Good news: it’s getting warmer. Bad news: feet are coming out. Feet and potentially other body parts. Of course the question of what to wear so you don’t make your colleagues snigger depends on where you work. Corporate lawyer? No sliders. Tech bro? Well, I’d still humbly suggest no sliders.
‘Sandals are never acceptable in the office,’ says stylist Alice Hare. ‘I don’t need to see your hairy toe in a meeting. There’s a reason we never see the Royals in sandals.’
Alice, something of a Miranda Priestly when it comes to office dressing, says that men should avoid linen shirts in the office: ‘They’re just not smart enough, even if it’s 40°C.’
In truth, most offices these days are now so air-conditioned they’re only fractionally warmer than a fridge, so you don’t need to panic that morning and dress as if you’re off to the beach. The commute may be sticky, but the majority of your day won’t be. Dress for the most important meeting or event of your day. Are shorts really appropriate if you’ve got an 11 o’clock with that potential investor? Please stick to trousers.
Ultimately, you don’t want to be that fleshy, sitting close to colleagues or acquaintances revealing bits of you that feel quite intimate: knees; toes; too much thigh; upper arms that haven’t seen daylight for months. A jacket or blazer is a handy item to keep close.
In fact, blazers are generally your friend when it comes to the office because they’re such an easy way to elevate (fashion word klaxon) the rest of your outfit. I have a couple from the high street that are handy because they can go in the washing machine, but the Hutton (in linen, it’s allowed in blazer form) from With Nothing Underneath will serve you for many more years. Pair it with a t-shirt — the blazer means it still screams that you mean business — trousers and a pair of Mary Janes. Simple is easier when you’re standing in front of your wardrobe at 6am. Also: clean shoes please, and no sportswear and crop tops.
Controversial linen shirts aside, natural fabrics are your friend. I own a black silk Sonia Rykiel dress which has done valiant corporate service for more than a decade. It’s breathable and also, crucially, a colour which — without being too indelicate — doesn’t reveal sweat patches.
Some years ago, I bought a dress from Cos in a fabulous silky, but not actually silk, green which I wore proudly to the office before a date, and only discovered when it was too late that I had to keep my arms clamped to my sides all day.
Learn from my mistakes.
