Looking Cool in the Hot Weather: What to Wear for Work and Play

By Amanda Mayo
Standard Staff Reporter

Lucca Couture Sophia Hi-Lo Dress from Mixology. Photo courtesy of Mixology.

The summer season is officially here and fashionable Five Towners have been out and about wearing the latest trends of the season. Bright colors reign supreme for beach apparel, nighttime clothing and even office wear. Local store displays are in full summer swing with everything that is needed to stay fashionably cool this summer from lightweight, airy shirts to men’s bathing suit trunks to the perfect straw hat to block off hot waves from the sun.

Office Wear

Schools will soon be out and pools are open for fun-in-the-sun playtime, but work still needs to be done in the office while the kids are off at camp. Out goes the stuffy business attire and in comes lightweight linens in brights and whites. “Whites are really big for the season,” Jennifer Michel, sales associate at Banana Republic in Cedarhurst, said. To maintain that professional look during the summertime, linen pants and blazers are perfect for a cool and polished look. Blazers made of linen and lightweight cotton are available at Banana Republic from $150 and airy office pants start at $89.50.

Whites are popular for the summer in office wear. Photo courtesy of Banana Republic.

Michel said that, along with whites and khakis, full-color outfits are entirely appropriate for a business-chic look. Every summer, the clothing trends seem to get brighter and brighter, and this year flashy yellows and corals lead a pack of eye-popping color trends in fashion. Structured dresses are always an office must and can be found at Banana Republic in bright reds, hot pinks, corals and multi-colored patterns. Dresses range from $69.50 to $250.

Kendra Howard, sales associate at Rainbow in Lawrence, said a lot of customers were buying versatile brightly colored blazers. These necessary wardrobe pieces can be worn day or night, to the office or out on the town. Rainbow has a huge selection of blazers in a wide array of colors from neon pink to blue-and-white sailor stripe to corals, yellows and whites. Blazers at Rainbow range from $19.99 to $29.99 and the lightweight material will make them a wardrobe staple all summer long.

Banana Republic is located at 431 Central Avenue in Cedarhurst. (516) 569-7720. www.bananarepublic.gap.com.

Rainbow is located at 345 Rockaway Turnpike in Lawrence. (516) 239-2346. www.rainbowshops.com.

Bathing Suits

Bathing suits are always a staple of any wardrobe, and the bright colors are taking over in this fashion category as well. Florescent pinks and yellows are found in one and two-piece suits, along with bright patterns and floral prints. “Patterns and leopard prints are also in,” Nalini Gobin, assistant manager of XSRE in Lawrence, said. The store sells two-piece swimwear in bright and neon colors from $19.95 for tops and bottoms (they are sold separately). One-piece suits are also always popular, Gobin said, and the store has plenty of fashionable pieces with cutout backs in bright solids and bright patterns. One-piece swimsuits start at $19.95.

Loehmann’s in Hewlett also sells a large variety of discounted designer swimwear and boasts prices at 30 to 65 percent off.  Animal prints are popular from brands like Michael Kors and Loehmann’s has these pieces ranging from $59.99 to $159.99. Cutout one-piece suits are also popular here, with cuts in the back, front and on the sides. Juicy Couture bathing suits are on sale at Loehmann’s from $44.99 to $99.99. Swimsuits from this girly brand come in bright colors and patterns with ruffles at the bottom.

Beachwear is certainly not complete without cover-ups that can be worn on or off the beach. Gobin said sheer beach cover-ups in long lengths are very big right now, and XSRE has plenty for sale complete with embellishments starting at $19.95. Loehmann’s also has a large variety of beach cover-ups starting at $15.99. These designer pieces come in animal prints, bright colors and casual whites with gems, jewels, crystals and beads.

XSRE is located at 345 Rockaway Turnpike #7 in Lawrence. (718) 327-2004. www.xsre.com.

Loehmann’s is located at 1296 Broadway in Hewlett. (516) 374-5195. www.loehmanns.com.

Day or Evening Wear

Cutoff shorts in bright colors from Mixology. Photo courtesy of Mixology.

Summer styles this year can be worn day or night, in flowing dresses, brightly colored shorts and lacey tops. Rene Shapiro, owner of Mixology in Hewlett, said anything with color is in. “It’s all about color – neons, pastels, any color,” she said. Shorts are always a summer staple and Shapiro said colored jean shorts and hi-waisted shorts are what’s popular right now. Hi-waisted color cutoff shorts are $46.50 and come in a variety of bright colors like sea green, sunny yellow and coral.

“A lot of feminine, flow-y skirts and dresses are also in,” Shapiro said. She noted that high-low skirts are really popular right now – skirts that are short in the front and longer in the back. Pleats, neons, florals and lace are popular and skirts start around $30 at the store. “Whites are also always in for the summer,” Shapiro said.

Eitan Shoshan, owner of Orly in Cedarhurst, also said he has been selling a lot of colorful summer clothes. Corals, blues and greens are all the rage as are maxi skirts and dresses. Shoshan said he has seen a lot of striped clothing this season and lightweight flow-y tops. Orly has a wide range of clothing including high-end designers in France. A bright orange maxi-dress by French company Cottonade Valentine is for sale for $450 and another French company, SunLight Paris, has long, flowing maxi-dresses in bright colors from $200. Orly also sells clothing on the lower end, like brightly colored spandex skirts that start at $20 and lightweight sheer tops in pastel greens, blues and pinks starting at $29.99.

Mixology is located at 1199 Broadway in Hewlett. (516) 569-2800. www.shopmixology.com.

Orly is located at 439 Central Avenue in Cedarhurst. (516) 295-8751.

Men’s Clothing

Men’s office wear, much like women’s, is filled with lightweight materials and bright colors. Banana Republic in Cedarhurst carries cool summer clothing for the well-polished business professional. Blazers run from $150 to $325 and come in lightweight linens and cottons in whites, khakis and blues. Pair these stylish blazers with airy collared shirts in plaids and stripes for a professionally cool look. Collared button-down shirts start around $40 and come in colorful patterns with greens, blues and yellows intertwined.

Another necessity for men this summer is, of course, the bathing suit trunk in a wide range of colors. Warren Robbins, buyer at Morton’s in Cedarhurst, said that men are buying board shorts over bathing suits now, which fit more comfortably without a

Billabong board shorts available at Morton’s. Photo courtesy of Billabong.

traditional bathing suit’s elastic waist and mesh liner. Board shorts from surf companies like Hurley, Quicksilver and Billabong start around $45 and come in solids, colors and patterns. “Prints are big this year, but not the really busy patterns,” Robbins said. “Bright colors and fluorescents are huge and board shorts are definitely going a little shorter than previous years.”

Robbins said lightweight v-neck t-shirts are huge and Morton’s carries them in really soft materials. Polos are still really big, as are plaid shorts and regular khakis. “Cargo shorts aren’t as popular anymore,” he said. Shorts at Morton’s range from $40 to $80 and soft t-shirts in bright yellows, pinks and turquoise blue start around $20. Robbins said a lot of striped patterns are big, but other printed patterns not so much. “Things are a little more cleaner in bright colors,” he said.

Morton’s Army & Navy Store is located at 533 Central Avenue in Cedarhurst. (516) 569-6366.