
That impeccable sense of style? You’ve been fine tuning it for years, but let’s be real — finding your sartorial groove isn’t all the result of trial and error. We like to think there’s such a thing as good style genes — and they don’t just come from Mom’s side of the family. When it comes to vestiary matters, Dad knows what’s up, and some of your most prized pieces just might have come from his closet (borrowed, of course) — button-down shirts, oversized sweaters, utility jackets and vintage t-shirts. And that’s just for starters. Your appreciation for fine-tailored clothes and the magic of the perfect blazer just might be the result of his influence too. By now you’ve mastered the art of boy-meets-girl dressing for the colder months, but the onset of summer doesn’t have to mean swapping out your androgynous threads for frilly frocks and feminine tops that are so not you. These 21 RN summer style essentials are ready to take on the heat in a totally Dad-approved fashion.
1. COS Shirt Dress With Waist Tie ($99): When your everyday button-down starts to feel borderline blasé, whip out this tie-front number for a mogul-in-the-making look that gets it right every time. Team it with flatform Oxfords and an oversized watch for on-the-job #OOTD perfection.
2. Whistles Sleeveless Tailored Jacket ($320): With sizzlin’ temps in the forecast, a tried-and-true blazer is totally out of the question (hot and sweaty isn’t exactly the look you’re going for). Swap out your go-to topper for a sleeveless version that will keep you calm, cool and collected during your commute and at your cubicle.
3. Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn Ally Slingbacks ($130): Behind every office MVP is a killer pair of shoes that’s polished and practical. These low-lying wedges bring their A-game in the style department with metallic leather and an of-the-moment silhouette, while the cushy sole and manageable lift make running around town totally easy.
4. River Island Navy Print Skinny Scarf ($20): Ties are the epitome of polish, but if you’re not ready to don a full-on cravat, why not try a skinny scarf on for size? Straddling the line between masculine and feminine, it’s guaranteed to add a note of glamour to any office ensemble.
5. Vix Straw Baseball Cap ($58): Stints at the beach and baseball games call for a stylish cap that can throw some serious shade. Embrace summertime vibes to the fullest with a straw interpretation of a classic cap that will put your standard fedora or floppy hat to shame.
6. Zara City Bag With Adjustable Handle ($70): Every boss lady needs a chic place to stash all of her work-week swag, and this structured tote is ready to rise to the challenge. The roomy interior has plenty of space for all the essentials (laptop, commuting shoes and snacks), while the sleek, minimalist styling will earn you best-dressed employee status like that.
7. Mother Denim Vagabond Crop ($228): Barbecues, beach bonfires and glamping adventures call for laid-back denim that knows how to hang. Between the extra slouchy vibes and distressed detailing, this pair of boyfriend jeans is the epitome of laid-back cool. Style it alongside block heels, a silk cami and dazzling drop earrings for GNO or drinks on the terrace.
8. Mango Straight Striped Trousers ($80): Plain-ol’ pinstripes get a major upgrade this season with a wide-leg silhouette that screams It girl in training. Proceed to style with mock neck tops and embellished loafers for an Insta-worthy outfit that’s the epitome of sophistication.
9. Analog Watch Co. Black Marble Watch With Hexagon Body ($300): Sorry, ladies — an iPhone doesn’t count as an actual timepiece. This sculptural stunner makes a major argument for kickin’ it old school with its geometric design and luxe marble face. Not to mention, it will keep you on schedule long after your battery runs out of juice.
10. Jeffrey Campbell Apfel-TSL ($120): Who doesn’t love a lazy-girl style hack? On mornings when you just can’t even, enlist the help of these slide-on steppers that will instantly lend a polished edge to any one-and-done piece in your closet. Hit snooze too many times? Style ‘em alongside a streamlined jumpsuit and choker necklace for a professional look in seconds.
11. Fred Perry Boxy Shirt With Color Block ($110): Even the most tried-and-true jeans-and-tee routine needs updating every now and again, and this sporty shirt is just the piece to send your off-duty attire into overdrive. Redefine festival dressing by tucking it into a button-front skirt, then pairing with strappy clogs and round sunnies for a throwback getup with sports-chic appeal.
12. Cameo Cedele Sleeveless Trench ($208): Update your trusty trench for warmer temps in this sleeveless number with endless wear-anywhere appeal. Take jeans and tanks to the next level or amp up the polish on an already-elegant office-ready #OOTD.
13. Zara Horizontal Striped Culottes ($50): Say sayonara to snoozy black trousers — these striped culottes are ready to take on your workday in style. Tedious to-dos will seem a lot more bearable when you bust these bad boys out with a cold-shoulder top and runway-ready pointed-toe mules.
14. Loeffler Randall Willa Cut-Out Oxford ($250): These aren’t your average Oxfords. Equipped with cutouts that are ready for balmy summer days and dotted calf hair uppers that read lady about town, these classically cool steppers are what your arsenal of swingy summer dresses and retro shorts have been waiting for.
15. C/meo Collective Stay Cool Pinstripe Pants ($160) and Top ($170): Send those standard suiting separates packing — you’re going to need a bit of extra closet space for this OMG-worthy pairing. Hit remix on your work-week repertoire by styling this winning combo with heeled glove shoes and tasseled ear jackets. #nailedit
16. Free People Rebel Rebel Printed Skinny Scarf ($20): This tie-inspired scarf poses endless styling possibilities for both on- and off-duty ensembles. Tie it around your neck with a tailored jumpsuit and topknot for major borrowed-from-the-boys vibes, or rock it as a belt around a simple shift dress for happy hour with the girls.
17. Opening Ceremony Jourdena Stripe Leather Slide Sandals ($195): Take an easy-luxe approach to your beach-to-street routine in crisscross sandals with undeniable athleisure flair. Put an unexpected spin on a night-out look by tossing them on with a jacquard midi skirt, off-the-shoulder top and box clutch, or play it cool with a no-frills t-shirt dress and leather backpack.
18. M.i.h. Jeans Skinny Boyfriend Tomboy Jean ($235): No summer capsule wardrobe is complete without at least one pair of white jeans taking up residence in your closet. From wine tastings to gallery openings and everything in between, they’re the key to endless laid-back outfits with a sophisticated feel.
19. 6397 Oversized Blazer ($273): Casual Friday, here you come. Dial down the fuss factor any day of the week with a dark chambray blazer that’s tailored enough to wear at the office and effortless enough to whip out on the weekend with vintage tees. For an on-point day-to-night look that comes together fast, layer it over a graphic maxi dress, heels and a statement pendant necklace.
20. Madewell White Cotton Courier Shirt ($65): An oversized button-down will never steer you wrong. This is one of those more-bang-for-your-buck kind of pieces, so if you haven’t added one to your anytime arsenal, you best be picking one up stat.
21. ASOS Denim Easy Boyfriend Shorts in Crocus Lightwash ($46): As the mercury starts to rise, swap out your go-to pair of jeans for denim boyfriend shorts that are all about keepin’ it cool. Channel your inner lazy girl with a sleeveless sweatshirt, Birkenstocks and a bright crossbody bag for running errands or chillin’ in the park.
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Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures