You would have to have been on another planet – or at the very least in another country – to have not noticed the fact we’re all a bit hot and bothered at the moment. Heatwave fashion is trending and in-office dressing has been proving quite the problem.

We’re just not used to heat like this and many of us just don’t have the wardrobe options available to cater for more than two really hot days. For most Brits, summer is about cardigans and Wingz just in case it’s a bit chilly, and summer clothes only come out on rare occasions or abroad.

If you’ve been caught out by the heatwave – here are a few handy tips to dressing for work next week (yes, we’re getting more of the same according to the Met Office)

The way to style out the heatwave is using a few key pieces and wearing them well.

Start at the bottom with heatwave fashion

Remember that when you heat up, it’s your head and your feet that the built-up warmth will escape from, so ‘dress from the feet up’. That means wearing shoes that let the heat out – strappy sandals, canvas espadrilles and anything that lets your feet breathe a bit.

Don’t, whatever you do, decide to try out your new shoes in the office on the hottest day of the year, especially if they are still at that ‘snug’ stage. If they are a bit tight when you arrive for work, you’ll be wanting to cut your feet off by lunchtime, and by the time you go home you might have to be cut out of them.

Even well-worn shoes can be a bit icky after a while – as your feet warm up, the resulting sweat leads to extra friction and horrible blisters. If you get caught out, invest in some Savlon antiseptic spray plaster and spray it all over your feet, and/or rub Vaseline onto the backs of your shoes and any straps where they are rubbing.

Choose heatwave fashion colours and fabrics carefully

It’s too hot for even multiple applications of anti-perspirant to keep sweat patches completely at bay so just do your best and go for damage limitation by dressing in colours that don’t highlight sweat patches. Grey marl is an obvious offender, as are pale colours and pastel hues. Try wearing a bright print to disguise any rogue patches.

Loose cotton, or a mix of cotton and linen can work well in high temperatures as the natural fabrics help to keep you nice and cool. If you invest in some good quality tees, you can get away with wearing a t-shirt to the office without looking too casual. You’ll also look and feel cool in fine cotton, jersey or linen. It’s best to avoid anything clingy or in a synthetic fabric as you’ll overheat. If your office has a casual dress code and jeans are acceptable, it’s probably time to ditch the skinny jeans for wide legged cropped jeans to avoid getting sweaty.

Wingz are a great option for summer heatwave fashion  – our gorgeous chiffon, sexy lace and cool cotton Wingz will keep your arms covered in the office if you need to (and they come in handy for those office building air-con moments when it’s Arctic freezing in the office but roasting when you step out for lunch too.)

How do you keep cool in the heat at work?