Internship season is approaching, and it stops for no one. Finding the perfect outfit that balances comfort, style, and professionalism is difficult in such a hectic time. Office fashion is really just the basics reinvented, where plain can become chic with a few pieces of advice.
Image: Pinterest
Image: Pinterest
Nerves shaking in your chest as you try to remember everyone's name. The fast-moving office feels more like a war zone as you, the intern, try to make it through the day alive. Spilling your boss's coffee all over yourself, can’t figure out how to use your key card, and running around store to store trying to find the exact kind of paper your employer wants: 135 g/m2 weighted cardstock; news flash, Staples didn’t have it. Exhausted, you sit down in your chair as your boss approaches. Heart in your stomach, you prepare to be reprimanded till she says, “Nice outfit,” and walks away. Suddenly, you're the most confident intern there ever was.
Internships usually fall around summertime, so a lot goes into curating your attire. The summer heat will make you wish that you interned at a surf club instead of a New York firm with terrible air conditioning. While dark blacks and blues can be chic and universal, a light-colored shirt will help reflect heat. This depends on your office environment, but high-neck tank tops are the perfect mix of summer and professionalism. Another wardrobe staple would be a lightweight button-up blouse. These can be tricky to find, since the neck or arms are often too tight and make you look like you're in a straitjacket. The New York Post named Sézane one of the best workwear brands. They have this entire line of white blouses on their website that scream summer fashion.
‘Max Shirt’
Image: Sézane
A proper pair of pants, not jeans, to go with the outfit can be hard to come by. The fit should be flattering but not so tight that they look like leggings. A pair of trousers in a universal color will match any shirt and give you your Devil Wears Prada moment. Express has numerous colors, lengths, and pants widths to play with. A good pair should also go from intern office chic to happy hour with your co-workers.
Image: Pinterest
When you walk into the office, you want people to know you're there while staying subtle. Maybe a clap of a heel will do? A small, closed-toed kitten heel that pokes out from under your pant leg is the epitome of style. Steve Madden prioritizes comfort, price, and design in their line of kitten heels. They are perfect for everything from on-the-go tasks to board-room talks.
Whatever kind of day you have as an intern, you’ll inevitably miss things or make mistakes. However, you should always have trust yourself, and that starts with confidence in your workplace style.