Professional Summer Work Wear - What to Wear to Work Now
This blog post has a podcast to go with it. In this episode I talk through how workwear has changed, what to wear to work now and how to get a great Summer Capsule wardrobe - the key pieces you need. Now on with the blog…
…We are post WFH pandemic, maybe hybrid working but more and more people are being summoned back into the office which means you need more workwear.
Vogue announced last week that ‘Business Casual is Dead’ primarily because the traditional business casual dress code has become outdated and impractical in the post-pandemic work environment. The shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic change in office attire, with many workers favouring comfort over formality, such as jogging bottoms and slippers, and adopting what has been called the "Zoom shirt" — dressing formally only from the waist up for video calls.
As employees return to offices, there is no clear return to the old standards of business casual. Instead, workplace dress codes are easing, allowing for less formality and more casual norms, blending comfort with style, such as athleisure and fashion-forward casual wear. This has led Vogue and other fashion commentators to suggest that the rigid boundaries of business casual no longer apply, and new, more flexible and personalised workwear styles are emerging.
However this is pretty confusing. In my book ‘business casual’ is the same as ‘smart-casual’ isn’t it? It’s pretty literal when you think about it, wearing something smart with something casual or something ‘business’ like a pair of tailored trousers with a relaxed cardigan or knit. Another example is wearing a sharply tailored jacket with a casual pair of jeans - it’s the blend of what you wear that makes it ‘smart-casual’ or ‘business-casual.’
Dress codes by their nature can be so confusing and people worry about misinterpreting them.
What Vogue were also refrerring to is the rise in ‘Corporate-core’ or ‘Corp-Core’ as it’s known over on Instagram and TikTok. This is younger generations, think 20’s and 30’s going back to wearing very corporate style clothing, full on suits, crisp striped shirts, pinstripes and killer stilletos. Except don’t think we’ve gone back to 90’s or ‘00’s style of Corporate dressing where everyone dressed the same in navy, grey or black suits or block colour shift dresses, ‘corporate-core’ has evolved, it’s back with loads more personality this time. The days of being a corporate drone are gone and it’s far more acceptable to bring some perosnality and flair to the workplace.
Check out @katfromfinance and @alinarolling who both do this with aplomb. They do not toe the line when it comes to what’s expected in more ‘straight’ office environments and have fun with their workwear.
To be honest, despite this latest workwear trend, I think most of us need a wardrobe that delivers a good mix of smart and more casual items. ‘Business casual’ is not dead, it’s just evolved.
But how do you master a business casual SUMMER wardrobe. It’s not quite as easy to look smart and professional during the hot summer months but I have some ideas to share to get your wardrobe bang up to date for the coming months.
Wide leg trousers, linen suits, pussy bow blouses, a couple of shirt dresses and a few jackets and you have a Summer capsule work wardrobe.
Hope this is useful!
Theory relaxed linen suit. Trousers. Relaxed Blazer
There’s something cool about a linen suit - it’s not as ‘suity’ as a traditional wool suit and is the perfect office workwear staple.
Mango have some great linen suit options on the highstreet
Boden also have some great linen in petite and tall sizes too. This suit comes in lots of different colours
Another idea is to have a pair of wide leg trousers with a matching waistcoat. Love this ‘Summer Chocolate’ colour trousers and waistcoat by Me&Em.
Instead of going for traditional colours or neutrals, go for a pop of colour like these emerald green trousers from Brora. So stylish and a lot of personality.
Sezane are also great at Summer work trousers
Another great choice for Summer workwear is a smart shirt dress - very office appropriate and still cool for the hot summer months
Cos shirt dress - comes in a stripe too
I LOVE this short sleeve tweed jacket for Summer. Great with jeans or with wide leg trousers.
I always recommend having a few jackets in the wardrobe for Summer and Me&Em has the best selection.
Don’t settle for boring at work - this gorgeous pink boucle jacket will help you stand out.
Add interest with a pussy bow blouse. I have this one and love wearing it with baggy jeans but it would work for a Summer office option too.
That was a little round-up of Summer workwear to get you through the next few weeks. Drop me an email with any workwear issues you have and I will answer AND possibly make a new podcast episode out of it. If you’d like more tips and tricks about what to wear - LISTEN TO MY FASHION PODCAST HERE.
Hi I’m Lisa Gillbe, a personal stylist based in London, UK. I help busy professionals and corporate executives with their wardrobes. Work with me in-person on your wardrobe - check out all my styling services here: https://www.lisagillbestyle.com/whole-package