Sure, we all know what work wardrobe essentials professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you're buying one for the first time or replacing one you've worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have. Today: we're hunting for budget-friendly interview suits for women!

Obviously, we cover a Suit of the Week every week, and we have our regularly updated Guide to Interview Suits as well as our recent overview of brands of suits for women for every budget— but we haven't specifically looked for a budget-friendly interview suit for women in a few years, so let's round them up!

Readers, which are your favorite budget-friendly interview suits?

If you’re on the hunt for basic suiting for women, in addition to our major roundup of the best suits for women in every budget, we've also done roundups for suits if you're petite, tall, plus-sized, or pregnant — as well as how to wear a suit in general.

Some of our main fashion articles that might be of interest include our Ultimate Guide to Business Casual, Wardrobe Essentials for Work, and The Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels — all constantly updated! If you're just starting out or on a budget, check out our Affordable Office Clothes roundup — and if you're plus-sized, check out our Plus-Size Picks for Work.

Here's our latest discussion on the top brands for affordable women's suits, as well as our previous discussion on cheap interview suits, as well as our discussion of whether you can mix black separates to make a suit (noooooooo!).

What to Look For In an Interview Suit for Women

In general, if you're hunting for an interview suit, keep an eye out for options with a) suiting separates b) available in a solid, dark, neutral color, c) that fit your budget.

By buying suiting separates you can get a better fit off the rack (such as by buying a size 10 pant and a size 12 blazer, and maybe even a petite skirt even if everything else is a regular size) — and you can make several outfits, particularly if there are two blazers, such as one that's collarless and one that's the traditional lapel+button.

Our Guide to Basic Suiting has a lot more details on basic features to look for.

Remember to dry clean all suit separates together! We've also done a guide to the best suiting alterations for women.

The Best Budget-Friendly Interview Suits for Women

Some of our favorite budget-friendly interview suits for women include stores like Banana Republic Factory*†, J.Crew Factory*†, Mango*, and Express†, as well as widely available brands like Anne Klein Executive, Vince Camuto*, Calvin Klein*†, and Tahari ASL. For a vintage vibe, check Amazon seller Marycrafts*. (* = some plus sizes also, † = petites)

The Best Brands for Affordable Women's Business Suits

Some of our favorite brands for affordable women's suits include stores like Banana Republic Factory*, J.Crew Factory*, Mango*, and Express, as well as widely available brands like Anne Klein Executive, Vince Camuto*, Calvin Klein*, and Tahari ASL.

In the past, readers have also mentioned Dress Barn, Kohls, and Target as good “first suit” stores.

Marycrafts

I would not recommend a Marycrafts suit for a BigLaw interview or the like — but if you're seriously in need of a dirt cheap interview suit for women, you should check out Amazon seller Marycrafts.

The clothes tend to have a bit of a vintage vibe, but you can usually get either a skirt suit or pant suit (both pieces!) for under $75.

Express

I hesitate to recommend Express suiting, even for budget-friendly interview suits, because I tend to associate it with looks that are often too tight and too curve-hugging — but if you know that going in you can be wary when picking out a suit.

A major con to budget-friendly suit separates is that the pants can often feel frumpy (one of the reasons skirt suits can be easier!) so it's a major pro that Express blazers pair with their Editor and Columnist pants, loved by readers and on our list of great washable pants for work.

If you’re a fan of their Editor/Columnist pants, do check out their matching blazers and other suiting options.

Sale to watch for: 50% off — you can probably expect to pay less than $165 for both pieces. They also offer short and long lengths, which is great if you're shorter or taller!

Banana Republic Factory

BR’s outlet section has a lot of good finds for work, particularly on the more affordable, classic side of things (including a TON of washable suits!). Note that because these pieces may be produced just for the Factory Store it may mean that there are differences in fit and quality — so keep that in mind when ordering.

We frequently feature them in our Suit of the Week posts because they often branch into fun colors and prints. Selections include regular, petite, and tall sizes up to 20, as well as (occasionally) “curvy” fit pants. Their Sculpted suiting line is their most basic sort of interview suits.

Sale to watch for: 30% off. 

