In college, athleisure wear is the most common thing we own, with it being comfortable and easy to wear. For everyday these things are great, but often career-oriented events pop up during the semester, and we struggle to find outfits that are stylish and appropriate. Here are some tips on where to get your business wear pieces and how to style them so you can dress to impress.
First, you have to get business appropriate clothing for the interview or career fair you plan to attend. Depending on the event, you can dress more business causal or business formal. Regardless, there’s a few staples that you can always have that you can throw on and will work for most occasions.
1. Blazers
Blazers are one of the biggest trends right now, and you’ll be able to pull out the style at anytime for work or for a casual event. You can also wear this staple in so many different ways, so it’s definitely a good investment.
2. Dress Pants
Pants are another staple that you can always pull out of your closet for a business event. They’re tons of different styles that you can get them in for men and women. Cigarette pants, paperbag pants and more traditional slacks are all options appropriate for a business setting.
3. Dress Shoes
Shoes can make or break any outfit, often being one of the first things people notice about others. Your shoe choice will really depend on the environment and setting of the event. For ladies, a nice heel or wedge you can walk in is always a good choice. If you’d prefer to wear flat shoes, they’re a ton of cute styles that will work too.
4. Nice Bag
You’ll need something stylish to fit your resume and your other essential items in.
Ansel Elgort has been one of many male influencers who have begun to bring back the male purse trend. “You can put your camera in there, your phone, your wallet. Sometimes if I’m wearing tight pants I don’t want to put anything in my pocket. Or sometimes it falls out of my pocket,” Elgort says as he explains why he likes to share bags with his girlfriend in People Magazine.
Don’t worry gentleman, if you’re not quite into this trend yet they’re still some other good options for you.
5. Pencil Skirt
A pencil skirt is perfect for business formal events and easy to throw on with a nice blouse or a cute sweater. Pair it with some cute heels or wedges and you’re ready to go.
6. Button Up Shirt
This is another must have for both girls and guys. You can wear a button up shirt with so many things and it’s fast and easy to pull out of your closet if a last-minute event comes up where business wear is the attire.
Additional Tips:
Sets and Separates
The great thing about business wear is that many items come in sets. Use that to your advantage when buying and styling your clothes. If a last-minute event pops up, wearing both pieces of a suit is a great way to make a classic look fast. Jumpsuits and dresses of an appropriate length can also be a fast and fun alternative for ladies as well. If you want to wear something different, try wearing basic pants with a blouse or a unique blazer with a nice shirt.
Deals
We’re all on a college budget, so staying within a certain price range is key. ASOS, Forever 21, H&M, Missguided and Nastygal has some great business wear pieces at a reasonable price. They also all constantly have deals so you’re bound be able to find some good stuff at a decent price.
Things to Remember
Remember to be mindful of the weather when you chose the outfit for your event. Most of these events are inside, but if you’re not able to change before or after, this is something you’ll want to consider. You can try wearing a nice pair of shorts instead of trousers or an appropriate dress instead of a pencil skirt on hotter days.
After nailing that interview, be mindful of dress codes as you start to work somewhere new. You’ll get a feel for what’s the right dress attire as time goes on, but always make sure to check if they have a standard dress code. Some companies are more business casual than business formal and some are just casual all together.
It’s always better to go overdressed than underdressed, and you always dress for the job you want.
Figure out what’s right for you and ALWAYS wear something you’re comfortable in. Your clothes represent you and help to give you a great first impression, telling who you are and showing your personality.
People often forget that work clothes can be fun too. It’s all about how you style them and how you best show off your own personal style. Your outfit can give you the confidence you need to do well at that career fair, job interview or first day at work so make your look count.
Proper shoes for men: a pair of Loafers, suede boots, or a pair of plain-tip brown Oxfords. Pictured in my apartment on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.
