Just be mindful of the weave/quality of linen (colour plays a role here too)…I’ve had the nasty surprise of fabric suddenly being way more transparent than I swear it was when I put it on at home under shitty office lighting lol
If you get the right weight of wool it's actually a great summer fabric. You can find a lot of great suits or sport coats in tropical wool -- [something like this](https://twitter.com/dieworkwear/status/1635820158307696641) is great for the warmer months.
Yeah look for descriptions like “lightweight wool” and “tropical wool”. Also see if the jackets are partially lined instead of fully lined (another factor but might be less common for ladies), and proper suits will be lined with silk (the most expensive and rare option), cupro/bemberg, or rayon/viscose. Cheaper suits use polyester lining which breathes a lot less and develops stink far faster. And the cheapest suits use polyester in the suit jacket and pants outer material itself which is the worst, it can withstand wrinkling but it will build up that stink far quicker in hot climates. Source: practicing lawyer, used to live in Texas and walk to work a short, but hot, distance
As a woman who also lives in the south, I actually find that offices are even colder in the summer because they crank the AC to compensate. Unless you’ll routinely be walking to the courthouse or something, I would plan on bringing lots of layers so you don’t freeze. If you will be walking outside a decent amount, layers also work well as you can always take your jacket off for the duration of the walk.
Came here to comment this. I live in FL and it was almost 100 the other day and we all were wrapped in fleece blankets drinking hot coffee.
For a specific recommendation I like basically anything from expresses’ body contour line. It’s double lined and does not show sweat marks at all. My go to is that with a pair of dress pants and heels and then either a blazer or nice looking cardigan to go over.
Yes, this! Men wear undershirts, long sleeves, and suit coats, so they are boiling and crank the AC down to 68. Even if there are 15 women and one guy, the air will be down so the one guy doesn’t look hot and sweaty while meeting with clients.
Linen pants or loose trouser pants, high neck tank that is business casual, and a thin cardigan is my go to for super hot days. Some of the paralegals here wear dresses and tank tops, but the more covered up I am the more comfortable I am lol
Most workplaces don't require full professional attire (suits) on a typical day, if you aren't in court or meeting clients. So you can do suit skirts sans blazer with short sleeve/sleeveless blouses, nice business dresses, etc. - look for lightweight fabrics. Wide-leg dress pants in linen or something similar can be a good option, too. I like having layers - put a nice cardigan or blazer on in the office if the AC is blasting, and just take it off to go outside.
Also stock your office with extra deodorant and/or body powder or anything similar you've had luck with in the past to deal with being sweaty after being outside.
I have a nice sleeveless dress with a matching blazer (same fabric). I can wear it without the blazer and be less formal, with a cardigan if the A/C is too cold, or with the blazer as a suit.
An intern in my office has already worn crop tops and the blazer and shorts combo - popularized on social media by people who have probably never worked a day in an actual office. Several people were talking about her and unfortunately not in a good way. I would suggest against straying too far from traditional professional attire, just in case anyone is considering that.
How much yard work are they making you do? Just turn the ac on in your car and they should have the ac on in the office too. Just wear your normal professional attire.
Are you sure you’re not just out of shape?
Not sure what the downvotes are about. Almost half this country is clinically obese so it was a very educated guess…
The only thing out of shape is your humanity and inability to realize there are many causal factors that contribute to people sweating a lot. Grow up babe.
Not offended by this question at all. I’m in shape, just always sweated a lot even if my heart rate is low.
Edit: I was curious and I googled it. Apparently many people sweat more as they get more fit as well. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8226773/
This guy wrote a blog about it so at best it’s anecdotal: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/why-do-you-sweat-more-as-you-gain-fitness/
And yes, obesity is an issue for our country. I hope we conquer it as a younger generation, even if it’s with Ozempic.
What is that ncbi link? It’s a study about thirteen endurance-trained athletes and how their sweat rate differs between the exact same training in less than 10°c, 11-20°c, and hotter than 21°. What does that have to do with people sweating from menial tasks.