Vince Camuto

Vince Camuto, sold at Nordstrom, Macy's, and other department stores, often makes really affordable, basic women's suiting (sometimes in plus sizes, as well, although at the moment pickings look pretty scarce there).

The notched blazer we've pictured here has been around for many years, in a lot of different fabrics and colors — it's about as classic as you can get.

Expect to pay around $200, unless you can find the brand on sale — that does happen but it seems to be at a time when they're restocking so the sales are often down to lucky sizes.

(Note that Nordstrom has an excellent return policy, though!)

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein is another great option sold at department stores like Macy's, and they come in petites. Because the brand is sold as separates, you can get the size you need.

The exact blazer we've pictured comes in black and charcoal (as well as an odd denim-like navy).

Macy's has a ton of similar options from similar brands that offer separates like Kasper, T Tahari, and Calvin Klein.

J.Crew Factory

J.Crew’s factory outlet is a great source for workwear, particularly affordable wool suiting separates — inventory comes and goes, but when it’s in stock it’s pretty great.

They almost always have basic cotton suiting — this isn't ideal for interviews because it can get wrinkly, but they can be great basics for other suit days (particularly in the heat of summer).

Level Up: The Best Suits to Get For Slightly More Money

Mid-Range Suits for Women

Of course, we'd be remiss in this article without noting that Ann Taylor, J.Crew, and Banana Republic are options to consider if you're on the hunt for budget-friendly interview suits for women — they can feel a bit pricier, but are great first suits if you like the fit.

For Ann Taylor, look for the tropical wool suiting or the all-season stretch — both will be great basics to take you from interviews to the first days on the job. Prices range from $98-$140 at Ann Taylor (with lots of different options for the fit of pants, as well as petite and tall sizes up to size 18).

Meanwhile, over at J.Crew, note that they have phased out their longstanding suiting collection of Super 120s wool in favor of “Italian stretch wool” and “bi-stretch cotton” — the wool will be better for interviews than cotton, which will wrinkle easier (but be better for hot summer workdays).

Some of our favorite mid-range suits for women (which sometimes have such frequent sales that they come down to the same range as our “budget” suits) include Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Talbots, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, and Antonio Melani. (Talbots and J.Crew usually have plus sizes, and the others offer petites.)

Investment Women's Suits for Interviews

Some of our favorite “investment” suits for women include brands like Theory, Reiss, Hugo Boss, M.M.LaFleur, and Brooks Brothers — expect to pay north of $500 for both pieces.

Readers, what are your favorite styles and brands for the affordable interview suit for women? What stores am I missing — have you found great budget-friendly interview suits at ASOS, Zara, Amazon, or any other stores? What do you look for in a suit for interviews? 

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / IgorVetushko.

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See all of the best women's suits in 2024, right here!

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From time to time, people ask me: Where can I get washable suits for women?

As you may expect, there aren't a TON of places out there making washable suiting, at least for the entire suit — but there are a few — so we thought we'd round them up!

Before we get to all the advice on washable suits, though, here are our latest favorite washable suits for women:

Table of Contents

Where to Find Washable Suits for Women

• Washable AND Travel-Friendly Suits
• Washable Workwear in General

How to Wash Washable Suits

Specific Washable Suits for Women:

• The Best Washable Suit Overall: Ann Taylor (shop / read our thoughts)
• The Best Affordable Washable Suit: Banana Republic Factory (shop / read our thoughts)
• The Best Washable Suit to Splurge On: Hobbs (shop / read our thoughts)
• The Best Trendy Washable Suit: Madewell (shop / read our thoughts)
• The Best Plus-Size Washable Suit: Lands' End (shop / read our thoughts)
• The Softest Washable Suit: Brooks Brothers (shop / read our thoughts)

Where to Find Washable Suits for Women

In general, there are a few noteworthy brands making washable suits for women in the past few years:

• Ann Taylor – in fact almost all of their basic suiting styles are washable! (Here's our last discussion on the best Ann Taylor suiting line…)
• Banana Republic
• Banana Republic Factory
• Brooks Brothers
• Hobbs (also at Bloomingdale's)
• Lands' End (regular and plus sizes)
• Madewell (regular and plus sizes)
• M.M.LaFleur (select styles up to size 20) – their OrigamiTech line is all washable, but note that many of their blazers are not washable
• Ministry of Supply
• Paul Smith
• Talbots

If you're just looking for washable parts of a suit (such as pants), you can find those at more places — but do note that it's in your best interest to launder both pieces together (and at the same frequency) so the color and fabric doesn't fade unevenly. (We've got more tips in our post on everything you need to know about drycleaning women's suits.)

