Welcome back to Sarah, Lately, where our Founder & CEO answers our readers’ questions. Want to submit yours? Email us at [email protected] with your question.

I am going on my company’s summer retreat. It’s a two-night, three day affair that’s a bit of business but mostly socializing. It’s my first year attending. What do I bring and what should I wear? And most importantly, dare I bring a bathing suit?

At times, it feels like corporate retreats were invented by the patriarchy solely to make women waste their time and brainpower debating what to pack.

At my first summer retreat—a sweltering affair on the Chesapeake Bay when I was a wee twenty-four-year-old management consultant—I agonized over whether shorts were appropriate to wear in front of my many senior, very male partners, especially since I would be presenting to the entire office.

(The answer is yes, shorts are appropriate at a retreat. No, they are not appropriate when you’re on stage presenting. And no, I cannot tell you exactly how short is too short. Please refer back to my first sentence.)

Thanks for reading The M Dash by M.M.LaFleur. Subscribe for career guidance, styling, advice, and more.

Subscribed

Jeans are usually too hot for summer retreats, especially if outdoor activities are involved. So what’s a well-respected professional woman to do when she’s expected to discuss the finer points of a business contract over BBQ ribs while also “letting her hair down” in 85-degree weather?

There is only one answer: a midi-length summer dress.

After nearly two decades of experimentation, I can confidently say that the most fail-safe outfit formula for a summer retreat is a cotton or linen midi dress. I personally prefer cotton poplin because the wrinkles tend to look more intentional, but either works.

The Vita dress was created for exactly this purpose. Pair it with a jacket, and it works back at the office, too. (Also see: the Junia Parisian Dress and the Theodora Aperitivo Dress.) And don’t forget a cardigan—Banquette Hall C will inevitably have the air conditioning set to 58 degrees.

What I would not wear to a corporate retreat: tank tops, halter tops, slogan T-shirts (even the funny ones), mini skirts, short shorts, or denim shorts. Call me conservative, but it’s not the place to take fashion risks. Save those instincts for your dealmaking.

If you must wear athletic clothing, don’t mistake a sports bra for a top, and don’t wear short yoga shorts. I can hear Gen Z collectively booing as I write this, but trust me, no one needs to see your camel toe on a corporate retreat.

For footwear: ditch the flip flops, and bring a nice pair of flat, polished sandals. If possible, do a little reconnaissance and find out whether you’ll be standing on grass, gravel, or stone. If so, skip the kitten heels and stilettos–you don’t want to be sinking into the ground mid-conversation. Wedges are nice, but they’re not necessary, especially if they make you wobbly. Remember, the patriarchy is also testing to see if you can run down a field of grass while balancing a plate of BBQ, a warm White Claw, and your professional reputation.

For cocktail hour and dinner, change your outfit and dress up a bit. I know some people simply continue wearing what they had on all day, but I find the idea of eating dinner in the same outfit in which I performed trust falls mildly repulsive.

The evening is a great moment for a statement dress (see: the Carla Femme Power Dress, the Zita Dress, or the Vita Soirée Dress in Painterly Petal. I’m also a fan of La Double J’s silk print dresses).

Whatever you do, do not forget to accessorize. Summer does not mean no jewelry! A pair of statement earrings (my current favorite is the Reese earring) or a beautiful necklace–or both!--will take your outfit from “I threw this on” to “managing director material.”

Finally, the perennial question: should you bring a bathing suit?

Yes. Bring it.

Just make it a one-piece, and pack a proper cover-up.

My friend Melanie Travis founded Andie after wrestling with the corporate-retreat-swimwear dilemma herself, and I highly recommend the Amalfi. It offers just the right amount of coverage without veering into 1950s territory. I’m also a fan of Hunza G; it’s hard to argue with a one-size-fits-all suit and a crinkle fabric that forgives almost everything.

For cover-ups, I love Natalie Martin’s Isobel and Paulina caftans. In fact, I wear them as dresses on actual vacations.

As retreat season approaches, may the force be with all professional women. And never forget: you’re still at work, even if they try to convince you otherwise.

Thanks for reading The M Dash by M.M.LaFleur. Subscribe for career guidance, styling, advice, and more.

Subscribed