Business Casual in the Summer

I've got an internship at anMBB/other top tier firm for the summer where the dress code is business casual. If it were fall or winter I'd go with wool slacks, button downs, and nice shoes, but I'm buying clothes right now and don't know what to do for the summer. The office isn't in the south but it will be pretty hot nonetheless. Obviously this will vary from office to office but what's the general approach for summer? Are khakis dressy enough? Lightweight wool?

Comments (12)

Mar 24, 2011 - 2:04pm

Buy some silk smoking jackets or a white Scarface suit.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
Mar 24, 2011 - 2:20pm

Polo shirts are fine in the summer, but I'd avoid long sleeve polos - those are never ok.

Mar 24, 2011 - 2:41pm

These guys are entitled to their opinion but I'd never walk into my office (or any other) wearing a polo monday-thursday. Business casual is, in my opinion, the same whether it's hot or cold - dress shirt, slacks, and shoes. Roll the sleeves up if you're outside, but you'll be spending 90% of your time in a max a/c office. You can wear khakis but it's the same middle-management vibe in my opinion.

I've worked on several cases in the South in the summer - your client wears polos, not you. Also, your client enters and leaves when the sun is up; you really only have to worry about dawn.

Mar 24, 2011 - 3:21pm

Yeah, khakis are probably not a good idea for the client site, I've done it before with no problem but some of my colleagues have been chewed out by partners for it. I steer clear of polos in the office, even on our casual fridays.

You're going to be buying clothes before you know your client's dress code, so err on the side of caution.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
  • 1
Mar 24, 2011 - 3:43pm

from a cost perspective, kjnsmit, just buy 4 pairs of all-season slacks from brooks brothers. $400 all in and you won't need to think about pants again for 2-3 years till they wear out. I find summer-weight pants to be fairly pointless, wool is going to make you sweat no matter how thin it is.

Mar 24, 2011 - 8:36pm

.

One of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.
Mar 24, 2011 - 11:44pm

Welp, this has pretty much been resolved... but for what its worth go ahead and throw any khakis in your wardrobe away.

Dark business slacks and nice dress shirts are the standard for business casual. The only real debate should be tie or no tie, jacket or no jacket, and THIS should depend on your client/site/firm's culture.

Either be good, or be good at it.
Mar 25, 2011 - 10:05am

Any recs on where to get summer weight wool pants? Haven't been able to find any on Brooks and the likes. Or better to just but regular wool pants?

Mar 25, 2011 - 11:18am

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