The Summer Office Style Struggle: It’s Hot Outside, Freezing In The Office

Summer career wear has a massive job to do. It needs to keep you from melting when it’s 90 degrees outside. Keep you warm even though your office AC is blasting at sub-zero temperatures. And ensure your petite workwear transitions perfectly to dinner this evening.

How do you dress for everything on your calendar without carrying a second outfit to work or looking stuffy tonight when you should be having fun?

For corporate leaders, founders, and company executives, the line between “professional style” and “weekend casual” gets incredibly blurry in the summer heat. Unless you have a plan. And when you’re 5’3” or under, generic fashion hacks aren’t helpful.

Which is why in this episode of Inside Petite Style, Petite Style Coach Angela Foster introduces your ultimate framework for the season: The Summer Outfit Uniform. Discover the exact formulas to keep you cool, warm, and career appropriate all without drowning in fabric.

What You and I Are Chatting About In This Episode:

The 3 easy steps to create your career-wear uniform.

• The Foundation Piece Formula: How to build high-level uniforms using styles tailored specifically to YOUR body shape.
  
• The “Fruit Salad” Trap: Why Petites should ditch generic body shape labels like apple and pear shapes.
  
• The Best Way For Petites To Layer In The Summer: Moving beyond basic cardigans into sophisticated vests, peplum cuts, and wrinkle-free wraps or pashminas that are as sophisticated as you are.

In need of some Petite Style Inspiration?

Take a look at the Pinterest Petite Career Dresses board here. The Wide-Leg Pants on Petites board here. And the Petite Power Dressing board.

Your Most Frequently Asked Summer Career Wear Questions: Cropped Trousers, Maxi Dresses, and Sleeveless Styles

• The Maxi Dress & Crop Pant Rules: The perfect length of pants on Petites so they look intentional (and flattering). And how to wear maxi dresses, so they’re stylish and never frumpy.
  
• The, Is This ‘Appropriate’? Test: The simple mental question to ask yourself to ensure your summer style is always ready for an unexpected client or chairman drop-in.

Mastering the “Desk to Drinks” Transition for Summer Evenings

• The 20% Outfit Switch: A brilliant, 5-piece mathematical breakdown to transition from desk to drinks by swapping out just one strategic element (including my favorite rules for professional summer footwear).

Once you listen, there will be no more need for guesswork. Instead, you’ll be confident that you know exactly how to put together an outfit that fits your height and flatters your Petite frame.

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Take the Free Petite Body Shape Quiz: Ditch the generic fruit salad shapes and discover your best styles in only 2 minutes.
• Not sure if you need Petite or regular-sized clothes? In Episode #08: Why Regular Sizes Don’t Fit Petites, you and I break down the eight different measurements that go into Petite-sized clothes. And answer the question, which is right for you?