6 DO"S AND DONTS OF SUMMER OFFICE OUTFITS

6 Do's And Don'ts of Summer Office Outfits When it comes to getting dressed, I am a big believer that the traditional "rules" are sort of bullshit. White after Labor Day? Sure! Mixing your blacks and blues? Definitely! Pattern mixing? Obviously. But even with my very liberal sensibilities, there are limitations that even I believe we should all value when getting dressed. For example, the office, a cornerstone of professionalism and structure, should be respected as such, and even though it can be brutally hot in the summer, that doesn't mean you should dress like you are poolside rather than deskside. Instead, ask yourself the two questions you should always ask when you get dressed: 1. What is the weather? 2. What is the occasion? If your outfit can answer both of these questions, then congrats! You are dressed properly. The same thing applies to getting dressed for the office. Even if you work in the most casual of start-ups, your office is still not Coachella—so you should dress to reflect that. Here, I've rounded up 6 common mistakes that people make and the appropriate ways to go about correcting them when getting dressed for casual Fridays or any summer day in the office. Because, yes, it's hot, but you shouldn't look like hot mess. 1.Lace Tops Ladies, lace belongs in the bedroom or for a night out when you are trying to get someone to see your street lace so later you can show them bedroom lace. It is not for the office. True, a thin airy fabric helps to keep you cool but it is a bit much for a professional environment. Instead, try something eyelet, which still has just as much texture and is quite porous but with a more tame disposition, sort of like a horse vs. a pony. 2.Maxi Dresses A maxi dress is pure resort wear therefore, it has no place in an office since an office and a resort are basically mortal enemies. And yes, of course a big breezy dress will keep you cool but then everyone will be wondering if you think you are in Turks and Caicos. If your office is actually in Turks and Caicos though, you can totally wear a maxi dress there. If your office is not, then you should wear something with more structure like a cotton pencil dress. This option in particular has an open back, which can be covered up by a light sweater once the A/C chill hits you 3.Short Skirts The short skirt goes the way of the crop top in the summer. In the winter, tights keep the mini from erring on the scandalous, but in the summer, it is all skin, skin, skin. This works for a brunch with the girls, but if you can play tennis in it or it has shorts built in as to avoid flashing, that skirt is too short for the office. As an alternative, go with an a-line skirt made of a poplin fabric instead, which I promise will keep you feeling cool and looking cool. 4.Flip Flops Okay, I realize I said I was a libertarian when it came to rules of fashion, but I am going to go ahead and suggest that you do away with all flip flops unless you are on a beach or getting a pedicure. Flip flops are not the footwear of a sophisticated woman and really have no place in the office. I get that they're comfortable, but you know what else is? A chic slide sandal. 5.The Denim Shorts Denim shorts are great. They are a summer staple, a wardrobe necessity for any girl that knows what's cool, but they belong nowhere near an office, not even if you're office is a hoodie-friendly, San Francisco start-up filled with ping-pong tables. It's still not right, and even in the most casual of environments a cut off short is the first way to look unprofessional. I know, I know. I am ruining your summer. There are plenty, dozens of places you can rock jundies in the summer, but the office ain't one. So if you are dying to wear something denim, opt for a more tailored denim dress or skirt instead. 6.Crop Tops A crop top in the office is not always, as Anastasia Steele would say, "a hard limit." In the winter, crop tops come in the long-sleeved or even the turtleneck variety, and when you wear them with a high-waisted skirt, you can get a great silhouette without the annoying bulkiness that tucking a shirt can add. But in summer, crop tops present a problem because they are often showing more than just a little tummy. Add in arms or cleavage plus and crop top and the equation leads to a human resources nightmare. Instead, save your crop tops for weekend BBQs and go with something off the shoulder instead.