Summer Business Attire

Summer Business Attire

As the weather slowly inches towards the 90's and our thoughts drift more and more towards the beach, sometimes it can be hard to differentiate between "professional" work attire and "OMG it is 100 degrees outside and I want to wear a bathing suit" attire. Having worked in a professional environment for the majority of my career, there are a few tips & tricks that I have found when it comes to "professionalizing" your wardrobe (I may or may not have made that word up...I'll get back to you later on it) in the summer. These may not work for everyone, but if I can save even 1 person 10 minutes in the morning then I have succeeded.

THE RAINY DAY

When most people think of Florida, they picture sunny skies, bikini-clad bodies strolling down the street and lounging in the pool day in and day out. While that may be the case in the movies, the reality is that it rains every.single.day in Florida. It may not rain all day, but at least once a day the sky will darken, the clouds will roll in, and for a few minutes you are in the middle of a monsoon. To get through those rainy days, I recommend the following:

A black and grey color scheme will match the rainy-day mood perfectly, and they are always office-appropriate colors. A pulled-back ponytail is a must, otherwise you are dealing with frizz, soaking wet strands and that wonderful wet-dog look. Boots are also necessary as it tends to flood in about 45 seconds here. Round it out with some leather leggings to add a little flair and sass, and you have a great go-to summer office staple.

THE BRIGHT MAXI

I am a HUGE fan of the maxi. In fact, I have one on as we speak. Most people would stray away from the overly bright colors and crazy pattern for the office, but I welcome it with open arms! Take this outfit for example:

Pairing a colorful maxi with a structured blazer instantly tones it down.  I also added a gold statement ring (which I picked up for A DOLLAR at a flea market...score) and a long necklace, taking the focus away from the blinding colors. Since my nails were also pretty funky, I went with a basic hairstyle and minimal makeup, and Voila! An office-friendly maxi!

THE SASSY

Who doesn't love a good animal print every now and then? I personally feel like now matter how bold the print, it can always be brought down a notch with some neutrals. For whatever reason, animal print has pretty much stayed out of the professional realm of fashion. Well I am on board to bring it right in!

 

For this outfit, I paired a bold leopard blouse with some boot cut grey slacks. I added a grey belt with some gold accents, and then threw on some gold jewelry to match. For makeup I went with more of a neutral/brown theme to match the blouse, and of course I added some sparkle with my glittery gold shoes!

So there you have it. 3 different ways to keep your office wardrobe professional without losing the fun, summer feel. I hope I was able to provide some tips and insight! And I hope everyone is having a fabulous week so far!!!!