Washable AND Travel-Friendly Suits

We have a separate roundup of travel-friendly suits — in general these are all machine washable as well, but travel-friendly suits may have additional properties such as wrinkle resistance, moisture wicking, UPF-rated materials, and more.

Hunting for travel-friendly suits for women or lightweight suits? As of 2024, some of our favorites include these brands/lines: 1) M.M.LaFleur, 2) Ministry of Supply, 3) Paul Smith, and 4) Talbots. (Not pictured: Eddie Bauer and Suitably! Brooks Brothers also occasionally has suiting in their BrooksCool line, and Uniqlo occasionally has Airism suiting. ) You may also want to check out our roundup of washable suits for women!

Washable Workwear in General

Hunting for more machine washable clothing? We feature some trendy washable workwear every Wednesday at CorporetteMoms, have listed the best brands for washable workwear, and occasionally do roundups of just washable basics for work outfits!

How to Wash Washable Suits

As noted above, you really want to launder all the matching pieces of a suit together so they wear evenly. General tips for good suit care include:

• hanging the pieces up when you've taken them off for the day, both to air them out and prevent wrinkles from setting in
• use proper hangers for them — for most suit jackets I prefer hangers that have sculpted shoulders instead of the velvet-covered hangers that save space
• spot cleaning as needed
• spraying vodka or another deodorizer as needed
• (in general, this is a big reason why I prefer sleeved tops under suits instead of sleeveless tops — the more your bare underarms are touching the suit the more it's going to get smelly)

When you wash your suit, be sure to follow all washing instructions carefully. I would probably opt to air dry the suit regardless of what the instructions said, but if it said tumble dry I would possibly put it in for 15 minutes at a normal setting to get the wrinkles out.

Once your suit is out of the washer, shape it immediately — put the blazer on a shaped hanger and smooth out the lapels and pockets.

Ditto for your pants — help any creases or pleats find their way back into the pants. I often like to take a pants hanger and hang them upside down, both so the clips keep the pant hem smooth and taut and so the waistband of the pant pulls the rest of the pants taut.

Specifics: Some of Our Favorite Washable Suits

We've mentioned some of the best brands to know, as well as (at top) our latest favorite suits — but let's take a look at some specific suiting styles.

The Best Washable Suit Overall

Ann Taylor

$79-$198 (full price) at Ann Taylor

It's hard to beat Ann Taylor when almost all of their major suiting lines are washable.

Both their seasonless stretch line and their bi-stretch line (pictured) are machine washable, stretchy, and great year-round — they're classic cuts in neutral colors, perfect for interviews.

Meanwhile, their double knit line is machine washable, wrinkle resistant, and comes in seasonally fun colors as well as neutrals. If you want something drapier or airier (and with mostly seasonal colors), check out their fluid crepe or lightweight weave lines.

The Best Affordable Washable Suit

Banana Republic Factory

$90-$200 (full price) at Banana Republic Factory

Banana Republic Factory seems to (for the moment at least) stopped their hugely popular line of washable wool suits — but a lot of the suiting that remains is still washable.

Banana Republic Factory is known for its sales, of course — you can regularly find suiting pieces for under $50 here.

Their Sculpted suit blazers and pants are all fully lined and machine washable — and they tend to come in trendy cuts and colors.

The Best Washable Suit to Splurge On

Hobbs London

$185-$480 at Hobbs

also at Bloomingdale's

Hobbs is one of the first brands that I noticed making washable workwear — and the London-based brand is great if Kate Middleton is one of your style icons.

You can find some Hobbs storefronts in the US, but they note that shipping starts at $10 and you have a one-month return window. Note that the brand is also available at Bloomingdale's, though!

