With the temperatures rising in the UK and in anticipation of some warmer weather over the next couple of months – we come to the tricky problem of what to wear to work. With the relaxing of corporate dress codes you may feel that you can wear your “summer” clothes. But if you are in a position of authority in the workplace you could lose all your credibility and destroy your personal brand simply with one or two bad choices during the hot weather.
This is especially so for women.
We have so many options in our wardrobe that it is hard to know what to choose
BUT would you ever see a man in business wearing a vest top?!
Therefore leave all your strappy tops for socialising and always wear a sleeve to work.
Dressing for Business when the Temperatures Soar
1) Choose natural fibres – think cotton, linen or silk. These fabrics will generally be cooler than synthetic fibres. Try a linen jacket, shirt or dress; cotton chinos or shirt; or a silk blouse.
2) Avoid anything too tight and restrictive – belts, ties, body con dresses or any tight fitting garment.
3) Avoid showing too much skin. As previously mentioned, you are in a business environment, so you don’t want to undermine all the time and effort you have put into creating your personal brand by wearing shorts, flip flops or flashing your bra strap.
And for men…
Avoid going sock-less – I know it is currently trendy but not a great idea as we tend to focus on your ankles!
When dressing for business, avoid plain white, short sleeved shirts – you will look like a school boy. The best option is to wear patterned or coloured (predominantly) cotton long sleeved shirt. If you need to, you can roll your sleeves up. If you think you might need to do this, wear a button cuff shirt rather than a double cuff. Also avoid shorts and sandals. If allowed, look for linen jackets and cotton chinos.
