As the weather gradually approaches summer temperatures, the decision about what to wear becomes increasingly tricky. Do not despair; it is possible to look fabulous in summer office attire without compromising the rules. Depending on your office policies and the clientele you deal with on a day to day basis, you may have more or less leniency concerning casual attire at the office. Here are a few rules to live by when it comes to summer office attire:
Even if you have gams like Heidi Klum, skirts should fall around knee length. Opt for pretty summer A-line variations and pencil skirts in brighter colours, pair them with a short sleeved blazer or blouse and some sophisticated jewellery; like this ensemble from The Development Collection (bottom). Pants can be stifling in the hot weather, but only you will know if it is acceptable in your office to wear the cropped variety, there are many styles of pant suits that have incorporated a shorter trouser to account for the rising thermometer. Keep it formal with a closed toe pump and some pretty accessories.
Don’t ever discount the value of a summer dress, while it may be too casual to be worn alone, when paired with an appealing solid blazer and some pumps it takes on a new purpose, the pretty wrap variety from Lisli (featured below; see also fabric selections) would make a lovely choice. The only problem with the wrap dress is that you can occasionally be left with a plunging V neckline, to avoid this pop a pretty camisole underneath for extra coverage. If your office is a little more casual you may get away with open toed shoes and the ability to wear some capped sleeved varieties without a cover up; just make sure the hemline falls around knee length.
Have a look around. What does everyone else seem to be wearing in the warmer weather? More importantly, what are your bosses wearing? If the mercury is rising and they’re still donning formal attire, I’m afraid you’re going to have to follow suit (no pun intended). When in doubt, ask! Or better yet see if they have an up to date written dress code.
There’s nothing worse than having to freeze through the day due to the over active air conditioning. Layering is important, take a cardigan or a tailored jacket with you to work (or both) you may not need them on the way to the office, but you sure will when you get there. Plus they also provide the extra tailoring to make your easy summer outfit office appropriate. Try this shrug by Casmari made of 92% cashmere and 8% lycra.
The dreary winter doldrums are over! Hurrah! So don’t let a dreary colour palette follow you into this season, there are plenty of bright and fun options out there (featured is a floral jersey top by Tara Jarmon); if you haven’t noticed colour is back with vengeance. This doesn’t mean that you should suddenly embrace neon orange and buy a suit made of this shade, but adding a pop of colour under your light grey blazer, wearing eye catching prints on a tailored blouse or adding some colourful jewellery to your outfit is one way to help brighten your office and your appearance!
It shouldn’t need to be said, but it seems to happen every year. Major no no’s are flip flops, running shoes, spaghetti strap tops, and shorts, as hard as you may have worked to get your body beach ready, parts of it should never make an appearance at the office. Basically if items are acceptable at the beach they aren’t appropriate at work.
Choosing appropriate fabrics for summer will definitely help the fight against the hot weather. Breathable natural fabrics are best, think cotton, linen and rayon (which is a man made cellulosic fibre that mimics cotton); silk is a natural fibre but due to its composition can actually make some people quite hot, so if you’re going to choose silk opt for a piece that flows away from the body to allow air movement. The only trouble with natural fibres is that they have a tendency to wrinkle easily, this will prove to be an issue in a more professional environment; finding a piece with a blended fibre content will help avoid this problem and will add to the durability of the garment. When making outfits, it is perfectly acceptable to mix your fabrics, it depends more on the “feel” of the garment than what it is made from; for example, a pair of tailored trousers with a silk short sleeve or sleeveless blouse and a cotton, thin knit cardigan would be a nice, easy, office outfit. (featured is the hem of the wrap dress by Isli it is made of 80% rayon and 20% nylon).
The Universal Mantra: These rules always apply in every season…. make sure clothing is clean, wrinkle free, lint and hair free, and it fits properly!