The Best Trendy Washable Suit

Madewell

$88-$188 (full price) at Madewell

Madewell has a number of suiting materials that are machine washable, and the brand in general is a great option if you're looking for a special size like petite, plus, or tall. The brand has a much younger, more casual vibe in general, which may not be appropriate for interviews, presentations, or appearances — know your office!

Specific lines that are machine washable include their Drapeweave line (pictured), their Easygoing Crepe, and their Softdrape line.

The Best Plus-Size Washable Suit

Lands' End

$61-$175 (full price) at Lands' End

Lands' End has had a suiting line in washable wool blend for years — trendy, no, but it is one of the last places you can find details like fully-lined blazers. They have a limited selection of a few blazers, skirts, pants, and even dresses all available in regular, petite, and plus sizes (up to 34W).

(Whoa, they also have matching maternity suit pants — those are really rare these days!)

The Softest Washable Suit

Brooks Brothers

$228-$348 (full price) at Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers is known for their easy care blouses and shirts, of course, but they only recently got a line of suiting that is easy to care for — their Soft Icons line.

As they describe it on the product page, “We revisited some of our most sought-after women's pieces, including the navy blazer, the pleated chino, the button-down shirt, and reinterpreted them in a soft, flowy Cupro-blend fabric that drapes and tailors like washed silk, and is easy to care for.” Nice!

The Best Washable Blazers for Women

Sometimes you don't want an entire suit — you just want a blazer that you can wash.

As of 2024, these are some of the reader favorites that are also machine washable blazers…

Readers, which are your favorite washable suits for women?

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Reader M had an interesting question about where the heck to find suits with dresses (instead of skirts or pants) these days. You might also find these called a “suit dress combo,” a “suiting dress,” a “dress and matching blazer,” or a “suit and dress combo.” And it's a great question: where can you find a great suit dress combo these days?

Here's her question:

I'd love an article on buying suits that are dress + jacket combinations (as opposed to skirt/pants + jacket combinations). They look a more polished, they eliminate the step of finding a shirt to go underneath the jacket, and they're one less thing to pack on trips. AT's selection is limited – I own both and love them; Talbots' is matronly. Need 'em conservative enough for court appearances, but not “mother of the bride.” (I'm 35.) Slightly fashionable would be a bonus!

Great question — and you're right, suit dresses are disappearing; it was a bit of a hunt to find some to feature here. Readers, do you prefer to wear suits made up of a dress and blazer — or do you prefer other suit separates like pants and a skirt? Where are your favorite dress and jacket skirts from?

(We discussed non-suit dress+jacket combinations in this post…)

If you’re on the hunt for basic suiting, note that we did major updates to our roundups of interview suits for women, including doing roundups for suits if you're petite, tall, plus-sized, or pregnant — as well as how to wear a suit in general. We've also shared suiting alterations for women, pondered whether you should button a double-breasted blazer, and which Ann Taylor suiting line is the best. We also did a major update of our guide to stylish tops under suits!

Update: Our Latest Favorite Suit Dress Combos

Here are some of our latest favorite suits with dresses instead of skirts as of 2024 — but also check these brand recommendations: Ann Taylor (TONS of dresses to match suits), Brooks Brothers, Talbots, and Boss! This J.Crew sheath almost always has a matching blazer, as well, and this J.Crew Factory dress has a matching blazer as well.

{related: the picks for the best suits for women – budget to designer!}

Some Easy Tips to Find Great Suit Dresses

On the budget end, check out TJ Maxx and other similar discount places — a lot of times these dress+jacket suits are sold on a single hanger and can be found for some serious steals.

If you like colorful suits or suits with a lot of colorblocked details, keep an eye on Macy's — they have a lot of brands like Kasper, Tahari, Calvin Klein, and Anne Klein that I traditionally associate with this kind of look.

On the higher end, keep an eye on Boss, Theory, Reiss, and Brooks Brothers — they often have suiting separates that include suiting dresses — and on the much higher end, St. John's suits often have a matching dress.

{related: check out our entire Guide to Women's Interview Attire!}

The Best Suits with Dresses Instead of Skirts in 2024

Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers is a great spot to check for a suit and dress combo — including this classic sheath dress in their Essential Brooks Brothers Stretch Wool suiting. There are four color options, including a pretty dusky blue. I love how the dress and matching blazer look together!

