Work-Appropriate Staples in the Heat

Since graduation and starting my full-time job, I have definitely had to make some wardrobe adjustments. Luckily, my office is pretty casual and I can wear jeans whenever I want, but in the summer in NC, that does me absolutely no good. I am constantly stuck in a limbo between how hot it is outside (especially with the heat wave of the last week) and how ridiculously cold it is in my office. Just walking to and from my car before and after work makes me break a sweat, but without fail, I will need a sweater at most 30 minutes after I get to my desk. I am the kind of person who likes to be prepared for everything, so getting ready for work in the morning is quite the routine of preparing for the possibilities of the entire day. Here are a few of the staples that I have relied heavily on this summer (and will continue to rely on through the rest of this ridiculous heat... which could run through September).

Dresses
I love dresses. How can you beat having an entire outfit in one piece (minus accessories, of course)? They are easy and tend to breathe really well in the blistering heat. Add a Cardigan and you can make almost any dress look appropriate for work. Emphasis on almost.

Basic Lightweight Pants
Before I started working full-time, I honestly didn't own a pair of casual pants that weren't jeans. I had dress pants, but nothing that was really summer appropriate (or that I don't have to wear heels with... bleghh). So I was on the hunt for some simple, straight-legged, ankle-length pants and I found the perfect pair at the J.Crew Factory Store. Subsequently I bought them in khaki, white, and navy. I also have a pair of the J.Crew Oxford Scout Chino, but honestly, I like my factory store ones better.

Cardigans
I don't know if it's possible to own too many cardigans. I basically bring a cardigan with me to work every day because I know I'm going to get cold (I'm freezing right now because I made the mistake of thinking the dress I am wearing wouldn't look good with a cardigan over it. Stupid, stupid, stupid.). My favorite are the J.Crew Jackie cardigans that JMC's mom has so generously showered me with over the past couple years. I'm a lucky, lucky girl.

Basic Tees
V-necks are my favorite, but that's just because I'm bigger on top and crew-necks tend to make me look like I have a uniboob. You can NEVER have enough t-shirts. I buy new white t-shirts more often than I buy toothpaste.

In other news, I can't wait for fall.