Summer Workwear

What’s Missing from Your Summer Work Outfit?
Seven tips for choosing the best workwear for the hottest months.

As the seasonal transition between the variable spring weather and the summer heat becomes increasingly rapid and sudden each year, you might find yourself caught off guard by unexpectedly high temperatures, stifling humidity, and workdays where the sun beats down relentlessly for many hours. We call it “the beautiful season”; it’s perfect for vacations and leisure time, but summer also brings extreme weather conditions. Especially for those working outdoors or in non-climate-controlled environments, adapting your workwear to the challenges of the hottest months is as crucial as being well-equipped for rain, snow, and cold in winter.

If you’re thinking of refreshing your summer work outfit, remember not to assume that all “lightweight” clothes are comfortable at 35°C. Go through your wardrobe and check out our dedicated summer workwear checklist.

1. Do you have one or more 100% organic cotton t-shirts?
When it’s hot, it’s tempting to think that any “thin” shirt, perhaps in synthetic or blended fabric, is a cool and functional choice for work. However, neglecting the quality of the material we wear against our skin is counterproductive, both for our comfort during work and for the durability of the garment itself. A high-quality organic cotton t-shirt is light and breathable, yet robust. The natural fiber gives structure to the fabric, improving the fit of the t-shirt, its ability to move with you, and, not least, its resistance to machine washing (following the label instructions), which becomes more frequent in the heat. Whether printed like the Graphic Organic T-shirt models or in solid colors like the MC Atony Organic T-shirt, Diadora Utility’s organic cotton t-shirts are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, a mark that attests not only to the natural origin of the raw material but also that all production stages have met stringent environmental and social criteria.

2. Do you have a pair of work shorts?
If your job’s safety regulations do not specifically require full leg coverage, work shorts are an excellent alternative for working under the sun in summer or in very hot places. Light and comfortable, short work pants are no less practical and spacious than classic cargo work pants. The Easy Work Light Bermuda shorts come with a tape measure holder, hammer loop, and a large side pocket made of wear-resistant material for carrying tools. If you particularly need to keep tools, documents, or personal items handy, you can opt for cargo shorts like the Wonder Bermuda. Denim shorts, like all work jeans, withstand frequent washing well: refer to the label instructions for jeans care, so that washing doesn’t ruin but rather enhances the stone-washed effect of the fabric.

3. Do you have a pair of summer work pants?
If, to protect yourself from sun exposure or for other safety or practical reasons, you prefer not to wear shorts, consider replacing your all-season work pants with a summer version during the hottest months. If you love wearing work jeans, there are Light versions in lightweight denim of the popular Pant Stone models, available in both cargo and six-pocket versions. If you need work pants with knee pads, the Rock Light Perf Cotton Pant is the summer version in 100% cotton of a classic work pant, rich in details that enhance performance.

4. Do you have light-colored work clothes?
If your wardrobe is full of black, dark blue, and charcoal gray, you might want to add white or heather gray t-shirts and beige work pants for the summer months. Light colors reflect sunlight, heat up less, and, when used with good sun protection, make long sun exposures more bearable, reducing the perception of heat compared to wearing black or very dark clothes, which tend to heat up more.

5. Do you have a summer work jacket?
Not everyone can work in shorts and a t-shirt. If your work uniform requires a jacket even in summer, as we mentioned in point 3 regarding pants, all-season work jackets, no matter how light and breathable, are not always truly comfortable in the hottest months. Available in a light optic white variant, the WW JKT Easywork Light is a practical multi-pocket work jacket with a badge holder and reflective details, made from a cool cotton and polyester twill.

6. Do you have a cap?
If you spend a lot of time outdoors for work, under direct sunlight, wearing a baseball cap with a visor helps protect your head from the heat and your eyes from the sun’s glare.

7. Do you have breathable summer socks?
Under your work shoes, don’t wear just any lightweight socks, but ones designed to contribute, in their small way, to the health and safety of your feet during work. Ghost Socks are low summer work socks made of breathable Coolmax® fabric, made particularly durable by the presence of Kevlar® fiber in the composition, without sacrificing lightness.