oday’s fashion trends are comfortable, sustainable, and simple, which are trends that translate well to the office. Sitting at a desk all day, you want to be comfortable. With growing concerns about the environment, you want to be sustainable. And being in a professional setting, you may want to keep it simple as well.
Let this guide serve to help you find your niche amongst the ever growing amount of office trends. After all, not every trend is going to be for you. But chances are one or two of them will be.
1. Head Scarfs
Let’s start off with the boldest office fashion trend for this summer: head scarfs. Inspired by styles of the 50s and 60s, this old trend is coming back in a big way.
Head scarfs first and foremost allow your individuality to come through in what you wear, which is important in a place of work where you are trying to prove what you, as an individual, can bring to the table. There are countless different colors and patterns of head scarfs to choose from and several different ways in which to wear them.
Our favorite is as pictured: tied under your hair with a few pieces poking out of the front to frame your face, and some clunky earrings to continue the statement.
Head scarfs also do wonders to protect your hair, whether from frizz caused by the rain or the hot summer sun burning your scalp. If you’re having a bad hair day, wrap one of these around your head to make it better instantly. We recommend tying one in a knot onto your purse or work bag so that it’s with you at all times. (It also makes a for a cute accent on your bag if you opt not to put it on!)
2. Sorbet Tones
Sorbet in the summer is an easy yes, but we’re not talking about ice cream. Sorbet pastel tones are the perfect hues for your summer office wear, and here’s why.
Sorbet tones, like lavender and mint green, are simple without being perpetually boring. They are plain enough that they can be worn in the office, but stylish enough to make you stand out amongst your colleagues. They also suit a wide variety of skin tones, so if you think these colors aren’t for you, think again!
You can also wear a variety of items in these tones, from blouses and trenchcoats to skirts and trousers. If you’re feeling bold, you can wear a matching jumpsuit in the same color or mix and match sorbet colors in your outfit.
3. White Sneakers
If you’re fortunate enough to work in the creative field with a casual dress code, you’ll easily be able to incorporate comfort into your summer office style with a pair of easy white sneakers.
A white sneaker like the Puma Carina Women’s Sneaker is both comfortable and fashionable, so just because you wear sneakers to work doesn’t mean you will look like you’re not trying.
White sneakers are also a great work shoe because they pair well with any color or outfit. You can wear them with dark colors like red and blue, or lighter colors like pink and yellow. You can also wear sneakers with pants or a sundress. There’s a lot of different directions you can go when you have these versatile sneakers as your go-to work shoe!
The only downside: keeping them clean!
4. Yellow
Yellow - need we say more? It’s been rising in popularity for a few years running, but this summer it will easily be at its peak. This color is summer and happiness all wrapped in one, so we couldn’t think of a better color to wear to the office everyday this summer.
What we love about the yellow phenomenon is that there are so many shades of yellow that are in right now as opposed to just one. Mustard is a popular darker shade, while Lemon, a popular brighter shade, is more of a neon yellow. There’s also Gold, Banana, Honey - the list goes on and on.
You can certainly rock a blouse or pair of pants in this color, but we understand it’s a bold color, so we have some other alternatives to incorporate yellow into your summer office style if you don’t want to make too much of a statement. For a minimal statement, you can carry a small yellow purse or wear a yellow headband if you have a darker shade of hair.
5. Rent the Runway
The retail industry is the second largest polluter in the world (behind oil). But, as we said, today’s fashion is sustainable. We’re talking sharing, thrifting, and reusing clothes. That’s where the company Rent the Runway comes in.
Created by Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss in November 2009, Rent the Runway is an online service that allows you to rent designer clothes for work, events, and the everyday.
Renting your clothes for work allows each garment to get the most possible use during its lifecycle and it helps you buy less as a consumer.
The online service isn’t only good for the environment, it’s also good for you. It allows you to save money and even wear some designer brands you never would have bought on your own. It also allows you to be more flexible with your wardrobe. You don’t have to pick just one style - you can move between styles. You can also make some bold choices with the clothes you pick out because these decisions aren’t permanent, and if you hate it, you only have to wear it once!
But don’t just take it from us, take it from one of the many positive reviews of the service.
“The so-called ‘Netflix for clothing’ model clearly cuts down on waste - instead of 20 women buying identical shift dresses from Zara, they can all share one.” - Mother Jones
6. Working from Home Loungewear
We know that many people won’t actually get to go into the office this summer, but we’ve still got some words of wisdom for those working from home.
You are probably used to dressing comfortably, but sometimes this can mess with your productivity. We’re not saying that you shouldn’t be comfortable, we totally believe in being comfortable, especially in your own home, but we’re advising that you find a balance between comfort and effort so that you are still being your most productive even when you’re working from home.
Our idea of balance looks a little something like this: loungewear with a dress shirt hanging nearby.
There are so many cute loungewear sets out now, you will surely be able to find one that suits your style. We like loungewear sets because they help us feel put together while also keeping us comfy. We like to think of loungewear as a step up from sweatpants and a sweatshirt, and much more relaxed than a blouse and dress pants. In other words, loungewear is the balance you need in your working from home life.
Plus, you never know when you’re going to need to be on camera, so it’s a good idea to have a pressed dress shirt hanging nearby so that you’re ready whenever you need to be in a meeting on screen.
A Refresher
This was a lengthy guide, so in case you need a quick run down, we’ve got you covered.
Today’s fashion trends are comfortable, sustainable, and simple, which are all themes we see in the summer 2021 office fashion trends.
Here are the office fashion trends that are trending this summer:
- Head scarfs, super versatile and perfect for a messy hair day
- Sorbet tones, colors that scream summer but will also have your boss take you seriously
- White sneakers (as long as you don’t get them dirty)
- Yellow, a color that truly radiates summer and sunshine
- Rent the Runway, a sustainable fashion company that allows you to rent your clothes for work with a membership
- Working from home loungewear (but please, only if you’re working from home)
