Dressing in Summer Heat
Dressing in Summer Heat - work attire
Depending on what part of the country you live in, it may be hot and humid or very pleasant. Those who enjoy pleasant summers do not have much to worry about as far as selecting clothing for the workplace. However, those who face what we call a “long hot summer” face some clothing dilemmas.
The dilemma comes in deciding what to wear to work. This often occurs when people must take public transport or stand outside in the heat for some time, and when they end up in an air conditioned room at work. The dilemma: do you dress for the outside heat or for the air conditioned room?
In some cases you can carry a sweater or jacket for when you get to the cooled indoors. Some people enjoy the coolness that air conditioning brings, but for others it is a problem. Layering your clothes as you go from hot to cold places helps, too. Women can look for outfits that include sweater sets, jackets over dresses, etc.
Women may choose to wear sundresses without hose and sandals. Other clothing choices include tank tops, short skirts, slides, mules, opened-toed shoes, and even flip flops. This sure helps them to stay cool when they are outdoors. However, it presents problems in the work environment as this does not constitute proper work attire. These clothes equate to beach or party wear.
There may be some offices that allow a dress down look especially in locations where summers are hot. You should always checkout the specific office policy before dressing down. So what is appropriate? Short or three-quarter length sleeves on a blouse, loose-fitting long-flowing skirts, summer weight hose, or thigh high hose, and basic pumps are more appropriate. Lighter weight fabrics help, too. Choose natural fibers like cotton, rayon, linen or silk. With the advances in technology, many synthetics mimic linen and cotton so you don’t have to deal with wrinkling that often occurs in natural fibers. Many new fabrics also resist staining. This is a significant breakthrough especially since light summertime colors make stains more visible. This will also help cut down on cleaning.
Men also like to wear clothing that makes them cooler. A business suit can be very warm on the body. What can be done to feel cool in the heat? Choose tropical weight fabrics such as four, five or six ounces of wool. Often lighter colors make you feel cooler, too. In the hot humid summers of the southern states you often see men in light blue seersucker suits, tan poplin suits, and off-white linen suits.
Do not even think about not wearing socks to work in the summer. You may think it is cooler to go without socks, but it looks unprofessional. Cotton socks also feel cooler than nylon or other synthetics.
Depending on what part of the country you live in, it may be hot and humid or very pleasant. Those who enjoy pleasant summers do not have much to worry about as far as selecting clothing for the workplace. However, those who face what we call a “long hot summer” face some clothing dilemmas.
The dilemma comes in deciding what to wear to work. This often occurs when people must take public transport or stand outside in the heat for some time, and when they end up in an air conditioned room at work. The dilemma: do you dress for the outside heat or for the air conditioned room?
In some cases you can carry a sweater or jacket for when you get to the cooled indoors. Some people enjoy the coolness that air conditioning brings, but for others it is a problem. Layering your clothes as you go from hot to cold places helps, too. Women can look for outfits that include sweater sets, jackets over dresses, etc.
Women may choose to wear sundresses without hose and sandals. Other clothing choices include tank tops, short skirts, slides, mules, opened-toed shoes, and even flip flops. This sure helps them to stay cool when they are outdoors. However, it presents problems in the work environment as this does not constitute proper work attire. These clothes equate to beach or party wear.
There may be some offices that allow a dress down look especially in locations where summers are hot. You should always checkout the specific office policy before dressing down. So what is appropriate? Short or three-quarter length sleeves on a blouse, loose-fitting long-flowing skirts, summer weight hose, or thigh high hose, and basic pumps are more appropriate. Lighter weight fabrics help, too. Choose natural fibers like cotton, rayon, linen or silk. With the advances in technology, many synthetics mimic linen and cotton so you don’t have to deal with wrinkling that often occurs in natural fibers. Many new fabrics also resist staining. This is a significant breakthrough especially since light summertime colors make stains more visible. This will also help cut down on cleaning.
Men also like to wear clothing that makes them cooler. A business suit can be very warm on the body. What can be done to feel cool in the heat? Choose tropical weight fabrics such as four, five or six ounces of wool. Often lighter colors make you feel cooler, too. In the hot humid summers of the southern states you often see men in light blue seersucker suits, tan poplin suits, and off-white linen suits.
Do not even think about not wearing socks to work in the summer. You may think it is cooler to go without socks, but it looks unprofessional. Cotton socks also feel cooler than nylon or other synthetics.
Loose woven shirt fabrics keep the air flowing about the body for a cooling effect. If your shirt was constructed to be worn inside your pants, then by all means tuck it in your pants and wear a belt if you have belt loops. It is still important to wear a long sleeve shirt to maintain a professional look when you wear a tie. If you start to feel warm it is best to roll-up your sleeves. This will make you look like a hard worker. If you are able to wear a short sleeve shirt to the office, please do not wear a tie with it. You will see stores selling this look, but opt for wearing only a long sleeve shirt with a tie and hold onto your credibility. There is something about too much skin showing that takes away from a professional look.
It’s so unfortunate the fashion industry has so much influence on what we wear. The problem lies in the fact that the industry does not tell you when it is appropriate to wear their designs. Most often the clothing is for a runway, high fashion, jet setting, resorts, dating and night clubbing, but not a serious office setting. So keep this in mind the next time you dress for the heat of summer.
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