Talbots

Talbots' luxe Italian knit fabric is a reader favorite, and I was excited to see that they have a few dresses to pair with the blazers (and pants and skirt). (And the suiting dress has POCKETS!) It's great to see that the dress and matching blazer are both available in misses, petite, plus AND plus-size petite sizes.

(Nope, we can't tell you why she's standing like that.)

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor often has dresses with matching blazers — this scoop neck zip pocket dress comes in bi-stretch, one of their primary suiting materials. The suiting dress itself is an online exclusive, available in sizes 00-18 — the reviews are all insanely positive, with reviewers begging AT to make the dress in more colors.

(AND: the suiting dress has pockets!)

J.Crew Factory

This ruffleneck dress was one of the reader favorites when J.Crew Factory first debuted it — and now it has a matching blazer for the dress, huzzah!

We've pictured it in this pretty “vivid fuchsia” because it's the only one that shows the dress and matching blazer together — but never fear, it comes in both black and navy as well.

The set is available in sizes 00-20, as well as 00P-12P.

{related: our tips on C-suite style for women}

M.M.LaFleur

I particularly like this MMLF dress and jacket suit because the suiting dress looks comfortable but polished. They describe the “Origami Tech” fabric as “a machine-washable, wrinkle-resistant fabric that looks perfectly polished but is so comfortable, you might be tempted to nap.” Nice!

This Origami Tech fabric is also one of our favorites for travel-friendly suits for women!

The dress is $225, the blazer is $295, and the pants are $195. (There may also be joggers and a pencil skirt available, depending on the color you want.)

Readers, let's hear from you — do you like to wear suits with dresses instead of skirts? What do you see as the pros and cons to the look? Where's your favorite suit dress from — and where would you go to look for one right now?

Updated images via Deposit Photos / sheftsoff.

Admin note: this post was originally written March 2018, but updated substantially as noted.

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Can you wear “interesting” suits to court — colorful, patterned, fanciful, haute? (You know, kind of like in our weekly Suit of the Week feature?)

Reader E asks — specifically wondering about this teal LK Bennett suit that Kate Middleton is wearing here  — and I think it's a great question for all the women lawyers:

This is a lawyer-specific question – can you wear interesting suits to court if it's still a suit? I agree with previous suggestions here that a dress/blazer combo, unless its meant to be a suit, is not formal enough for court. But, my question is, what about things that are true suit sets but are more interesting – like an AT tweed suit, or the LK Bennett dark teal dress and jacket suit set that Kate Mid. has? Or do you think court suits have to be black/grey/navy and totally plain? Thx!

I can't wait to hear what the readers say here.

(Psst: In the past we've shared our roundup of the best suits for women this year, given tips on suiting alterations for women, and offered advice on dry cleaning women's suits. Also check out our post on C-suite style for women if you're interested in power dressing!)

When It's OK to Wear Interesting Suits to Court

I always think of my reaction to an article years ago about a young public defender who wore Balmain (at the time, their blazers had super pointy shoulders) and other couture suits to court. The impression it left on me was a bad one — it seemed like she was not showing respect for her clients or the fact that she was there to represent THEM, in life-altering matters, before stodgy judges and juries who may or may not have approved of her fashion choices (or her designer budget).

Plus, as readers have pointed out in the past, wearing ostensibly designer, moneyed things in front of juries can be a bad move, particularly if you're a public defender.

NOW: A crazy/trendy Balmain suit is one thing — a dark teal LK Bennett dress and jacket is another. But where is the line? And are there different rules for “first appearance before the court” and “day 30 of a 6-month trial”? 

Here's my take on when it's OK to wear interesting suits to court:

If you're appearing in court, remember that you're representing someone else. Honor that relationship by keeping the focus on your arguments and their situation, not on your personality or your clothes.

Treat early appearances like an interview. If it's early on in anyone's relationship (yours to the client, the client's relationship to the judge or jury, YOURS to the judge/jury), then treat it like an interview and go with the “hit 'em with my smarts” approach to interview attire — classic, tasteful, inoffensive — so your brain can shine, and the focus can be on the arguments you're making on behalf of your client.

