The weather is getting warmer and the semester is drawing to a close, which can only mean one thing. It’s about to be summer time! A break from school is great, but a lot of college students won’t be focusing on parties, lounging by the pool, and summer music festivals. Summer internships are super common among students who are trying to get all of the experience they can before graduating college. Even though it may be warmer, you won’t show up on your first day wearing an oversized t-shirt and Nike running shorts. Internships are more professional than our 8 AM classes in the MLC. To avoid any stress about what to wear to your internship, here are some ideas that will help you build a capsule wardrobe. The right wardrobe can be effortless, professional, and still shows personality while being on a budget!
Each outfit is a little more professional than the last, but what you wear totally depends on your specific internship. To avoid having a basic black and white outfit, each outfit has a theme that helps keep it looking clean and polished without being boring. Since we are on a budget, all pieces are from H&M and are $40 and under. Although, some may seem expensive, think about all of the different ways you can wear black pants, for example, and the price will be worth it!
- Outfit 1: Florals and Earth Tones
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Outfit #1 is the most casual out of the three, but still looks more put together than everyday outfits. The floral blouse is flowy and perfect for the season without being too bold and flashy. You can tuck the blouse into pants such as in the picture, a skirt to change it up, or even jeans to make it casual outside of work. The theme was Earth tones so each piece would go well together even if it wasn’t the exact same color. For example, the green purse pulls out the little green in the blouse and the gold chain matches with the nude color in the blouse and pants as well as the gold hardware on the loafers. These loafers are great for long days because they look professional like pumps, but are comfortable like flats.
Light Green/Floral Blouse with Butterfly Sleeves
Beige/Striped Wide-cut Paper-bag Pants
Light Khaki Green Small Shoulder Bag
Gold Colored 6 Pairs Hoop Earrings
- Outfit 2: Professional in Pink
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This second outfit is probably not everyone’s cup of tea because of the amount of pink, but it can easily be recreated in virtually any color. The pale pink is pretty because it matches perfectly with gold and rose gold jewelry. The outfit is centered around the floral skirt and can be recreated around any printed skirt. The length of your skirt should be knee length or midi length to keep it professional and honestly comfortable so you won’t have to worry about your skirt staying pulled down all the way. This skirt and skirts like it that have prints or multiple colors can easily be styled many different ways just by switching up the top, shoes, or the purse.
Powder Pink Long-sleeved Blouse
Natural White/Floral Patterned Wrap-front Skirt
Gold Colored 12 Pairs Stud Earrings
- Outfit 3: Black with Baby Blue
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The final outfit is obviously mostly black and would be suitable for a workplace with a stricter dress code than the other two, such as a Law Firm or Accounting Firm. If it is super strict, it would be best to keep your outfits with muted colors or mostly black and white. This blouse had a little bit of baby blue in it, so it is paired with a blazer of the same color. This blazer is bold since it is a different color, and wearing it depends on the job. The whole ensemble is paired with a dark gray watch with a marble face that resembles the blue in the shirt and blazer. The handbag is a great investment if you will be bringing things to and from work such as expense reports that can’t fit in a small purse. The black close-toed, pointy shoes are professional but look more polished than matte black pumps since it has the shine.
Black Floral Long-sleeved Blouse
Dark gray/Marble Patterned Wristwatch
Light blue Straight-cut Jacket
I hope these outfits gave you some inspiration for your future internship or job! Check H&M for more professional pieces at an affordable price!
All Outfits Were Created Using Shoplook.