There are many great things that happen in the summer, but deciding what to wear to the office isn’t one of them.
It might be sweltering on the train and your bus might feel as tropical as a Caribbean island, but you still need to maintain a level of professionalism when it comes to dressing. It’s a nightmare; if the universe was fairer, your boss would heartily encourage you to come in wearing your favourite summer dress and that slogan T-shirt that says “Up all night.” And yet, we must follow a certain protocol so we don’t end up in HR’s office.
Deciding what to wear really depends on where you work. If you’re based in a bank, sadly nothing much will change for you – maybe you’ll be granted that wish of swapping tights for bare legs. Maybe. If you work in the media or design, then you’ll be alright with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. If you work in fashion, congratulations you can wear whatever you feel like, spare a bikini – but you’ll probably get away with even that if you say it’s from Celine.
There are a few pointers which make summer office dressing easier. Anything above the knee is probably a no-go (except if you work in fashion or the media); consider what your boss wears and take cues from them. Shirt dresses are great, anything too floaty or boho-inspired probably isn’t. You can wear shorts, they just need to be tailored, not bum cheek revealing and worn with a shirt, not a vest or anything with spaghetti straps. Avoid flip-flops (a dictum that should be rigorously followed in all situations that aren’t beach-based).
It’s not that hard really. Just click through the gallery below for all the office style inspiration you need.
For even more inspo, check out these 40 inspiring workwear ideas. And make sure you know these 7 big DOs and DON’Ts of workwear!
