Is it okay to wear shorts to the office? How to get a professional look | Canada Voices

Workplace dress codes vary, and shorts in the office can be controversial, depending on who you ask. Naysayers don’t consider them a refined choice for professional settings. Still, for many of us a tailored pair of shorts can be a great wardrobe essential for warm summer days – it’s just a matter of finding a work-appropriate pair in a fabric and fit that feel right for you.

Arie Assaraf, co-founder of Toronto-based fashion retailer TNT, suggests that men look for versatile styles that can be worn with either loafers or sneakers, and in a colour that will work with multiple tops in their work wardrobe. At TNT, the men’s shorts selection is currently focused on neutral colours such as white, taupe, khaki and dark brown, as well as some shades of blue. Cotton and linen pairs that are garment-dyed can read as dressier for work because they typically come in more muted colours and have a softer hand feel, says Assaraf.

In terms of silhouettes, fashion stylist Matthew Chow says that longer shorts – those hitting beneath the knee – that are “a little bit flared” are trending for men this summer. With these roomier styles, you would want to wear dress shirts untucked or opt for shorter jackets and tops. “You have to balance the proportions a little bit,” says Chow.

For women, Bermuda-style shorts – in both slim-cut and wide-leg iterations – are having a fashion moment. Chow suggests wearing them with a matching vest or an oversized blazer to the office and, if you can, a heel.

“A sandal is really nice, and then depending on your comfort level, you can always add a little kitten heel, a slide, something like that, that adds a little bit of height,” says Chow. “Because you’re doing this quite long short that covers a lot of the leg [you want to] balance that with a little bit of height.”

Six buys to try

In the men’s section

In the women’s section