One of my favorite neo-soul singers, Angie Stone, sings the famous line, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out the kitchen.” Were that to apply to clothes, we’d all be naked! But when it comes to getting down to business during the heat of summertime, people always think it’s okay to cut corners by wearing less in order to be comfortable. This can easily communicate an “undercooked” image. So I’m going to share some tips to help you dress comfortably during the summer months leaving you looking as cool as a cucumber.
When was the last time you had a haircut? A summertime hairstyle takes a bit of weight off the top and keeps you from getting, well – hot headed.
Are your dress shirts too tight at the collar? There’s an easy method for getting into the properly fitting dress shirt so you don’t get “hot under the collar.” Get someone to help you with this or stand closely in front of a mirror. Use a tape measure to get a skin measurement of your neck. Wrap the tape measure snugly around your neck, being sure the tape goes just beneath your Adam’s apple. Hold the tape in place and breathe before taking the measurement. Now add one-half inch to the skin measurement. If the final measurement totals a full inch [like 16] or a half-inch [like 16 ½], that’s your dress shirt size. If the measurement totals a quarter-inch or three-quarter inch, round up to the next quarter inch to get your actual dress shirt size. This allows your shirt to fit you properly. Avoid starch so your shirt doesn’t shrink around the collar and so it feels softer after laundering.
Do your suits become sweat suits as heat and humidity are on the rise? During the summer, wearing a tropical wool weight is very helpful in maintaining the most polished and professional image, no matter what the thermometer reads. Also ensuring the lining is fine gauge keeps air flowing between the garment and you, ensuring better comfort even while you’re all dressed up.
Depending on whom you’re meeting and the occasion, dressing up could be complete with a sport coat. Jackets provide the opportunity to wear blended fabrics like wool blended with silk or linen. Lightweight options like these are informal and keep your mood and message on the light side.
Lighten up the vibe with lighter colors. Do this with shirts, pants, and even tailored clothing. But, don’t wear a light colored suit to an interview or to an important meeting with someone you are meeting for the first time or don’t know well. Lighter colored garments are light reflective and cooler to wear. This is a great way to keep a cool temper, no matter the temperature.
Feet are a constant source of agony during any season. But one easily overlooked solution has to do with when you go shopping to buy your shoes. If you buy shoes at the end of your workday, say after 5:00pm, your feet will be at their most swollen of the day. It’s the best time to know the worst-case scenario of how shoes will fit your feet. Then when you wear your shoes, you’ll be more reasonably assured of their comfort all day long, all summer long.
Along with these tips, I suggest avoiding blisters by wearing socks with your shoes. Good quality socks will wick moisture away from your feet and be more comfortable, although it may seem counterintuitive. Finally, avoid looking like a dweeb by wearing short sleeve dress shirts. Wearing clean-cut sport shirts best conveys the short sleeve look. Be sure the message you intend to send is more relaxed because these shirts will appear that way and may not be appropriate for all business occasions.
Don’t use the summer months as your excuse to slack off and devalue your image or position. Should you be the boss, everyone in the office reads your outfits like a thermometer to know what to wear to the office during the summer months. Keep a cool look as you show value to your clients, colleagues, employer, and employees.
Designing and managing your image is the secret science of your success.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps professional men and corporate workgroups create effective visual brands. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.