25 of the best summer work dresses to help you stay cool in the office (2024)

FAQs

Are summer dresses appropriate for work? ›

You can wear a lightweight dress during the summer no matter what type of office you work in, but you'll need to ensure that your chosen style fits in with the dress code first. To help you to curate the perfect summer ensemble to suit your workplace, we've created a guide on how to wear a summer dress to work.

The solution? Keep it smart up top in a cool white shirt and comfy below in loose linen trousers. For on-screen moments, a colour pop blazer exudes confidence." Style tip: "If it's too warm for a jacket, statement earrings are a quick and easy way to elevate your look – even if you're wearing a simple white t-shirt."

Clothing should be clean - no torn, dirty or excessively wrinkled items. Clothing with offensive or distracting words or pictures would remain out of the workplace. Overly revealing apparel exposing too much skin or undergarments is also inappropriate in the workplace.

Minimal midi dresses amount to peak sophistication and are spot-on for work. Modernize your assortment with little black dresses, like from Totême and The Row, or embrace an ultra-sleek ribbed iteration, like from Gabriela Hearst. Of course, high and round-neck silhouettes never fail for sophistication.

Good dressing sense helps to maintain a professional image. So, make sure that your clothes are well maintained, fit properly, and aren't too flashy or worn. First impressions are very important in the business world. Your office attire gives the first impression to the clients and business partners you are exposed to.

According to Billy Draddy, EVP and creative director of Summit Golf Brands, one of the best options to wear in hot temperatures — regardless of material — is a light-colored fabric. "Dark colors absorb light from the sun and the heat that comes along with it."

Wear Clothing that Hangs Slightly off Your Body

The single most important thing you can do to improve your comfort in high humidity is to wear lightweight clothing that won't cling to your skin. Woven fabrics or those with some texture, and a looser fit, usually do a good job.

Formal corporate dressing often calls for subdued, neutral colors like black, gray, navy, and white. These hues exude professionalism, seriousness, and sophistication.

What colors not to wear in the office? ›

Yellow and orange

These two colors create not serious look and make a person weak and easy to control in a boss and colleagues opinion. If you have a top position or you go to business meetings then never wear orange and yellow clothes. There is a risk that you won't be taken seriously.

Unless you are working in an office that requires sleeves and/or suit jackets, you're fine. That's usually something you would find in certain professions, like law offices or medical offices/clinics and hospitals…

Though dark jeans are the norm, medium-wash or light-wash jeans can be appropriate in some more casual work environments.

Business casual summer dresses should: – Lean conservative. Just because it's 90 degrees doesn't mean your corporate office will let you wear a spaghetti strap or mini dress. Aim for dresses that are knee-length or longer and always have some coverage on the tops of your shoulders.

Skirts and Dresses

Knee-length or longer lengths are professional choices for the office. No sundresses or skintight dresses. You can experiment with colors and accessories while maintaining a professional look. Adding a blazer, cardigan, or belt can give your outfit a business casual look.

A shorter dress will look provocative and inappropriate for work, while a longer one will likely appear matronly and unprofessional. If the top half of the dress is sleeveless, halter style or exposes too much of the chest area, add a cardigan, blazer or wrap.

The Dress Code

This may mean they're only 1 inch above your knee. If your office doesn't have a dress code, make sure to still follow the rule of thumb of 2 inches above the knee as looking professional always suits your best interests.