What 7 stylish people are wearing to the office this summer

Summer can be a tricky time to dress for work when you’re battling extreme heat outside, over-active air conditioning inside and the constant battle to incorporate your personal style into your corporate looks.

Not to mention, casual summer styles can be at odds with what’s deemed appropriate for a professional setting.

But looking sharp at work in the summertime can be done with creativity and flair. CNBC Make It spoke with seven stylish people around the country about how they’re dressing for the office this summer.

Winston Jones, 27, works in digital operations for a corporate fashion company in New York City.

His personal style: I’m not dressing to impress anybody else or to a trend, per se, but I wear what best works with my body and makes me the most confident walking into the room. It’s a little bit vintage, a little bit contemporary, but it’ll always be chic and tailored.

The summer trends he’s looking forward to most: Bermuda shorts, especially with a nice pleat. Another is crocheted or loose knit tops. I got a really good one from SuitSupply recently; it’s a V-neck sweater in a crocheted knit, so it’s very loose and airy.

His summer office uniform: I’m really into pop-over shirts, and I love a good crochet-knit polo shirt, which is a very European summer kind of thing. Plus a cable-knit cashmere to throw over shoulder. That office AC be pumping sometimes. I love a good pair of high-waisted trousers in a summer wool or a linen, then a pair of fun sneakers, like checkerboard Vans, or white leather shoes like a loafer.

His biggest savings tip: Ebay. You can get higher-end brands with the same quality but for a fraction of the cost. I recently bought a Ralph Lauren double-breasted navy blue suit with the gold buttons for under $100. Because it’s a suit separate, you can wear the top with jeans, or you can wear the pants with a different button-up shirt. You always look clean.

His office fashion hot take: I’d say it’s OK for men to wear certain types of sandals to the office. Your toes shouldn’t be out, but if you have a fisherman sandal with socks on, or a mule, or other closed toe sandal, it gives an old Italian grandfather vibe. Keen footwear has a really nice pair with a black rubber sole.

Alayna, who declined to share her last name for privacy reasons, is 33 and works in HR in Sacramento, California.

How being in HR informs her workwear: The way we move in our HR is, ‘If our executives were to walk in the door, would you feel comfortable talking to them in what you’re wearing?’ That doesn’t mean I’m putting on a businesswoman costume. I just think: Do I feel that I look together enough to talk to an executive and feel confident in doing so?

Her summer office uniform: I’ll do a structured vest that has buttons and is more fitted. If I’m wearing a vest, I’ll always have a pair of slacks on. I won’t ever pair it a shorter skirt; I try to make my outfit balanced if I’m going to uncover my shoulders. Then I incorporate summer colors into my slacks, like butter yellow, pink and other pastels.

I love a maxi skirt. I love a twirly dress. A dress is way less work than putting on a three-piece outfit. It is absolutely a cheat code.

How to be stylish in a formal office: I like to say I bring whimsy into my cubicle. I don’t like to stick to like the quote-unquote ‘”business” clothes.

Introducing fun colors and patterns in classic silhouettes, like a colored blazer or patterned pant, is a really good way to feel a little bit more like yourself. For example, I have Dr. Martens loafers that are a Mary Jane style, but they’re a little bit more edgy and feel more like me.

Dominique Bird, 31, works in sales in Austin.

How she developed her style: I started small: chunky boots, louder of makeup, wearing some chains for my necklaces and adding rings and belts, until it evolved into this whole aesthetic called corporate goth (inspired by social media creator yung.planet).

Why she dresses up for work: When you show up as yourself, you show up stronger. That’s going to help you combat things like imposter syndrome, stand out for the right reasons, and for me personally take up space in what’s usually a male dominated industry.

But, that self-expression should never come at the expense of your ability to support yourself. There are going to be times where you are in a position, or at a company, or in a role where you can’t push the limits of more traditional corporate style, and that’s OK.

Her summer office uniform: A black midi dress in cotton or linen, black Mary Jane shoes and a belt. My favorite belt has gold chains off the side of it.

Her office fashion hot take: We really need to retire the fear around distracting clothing in the office, which is almost always targeted at women.

Melissa Pereira, 46, works in web operations for a luxury beauty brand in Linden, New Jersey.

Her office dress code: Before Covid, we couldn’t wear denim, open-toed shoes or sneakers. Now, it’s more relaxed and casual denim is OK.

Her denim obsession: If it’s denim, I want it. I’ve been wearing a long denim jort or a faux leather jort with a mule or flat.

Her thoughts on shorts in the office: I’m gonna say “yea.” It should be at the knee or lower, and you should always keep it business appropriate with a cardigan or a button-up, so it’s easy breezy at the bottom but structured and business on top.

Her favorite accessory: Blue light glasses can be a fun accessory to take the outfit to the next level. But they also save your eyes on the computer.

How to level up your business casual: It doesn’t take too much money to be stylish. You can thrift great quality pieces. Instead of a sneaker, try a pointy flat or a mule. I love casual, but also elevate it a little for that professionalism. It should always be chic.

Kiera Patterson, 31, works in advertising for a financial services company in New York City.

On dressing from day to night: I’m intentional when I go shopping to find things that could work for when I’m at work and when I’m not. I hate to use the term “day to night,” but technically that’s what it is. Could I wear this next weekend if I switch out the top or pair them with different pants?

Her summer office uniform: I have a few jumpsuits that remind me of Memorial Day or Labor Day outfits when you’re at the beach and it’s very flowy. I also like a summer dress or white linen pants.

Because I use a wheelchair, I do have to be careful of what fits me well. So I have to find things that are more fitted at the top and looser at the bottom, or else it just looks like a bunch of like fabric.

Why she dresses up for work: It’s a form of showing who you are. I love thinking about what I’m going to wear the next day and if someone’s going to be like, ‘Where did you get this from?’ then telling them the story behind the outfit or what I was thinking about.

Inez Lopez, 25, is a civil engineer in Austin.

His office uniform staple: Definitely my cowboy boots. I have four pairs, but my brown ones are my favorite. I like my loose-fit Docker pants to go with them. And of course, a matching western belt. A lot of us are from smaller parts of Texas, and so we’re a little more cowboy, or a little more Tejano in my case.

Advice to new grads: You will always, always, always get compliments on your outfit whenever you’re not looking like everyone else. If you want additional pop of color without being too loud, add color in your shoes.

His office fashion hot take: I love to wear my going out clothes to the office. It’s just a matter making it more business appropriate by tucking it in, or if it’s a Cuban collar, buttoning it up all the way. If your shirt is a little more flashy, add an undershirt for work.

Meredith Heagerty, 28, is a social media manager in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

How her work style has evolved: I felt a lot of pressure to buy a whole new office wardrobe when I first graduated. I had all crop tops and jeans from going out in college. I thought I had to wear trousers, loafers, blazers and collared shirts. I’ve ended up getting rid of most of the things I bought because it just wasn’t my style.

Now, I buy capsule wardrobe pieces that I can style in and outside of work. I’ve gotten more creative with my office outfits to make them more aligned with my personal style, which is girly, simple and classic.

Her summer office uniform: I’m usually opting for a midi skirt or midi dress, and I really like to pair that with ballet flats. I’ll pair that with a cardigan or a blazer over because the office is always freezing.

Her savings tip: You can thrift menswear like button-ups and trousers and style it super cool for the office. There’s also a lot of good brands that cater toward the younger office girly, like Old Navy and Gap and J. Crew. They have good sales to get more staple pieces new.

Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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