Office wear in the summer

[Magee]

Ok so I’ve just done a bit of shopping for you

I’ve looked through my wardrobe, I usually work in a corporate office and would still dress semi-smart in warm weather. The key for me is better fabrics but still retaining smart tailoring. For example, cotton tailored trousers and linen tops, or flowy blouses that can breath. I mainly have M&S, H&M, and Mango. Lighter colour palate but w few colourful blouses too.

 

[Magee]

I personally wouldn’t go for open toe shoes, only because it sets the bar for others and I don’t want other people wearing them and seeing their crusty hoofs at lunch time.

 

[WilmaHun]

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone, me and my credit card are off to play on my lunch break today

 

[emmer_moans]

Ok so I’ve just done a bit of shopping for you

I’ve looked through my wardrobe, I usually work in a corporate office and would still dress semi-smart in warm weather. The key for me is better fabrics but still retaining smart tailoring. For example, cotton tailored trousers and linen tops, or flowy blouses that can breath. I mainly have M&S, H&M, and Mango. Lighter colour palate but w few colourful blouses too.

I second this, H&M do lovely shirts and blouses. I tend to wear sleeveless flowy blouses with a thin cardigan to take the chill off your arms when someone decides to blast the AC on.

 

[The Dowager]

Nightmare, isn’t it?

I tend to wear slightly looser-fitting tops and look on eBay for second-hand clothes from nicer brands than I’d normally buy because I find the quality of their lighter-weight clothes to be better than the quality of lighter-weight high street clothes, if that makes sense? Thinner material from places I’d normally buy tends to pucker, or be see through, or just look cheap, so I tend to search for The Fold, Hobbs etc.

Camisole and a lightweight cardigan makes me sound about 90, but in the right style it looks smart and doesn’t feel too heavy, plus you can take the cardigan off when the shoulder police / creeps aren’t around.

Instagram is great for workwear ideas, hats off to those who manage to make a maxi skirt look professional; it’d be great to get a bit of a breeze around the essentials, but I’d look such a tit rocking up the office in anything floaty on my bottom half.

Having said that, two fans on my desk and trying to avoid meetings too far away from my building are the best things to avoid getting too hot

 

[Giggling Squid]

My office wardrobe is almost exclusively oasis, with a few bits from H&M and next. Lots of floaty tops, shortsleeved dresses and cropped, tailored trousers

 

[ispywithmylittleeye59]

I work in a corporate office too - my summer vibe tends to be navy trousers (like skinny ankle grazer chinos) with a top, a nude loafer. I have to wear a cardi too because of the air con!! H&M, mango and Zara are good for tops and cardis. New Look is ok but the cheap material makes me so sweaty

I have been looking for a pair of navy culottes for work for ages, if anyone sees any let me know please!! My office has become more casual as we’re wfh now so think I can get away with culottes and smartish tan sandals now.

I have a few pairs of patterned trousers too which I like with a plain top and cardi, think mine are from Warehouse and Topshop but I have seen some in H&M and Zara recently.

Warehouse and Oasis used to be good for work tops and dresses but not sure what they are like now!

 

[WilmaHun]

I personally wouldn’t go for open toe shoes, only because it sets the bar for others and I don’t want other people wearing them and seeing their crusty hoofs at lunch time.

I'm wearing sandals for work today and genuinely, when I put them on this morning I remembered this post on this thread and now I feel funny about wearing them

 

[tskiry56]

I use ASOS as they have some nice work wear dresses or H and M.

 

[SwayingTrees]

Was coming here to suggest H&M and saw everyone else has done so too. My office wardrobe is pretty much all H&M with some M&S/Next pieces.

 

[watermelon sugar]

New Look and H&M have some lovely stuff

 

[Croc]

I've got a few linen shift dresses from Next in various colours and patterns. They are cool enough in the summer.

 

[WilmaHun]

Out of interest, how do people find the sizing in H&M? I’ve seen so many nice work appropriate clothes, particularly blouses, but the S / M / L completely throws me! I’m usually a 14 or 16 on the top and I can’t be faffed with buying things online only to have to traipse to a post office to return it all!

I hate H&M purely for the sizing. Things always seem to come up small whenever I've bought them and like you I find the stuff which comes in S/M/L really hard to judge!

 

[eSsExBiRd]

My work wardrobe consists of Next and H&M. Next for the more formal, H&M for the smart casual.

 

[WilmaHun]

Where does everybody buy their summer office wear from? The warmer weather has made me realise I've barely got anything "office appropriate" for the warmer weather. Unfortunately I'm not able to work from home either.

I have some cropped paperbag waist black trousers which I pair with a blouse occasionally and some black low block heel sandals but I'm looking for different ideas.

Thanks!

 

[sleepflowers]

Also interested in this! I find it hard to find nice summer trousers, I hate anything with a non-loose waist during summer. It has to be cotton too, no synthetics.
I did get a really nice stripy cotton dress from H&M last summer that I think I will use a lot, it falls to around knee length so it feels acceptable to wear with bare legs to work.

 

[spiderpig]

I buy dresses I can wear in the summer with no tights or tights in the winter!
Newlook, Shein, eBay!

 

[GalaxyGirl70]

I've got quite a few Boden tops - loose fitting t shirt style ones in nicer fabric than jersey, and either some linen cropped trousers or a skirt. Though I only ever buy in the sale. And I've lots of tops from Kit and Kaboodle, they're brilliant for loose floaty tops.

 

[Giggling Squid]

Thank god for working from home, I mean nobody needs to see my current summer workwear

 

[WilmaHun]

I personally wouldn’t go for open toe shoes, only because it sets the bar for others and I don’t want other people wearing them and seeing their crusty hoofs at lunch time.

Oh no! I often wear sandals in the summer (smart ones not flip flops) and I'd never even considered this! Luckily we're a small office with only 3 of us in at any given time but I think I'll be reconsidering my footwear too now