Stay chic and professional in the heat
Summer can be a bit of a challenge when it comes to your work wardrobe. You don’t want to look like you are going to the beach. Looking chic and put together on those wonderful light summer days takes a bit of planning. In fact, the best way to pull this off is by creating a summer work capsule wardrobe.
5 easy Steps to creating a Summer Work Capsule Wardrobe
- Decide on a color palette. The easiest way to keep your capsule wardrobe cohesive is to work with 2 or 3 colors. Also, decide on how many items you want to include. (I choose 10 items in each capsule wardrobe.)
- Analyze your needs and the kind of clothes you want to include. Shirts? Blazers? Every office is different. Consider the dress code in your work environment and make a list of the clothes that are indeed suitable.
- To keep your summer capsule wardrobe wearable, consider the clothes you like to use and try to find them in summer-friendly materials such as linen and lightweight cotton.
- Check and see what you already own and what you need to buy. Make a list and go shopping.
- Once you have everything collected and ready, spread your clothes and start creating outfits. Snap pictures of your favorite outfits so that you already have some ideas for the next weeks.
Summer work capsule wardrobe nr 1: Cream and light blue
Get your style summer-ready by choosing pale colors. A knitted lightweight top is a great way to look professional, and so is a short-sleeved polo shirt.
Skirts that hit below the knee keep things professional rather than vacation-ready.
And for those days when you don’t want to think about what to wear, a dress is the perfect answer.
Summer work capsule wardrobe nr 2: Brown, black and beige
Brown is such a stylish color. Remember that the nuances don’t have to match. To anchor this wardrobe I choose a pair of black pants and a black skirt, this is a good styling trick.
With a solid foundation, you can get more creative with the tops.
Stay cool and professional
I also picked a pair of dress shorts for those of us who can wear shorts at work. The brown tank top is in a knitted material that helps you look professional.
If you want more tips for getting dressed for work, read my article Create a women’s work capsule wardrobe.
Summer work capsule wardrobe nr 3: Navy, Camel and White
Navy will help you look more summer-ready than black.
If white feels too revealing, camel is a good option. Camel looks expensive, and thus, it is suitable for work wear.
Wearing T-shirts with a bit of structure is a good trick to dress more lightly but still look like you mean business. If the aircon is strong, a cashmere jumper is always nice to have.
If you ask me, the blue linen blazer is just divine.
Summer work capsule wardrobe nr 4: Black, white and sage
You might be wondering how to incorporate a bit of Joie de vivre in your work wardrobe. This is the best recipe: two basic colors and one accent color.
If you want to have even more fun, pick purple, red or pink. But in this example, I decided to choose the trendy and underrated color called sage.
A bit of color makes a huge difference when you get dressed in the morning. Just make sure you have enough clothes in two basic colors, and you are good to go.
Summer work capsule wardrobe nr 5: White and Lilac
Here I wanted to showcase another trendy color for summer 2023. I also found a pair of white culottes, this can be a good alternative to shorts. Once again, the tank top is in a knitted material to keep it more work-appropriate.
The dress is just great, that subtle lilac shade willhave you turning heads on your commute. A breezy white linen skirt is always a good idea.
Summer work capsule wardrobe nr 6: White, grey and pink
This warderob is addmitngly a bit funky, clearly this person has her own style and work in a creative environment. She is probably an architect.
But a lot of us only need to dress up occasionally, as long as you include two or three outfits for those times, you can have a bit of fun with the rest of your capsule work wardrobe.
Pink is not for everyone, but using grey as one of your basic colors will work for most of us.
As long as your dress matches the blazers, it does not have to match your other clothes.
Final tips on how to create a summer work capsule wardrobe
The trick is to try your clothes and make sure that all tops work with all bottoms and that your blazer (or jacket) works with everything.
Creating a capsule wardrobe is about balancing basic clothes with interesting pieces you are actually excited to wear.
Getting dressed should be a fun process, so don’t fall into the trap of creating a capsule wardrobe that is too basic and boring. Make sure you include your favorite color, some interesting cuts, and some form of print.
Want to stay on trend, read my article Summer capsule wardrobe for women over 40, summer 2023.
- Lose-fitting pants are good for summer
- Structured tops keep you looking professional
- Skirts below the knees give you plenty of breeze in the summer heat
- A blazer can make a casual outfit work-appropriate
- You should probably include a warmer sweater, such as a cardigan since aircon is a thing in most offices.
- Include normal shirts and dressier shirts
- Linnen is a good material for looking professional in the summer. (Just be prepared to use your iron.)
- Polo shirts look confidence-inspiring and are trendy right now.
Moa Ailert is the founder and editor-in-chief of Her Brilliant Friend.
She has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and plenty of insight into human psychology from traveling and living in different places around the world.
Moa is currently based in Portugal where she has a guesthouse; Villa dos Irmaos.
She has various websites, among others Ericeira Insider, but Her brilliant friend is her true passion project.