Some of our favorite mid-range suits for women (which sometimes have such frequent sales that they come down to the same range as our “budget” suits) include Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Talbots, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, and Antonio Melani. (Talbots and J.Crew usually have plus sizes, and the others offer petites.)

If it looks like you're in costume, don't wear it. Period. This may apply to vintage couture, overly girly suits, or more.

Stick with standard rules for trends at conservative offices: If you wouldn't have worn the shape five years ago, reconsider it. If it's body-baring, don't wear it. (I'd include in that a skirt suit with a miniskirt, or a shorts suit, unless you are a lawyer in Bermuda.) If it's illogical, for example, exposed toes in winter, and possibly a cape blazer as well, don't wear it.

With regard to the teal LK Bennett suit, it's a gorgeous, gorgeous suit, and I think the color is muted enough that you can get away with it.

Our Latest Favorite Interesting Suits

Every week on Wednesday we pick one suit to feature for our “Suit of the Week” — and it's almost always what we'd call an “interesting suit.” These are the latest ones we've featured:

Kat's Latest Favorite Fun Suits

We round up a fun suit each week for our “Suit of the Week” feature — some of Kat's latest favorites include this gold brocade number, this blue velvet pant suit, this rockstar-like jacquard suit with tiny birds, and this very unusual print suit from Etro.

Suits That Look Like Kate Middleton's Green Peplum LK Bennett Suit

If you're hunting for a suit just like Kate Middleton's green LK Bennett suit, we'll round up the latest ones we've seen. Some of the key characteristics: It's a dark green color, maybe even a teal… it has a peplum detail on the jacket… and it's shown with a pencil skirt.

Hobbs

This is suuuuuch a pretty skirt suit from UK brand Hobbs.

(Fun fact: So many things there are machine washable, including this skirt! The jacket says “dry clean,” but not “dry clean only,” so you could in theory wash it carefully in the machine.)

The color, the peplum, the cut of the skirt… It all really reminds me of Kate Middleton's LK Bennett suit!

The suit is new as of Aug. 2023, so all sizes (US sizes 0-16) are in stock. The jacket is $480, and the skirt is $275.

Our Latest Favorite Green and Teal Women's Suits in General

Our Latest Favorite Green Women's Suits

In 2024, we've noticed M.M.LaFleur has pretty shamrock suiting, while Estelle (plus sizes), Akris, and J.Crew have nice medium greens. BOSS has some suiting in a beautiful deep green, while Banana Republic has a very light “celery” green.

Our Latest Favorite Teal Women's Suits

As of 2024, if you're hunting for teal or blue-green suiting, M.M.LaFleur‘s “blue jade” suiting or this Ann Taylor linen/silk suiting are both beautiful options. In plus sizes, check out the Moroccan blue suit at Eloquii and Universal Standard's “sea moss” linen suiting.

Suits with Dresses Instead of Skirts

Here are some of our latest favorite suits with dresses instead of skirts as of 2024 — but also check these brand recommendations: Ann Taylor (TONS of dresses to match suits), Brooks Brothers, Talbots, and Boss! This J.Crew sheath almost always has a matching blazer, as well, and this J.Crew Factory dress has a matching blazer as well.

Other Suits with a Ladylike Vibe…

In general (as of 2024), brands that specialize in suits with a ladylike vibe (for lack of a better word) include Hobbs, LK Bennett, The Fold London, and Ted Baker — Amazon seller Marycrafts also has some great (super affordable!) ladylike suits.

Readers, what would you say — can you wear interesting suits to court? Would you wear them; where are your lines for when a suit is TOO interesting to wear to court?

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What should you wear — and not wear — to look professional (and stay cool) when it's hot outside? Which summer work clothes are the best? We've recently gotten two reader questions on the question of how to look professional when it's hot. 

First up, Reader M wonders:

Hi. I'm 30 years old. I am a rock and roller. Meaning that I work in the music industry. In the past my job was to chaperone the concert site. I was very good at my job. Got a new job in Orlando, FL, that has me now working at a desk. I am now a supervisor. I came into this job in the fall so I had some leftover black wool slacks, nice dark wash denim, and black sweaters to get me through.

