Team Shorts reigned supreme in our poll a couple of weeks ago, especially Team Ultra Casual Shorts. Today’s set of outfit ideas is for those who like to keep it very simple and super relaxed over the Summer. The looks have a high longevity factor so you can wear them year after year. 

The outfits showcase neutrals, but feel free to choose any colour palette. It seems odd to wear heels with the outfits because of the extra relaxed integrity. That said, a wedged espadrille might work. If you’re after a bit of height, try incorporating flatforms or chunky sneakers. I’m amazed at how my own chunky white Seinfeld sneakers create height without arching my foot or looking like I’m wearing heels.

1. Statement Birkies

Combine a pair of chino shorts with a semi-tucked fluid tee, and finish off the look with a pair of metallic, pastel, white or bright Birkies. A few things elevate the look here. The tee’s longer, scrunched sleeves and side slits look a little more interesting than a basic short-sleeved tee. The semi-tuck adds structure. The metallic Birkies add unexpected shine and are more substantial than a pair of rubber flip flops. This outfit would be as cute with white shorts.

2. Quintessential Shorts and Tee

Graphic tees are a lot more meaningful if the slogans make a strong statement and evoke a lot of emotion. Combine an emotive graphic tee with a pair of denim shorts, and finish off the look with sneakers. White Birkies work well here too.

3. French Inspired

This is the most classic of the four, and great for Team Stripe. Combine a pair of navy or white shorts with a navy and white striped tee, white sneakers, and Bob’s your uncle. Semi-tuck the tee for a bit of structure, if you like. Casual loafers or sandals can work equally well. Add a denim jacket if you need a third layer.

4. A Little Dressier

The last option is a little dressier, if that’s more your cup of tea. Combine a pair of black Bermuda shorts with a tucked olive shirt. These paper-bag shorts are pleated and have a belt, but that’s not an essential style detail. Fold back the cuffs or scrunch the sleeves of the shirt for textural interest. Add a pair of black sandals, a straw bag, jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired.

Many of my clients and friends wear sleeveless tops and dresses, but all too often the armholes hang too low and wide for their preferences. This is especially true with unstructured sleeveless tops and dresses that are breezy in hot and humid weather. 

Here and some solutions to this particular fit problem.

1. Add A Breezy Sleeved Layer

Adding layers like lightweight gauzy cardigans and shrugs, or very lightweight Summer jackets in cottons, silk, rayon and linens will hide too wide and low sleeveless armholes. Of course, this does not fix the problem when you take off the topper. But for some of my clients and friends this makes little difference because they don’t bare their arms anyway. They wear sleeveless tops because they layer more easily, and keep on the layer.

2. Wear a Decorative Bra

It’s fun to wear a pretty bra thereby making small glimpses of it part of the outfit. For example, you can layer a black bra under a patterned sleeveless top or dress that has black in the print. That way the small parts of bra that are revealed at the armholes become part of the patterned design and top/dress. You can also layer a decorative sports bra under a breezy and wide armholed tank. The sports bra has the added benefit of wicking away perspiration on a hot day.

3. Wear a Decorative Camisole

This option is less popular because wearing a camisole under a sleeveless top or dress can feel overly warm in hot weather. That said, it can work if you don’t run hot, or it’s a comfortable layer in air conditioning. A thin and strappy AIRism camisole from Uniqlo will do the trick because it’s ultra thin, moisture-wicking, and cool to the touch.

4. Alter the Side Seams

Sometimes you can take in part of the side seams of the top and dress to reduce the size of too wide armholes. This type of alteration tends to work well when there is room in the fit of the bust because you’ll narrow some of the bust circumference when you take in the side seams. This is exactly how I’m making the too wide and low armholes on my new sleeveless Boden midi dress fit perfectly.

5. Don’t Worry About It

You’re hot, and wearing a sleeveless top or dress with a regular bra feels the most comfortable. If a bit of non-matching beige bra is visible when you lift, stretch, or swing your arms — it’s just a bit of bra. Chances are low that other people will notice or be bothered by it.

