Summer outfits at the office
How to build a versatile wardrobe that works for both the office and a night out
“Hi there, recently I acquired my very first internship starting this Fall and I was curious if you could possibly do another workplace clothing article at some point soon? The previous one was from January and I think it would be a great time for a new one!”
I received a great suggestion from one of our readers a few days ago, and I couldn’t help but instantly agree. It’s been months since we last spoke about how to build your wardrobe for the workplace, and I think there hasn’t been a better moment for us to do a little refresh on the topic.
Today’s newsletter is targeted at anyone with an office job who’s looking to avoid quickly running home to change so you can meet up with your friends after work later. We’ll cover the basics for anyone who’s entering the corporate setting for the first time, checking out what stuff I’ve been wearing, discussing versatility in your wardrobe that will allow you to save money in the long run, and a bunch of other stuff in between that will get you started on your work wardrobe
There is a way for our wardrobes to live harmoniously with all of the daily events happening in our lives. I believe that one of the best ways to have a good wardrobe is by acquiring pieces that have versatility that works at the office and still looks casual for when you want to link up with your friends after.
The ability to pull a fit off at work depends on the chill factor. Is your work strict in your attire that only allows you to wear button-down shirts? Or do you have the opportunity to be professional yet casual while you pretend to be hitting those spreadsheets at your desk? Since I don’t know exactly what your work clothing policy is, I’m going to try to keep today’s suggestions vague enough so they can apply to a variety of office vibes.
An office in the summer is a funny situation because while it might be hot as hell outside, the blasting AC inside sometimes can make things chillier than needed. Because of this, button-ups are the way to go. It feels absolutely silly to explain why I think they are great, but in reality, there are a lot of people out there who don’t even own one, which is crazy to me. You can wear them in many different ways that will help you overcome the quickly changing temperatures, the various ways you can style them to make them more presentable vs more casual, and did I mention they are an absolute staple in anyone’s closet?
I’ve been hearing talk about camp collars being out, and while I didn’t really agree at first I recently got converted. Mainly because I’ve been seeing them everywhere and what I am seeing right now is not sparking joy. Luckily there are other great short sleeve options that we can consider, like the Resort Shirt from 3sixteen, or this Flat Hem Crinkled shirt by Stussy — I personally think the long sleeve classic oxford is the way to go though.
Diving back into the archives is also a good way to keep things fresh and exciting. I recently was lucky enough to cop a personal grail, a shirt from the first Supreme + Comme Des Garcons collaboration — arguably the best collab they’ve done together.
Loving the playful detailing on the sleeves, this shirt was actually a CDG blank that was made in France, so you already know the quality is top-level. I don’t work in an office, so I only wear this piece more casually, but this can easily be worn to a meeting while sprinkling a dash of hype with the small Supreme detailing on the front pocket and the sleeve. I also love that small collar.
I have a lot of shirts, and I’m not going to go through all of them, but some good ones I keep coming back to currently are the Comme Des Garcons SS Cordura Shirt — which I found in a short sleeve version on sale here, a custom shirt by Kate Walz, and a classic oxford by AYR. All slightly different, which gives me the opportunity to change up my look but keep it in the same vibe.
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