4 Tips for Dressing Professionally Despite the Searing Heat

July 26, 2011 - PRLog -- When the mercury rises employees prefer to dress more casually for the workplace. But how far is too far when it comes to dressing down? Is it appropriate to show up at the office in flip-flops, tank tops and short pants? Are the standards applied differently based on gender?

Those questions were posed to award-winning leadership development coach and career acceleration expert Sarah Hathorn, who is based in Hot ‘Lanta, Georgia. “The key is to stay cool without putting your career on ice,” she says. “Pare down clothing layers without eroding credibility.” Hathorn advises her Fortune 500 clients that as soon as employees start showing up in tank tops, short pants, and flip-flops they convey the message that image is less important than casual comfort. “But especially into today’s tough economy,” she observes, “casual can lead to a casualty in terms of brand, image, and professional presence.” The former Fortune 100 senior executive and the founder of her own successful consulting practice, Hathorn offers these four tips for remaining calm, cool, and collected as corporate America swelters in withering heat:

–   Weekend wear is never appropriate for the professional workplace, especially for those who interact face-to-face with clients or customers. But fabric is the key. Wear natural fibers that breathe versus blends and synthetics and it is possible to look fabulous while feeling fresh.

–   An ideal way to cool down the body's thermostat is to wear lighter but more muted tones in the summer heat. A monochromatic color scheme can also make anyone appear taller and slimmer. Add a little visual texture just to keep that look from getting boring. Men might use a patterned shirt in a single color like cream-on-cream or blue-on-blue, or a necktie with a subtle texture. Women might opt for a blouse with tiny checks or a delicately ruffled blouse.

–   Avoid sheer and see-through clothing at work - this is club attire, not corporate attire. But one trick for beating the heat is to wear short sleeves in cool fabrics like cotton, while keeping a crisp summer jacket within arm’s reach. If a client or boss makes an unexpected appearance then slip into the jacket to instantly upgrade from casual to a sharp-looking business casual.

–   Women are still judged with more scrutiny than men, but they do have one distinct advantage. Women can wear a great dress or dressy skirt – which enables them to be much cooler than they pants-wearing male counterparts.

Above all, Hathorn says, “Don’t let the clothes wear you. Instead you should wear the clothes. When the clothes attract more attention than the person wearing them, there’s a fashion imbalance that needs to be addressed – otherwise your wardrobe will not complement you but it will compete with you.” That sage advice applies all year-round.

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