What is consider business attire for something like a college job fair? Are women still wearing suits? and do they wear hose or tights with skirts?
Thanks?
My DD has a bunch of separates from Banana Republic. She has slacks, some nicer blouses, and jacket. For her college job fair, I believe she wore the slacks. For interviews recently, she wore the skirt, blouse, jacket, with nice pumps. She wore dark nylons…maybe black or grey with the suit.
She also has a nice pair of black flat shoes that she wears with the slacks…no socks or tights.
I think nice slacks or skirt and blazer with a conservative top are always appropriate. How trendy and fashionable depends on field, IMHO.
Thanks. Everything is so much more casual now -but sounds like interview attire hasn’t changed much. I think the internship she is interested in is a non-profit public policy type thing
Things ARE a lot more casual now, but some businesses are still pretty conservative. As my mother always told me - you only have one chance to make a good first impression.
Actual on-the-job clothing may be more casual than it used to be, but at least in the big cities of the East and Midwest, interview attire may actually have become MORE formal, at least for young women.
The safest choices are black or dark gray skirted suits, with conservative blouses and accessories. Including hosiery.
However, the young woman who has a couple of outfits like this for interviews will likely never wear them on the job.
Thanks -I didn’t know
Unless you’re an accountant like my DD. You’ve just described her everyday wardrobe!
Wouldn’t there still be considerable variations in dressiness / casualness within the realm of “non-profit public policy” employers?
Once on the job, yes, but not for an interview.
Thanks
With an interview, unless there is reason not to, dressing up is still a wise thing. Even though many environments are casual (if my dad saw what I wear to work, he would probably go nuts) or business casual, showing that you care enough to get dressed up is not a bad thing. There are places that might reject you for dressing up, internet start ups and the like might look at you if you show up in the suit and pearls a bit askance, but in most companies it is better to dress professionally. The one exception might be if you are interviewing then having to go to work, where if it is casual dress where you work you might not want to tip off an employer you are looking by coming in in a suit or whatever (in those cases, I always warn the interviewing firm through the headhunter why I might be in more casual dress rather than more formal, believe me, they understand as I have with people I am interviewing).
However, the young woman who has a couple of outfits like this for interviews will likely never wear them on the job. >>
These types of outfits are what all three of my daughter’s wear to work daily.
I second the business wear separates from BR. Even in a casual work environment, wearing a suit is expected in interviews. The pieces can always be worn later with other items.
My daughter has separates (not suits) - black skirts, pants, and blazer. She only adds the blazer for interviews and meeting with clients etc. She also sticks to simple shirts - either button down or plain sweaters (although in many colors to provide contrast to the black). She has a nice pair of simple low-heeled pumps that she wears (but sometimes switches to black boots for the snow in Boston).
Forgot to address the hosiery issue - young women wear tights in dark colors (black, grey) with their skirts and dresses. (This is in the Northeast where it is cold - not sure about warmer climates.)
Thanks. I think we will do some shopping over spring break
My D solved the hose issue by buying the pants instead of the skirt. She works in H R and suggests that if she wears pumps to have them be a reasonable height. She also likes to see suits or separates in traditional hues.
Calvin Klein makes sleeveless shells that go under suiting. They can be found super cheap on sale.
Also if your D is hard to fit have her start the search early especially if alterations are needed.
One tip to make life easier if you don’t live near a large shopping mall-the first round of suits I ordered a bunch from Nordstrom, Banana Republic, JCrew, Ann Taylor. Ordered the jacket, pants in different cuts and the skirt in a couple of sizes. Returned what didn’t work and after that point she knew what brand and cut worked for her and she could shop online sales.
Payless shoes usually has a decent looking pair of black pumps.
Black hosiery is the norm here in my neck of the woods. However, I noticed that even here kids in some fields like business and law tend to wear dark suits with white blouses/shirts and don’t shy away from nude hose when it comes to dressing for interviews.
My daughter currently works at a law firm in the northeast. Even though she bought a couple of matched suits at my insistence, she never wears them together, and instead does a mix and match thing with coordinating pants or skirts. She does not like that matched look and she thinks that it’s not necessary as long as the outfit is polished and professional.