How to Dress for Your Summer Internship

A couple weeks ago, Her Campus FSU gave you some useful internship tips
 (http://www.hercampus.com/school/fsu/going-college-real-world). Now that you’re on your way to scoring your dream internship, you’re going to need to know how to dress business casual for the summer. Finding clothes that are appropriate, yet comfortable in the Sunshine State during the summer can be difficult, but HC FSU is here to help.

But what is “business casual”? The definition can be confusing, especially since each company has their own rules depending on the location and field of concentration. Here are a few rules that will help you in finding the appropriate attire for any summer internship:

1. Cover your shoulders.  It is always better to be safe than sloppy. When you expose your shoulders, the casual outweighs the business, and that is always worse than the business outweighing the casual. An easy way to make a sleeveless dress look more appropriate is to add a nice cardigan with a belt, or a cool-colored blazer. We suggest a light blue, grey, or white blazer to keep you cool and fresh.

2. Cover your toes. Although we all love showing off our new pedis, your toes are the last thing your coworkers and clients want to see. Keep things professional with nice ballet flats or nude pumps. It is also important that your shoes have closed backs as well.

3. No cleavage. This should go without saying, but some people just don’t get it. If your top is too low, add a camisole underneath to make it appropriate. You should impress others with your intelligence and skills, and you don’t want any distractions.

4. No shorts. This is a sad rule since it can get up to triple digit degree heat in Florida, but it just isn’t appropriate. There are dress shorts that are made for the office, but if you want to be respected, pass them up and opt for a more conservative look. You can always wear a nice dress or skirt to keep you cool, but make sure it is a proper length.

5. No minis! This includes skirts and dresses. The appropriate length is easy to measure. The length should come no higher than about two inches above the knee. It also helps to keep dresses and skirts structured in shape. Tight bodycon skirts are a no-no, as well as thin, flowy skirts and dresses.

6. Choose your fabrics wisely. Denim is not allowed in the workplace, even if the dress code is business casual. Jeans are just plain casual and there’s nothing business about them. If your employer is laid back and allows denim, make sure to keep the wash dark and the fit right for your body type (baggy or ripped jeans are out of the question!). As mentioned above, fabric like spandex and thin cotton take your look down to casual. It is always more important to be appropriate than comfortable when you are at work. Stores like Old Navyand H&M offer quality work-friendly clothes for an affordable price.

7. Accessorize! Shopping for business casual attire can be expensive if you are just starting your collection. One way to save money, yet increase versatility is to just get the basics of each piece that you need. Now you can jazz up any outfit with fun, trendy accessories like jewelry, headbands, belts, and bags. Forever 21 has inexpensive accessories that are appropriate for the workplace. Keep belts and bags in the earth tone family so you can wear them often. When it comes to jewelry and headbands, stay away from cheap looking and bright neon colored accessories or anything too distracting. Things like pearls and florals are nice for a summer internship wardrobe.

 
8. Get a nice, structured bag. Make sure the bags you pick are structured and large enough to fit any important documents that you need to keep with you. You can also opt for a nice briefcase from an office store like Office Depot. I personally prefer a tan or light brown colored bag that can go with all of my light colored summer clothes and shoes. We all know black attracts the sun and in the Sunshine State, that sun is HOT.