5 Summer Office Outfits for Every Workday Scenario

Summers in the office get a bad rap: no one wants to be stuck inside a clammy meeting room, tweaking the umpteenth version of a marketing deck while everyone else is busy posting vacation shots to Instagram.But even if you’re stuck in the city, working through the summer can have its perks. Brighter days mean more walks to work, longer, lighter lunches, and ideally, clocking off early to sneak in a couple of beers with the team.Done right, your office wardrobe can be another one of summer’s upsides. Hot days are the great equaliser: forget complicated layering, tricky fabrics, or trying to make a fit work with that ill-advised buy from a sample sale. Instead, usher in a welcome return to simplicity. The season boils down to a few key materials—cotton, linen, lightweight wool—in their simplest, breeziest iterations.With that in mind, we’ve put together a cheat sheet of five unimpeachable fits to take you through every workplace eventuality. Of course, mileage may vary: if you work in an attorney’s office, you’re probably stuck in a suit all summer (in which case look for looser fits, avoid poly blends at all costs, and know that our prayers are with you). But for the rest of us, consider the looks below the building blocks of your winning workday formula. No sweat.Five Summer Office StaplesThe Hardy OCBDDrake's Button-Down Collar Striped Cotton ShirtRead moreThe Client-Facing LoaferOfficine Creative Sax Flexi 001 Suede LoafersRead moreThe Capable KhakisKapital Straight-Leg Pleated Cotton-Twill ChinosRead moreThe Hump Day HaulerLemaire Leather-Trimmed Canvas Tote BagRead moreThe Summer Friday SneaksMaison Margiela Replica Suede-Trimmed Leather SneakersRead moreThe Client LunchThe Casual Friday ClassicThe First Day FormalitiesThe Forced Company FunThe Performance ReviewThe Client LunchSchmoozing the clients means two things for your fit: looking smart enough to impress, while looking relaxed enough to avoid making them feel like schlubs. So yes, you should wear a jacket. Look for one in a breathable blend: linen or wool mixes, with minimal synthetics (although viscose and tencel are both well suited to hot weather). But dress it down with jeans or lightweight chinos, and toss in a t-shirt or shirt depending on the fanciness of the venue. And don’t forget to tip well.Polo Ralph LaurenHoundstooth Linen-Blend BlazerDrake'sButton-Down Collar Striped Cotton ShirtSssteinSuvin Cotton-Jersey T-ShirtDrake'sStraight-Leg Peached Cotton-Twill TrousersOfficine CreativeSax Flexi 001 Suede LoafersBrunello Cucinelli EyewearSquare-Frame Acetate SunglassesThe Casual Friday ClassicEven if you think you want to, even if it’s boiling outside, even if everyone else is: don’t wear shorts on casual friday. You’ll spend the entire day alternating between shivering under aggressive air con and trying to avoid itchy thighs on uncomfortable chairs.Instead, look for a t-shirt with a bit of structure (we love the slightly boxier, cropped shape of Lemaire’s one below) and polish it up with a pair of pleated pants. Then you can let everything else relax, and throw in a pair of sneakers, slippers, even sandals. Just make sure to cover your toes. No one is going to concentrate on your brilliant ideas when you’ve got the dogs out.LemaireCotton Jersey T-ShirtKapitalStraight-Leg Pleated Cotton-Twill ChinosThe RowHudson Two Slip On Suede SlippersCarhartt WIPSmith Denim Tote BagThe First Day FormalitiesYour first day is about mitigating risks: you don’t want to be that one guy who was too scruffy, too dressed up, or too flashy. Our advice? Sneakers are fine, but look for a smarter pair, in leather or suede (with no scuffs, needless to say). You don’t need a blazer, especially when it’s hot, but a lightweight jacket comes in clutch if the vibe turns out to be a little smarter, and will also cover any pit stains if you’re prone to first-day jitters. If you’re keeping it simple, you can throw in a little flex with the right accessories; after all, you need to let your new colleagues and future friends know you’re going to be ‘the fun one’.Stone IslandButton-Down Collar Logo-Embroidered Organic Cotton-Tela ShirtLemaireLeather-Trimmed Canvas Tote BagNN07Aden 1923 Straight-Leg Organic Cotton-Blend Twill ChinosMaison MargielaReplica Suede-Trimmed Leather SneakersKapitalFastcolor Printed Selvedge Cotton-Voile BandanaThe Forced Company FunThe boss has planned a ‘bonding afternoon’ at an escape room, followed by a ‘flavors of the world’ beer tasting in the bar behind the office. It’s 94° outside. Now is not the time for anything buttoned-up. A polo shirt, ideally tucked loosely into higher-rise chinos, says “I’m down for team fun”, but can withstand the heat if you’re suddenly made to join in. Don’t forget the sunglasses: If nothing else, they’ll hide your glazed-over expression while Eric from marketing tells you all about his office crush.NN07Valentin 30047 Striped Organic Cotton-Piqué Polo ShirtSssteinWide-Leg Pleated Linen TrousersBrunello CucinelliSuede SneakersJacques Marie MageInitials Square-Frame Acetate SunglassesThe Performance ReviewRelax! It’s probably going to be good news. All the more reason to sharpen up, in case a promotion or pay rise might be looming. A suit will probably look too try-hard, and is more likely to make you overheat, but look for something that gestures in that direction. An unstructured cotton jacket will be roomier and breezier, while still giving a good impression of what a valuable asset you are.De Bonne FactureTraveler Cotton-Twill Suit JacketCanaliCotton-Chambray ShirtDrake'sWide-Leg Cotton-Twill ChinosOfficine CreativeAmbrie 002 Suede Desert Boots