'Tis the season to realize you have absolutely no appropriate clothes to wear to your summer job!
"Appropriate" has very different meanings in college and the adult, working-professional world. Nothing (except maybe college drinking habits) demonstrates this split better than our wardrobes. Young interns frequently struggle to find pieces that can transition smoothly from the campus and into the boardroom. When we inevitably come up short, we must make a painful, yet necessary investment in professional clothing that likely costs more than our summer salaries (or lack thereof) support.
Casual
Profesh:
Casual Fridays mercifully let us reincorporate our endless pairs of jeans. However, jeans' trusty friends beat-up-sneakers and worn-in-t-shirt are nowhere to be seen. "Casual" in the adult world is like "semi-formal" on a college campus.
College means taking casualness to new lows. Same sweatshirt and sweatpants you've worn for a month? Check. Had to pull them out of your hamper for the third time? Hey, we're all busy. Smells a little funky? Febreeze it, and swear you'll wash them later. Stained? Oh well! They said said it was casual anyway.
Professional
Profesh:
So of course every office and industry has a different workplace dress code. But in general, you can't go wrong with a nice pair of trousers and a button down blouse.
Jump to getting your first interview of the season: rifling through your closet and wondering why you needed so many crop tops and so few pairs of work pants (roughly zero work pants).
College:
No stains, rips, or holes–so classy!! But it also kind of looks like you could go clubbing at the drop of a hat (or drop of a blazer).
Formal
Profesh:
Knee-length, lace, tailored, conservative neckline, closed-toe heels, and tasteful jewelry are not things college kids are used to whipping out. Actually, the word "tasteful" itself likely isn't in any of our vocabularies.
College:
OMG, did someone say formal? Anytime there's a frat, sorority, or sports team formal it's time to bring out the minidresses and rompers, featuring plunging necklines, cutouts, and the clingiest fabric known to man.
College is a transition period in our lives, a way of slowly entering adulthood. Sadly, we can't bring all of our mini-skirt outfits through the transition with us. With that, I wish all my interns good luck!
