How to wear short sleeves to the office. 👕

 Greetings Gents,

Well here we are. You all asked for a workplace outfit template and with a specific focus on short sleeve shirts. Whenever I’m building an outfit, I always ask myself… What should be the focal point? What are we trying to accomplish? And in this case, it’s clear that the assignment is to:

1. Look professional and quite put together.

2. Retain as much comfort as possible.

Yes, we’d all love the idea of looking as spiffy as the Gentleman below. But truth be told, the scorching summer heat has its way of making a full suiting ensemble quite impractical. Since we’ve already come to the conclusion that short sleeve shirts are much more comfortable for this occasion, it’s a no brainer that it should serve as the foundational element here. Our biggest challenge is to uncover a few style hacks to make this look as clean and professional as we possibly can. So let’s dive right into it.

1. Choosing the right shirt.

When it comes to short sleeve options, your best bet is going to be a collared shirt. So think solid colored polos, button downs, or camp collar shirts, with minimal patterns or prints. As far as color is concerned, you have quite a bit to choose from. However, I’d strongly advise staying away from any vivid or bright colored hues such as yellow, lime green, purple etc. unless of course it’s the branded office shirt with your company logo on it. But even then, when wearing a short sleeve in the workplace, an earth tone or neutral colored shirt is probably best. Short sleeves tend to be on the casual side, so it’s imperative that we make strategic decisions to accomplish a clean professional look. And as such, choosing the right colors can go a long way.

If comfort is your biggest concern, or if you find that you typically get hot and sweaty rather easily, then a dri-fit or moisture wicking polo, otherwise known as a golf shirt would be your best bet. These are typically made from super lightweight polyester fabric, with an identical feel to your typical workout gear. On the other hand, a cotton or knit polo although slightly heavier in fabric, provides a more elevated look than its counterpart.

You’ll want to ensure your short sleeve shirt of choice, has a button to shore up your neckline, and to keep things as neat as possible. Say no to a floppy neckline, especially when you’re not wearing a jacket. With the proper fit and understated colors, just about any short sleeve shirt can look great, especially when neatly tucked in. For the purpose of this write up, we’ll be sticking with our cable knit polo in tan.

2. Identifying your trouser.

If you’re going to be rocking short sleeve shirts to the office, then you’ll need to keep the rest of your outfit sophisticated. A good place to start, is with a pair of lightweight dress trousers. Cotton trousers work great too, as long as they are properly tailored. When picking trousers, you can’t go wrong with a set of black dress trousers, or a shade of navy or grey. The most important aspect of your trouser is the fit, so be sure to check out our ‘Pant Fit Guide’ if you haven’t already done so. You’ll want to make sure that your pants are slightly tapered, with a half or at most one full break at the ankle. A guaranteed way to miss this look, is to skimp on tailoring, so make sure you’re cutting your clothes and pants specifically to fit your body type properly. Take it from me, there’s nothing worse than showing up to the office with stacked or bunched up trousers, badly scuffed shoes, and a wrinkled shirt.

3. Relaxed but sophisticated footwear. 

The obvious choice for most men, when showing up to an office environment, is to opt for lace up shoes. But if you’ll be wearing a short sleeve shirt, then this footwear choice can come off a little too sophisticated, and in my humble opinion doesn’t quite mesh well. A well polished single or double monk strap shoe, or better yet, a tassel or penny loafer, with either a leather or lug sole is much more appropriate. And yes, it’s imperative to make sure they have a modern rounded toe. Any of these options will blend rather effortlessly with a short sleeve shirt.

In addition, loafers tend to be the most comfortable in the summer heat, thanks to their larger foot opening, allowing for increased ventilation. And while we’re on the topic of comfort, if you’re looking to take things to the next level, then you should really consider a lug sole loafer, which typically features a fully cushioned rubber sole, that’s much more suitable for long durations of walking. A leather or suede option in brown and black will do just fine, but again just remember to keep your shoes well brushed, or polished and shined weekly.

4. The Finishing Touches.

It should be of no surprise, that a significant amount of your arm and hands will remain exposed with a short sleeve shirt. And here’s where I see a lot of Gents miss the mark. Implementing the right style and amount of jewelry, can do wonders for your short sleeve work attire. So consider a quality leather or stainless steel watch, preferably with a minimalist wrist band. This is definitely not the time or place for a gaudy, chunky metal, or large faced watch. I know some of us love our tech devices, haha, but again if sophistication is high on your radar, then your best bet is to save the Apple watch for the gym, and invest in something that adds a little more character and class to your ensemble.

A minimalist bracelet and a silver ring or two are also great additions. And finally, my favorite accessory when wearing a polo collared shirt, is a short subtle necklace about 4mm in thickness or under. You’ll want this to be on the shorter side so it’s visible, approximately 17” to 19” inches in length depending of course, on your neck size. This helps add a little sophistication to your neckline in the absence of a jacket and tie. Sophisticated eye wear is also a great idea, as it adds a chic professional look to your appearance.

But wait, what about your carrying case? See it’s the little things like these, that can throw all of your hard work out the window. You’ll want a solid leather folio, briefcase, or messenger in your arsenal, because nothing screams intern or entry level associate, than walking around with a collegiate backpack slung over your shoulder. Yes, I get it. They’re comfortable and functional, but if you work in a nice office, there are much more appropriate options out there. They are just as comfortable and will show you mean business.

5. A Pro Tip.

We all know the heat can be off the charts in the thick of summer 🌤️. But chances are, from time to time, you’ll need to run to a big meeting or to close a deal with an important client. So it’s a good idea, to always hang a well steamed blazer in the back seat of your car. You’ll never know when it’ll come in handy. Navy is a hard choice to beat, because it throws together effortlessly with almost any color trouser.

Oh and one more thing. To belt or not to belt? It’s really a tough one. I typically prefer the belt-less route, especially if you have a trouser with an overlapping waist buttons, and side adjustment tabs. It’s all about the little things, and this is where they go a long way. You know what they say…the devil’s in the details. But if you decide to go with a belt, for an additional touch of leather or for the sake of functionality, stick with a slender one with a subtle buckle. The slimmer the better when it comes to belts, and this one from Suitsupply is by far my top recommendation.

The Wrap Up 

Well that’s it Ladies and Gents. A timeless work template for the scorching heat, that should hopefully come in handy any Spring or Summer. Check out the Instagram styling reel for this look, by clicking here.

Otherwise,  I hope you all enjoyed this read, and let’s get some feedback rolling. What did I miss or what challenges do you think you’d have with putting this look together? Perhaps we could get a Q&A session going to address those for this look specifically. You know the drill. Drop a vote below and share your thoughts. And I’ll see ya on the next one!

Cheers!

Fola

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