We all have the same problem when summer comes around: it is hot and sweaty and our professional clothing just doesn’t feel right. While we’d all love to wear shorts and tank tops to work, for most of us that isn’t a possibility. We have to dress up a bit, which means layers and things that are just too warm to walk around in if you aren’t going from your air-conditioned car to air-conditioned office.
So how can you beat the summer heat and still look professional? A few strategically placed additions to your wardrobe can be helpful:
Short Sleeves When Possible
Nothing looks as professional as a white collared shirt, but how can you wear that in the summer months? It is possible if you go for a shirt that has shorter sleeves. Not only does this keep your forearms cooler, but it also allows for some air circulation.
As an added bonus, the buttons can be undone so that you can get some air to your torso when you step out of the office – just make sure to button it back up when you go back inside.
Cropped Pants
Adding just a few more inches of visible skin to your outfit can make all of the difference. When you get a pair of cropped professional pants, you will still look extremely put together and you will be able to feel the breeze. This is perfect for someone who wants to show off a great new pair of shoes as well.
Just make sure that you get these tailored to the perfect length if you can, because these can go wrong in many, many ways.
Airy Dresses
One great thing about dresses is that they always show off the skin so that you can get some air to your extremities. However, our work dresses tend to be made out of thicker, heavy material that keeps its shape and looks great, but tends to be extremely warm.
Embrace the trend of airier dresses that don’t cling to your body – you will feel cooler and look better as you won’t be sweating.
Dressy Sandals
If your feet are hot, the rest of you is hot as well. With professional shoes, they often come in leathers and heavy materials – and you can’t wear flip flops to work. Instead, try to find something that is lighter and offers some airflow. You can go for more professional sandals or even flats that allow more of your foot to show.
Add these to your wardrobe, and you will have no problems keeping cool.
Image by Free-Photos licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: pixabay)