Dressing for the office is a challenge in summer, in general and during the muggy, hot days of August in particular. Inside the AC creates a chilly environment, while outside, it is too humid to even sweat. Read how to create looks for work during the Dog Days.
- The Summer Work Outfit Dressing Challenge
- A Sleek Dress Is Instant Style for a Summer Work Meeting
- Don’t Forget the Jacket
- Accessories Keep Outfits Interesting
- Invest in Classic Sunglasses for Work Lunch Meetings
- Try an All White Summer Look
- Summer Work Meeting Outfit Suggestions
- Skip Ironing with Jerseys
- Wrapping Up Looks for Work during the Dog Days
- References
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The Summer Work Outfit Dressing Challenge
The heat of summer asks for light dresses to stay in style and look professional at work. The thing to tackle each hot summer day is how to stay cool on the commute to and from work and during lunch break, while on the other hand staying comfortable at work in the air conditioned office.



A Sleek Dress Is Instant Style for a Summer Work Meeting
Typically one associates meetings in summer more with BBQ, rehearsals, weddings, 4th of July, or family reunions. However, lives goes on also in summer. This means there are also work meetings. A skirt suit or pantsuit seem just too hot on the commute to work in the mid of the dog days of summer. A white sheath with abstract floral print is a great instant way to stay cool, and look professional in a meeting on a hot summer day.
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Accessories Keep Outfits Interesting
The floral print colors permit a variety of possibilities to change the look color wise. Just pick a different color to feature when you repeat the dress the next time for a work meeting. Compare the look above and below. I wear my floral sheath with a MOSCHINO belt, my red Celine bag and studded orange-peach sling back heels. In the look below, I went for an orange mini bag and a light pink leather jacket.

See the interesting hemline and neckline of this dress. A necklace would be too much. However, an abstract brooch works. More on how to accessorize with brooches at the link.
Invest in Classic Sunglasses for Work Lunch Meetings
Since at this time a year, the Sun is up the entire work day, you should have a pair of sunglasses handy that matches the vibe of your work wardrobe. You may need them for the walk to a work lunch meeting or even during lunch when the group decided to sit outside. Squeezing your eyes never looks professional. When you have to spend a notable time outside you wear sun safe work attire.

Don’t Forget a Jacket
This advice sounds counter-productive. However, when the heat is on, the air condition is on. This means it may be cold at the office when you come from outside. Thus, a jacket can help to avoid to catch a cold.
Stylist tip: Have a cardigan or denim jacket in a neutral color that works with most of your summer clothes in a drawer of your desk.
In summer, I love to wear dresses. One can easily add a cardigan or even a shirt as cover-up in the chilly air conditioning at work.

Inside, a light sweater or a denim jacket can beat the chilly AC when the dress code is Business Casual Style.



Try an All White Summer Look
What is the trick to make white on white work? It is the mix of structure and material. The embroidered tucked in tunic gives structure that is quite different from the leather skirt and fine knitted cardigan. More tips on how to style a monochromatic look at the link.

The look above is also an example of how to incorporate an ethnic piece in a western outfit. The red pumps and multi-color printed white Louis Vuitton bag with studs add interest. In Europe, white wearing white seems to be considered too much work to keep the white crisp and white, and to stay clean, wrinkle free and unstained. Thus, a white blouse or bottom down shirt is as far as a European woman will go unless she is a bride. On the contrary, wearing white in summer is an American tradition.
Summer Work Meeting Outfit Suggestions
Here some visual inspirations for professional looks to wear at a work meeting in summer. The looks in the next photo works in a business casual environment.


Skip Ironing With Jerseys
I am not a big fan of ironing in summer. It’s already hot, right? To be honest, I am not a fan of ironing at all. 😉 Thus, I have a lot of jersey knit type dresses that won’t wrinkle during the commute or in the laundry. Wrinkle-free dresses are among my summer favorites for the office.
Stylist tip: When your work dress code requires legwear, wear knee highs or stockings under your midi dress to stay cool. Stockings have come a long way in recent years.
Wrapping Up Best Looks for Work during the Dog Days
If linen fails to meet your work dress code, go for non-iron dresses, or separates with a matching cardigan or sweater to fight the AC. Have sunglasses for work lunch.
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When you are new to the team, check whether the unofficial summer work dress code is more casual than the official work dress code. In other words, take notice whether your most stylish female colleagues go a bit more casual than usually. If so, follow suite.
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References
Mölders, Nicole (2019) Outdoor Universal Thermal Comfort Index Climatology for Alaska, Atmosphere and Climate Sciences, DOI: 10.4236/acs.2019.94036
Mölders, N., Kramm, G. (2014) Lectures in Meteorology, Springer, New York.
Photos: G. Kramm
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