Dressing for the Job: A Girl’s Guide

I’m totally preoccupied with career stuff right now so my posts are probably going to be engineered towards that kind of stuff for a while. I had to learn some tricky things in the process of job hunting that no one but other college-age girls are conscious of, and so here’s to sharing the wealth.

Career Advice of the Day: Business attire is not club attire. Even if you don’t want to work in a corporate setting or don’t plan on it, at some point in time you will probably be in a situation where you need to look it (for interviews or a meeting or anything). This is a brief set of guidelines and hints that work in most industries, but definitely do some research since some industries (i.e. banking) are much stricter than others (i.e. non-profits).

Takeaway lesson should be there are ways to look hot (I mean check out the VS model on the left) without looking like a slut ;)

Suit: Wear a two-pieced matching suit (solid, darker colors such as black, brown, or navy are better if the situation is more conservative).  The bottom can be pants or a skirt.

Pants: If you choose pants, they shouldn’t be so low on your hips that you have a muffin top or risk butt-crack exposure, and they shouldn’t be so tight around your ass that it screams slut. They also shouldn’t be so long that you trip over them in your heels. No skinny legs or big flowing trousers.

Skirt: If you choose a skirt, the skirt should be long enough that it covers your thighs when seated and comes to your knees when you are standing. If you choose something longer, make sure it isn’t billowing or super narrow so that you risk tripping over stuff again. If in doubt when buying, make sure you try one on and then sit down in the dressing room - you will be able to see in the mirror what it looks like. Also, nothing with crazy slits. Use double-sided tape to keep stuff in place if necessary.

Shirt/Blouse: Underneath the suit jacket, a blouse, knit shell, or camisole should work fine as long as the colors match and you don’t have cleavage showing (ok maybe a little… if you got em flaunt em right?). Don’t take your suit jacket off unless you have a nice blouse or knit top underneath though, you don’t want to show too much arm/chest. And for super conservative settings, a standard white collared shirt is the safest.

Shoes: If you wear heels, make sure they’re close-toed, close-heeled. Some people think that you shouldn’t wear super high heels, but I think as long as you pick a pair that aren’t slutty looking and you can walk in them it’s fine. Heels are helpful for short girls (like me) who may need a bit of height to boost confidence. Go for solid colors that match your suit.

Jewelry/accessories: Again it depends on the industry, and at the most conservative don’t go beyond a watch and stud earrings (pearls are cute). If it’s something like a magazine or museum, some more creative jewelry indicates you aren’t a stickler. Nothing distracting (like if you play with your necklace don’t wear one).

Hair: Depends on your hairstyle, but if it’s going to get in your face or you’re going to play with it, tie it up and clip it.

Makeup: Keep it light and natural. No nail polish (unless it’s close to your skin color) and no perfume (in case the interviewer is sensitive to that kind of stuff).

Hoisery: If you’re wearing a skirt, it’s sometimes a good idea to also wear hose. Definitely go for a solid color that complements your suit (skin color is best). Nothing shiny or lacey or patterned.

Bag: I had a friend who got in trouble for having an LV bag with the brand too prominently displayed. Try to bring a bag or purse that’s a similar color as your shoes and that resembles a small briefcase or business-like tote bag. Leather is best but woven or micro-fiber is also good, as long as it’s sturdy. I try to avoid bringing bags of any kind into the interview room anyway.