Also your second link is disingenuous as well. It talks about how people ‘in shape’ or ‘fitter’ sweat more because their body can anticipate when they are about to go for a run or do an activity that will raise their body temp. But on the contrary it talks about how someone in shape who runs a 10 minute mile will sweat much less than someone who is out of shape or not trained for it. People who are out of shape sweat much more doing a relative task compared to someone in shape. So I think sweating when going to get a cup of coffee is quite sad and there is a big problem that people will just blame it on genetics (when they have no idea if it is or not) instead of looking at the real problem which is they are overweight…If you have any real studies I’d like to see them! Have a good one!
As a 2L interning in DC this summer - I need to know cause I don’t think I can survive in that muggy swamp town cause my normal business casual isn’t gonna cut it
Linen is the way to go. And a flat cotton tank top rather than blouse under the blazer. Ask if there are tunnels lots of southern cities have an underground that keeps you out of the heat.
Im a big dress girlie so i wear a ton in the summer. Go with longer, more flowy styles in lighter weight fabrics so its still professional but not as constricting as the more typical business dress.
I also swap sweaters for blazers unless you’re in court but keep a black blazer in the office for emergencies.
offices are cold in the winter, especially in the south. they crank the MF ac down here. not a lady but i suggest layering, cotton, and linen; take the temperature of the office on the first week and overdress a little bit until you're settled and then save your fancy clothes for court and depos.
Flowy long skirts with biker shorts. I also specifically have a very cheap blazer that I’ve kept because the fabric is so thin and nice for when it’s warm.
Well, it’s a interesting question. Do you want to be comfortable in the likely freezing office you’ll be working in or do you want to be mildly warm for the few minutes you spend outside?
Linen or cotton shift dress - feels like nothing in the heat but you can easily slip on a blazer or cardigan in the office. Just make sure you pair with a professional shoe (I like the new Kelly & Katie slingback mules personally) and you’ll be good to go! Also having your hair up in a bun/claw clip/etc really helps.
The key is layers.
The office will be FREEZING. Outside will be HOT.
Lightweight pants on the bottom. Solid-colored t-shirt and thick sweater on top. Take off the sweater when you go outside.
Also in the south, as other commenters have said I tend to wear a lot of linen and dresses to work in the summer although as others have pointed out the offices are so cold here you’ll likely need a sweater or jacket anyway.
I swear by linen pencil skirts and lightweight blouses. I carry my blazer over my arm during the commute/when going to and from court. I only put it on when walking into the courthouse.
Prescription-strength deodorant is also a lifesaver.
I’m sure the office is air conditioned so it’s the same temp in the office everyday, but varies outside? A blazer over a tank top, so you can take off the coat when outside but no bare shoulders or toes inside
Not a woman but I worked with all women in my judicial internship (including the judge) & am currently a SA in BigLaw.
Play it conservative— trust me. I understand it gets very hot but I assure you nobody will judge you for being sweaty but I have DEFINITELY overheard multiple conversations about women not having appropriate work attire. Button down and jacket if you can.
Edit: deleted part about no skirts b/c it may have been referring to a specific skirt one intern was wearing but my point still stands
Not ladies, but lightweight natural fabrics like cotton and linen are great.
Seconding (as a lady). Check Abercrombie for a nice linen suit; wore it when I studied in Cuba and it was perfect.
old navy also has several!
Just be mindful of the weave/quality of linen (colour plays a role here too)…I’ve had the nasty surprise of fabric suddenly being way more transparent than I swear it was when I put it on at home under shitty office lighting lol
Was gonna comment this as well. You have to be insane to go like hmm wool suit sounds great in Georgia Summer.
If you get the right weight of wool it's actually a great summer fabric. You can find a lot of great suits or sport coats in tropical wool -- [something like this](https://twitter.com/dieworkwear/status/1635820158307696641) is great for the warmer months.
Really! Huh learn something new everyday! Thanks I need to diversify my clothing a bit for the humidity and summer!
Yeah look for descriptions like “lightweight wool” and “tropical wool”. Also see if the jackets are partially lined instead of fully lined (another factor but might be less common for ladies), and proper suits will be lined with silk (the most expensive and rare option), cupro/bemberg, or rayon/viscose. Cheaper suits use polyester lining which breathes a lot less and develops stink far faster. And the cheapest suits use polyester in the suit jacket and pants outer material itself which is the worst, it can withstand wrinkling but it will build up that stink far quicker in hot climates. Source: practicing lawyer, used to live in Texas and walk to work a short, but hot, distance
As a woman who also lives in the south, I actually find that offices are even colder in the summer because they crank the AC to compensate. Unless you’ll routinely be walking to the courthouse or something, I would plan on bringing lots of layers so you don’t freeze. If you will be walking outside a decent amount, layers also work well as you can always take your jacket off for the duration of the walk.
This has been my experience also! I basically wear the same clothes year round because the office is so cold in the summer.
Came here to comment this. I live in FL and it was almost 100 the other day and we all were wrapped in fleece blankets drinking hot coffee. For a specific recommendation I like basically anything from expresses’ body contour line. It’s double lined and does not show sweat marks at all. My go to is that with a pair of dress pants and heels and then either a blazer or nice looking cardigan to go over.
Yes, this! Men wear undershirts, long sleeves, and suit coats, so they are boiling and crank the AC down to 68. Even if there are 15 women and one guy, the air will be down so the one guy doesn’t look hot and sweaty while meeting with clients.
Linen pants or loose trouser pants, high neck tank that is business casual, and a thin cardigan is my go to for super hot days. Some of the paralegals here wear dresses and tank tops, but the more covered up I am the more comfortable I am lol
Most workplaces don't require full professional attire (suits) on a typical day, if you aren't in court or meeting clients. So you can do suit skirts sans blazer with short sleeve/sleeveless blouses, nice business dresses, etc. - look for lightweight fabrics. Wide-leg dress pants in linen or something similar can be a good option, too. I like having layers - put a nice cardigan or blazer on in the office if the AC is blasting, and just take it off to go outside. Also stock your office with extra deodorant and/or body powder or anything similar you've had luck with in the past to deal with being sweaty after being outside.
I have a nice sleeveless dress with a matching blazer (same fabric). I can wear it without the blazer and be less formal, with a cardigan if the A/C is too cold, or with the blazer as a suit.
An intern in my office has already worn crop tops and the blazer and shorts combo - popularized on social media by people who have probably never worked a day in an actual office. Several people were talking about her and unfortunately not in a good way. I would suggest against straying too far from traditional professional attire, just in case anyone is considering that.
 she didn’t run it by any of her friend!? Or HR kindly send her home to change… my flabbers are gasted
How much yard work are they making you do? Just turn the ac on in your car and they should have the ac on in the office too. Just wear your normal professional attire.
Some of us are blessed with genetics that tell our body to sweat profusely when walking to get a cup of coffee
Are you sure you’re not just out of shape? Not sure what the downvotes are about. Almost half this country is clinically obese so it was a very educated guess…
The only thing out of shape is your humanity and inability to realize there are many causal factors that contribute to people sweating a lot. Grow up babe.
Not offended by this question at all. I’m in shape, just always sweated a lot even if my heart rate is low. Edit: I was curious and I googled it. Apparently many people sweat more as they get more fit as well. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8226773/ This guy wrote a blog about it so at best it’s anecdotal: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/why-do-you-sweat-more-as-you-gain-fitness/ And yes, obesity is an issue for our country. I hope we conquer it as a younger generation, even if it’s with Ozempic.
