultaneously, however, this relocation from office to home has left a big fashion question mark about at-home style for those fortunate enough to be faced with the dilemma. If you can’t stay in your pajamas all day for fear of feeling like a slacker, but you also don’t want to get all dolled up just to stare at your computer (unless there’s a videoconference, of course) , the question becomes what do you wear so that you feel relaxed, fashionable and quasi professional in your home office?.

Many folks don’t really invest a lot of money in loungewear to bum around the house in, preferring instead to toss on a tatty old t-shirt and a well-worn pair of sweats for casual time spent on the home front. But working from home requires stepping up your game a bit. I mean, you didn’t really think you’d get some sort of reprieve from fashion just because you happen to work from home now did you? Come on, darlings let’s never forget that style matters irrespective of what you do or where you do it.

As a home-based professional myself, there are three things I look for in the apparel I sport around my home office. I call them the three C’s… Cheap, chic and comfortable… and for the most part I stick to them, but sometimes I just can’t help myself as you might note in the foregoing.

This week Fashion Goggles takes a look at a new class of apparel that I call ‘homewear’. Homewear is essentially activewear with a twist. It’s the kind of casual clothing most of us all kept in limited supply prior to working from home for those casual, but not schlubby, off-duty hours spent shopping on Sunday afternoons or entertaining guests at home on a low-key evening. The items that I define as homewear are casual enough that they make you feel totally comfortable, but still cute enough that you feel absolutely great, rather than embarrassed, when that sexy FedEx guy shows up at your door with a delivery. And even if you don’t work from home the items that I highlight this week will make perfect additions to any casual wardrobe.

First up for the stylish telecommuter is a series of items from Urban Outfitters is a consistent favorite. Hoodies are great for officing at home and Urban Outfitters has a huge selection from which to choose. I’m a huge fan of the inexpensive and contemporary BDG Popover Hoodie in lightweight cotton jersey which retails for a very reasonable $34 and the equally attractive cotton BDG Zip Front Hoodie which has a wallet-friendly price tag of $39. I recommend watching for frequent sales on items like these and then buying in bulk to build your homewear wardrobe. Remember that first ‘C’ – Cheap? Next up, pair either of these with Urban Outfitters’ comfy cotton Volcom Jamz Lounge Pant and you’ll feel perfectly well-turned out for your home-centered workday.

For an alternative choice of bottoms to compliment your expanding hoodie collection, look no further than discount stores like Target for a sporty pair of C9 by Champion Stretch Running Pants ($21.99) in polyester and spandex that can also be worn to yoga or the gym. Or if you’re feeling like a special treat check out the snazzy new Timberland Stripe Track Pant, which are the height of urban chic, if a tad bit pricey at $69.50 a pair at retailers like Macy’s.

Speaking of pricey, nothing but nothing compares to all things James Perse when it comes to homewear. Yes my dears, fabulous does have a price and James Perse clearly understands this fact well. With jaw-dropping price tags on everything from tees and boxers to hoodies and pants, Perse’s wares, which are primarily made from some of the most sumptuous cotton you will ever experience, are in a high end league of their own. A James Perse Pullover Hoodie in lightweight heathered cotton, for example, is no steal at a staggering $160, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t feel worth every penny once you slip it on. It’s like fashion crack, it’s so addictively luxurious. Ditto for the cotton, draw string waist James Perse Marsh Track Pant which retails for around $200 at specialty retailers like the ultra-hip Scoop NYC (www.scoopnyc.com ). These are the pieces you wear for those working lunches at home with your compatriots in the greater population of home-based professionals (or better yet the items you treat yourself to when you get a big fat bonus check!).

In the same upscale homewear stratosphere as the James Perse collection are two velour items from Juicy Couture. A plush pair of Juicy velour track pants and a matching velour jacket will make you look and feel like the penultimate at-home fashionista, however all that style will also set you back a bit over $200. But hey you only live once right? Besides, just think about how much you paid for your last pair of Ferragamos or the last suit you bought and it just might help to soften the blow at least a little.

Finally, with your homewear wardrobe dilemma getting sorted, the last thing you need is the perfect pair of comfy shoes to complete the package. I recommend the Ugg Tasman Slipper, which is so comfortable and light you’ll feel like you’re walking air. These slippers also have that whole ‘ugly/pretty’ thing going for them, which makes them kinda cool in the final analysis.

Homewear? Who could have seen it coming? Okay maybe lots of people saw it coming. But who envisioned the fashioned? For all intents and purposes, it’s a new day and there’s a new style category on the horizon which means there’s no excuse for you not to embrace it. Homewear is about the enjoying the pleasures and freedom of working from your home and looking good while doing it. Now what could possibly be bad about that?

Until next time !