Some of these items have been winners on forum members and clients, who have kept me up-to-date with their recent purchases. Many have great reviews, and some simply caught my eye. Browse the colour options, and catch items on sale if you can.

• Boden Mini Octavia Drawstring Bag: A beautifully made trendy classic that comes in black and red. Smaller than the usual bucket bag so you can't jam too much into it. That's a good thing.
• SWEATY BETTY Ace Racerback Midi Dress: A very easy and super breezy throw-on-and-go athletic dress that is excellent in high heat with a sports bra, or over a bikini top. Fluid and flattering.
• Free People Maya Midi Shirtdress: Beachy Boho Fabness that works on a range of body types. Runs big.
• Boden Elodie Jersey Wrap Top: I LOVED this top and was blown away by the quality and fit. Tight, yet elegant and chic. The sleeves are a work of art. I don't wear V-necks well so back it went, but it was awfully pretty. Fab fabric. Good for longer torsos and Team Tall. It was a little long for me. Comes in assorted patterns.
• DENA Floral Silk Romper Dress: Jumpsuit Dress Fabness. Unique, fun, and a forgiving fit. I'm not quite sure how the layers work in the loo.
• Veronica Beard Addie Paperbag Waist Tapered Jeans: I haven't seen these in person yet, but they look super fun and I've ordered them. I've had a good run with Veronica Beard bottoms, so I'm optimistic about the fit. Apparently they run a little smaller on the waist, and will be hard to hem.
• CeCe Moonlit Dot Tie Cuff Blouse: A fun and flattering blouse that looks best on those who can fill it out with a larger bust and broader shoulder line. No need to semi-tuck the top. Works well on apple-shaped body types.
• Banana Republic Soft Satin Maxi Dress: Easy, flattering, versatile and comes in colours. The empire cut is best on a small or regular size best.
• Karen Kane Tie Dye Burnout Top: Gorgeous fabric and colours, easy fluid fit, suits a range of body types, and is available in plus sizes.
• Cole Haan Grand Crosscourt Flatform Lace-Up Sneaker: Comfortable, trendy, can work on a wider foot, and looks great with dark denim.
• Halogen Stretch Twill Pencil Skirt: A turquoise midi pencil skirt is hard to find, and this one fits the bill. Best on a moderately curvy figure. Might run a size big.
• Mephisto MephistoLissandra: Extremely comfy, well-made, and supportive wedge sandals in lots of colours. A chunky '70s classic.
• FLY London Suze Slide Sandal: Trendy and very cushioning platform slides that work better on a regular and wider foot. Comes in other neutrals. Can be forgiving of bunions.
• FLY London Sena Platform Sandal: An on-trend sporty hybrid sandal that is extremely supportive, comfortable, and can work on a wider foot. Can be forgiving of bunions.
• FLY London Ivot Mule: '90s Fabness, and very comfortable if they fit the shape of your foot and do not slip off. You can add a cushioning insole or foot petal to create a better fit and grip. Comes in neutrals.
• Cinq A Sept Tous Les Jour Giles Jogger Pants: Super cute Summer joggers that you can dress up or down. Forgiving fit that works on a range of body types because the ribbed waistband expands and contracts, and the leg fit is fluid. Works well with an untucked top.
• SCOTCH & SODA Piped Joggers: Silky joggers that look great with a white top and white shoes. Comfortable, forgiving, and Sporty Luxe.
• Vince Paneled Bell Sleeve Popover Blouse: This type of popover blouse looks great on a larger bust and apple shaped body type. The sleeves are a little shorter than the hem, which creates a flattering effect. Easy and covered Summer dressing.
• Lucky Brand Mixed Media Ruffle Top: A fab top for a narrow shoulder line if you like black and ruffles. The sheer sleeves are interesting and awfully pretty. The curved hem adds a nice bit of structure.
• Nic + Zoe Tahiti A-Line Dress: Super cute and simple dropped waist dress for a rectangular body type. Fun back neck detailing.
• J.Crew Eyelet Skirt: A swooshy eyelet skirt with pockets is awfully romantic and Summery. Breezy, pretty and dressy. This skirt is big and has lots of fabric so consider yourself warned. Comes in white and navy. The yellow is on its way to me.
• J.Crew Collection maxi tunic in Ratti stripe: For Team Kaftan because why not! Wear the '70s darling to the beach, by the pool, out and about, or at home.
• J.Jill Flounced Elliptical Knit Dress: A fably comfy and super easy cotton-modal-rayon Summer dress that's flattering in a fluid and flouncy way. Click on the link to see how lovely the silhouette is when the model stands. Available in mint and fuchsia. Might run a size big.
• Anna Beck Medium Teardrop Earrings: Many of my clients enjoy these earrings because they are chunky in the most refined way, super lightweight, and versatile.
• H&M Eyelet Embroidery Skirt: I haven't seen this two-piece eyelet dress in person yet, but it looks gorgeous. The skirt will work on body types with a defined waist, both curvy and straight. You have to really like puffed sleeves to like the top, which is cute with shorts or jeans too.
• PAIGE Sage Midi Tank Dress: AMAZING Summer dress that works well on a straighter and curvier body type with a larger bust. The V-neck is not too low. Armholes have nice coverage. It looks best when you knot one of the side vents in front to create a more interesting effect on the hemline.