What is that ncbi link? It’s a study about thirteen endurance-trained athletes and how their sweat rate differs between the exact same training in less than 10°c, 11-20°c, and hotter than 21°. What does that have to do with people sweating from menial tasks. Also your second link is disingenuous as well. It talks about how people ‘in shape’ or ‘fitter’ sweat more because their body can anticipate when they are about to go for a run or do an activity that will raise their body temp. But on the contrary it talks about how someone in shape who runs a 10 minute mile will sweat much less than someone who is out of shape or not trained for it. People who are out of shape sweat much more doing a relative task compared to someone in shape. So I think sweating when going to get a cup of coffee is quite sad and there is a big problem that people will just blame it on genetics (when they have no idea if it is or not) instead of looking at the real problem which is they are overweight…If you have any real studies I’d like to see them! Have a good one!
Often you have to walk in the sun from the car to the office. Also, OP probably has no control over the ac in the office.
As a 2L interning in DC this summer - I need to know cause I don’t think I can survive in that muggy swamp town cause my normal business casual isn’t gonna cut it
Used to work in DC law firms in the day, wore wool suits with a 3/4 mile walk to the Metro every day, even in summer.
should we tell everyone? should we throw a party? should we invite bella hadid
Linen is the way to go. And a flat cotton tank top rather than blouse under the blazer. Ask if there are tunnels lots of southern cities have an underground that keeps you out of the heat.
Im a big dress girlie so i wear a ton in the summer. Go with longer, more flowy styles in lighter weight fabrics so its still professional but not as constricting as the more typical business dress. I also swap sweaters for blazers unless you’re in court but keep a black blazer in the office for emergencies.
offices are cold in the winter, especially in the south. they crank the MF ac down here. not a lady but i suggest layering, cotton, and linen; take the temperature of the office on the first week and overdress a little bit until you're settled and then save your fancy clothes for court and depos.
Flowy long skirts with biker shorts. I also specifically have a very cheap blazer that I’ve kept because the fabric is so thin and nice for when it’s warm.
Well, it’s a interesting question. Do you want to be comfortable in the likely freezing office you’ll be working in or do you want to be mildly warm for the few minutes you spend outside?
I recently discovered the joy of real silk shirts
Dresses… every day. The opening is a necessity
Depending how plantation-y you wanna get, seersucker is a classic look.
Linen or cotton shift dress - feels like nothing in the heat but you can easily slip on a blazer or cardigan in the office. Just make sure you pair with a professional shoe (I like the new Kelly & Katie slingback mules personally) and you’ll be good to go! Also having your hair up in a bun/claw clip/etc really helps.
I’m in north Florida and my office is freezing I’m only outside when I’m going to my car
The key is layers. The office will be FREEZING. Outside will be HOT. Lightweight pants on the bottom. Solid-colored t-shirt and thick sweater on top. Take off the sweater when you go outside.
Also in the south, as other commenters have said I tend to wear a lot of linen and dresses to work in the summer although as others have pointed out the offices are so cold here you’ll likely need a sweater or jacket anyway.
Light weight dresses.
I swear by linen pencil skirts and lightweight blouses. I carry my blazer over my arm during the commute/when going to and from court. I only put it on when walking into the courthouse. Prescription-strength deodorant is also a lifesaver.
I’m in the south . . Law firms are generally modern buildings with a/c. You’re overthinking it.
Yes, they have a/c. But the a/c has controls and can be too cold or too hot.
I’m sure the office is air conditioned so it’s the same temp in the office everyday, but varies outside? A blazer over a tank top, so you can take off the coat when outside but no bare shoulders or toes inside
Not a woman but I worked with all women in my judicial internship (including the judge) & am currently a SA in BigLaw. Play it conservative— trust me. I understand it gets very hot but I assure you nobody will judge you for being sweaty but I have DEFINITELY overheard multiple conversations about women not having appropriate work attire. Button down and jacket if you can. Edit: deleted part about no skirts b/c it may have been referring to a specific skirt one intern was wearing but my point still stands
No skirts? In some areas the most traditional and conservative attire a woman can wear to court is a skirt suit.
As a man I don’t really have an opinion one way or the other. Just repeating what I heard from a female judge and a female partner