It's now almost spring (feels like summer) and I don't know how to do professional for summer. I work in a business casual environment, which helps. I like to keep all of my color in accents like purses, shoes, scarves, etc. I wear monochromatic. It's my signature and super versatile when starting a new wardrobe.

Can you advise cuts, fabrics, etc. of office appropriate summer wear for a newly professional, young lady like myself that's trying to beat the heat without looking like a concertgoer?

Reader T also wonders:

I am heading to D.C. from California this summer for a legal externship, and am in need of advice on the dress code in the legal world when it's 95 degrees. I worked on the Hill for several years and (sadly) recall a lot of flip flops and sundresses during the hotter months.

I imagine that this won't be the case in a legal setting/government agency, but I would love some basic outfit formulas, fabric suggestions (is tweed taboo?), and other ideas for a 30 yr. old to look like a lawyer while fighting the humidity and sticking to a budget.

The Best Summer Work Clothes for Women

In terms of outfit formulations, my go-to looks are boring, but they're classic for a reason: think sheath dresses plus a blazer (to be added once you're inside), and nice, lightweight trousers (look for cotton or cotton blends) with a nice tee and a classic pair of pumps (and ideally a matching blazer). 

As we've noted before, natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and linen are going to breathe a lot more than non-natural fabrics, so do pay attention to that when buying new pieces. 

(Also: pay attention to the laundry instructions. That $20 pair of pants starts to look less appealing — and less of a deal — when they start to smell to high heaven after two wears and the only way to launder them is to get them drycleaned.)

Our Favorite Lightweight Summer Pants for Work

Some of our favorite summer work pants for women as of 2024 include options from Nic + Zoe, M.M.LaFleur, Ministry of Supply, Uniqlo — and Banana Republic Factory sometimes has pants in their AirStretch line, also!

Fitted, Elegant T-Shirts

Fitted T-shirts can be great because they layer so well under blazers and sweaters, but in the summertime they're also easy to wash and polished enough with the right accessories.

Looking for the best work-appropriate T-shirts? As of 2024, some of our favorite dressy T-shirts for work are from Amazon Essentials, Theory, Everlane, J.Crew, Banana Republic, Nic + Zoe, and Vince — also check our posts on opaque white tees and the best plus-size tees for work!

Hunting for opaque white T-shirts for work? As of 2024, we'd suggest checking the double-layer lines from Boden, Express, Old Navy, and Hobbs, as well as great sources for basic Pima cotton such as L.L.Bean, Uniqlo, Everlane, Banana Republic, and Talbots. (This $268 tee also gets great reviews for opacity, and Elizabeth swears by this tee under $30!)

As of 2024, the best spots to check for nude-for-you undergarments are Gap, Old Navy, or Nubian Skin for tons of options — Victoria's Secret also has a bunch!

The Best Lightweight Blazers

Hunting for lightweight blazers for summer in linen and other fabrics? As of 2024, J.Crew's Helena blazer in stretch linen is a bestseller, as is this super affordable Quince blazer and Old Navy (regular, tall, and petite up to 4X). Along related lines (all machine washable!), check out Uniqlo's Airsense jacket (lightweight and stretchy), Madewell's Drapeweave line (lightweight and drapey) and Brooks Brothers' seersucker line (lightweight and cooling). You can find silk/linen blazers at Ann Taylor and Hobbs; Ann Taylor also has a number of cotton pique options.

White Blazers

White blazers are another great summer work outfit basic because they make everything seem more sunny and fresh.

As of April 2024, some of our favorite stylish white blazers for work include options from J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, Ann Taylor, Liverpool, and Amazon (Cicy Bell, The Drop). If you're looking to splurge, try Smythe or L'Agence.

Lightweight Sweaters for Summer

You don't always want or need a sweater for summer, but these can be great both for navigating the cold air conditioning inside, as well as adding a third piece if you want to look more polished or more covered up…

Our latest favorite lightweight sweaters for work include this Nic + Zoe cardigan and this M.M.LaFleur jardigan. We've also rounded up 100% cotton sweaters, as well as the classic summer sweater, the twinset.

100% silk sweaters are incredibly hard to find at the moment, but Nordstrom has a very limited collection, and J.Crew has a short-sleeve silk sweater.

