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How to Professionalize Your Wardrobe

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Maine chapter.

 

If job interviews and going into the work place are not stressful enough, finding the appropriate outfit to wear to them can only add to the anxiety. Your future hinges on your first impression to potential employers and wearing a skirt too short or not looking put together can cross you off the list of candidates the very second you walk in.
 
With the career fair being hosted this Wednesday, February 1st at the New Balance Student Recreation Center, all graduating seniors must be frantically preparing their resumes, cover letters and 30-second self marketing pitch. Do not let your attire fall wayside however, since it is also very important in communicating professionalism and articulating personal style.
 



Be sure to pick out your outfit ahead of time and put some serious thought into it. If you are searching for a job based on the majors of Business, Engineering, Education, or the Sciences, be sure to dress on the more traditional side of the business casual spectrum. You will want to wear a muted color palate, sticking to only a few colors. Some cool, navy blue chinos and a cream linen blazer are casual, yet dressy enough to show you know how to be professional and let your skills and experience speak for itself, not your outfit.
 
 
If you are applying for a more creative position with some freedom, such as a New Media, Art, or Communications major, you are encouraged to show a little more of your personal style while still sticking to the business casual standards. A sparkly top under a blazer with a punch of color is acceptable in these fields. Do try to not over do it however, and piece it with other neutral pieces so the potential employer is not focused on your eye-popping outfit rather than your resume.

Outfit 1:
Blazer , Shirt , Pants , Ring , Scarf , Shoes
Outfit 2:
Scarf , Shirt , Blazer , Skirt , Necklace , Shoes

Olivia is a senior pursuing a Marketing degree at the University of Maine at Orono. Besides being a co-branch correspondent for the Her Campus UMaine Branch, she is the business manager for the University of Maine student newspaper, The Maine Campus. One of her many interests is fashion and writes as a contributing fashion writer for Her Campus UMaine. Olivia hopes to land a career in the industry after graduation.