You might think those super high heels and sleeveless dresses will be great for the office, but unless you want to be teetering up and down the hallways of your internship or be frozen at your desk, take a look at these internship fashion dos and don’ts to make sure your internship is as smartly chic as possible.
Warning: These shoes are higher than they appear!
DON’T: Wear your favorite Louboutins. We’ve all heard it: flip-flops are unacceptable as workwear. That doesn’t mean the opposite is the best idea, either. As much as you love those towering heels (we know, they make your legs look fabulous!), remember, you’ll be in them all day! It’s hard enough running an errand on a tight deadline or carrying a heavy load up the stairs without sky-high heels on, so the last thing you want to worry about is getting a blister or, even worse, making a major faux pas and being known in the office as the girl who can’t walk in heels. The horror! HC Writer Ally Karsyn, a senior at Dordt College, shares a typical footwear story: “I bought a pair of wedge sandals for $50. They are a light metallic gold and go with practically anything. Super cute. But by time I made it to the subway, one of my toes had been rubbed raw. It took over a week for that to heal.”
DO: Be kind to your feet.
The best way to avoid injuries like Ally’s is to seek out comfortable shoes, preferably flats, and make sure you break them in before you start your job. But let’s be real, many collegiettes™ will choose style over comfort any day of the week. If you make the conscious decision to sacrifice your feet in the name of fashion, make sure you bring comfortable shoes for the commute and keep a pair of flats under your desk in case of emergencies. There’s no shame in switching shoes in the elevator — according to an HC poll, 70 percent of women carry subway shoes, and 30 percent keep a spare pair at their desk!
DON’T: Show too much skin.
Founder of Women Rising Sara Bordo, who mentors women of all ages and career stages, says that overly sexy, low-cut shirts and short skirts are definite office no-no’s. “Don't wear something that's too small…even if it's really cute. Chances are if it's too small, it doesn't look as great as you think,” Caroline, a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says. Not only will a revealing outfit make your coworkers uncomfortable, imagine walking up the stairs in an itsy-bitsy skirt with your boss behind you…giving your supervisor a glimpse of those panties that say “Kiss Me” across the bum is probably not the best way of kissing up to your higher-ups!
DO: Dress to impress.
Pay attention to how your coworkers dress and keep their level of professionalism in mind as you build your own work wardrobe. “Hopefully you paid attention at the interview to see what others in the office were wearing,” Bordo says. Put the “girls” away by keeping your button-up buttoned up and ditching the Herve Leger bandage miniskirt for a pencil skirt instead.
Just because Snooki can go to work in last night's outfit doesn't mean it's a good idea!
