Who knew you could make cute clothes work with your corporate attire? I certainly didn’t. But after some time at my winternship (yes, the hip way of saying winter internship) at an investment bank, I’ve learned to work in some of my favorite pieces that I like to wear to class or even out at night (I kid you not) into my ibanking wardrobe. Maybe I’m a little edgier than most investment banking types, but I’m certainly not unprofessional. It really is possible to wear cute things in the corporate world—I promise.
So before I started this winternship, I read the dress code manual and almost fainted. No tank tops, dress slacks only (whatever that even means), dress shoes (again, what?), dresses or skirts at “an appropriate length” (of course unspecified)… aka a chic college girl’s worst nightmare. Or so I thought. I imagined I would have to buy a bunch of frumpy frocks and come to work in turtleneck sweaters (which I definitely don’t own) with boxy blazers on top, or something. Yuck.
But I’ve learned quickly that corporate attire isn’t the worst, as long as you can add some of your own flavor and flare or favorite staples from your everyday wardrobe to it. Like my mom bought me this…frock? Who knows… from Theory that is SO not my taste. It’s navy blue and black, which I was always told as a child made a person look like a bruise, but since then, the combination has made a major fashion comeback. Anyway, I thought to myself, “Fuck, I’m going to hate dressing for an office job. I’m going to look like a boring 60-year-old woman.”
Oh, and on top of that, I have to wear black tights with the dress to make it office appropriate. Kill me. Sure, sometimes tights can be cute in a Blair Waldorf, Upper East Side, Gossip Girl kind of way (had to throw in the Colby-authored book reference). But tights with a frock is not exactly fashion forward. However, I threw a navy J Crew Schoolboy blazer over the dress (one of my favorite pieces to wear to class) and added some Prada flats (patent-leather with big bows—to die for) and actually made the dress look a lot less boring and old womanish than it looked on the hanger. Even my mother, God forbid, said it was cute AND corporate appropriate. WINNING.
Ok, so when I googled “dress slacks” just to figure out what that even meant, I almost decided to come back to Colby and take a course instead of torturing myself wearing those hideous pants at my winternship. But I went to J Crew and scoped out what they might have had for a younger, hipper crowd. If edgy-preppy-chic is even a thing, J Crew has it down to a tee. I found these pants called “The Café Capri”, and they’re actually pretty trendy AND office appropriate. Think the skinny jean of the corporate world. And they were on sale, so naturally I bought three pairs. So I just pair them with a silk tank top (mostly Joie or J Crew, which I will totally wear to class) and throw on a J Crew or Theory or Rag & Bone or Marc Jacobs blazer over, and I’m totally high fashion and investment-bank ready. Talk about a good use of clothing I already had. Only new clothes I bought? Those three pairs of pants at J Crew. On sale. Awesome, I know.
Anyway, while I’ve kind of gotten into the swing of the corporate dress code, I still long for the beautiful concept better known as “casual Friday”. Thank God. Didn’t think any of my AG skinny cords counted as “slacks” as opposed to the rest of the week’s “dress slacks”, but no one has said anything to me about them, so apparently they’re office appropriate. Anyway, I still can’t wear jeans or t-shirts on casual Friday, but I can get away with a pair of Frye boots and a sweater and cords or black skinnies pretty easily. Honestly, I would wear my casual Friday outfit to class at Colby, just probably on a Tuesday considering I don’t have classes on Friday this semester, and I’ll still be hungover from a late night at Viper or Mainely’s and lounging around in my Lululemons until 3 PM. Anyway, my point is that I didn’t have to go out and buy a million new clothes for tons of money. It’s totally possible to wear things you already own and dress them up, even if they don’t seem fancy enough. Turns out I’ve been able to be really creative at this investment bank (who would have thought it?) and work with a lot of clothes I already had.
So girls, don’t get down on the corporate look. Just make it your own. Obviously you’ve got to stay in bounds and make sure you’re not getting fired from your job or internship, but live a little, take some risks, and dress to kill. Just saying, I’m currently wearing a Tibi dress that’s a bunch of different colors and is covered in an abstract pattern. Is it office appropriate? Theoretically, yes. It’s got a conservative neckline and it’s got short, capped sleeves. Is it necessarily investment banky? It’s probably too fashionable and has too many colors, but I’ve already gotten three compliments on it today, and I’ve only been in the office for forty-five minutes. And what did I buy this dress for? To wear out to dinner in New York City. And am I making good use of it in the corporate world? You better believe it.