Some of our favorite silk-cashmere sweaters for work include these from LaLigne and Brooks Brothers; if you're looking to splurge, Akris has a bunch right now.

As of 2024, you can find cotton-cashmere sweaters at Quince, L.L.Bean, and Reformation. You can also sometimes find them from brands like Nordstrom Signature.

Another lightweight but luxe option: cashmere-linen sweaters, such as this option from Vineyard Vines.

Hunting for cotton-merino blends? Everlane has a bunch as of Feb. 2024.

Side Note: Our Favorite Sunscreens

Don't forget sun protection (especially face, hands, and chest)! Sunscreens readers have loved over the years are pictured above: Elta MD, Supergoop!, and this $17 sunscreen (Kat's favorite). Sephora's 2024 Sun Safety Kit is also out and a huge hit with readers. If you're hunting for cute rash guards, check out J.Crew, Boden, Coolibar, and Athleta.

What Not to Wear as Summer Work Clothes

We've talked about what not to wear as a summer associate, what not to wear to work in general, and how to stay cool during a heatwave — but not in many moons. So let's revisit!

A caveat: As we've noted in previous discussions, this is very much a “know your office” situation. If you're working at a NEW office, though, or are still learning your office, you should wait until you see someone significantly more senior than you break these rules before you consider it “office culture.”

(For example: if you're a summer associate at a law firm and see a first-year associate wearing sandals, that doesn't necessarily mean it's ok for everyone to wear sandals.)  It's a bit of a spectrum, but here's my list:

Probably Not OK For Summer Work Clothes (But Know Your Office!)

• Sandals of any kind (shoes that expose at least three toes per foot)
• Shorts (and yes, despite our April Fool's shorts suit roundup a few years ago, we do include short suits on the list of NO)
• Completely wrinkled clothes (linen has its own challenges, but it shouldn't look like you balled it up, packed it in a suitcase, and then decided to wear it)
• Short skirts — there is a spectrum here, but for business it really should be as close to your knee as possible!
• Spaghetti-strap tank or other top that makes no effort to hide bra straps (or worse, requires you to wear a strapless bra)
• Off-season items such as heavy tweed, boucle knits, thick wool trousers (but the thin, light seasonless wool is, you know, seasonless).
• Tights are probably not ok… but pantyhose may be required.
• Cleavage of any kind. If at any point you look down during the day and see your bra, you need a camisole. (You may want to check out some of the newer demi camisoles if the idea of another layer makes you swelter).

Probably OK For Summer Work Clothes

These are probably OK for all but the most conservative of workplaces, but KNOW YOUR OFFICE (and your situation — I wouldn't wear any of the below on my first day or a day with a big meeting)…

• Peep toe pumps (a bit of toe exposed)
• Bare arms (i.e., sheath dress or nice top with bra straps fully covered)
• Bare legs. This varies HUGELY by office and by region — in most places, I'd guess, it's a “of course you don't have to wear pantyhose every day!” situation — but on Big Days in a lot of places (court appearances, client meetings), they may be expected or preferred.

Ok in all places, I'd guess (but know your office!):

• Sleeveless dresses, tops, tees, and blouses, worn with a blazer or cardigan
• Sleeved dresses, tops, tees, and blouses, worn by themselves

We've also talked more about how to build your wardrobe for a summer internship, with what I think is still a solid list of the minimum pieces you should buy.

How to Cool Down Quickly After Your Commute

We've talked about how to stay cool during a heatwave, but here are a few fast tips for cooling down quickly (or to stay cool enough to avoid completely wrecking your clothes):

• a simple fan, carried in your purse or bag — yes, you're expending more energy as you fan yourself, but the bit of a breeze can be amazing if you're stuck on a hot subway platform
• an ice-cold can of soda, held against the inside of your wrist, the back of your neck, or even the back of your knees
• convenient ice packs — there are even necklaces designed to be iced and worn!

These are some interesting products to help you cool down or stay cool on your commute… see more clever products like this in our Amazon shop!

Readers, what are your go-to outfits for the summer? What fabrics and styles do you avoid? 

Picture below via Stencil.

This post was originally written in 2014, but substantially updated as noted.

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