Welcome to another episode of the Style and Strategy podcast. So we're we're talking all things personal brand and stall. Today I am getting into my summer series, which is going to be those quick shot, 5 to 10 minute episode where you can take away some quick tips and hints to get you through the warmer months. So you could say down on.
I'm Sonya, a personal brand and style coach. My journey began in the corporate world and through lived experiences has led me where I am today. I've walked in those uncomfortable shoes, faced the same challenges, and questioned my path to professional success while simultaneously navigating my personal style journey and the challenges that each decade brings. I wholeheartedly believe in the fusion personal brand and style strategy.
My mission here is to provide you with practical, actionable strategies and lived experiences to help you unlock your next level of success through the power of personal, brand and storm. Let's get started.
So first up today I wanted to talk about a topic which I've had a few conversations with clients around, and that is how do you actually stay cool in summer but still look professional when it comes to the office and the office environment? So I've got you covered in some really simple, heat friendly tips, but still looking polished and staying comfortable as well.
So by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to approach your summer wardrobe, and so that you can both feel a little bit cool confident no matter how hot that temperature humidity actually heats up. So listening. So usually summer stalling can be quite challenging versus those cooler months because many of us carry lantern layer a lot.
And using layering techniques can create a real richness to your outfit. And you look overall. So you can use colors and fabrics and textures and so forth. And so a lot of people find that when you hit those warmer months, especially summertime, what can happen is it's too hot for a jacket. It's made to be too hot for any sort of fabric other than some cool natural fabrics like linens or cottons and things like that.
And the problem is those crease really easily, and sometimes you feel like you're just actually hitting it to the beach rather than trying to craft. Still a brand and the style that really resonates with the objective that you're going for. And usually that will be a little bit more of a polish or an elevated kind of look. So balancing that, then with comfort can actually be really challenging for sure.
Most. And if you go out into the stores, what you're seeing a lot of is potentially, you know, sets that are in those lightweight fabrics. And that's all fine if your environment allows for that or is quite flexible and casual, because if it isn't, then normally I have clients scratching my head going, what am I? Get away? It's summer, so I don't sweat so much.
I don't wear the sweat patches. So you know, I can talk about that and still look put together. And then you've got that whole complexity around. It's really hot outside. And then you walk into a train and perhaps the air comes out to you sweating and getting really hot and sticky then, or you've walked into the office and suddenly it's plummeted like ten degrees and you're actually freezing.
So you've got to bring some layers with it. So why is this important? Because as we know, if you've listened to me for a little while now, your personal brand and the way in which you stall gets represented through that plays a really important role. And it's a really powerful role within your brand, because even small adjustments to it can really start to cement your ethos and the way in which people recognize you as well.
And so I want to make sure that you're still feeling comfortable, confident, and you don't getting all of that swayed to the side, especially if you started to work really hard on building out your brand. So what are some of the tips that I am giving a lot of my clients this time round? So first of all, we normally started with, and I know many of you already do.
Is the dress right? The dress really comes into its own. When we hit those summer months and predominantly it's either sleeveless or potentially something with a cuts like. So we're what we're looking for. If you're starting with that base of a dress because it's easier is something that is, like I mentioned a little bit earlier, lightweight or breathable fabrics with that cotton linen fabric, that type of things.
Because those types of fabrics are going to require a little bit of moisture, allow a bit of airflow, keeping you comfortable during those warm days. But as I mentioned earlier, you need to just be careful around the type of linens and cottons that you're going for. Normally, some blends in there will ensure that that won't crease as easily.
So even though I love a beautiful linen fabric, you'll actually find that they 100% linen will crease really easy. And so you don't want to have to be getting at the steamer or the iron every day, or dry cleaning, often in order to maintain its look. So then by the time you sit down at all prices. So instead, if you're looking for where they might be rayon blends or silk linen blends in the fabrication, what you'll find is it won't be as easy.
Like crease. It still won't be as hardwearing as some other fabrics. However, it will play a fantastic role there. So number two will be going for those lighter colors. So for those of you who love black, I think you know that black obviously absorbs the heat. So starting to embrace some of those lot of colors or creeping those in will actually help you feel a little bit more softer and fresher as well.
So it will be great for actually reviving your wardrobe and ensuring that there's a little bit more punch there as well as we're getting into those warmer months as well. And then tip number three is you really want to opt for that mix of structure and comfort. And the absolute go to that I would recommend in this space, especially during summer, is your perfect version of the shirt dress.
It is got to be one of my favorite items that I will actually always elevate your look at and continue to keep you cool and comfortable. So that might be in a capsule shape. As I said before, it might be full, but not with a color. Any of those kind of items. It might be flowy at the bottom depending on your body shape, or it might be straight up and down.
But any of the dresses that are available out there are fantastic. And there's different variations. Or when we talk about shirt dresses, you can have something that actually looks like a shirt dress, but it's actually elastic waisted versus something that's got a belt and a tie with buttons and a full color. So you'll see color lists as well.
And so all through the stores you'll actually see varying price points on these types of dresses but are absolutely fantastic. In order to get you great ROI in summer for weekend to work, as well as ensuring that you're maintaining that structure and comfort. Alternatively, if a dress is not for you or you needing something alternative to a dress that you're really looking for, shirt blouses that type of thing that again have a little bit more airiness to them.
So a little bit more flow. So that way it's not necessarily clinging to the body. And that's also another great tip for those of you who are focused on ensuring that there isn't much attention paid to the midsection, I do get a little request for that as well. And so something flowy and lightweight up top will ensure that you still can maintain cool, and you can go for a skirt, a skirt, pants, you know, a lot of white fabric as well.
And then tip number four, another question that I always get asked in summer is can I wear open toed shoes to the office? Now that is absolutely going to depend on the office you are working in. So, you know, there will be some offices that have really embraced smart casual and they will be okay with an open toed shoe or a sandal like shoe versus others which are still very corporate.
And, you know, an open toe shoe just isn't going to cut it. Or if it is, it's probably not a full blown sandal. So in that case, yes, it's going to be okay in some environments, but always check and have a bit of a look around. You might actually have a uniform policy. Some places still some organizations still have those.
So you want to just double check that as well before, you know going down that path. I know now these days a lot it's a lot more relaxed than it was in the past. But there will still be some offices which it may not be something that you're open to. You know, wear unless it's a casual Friday or something like that.
But when you are thinking about shoes and you're looking at thinking about summer and ensuring that you've got something lightweight and cool, so again, you're looking at the fabrication of those. I know that there are a lot of faux leather brands and so forth out there for sustainable or vegan purposes if that's something that you after. But with that is, just be aware that they will actually be a lot warmer than some other fabrications.
So just be aware of it. If that's something that's important to you. Okay. Well, so I hope you've enjoyed that quick shot bite sized episode. So I recap here to stay cool this summer. Focus on the breathable fabrics. Think about lot of colors as well. You want to balance your structured and comfortable pieces. So think about that shirt dress.
Think about the blouses, something that's not to fit in necessarily and consider your footwear options. If your office allows it. So those little tweaks can sometimes make a really big difference in how polished you feel and how comfortable you are as well. So try incorporating maybe 1 or 2 of these tips and let me know how you go.
And don't forget to continue to tune in to the series! So next week I'm going to cover off on alternatives to, dare I say, the comfy sneaker. So stay tuned on that. I hope you've enjoyed this episode and I will speak to you all soon I.
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Thanks so much for tuning in. And remember, you're already taking that first step towards your transformation journey. See you next time.
