Summer is synonymous with flip flops, denim shorts and summer dresses.  Those are great staples if you don't work a 9-5 and spend your life by the pool or beach but what about the working girl?  I am rounding up my summer office staples to help you stay cool AND office appropriate this summer.

1) Summer Dresses

Pick breathable fabrics, cotton, linen, rayon, and silk.  All will help you get through the summer office months without overheating.

Length: Every industry is different so think about what "flys" in your office.  A rule of thumb in case you are stuck, never wear dresses to the office that hit you mid-thigh or higher.  The meatier part of your leg should be covered so stick with right above the knee or right below.  There are many exceptions to this rule, age being one of them but if you are a woman in your 30's in a professional setting: stick with right about the knee or right below.  Maxi dress? I am a bit of a stickler with this one.  I love a great a maxi dress, who doesn't? But not for the office.  Sorry I am not budging on that one.

Silhouette: You should always consider what works for your body type, shirt dresses, sheath, wrap and midi work best for me.  I try to stick to clean lines without creating too much volume to my bottom half.  Pleated can work it just depends on where it hits at the waist, too high and you loose your waist, too low and there is no definition just volume.  I prefer it hit right above my belly button and lays flat.

Sleeves or no sleeves: This is tough and again it depends with your comfort and your office culture.  Cap sleeves is a good compromised if your arms aren't your best feature or if sleeveless is taboo in your work place.



2) Blazers

If you follow me on Instagram then you know how much I love a good blazer!  I even broke down how to get the perfect fit in this post.  Fit IS key but again in the summer you want to invest in lighter fabrics and cooler colors, think white, blue, pinstripe family.  Here are a few options that will get you through the summer in style and comfort.



3) Pants

Again a light trouser with a tapered leg work best for the summer.  Why tapered?  Because you can easily wear with pumps, flats, or flip flops (save for your lunch break or end of the day) without worrying about ruining your hem.  Easily pair any of these pants with a tee or a blouse some accessories and done! Check out my picks! 


4) Skirts

I think its important to have at least 2-3 skirts in your office wardrobe. They are versatile, comfortable and can play double duty on the weekend. Length? Follow the guidelines I laid out above when I talked about dresses. You definitely DO NOT want to wear a skirt that hits you mid-thigh at work. Not cute. My go-to is a well-fit pencil skirt, well-fit doesn't mean second skin, there should be some give. If the fit is snug one way to balance the look is with a flowy blouse. Be bold when it comes to patterns and colors, you can easily tone it down with a solid color top. Here are a few of my picks.





Thanks for reading my loves! What are some of your favorite summer office pieces? Share below!


by LifeStyledbyErica ❤️

1) Get an Early Start

Don't SNOOZE! This can be tough, or can it? The sun rises a lot earlier and I find its much easier to get out of bed when the sun is bright, the birds are chirping and the days are warmer.  It's also a lot easier to get dressed no longer having to worry about layers and layers of clothes, coats, boots, gloves and hats etc.  It's a dress, a pair of sandals and you are out the door. Amen!
2) Plan Your Day

When you are a parent with a full time job, a moonlighting gig (AKA this blog) and a full social schedule, feeling overwhelmed can become the norm.  The truth is it doesn't have to be that way.  I plan EVERYTHING! Seriously, EVERYTHING.  And I make sure to keep order in each part of my life so that one doesn't bleed into another.  For example, at work I have a lot thrown at me at any given time and not all need to be done immediately but some do.  Prioritization is key and one way to keep things in priority order is creating lists! I am a visual person so seeing, in black and white, what I need to do and when helps me conquer the work day.  The best part of a list? Scratching off an item you've just completed, seriously.

In terms of parenting, the truth is I have two teen boys, so they aren't as demanding of my time as they were when I was carting them around for baseball, football practice, play dates and summer camp.  My oldest is working as a lifeguard this summer and starting to have more of a social life that doesn't include his parents.  I check in to see what his day is looking like.  Sometimes he knows what he is doing for the whole week with minimal tweaks, its rare but it happens.😀  My youngest is spending the summer at Fordham University in their STEM program starting July 5th.  It's full time Monday-Friday for the month of July and first week in August, so that's exciting.

My husband and I keep seperate calendars but we synch them at least once a week with parenting, professional, and social obligations.   And let us not forget downtime when we can spend quality time together.  There is always time for that!

Blogging calendar, this one we are trying to get into a groove.  It's tough when our weekends are booked or washed out to get a shoot done.  When we do shoot, we plan for 2-3 outfits and that helps keep us from shooting two or three times a week because it just wouldn't be possible.  We don't have that luxury or energy!
3) Take Time Off!

I work in higher ed, so it's go, go, go during the fall and spring semesters but in the summer not so much.  Sure there are things to do to prep for the upcoming fall semester and the new freshman class but with proper time budgeting I can do all my to-do's AND take some much needed time away.  I very rarely take any vacation time during the fall and spring so I have accumulated a lot of annual leave.  I am experimenting this year and working 8-1, Monday-Thursday (we have Fridays off in the summer) and charging my time instead of taking full days off.  Taking full days can be hard to recover from and just ruin my groove.  Instead, if it works for your particular industry, working half days and charging the time can make your workday more productive and impactful.  For me it has helped to keep me on track at work AND allowed for some play time in the city.  Its a win, win.  Now I am available to the office on my cell, but I work with a good group of people who can figure things out until I am back in the office 8am the next day.
4) Stay Hydrated


That's all I got!  What are some tips you can share about staying productive this summer? Share below.

About this romper, I snagged this beauty from Necessary Clothing and I LOVE it!  Word to the wise, rompers/jumpsuits can be dressed up or down but one thing you can never play with is the fit.  Fit is key with anything but especially with a one-piece.  I don't like tight clothing in general but certainly not in my jumpsuit.  I went a size up and got a large and it fit like a glove (only a little looser, lol).  I just like room to breathe and in the summer no one wants clothes that stick, that aint cute! See links to this jumper and few Ive got my eye on below.

Exact

I see you!

Swoon

Wide-Leg

Thanks for reading!

by LifeStyledbyErica 💋