You can see the items alongside my descriptions on the collection page.

As the world slowly and cautiously reopens amidst the novel Coronavirus pandemic, many are still working from home, and some may work from home permanently. The new normal means countless digital Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp and FaceTime meetings in front of computer and phone screens with colleagues, clientele, students, services, and whoever else. 

During these digital meetings, you’re visible from the waist up, which might mean taking extra care with dressing and grooming that part of your outfit. That’s the topic I’m throwing around today, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences too.

I’m seldom in Zoom meetings, but our forum members, my clients, friends, and hubs Greg are in digital meetings all day. I’ve picked up some of their tips along the way.

1. Tops and Dresses

Comfort is key so tops and dresses should not be too tight, constricting, or stiff. Casual knits work as well as dressier wovens as long as their appearance is fairly polished. Tops and dresses should look good worn on their own, because toppers like jackets are seldom worn for indoor digital meetings. Cardigans work well over sleeveless tops, but might get hot in Summer. Clients who are uncomfortable baring their arms have added more sleeved tops and dresses to their wardrobes.

Necklines that aren’t too deep or revealing work best, and look professional. Some add a camisole for polish and insulation. Some like to wear patterns and non-neutrals because they look more interesting on camera. Others stick to neutrals and solids because patterns are risky on camera. Some wear patterns and dark neutrals because they are forgiving of perspiration marks.

Hubs Greg sticks to wearing his happy black, blue and grey graphic tees, casual shirts, sweaters, and hoodies. He also wears company logo tees which keep things simple, festive, and uniform. He dresses things up with a nice button-down shirt when he’s in a client or board meeting.

2. Toppers

Cardigans are a casual and comfortable option, and come in handy because you can peel them off as the temperature warms up. Some clients add blazers and jackets to more formal meetings, but that’s rare. Those doing very casual meetings wear hoodies, sweatshirts and athleisure toppers because they are comfortable and easy to launder.

3. Accessories

Interestingly, some accessories are playing a bigger role in digital meetings than I would have I thought. Necklaces, specs, and earrings take centre stage because they add interest to the top part of the outfit. Some are wearing headscarves to tame out of control hair, and looking super cute! Others are wearing caps and beanies to hide bad hair days. Some are wearing fun scarves and shawls over basic tees for visual interest. And some are matching their fun shawls to patterned coffee mugs to make a creative statement.

4. Hair and Make-Up

With hair salons only recently re-opening, most people have simply been coping the best that they can with their hair. Tying it back to keep it out the way or neat has been popular for long hair. Adding barrettes or hairbands, throwing in a bit of wave with a curling iron, or straightening frizzy bits with a flat iron has worked well too. Make-up has been business as usual for some, and toned down for others.

Over to you. How have you adapted or changed the way you dress and groom for work-at-home Zoom meetings and gatherings?