Keeping it slick and professional in the heat

Let’s talk about dressing professionally in the summer time..

What does summer style mean to you? Do you automatically think of vacation dressing?

In the UK, possibly due to historically short-lived summers, many of are missing a key category in our wardrobe, a summer business wardrobe.

When the some comes out, the inclination can be to relax our usual standards of dressing however, personal branding is important all year round! We are still giving out silent messages about who we are, our values and our skillset.

Whatever your normal business brand, ensure that it is kept intact through your summer business style during the warmer months albeit with a few adjustments:

For Women make the following updates:

· Replace long sleeve blouses with sleeveless or short sleeved blouses

· Replace long sleeve dresses with sleeveless or short sleeved versions, having a collar to the dress goes a long way towards a professional impression

· Replace a wool blazer with a light weight linen or tropical wool version for layering in the office

· Replace fitted trousers or jeans with lighter weight cotton or linen mix ankle length or wide leg trousers

· When wearing a t-shirt or camisole, smarten it up with a linen blazer when in the air conditioning

· Sandals should be smart and polished

· Understand that showing more skin is by default, less formal so you need to make up for it in other ways for example some very polished jewellery, shoes, belts and bags

For Men make the following updates:

· Roll shirt cuffs to show a little forearm. This is acceptable in smart-casual working environments and is much more stylish than a short-sleeved shirt. Look for pure cotton or linen mix shirts for breathability.

· Replace a wool blazer or suit with a light weight linen blend or tropical wool version for in the office

· Replace tailored wool trousers with lighter weight cotton chinos, tropical wool or linen mix trousers

· Skip the tie if dress code allows but keep a tie and blazer on hand in the office for when needed

· In some environments such as a creative office, a t-shirt or polo shirt under a light weight blazer could be acceptable

· Replace black shoes and belt with a brown or tan

Looking for advice on selecting the right looks for your personality, lifestyle, cut and colouring?

Get in touch here

Keren Beaumont Personal Styling London and Online

www.kerenbeaustyling.com

07834 150 035

info@kerenbeaustyling.com