Finding great clothes for your working wardrobe in the winter is easy-peasy – we all know we can fall back on a tailored wool blazer plus trousers or pencil skirt in black, brown or grey.
But as soon as the temperature rises work wear is more difficult because warm-weather clothing is not always office friendly. In fact, let’s be totally honest here, it is the antithesis of office friendly as we can either roast in inappropriately warm clothes or look as if we were heading to the beach but got called in to the office!
So, the dilemma is how to find clever work clothes that spell efficiency and authority but are also warm-weather appropriate (like a wrap dress by Hotsquash at Debenhams, made with clever, keep-cool fabric.) And not too cool (in its original sense) either, because many of us work in air-conditioned environments these days so we don’t want to spend the day shivering!
A shirt dress or any dress with sleeves is a great option for summer workwear, as it can be worn without a jacket. A dress with sleeves also represents a good investment because with a deft switch of accessories (plus some statement jewellery) your office dress can be transformed into a going-out-to-dinner dress in no time, flat.
If you prefer separates, jackets are always your friend when you need to look efficient and pulled together for meetings. If you want to avoid shades of plain black clashing (or, for that matter, shades of plain navy clashing) team a plain summer-weight blazer with a skirt in a print that blends with the neutral – we suggest a skirt because print trousers are a great off-duty look, but probably not the best look for business wear.
Or for S/S16, you may want to consider a trouser suit for days in the office or at meetings. Trouser suits are super on-trend right now and a trouser suit in any neutral shade is a great option. If you are good in shirts, add a crisp white shirt for an androgynous and sleek look that is perfectly fashion forward. Alternatively, you could team your trouser suit with a simple, plain tee or vest…
Summer workwear accessories can be difficult – none of us wants shoes we can only wear at weekends nor for that matter, shoes we can only wear to work. But it has to be faced: beach sandals do not spell efficiency or authority. However, one of this season’s hottest shoes – the classic plimsoll, if worn in black (or any neutral) looks both on- trend and authoritative when worn with trousers (especially a trouser suit) or a maxi skirt. And these can also slot easily into your off-duty wardrobe.
When it comes to handbags, SoSensational’s advice would probably be to avoid pastels or brights for the working day – even in summer. But a terrific tote or roomy grab-bag in a neutral will always be a worthwhile addition to a chic wardrobe and be available for weekend wear, too…
SoSensational
www.sosensational.co.uk
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