What Not to Wear: Business Wear 101

You might have had a job interview before for a part-time job.  Maybe you had to wear business clothes to the interview, maybe not.  In college, business clothes are a must.  With dress codes for different events being anywhere from casual to business professional, it can all get confusing.  Fear no more!  Check out the following guide on how to dress for success for the WEPO Career Dinner and anything else that might come up in your first year at Penn State.

Casual- 

This one is easy enough! This is your everyday outfit that you wear to class.  This is appropriate for WEP Wednesdays, club meetings, and other events where the dress code is given as casual. 

Dressy Casual-

Sometimes they tell you casual, but you freak out because you want to make a great first impression.  This is where the dressy casual comes in to play.  A perfect example would be when a company is having an info session. Can you get away with casual? Absolutely.  Would it hurt to get a little dressed up? Absolutely not.  Putting on a pair of jeans (no holes or rips), and a nicer top is an easy solution to making a great first impression.  This is also the best option when you have a job and it’s casual Friday.

Business Casual-

You can do a variety of outfits that all fit under the description of business casual. Slacks, skirts, blouses, dresses – anything your heart desires!  Below are a few examples of types of outfits you could wear to a function with a business casual dress code.  Buy a few key pieces that you can mix and match for different outfits, and add a pop of color to have fun with your outfit!  A few things to keep in mind: 1- If you are wearing a skirt or dress, make sure it is an appropriate length; the hem should fall at about your knees.  2- If you are wearing something without sleeves, you should have some type of cover-up.  This category is the minimum requirement for the WEPO Career Dinner and Networking Reception.

 Business Professional/Business Formal-

These two go together for college students. This is probably the toughest category for most freshmen. This is what you want to wear to the career fair and to any interviews you might get (which is possible as a freshman!). A skirt or pantsuit is the way to go for women.  I would recommend buying the pieces together so that they match perfectly.  Sometimes when you buy them separately, the black color won’t exactly match; this can be a bit of a distraction.

Shoes & Accessories-

Accessories are an important part of any outfit.  A simple rule I look to follow, less is more.  Wearing a lot of jewelry can be distracting, so try to wear a few simple pieces of jewelry.  As for shoes, remember that you are trying to be professional.  This means no high heels; you want a heel that is only about 2” in height.  Also try to avoid open toe shoes or anything super strappy.  Take my advice and invest in a great pair of wedges if you hate walking in heels. Flats are also perfectly fine, just make sure you are wearing shoes that are good for your pant length.  

Nicki Gallegor is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering and is the Resource Innovations Lead for WEPO'16!