What do you wear to your first professional job?
Norms vary from industry to industry and region to region, so ask people in your chosen field what the norms generally look like. For example, a tech company in California will have different standards of dress than HR in the Midwest. A preschool teacher is going to need a different everyday wardrobe than an accountant. Creative fields have more room for patterns or colors, while finance and law tend to be more conservative.
- Dress more professionally for an interview than you will the actual job, usually with a suit or professional separates
- Clothes should fit well, neither too loose nor too tight
- Clothes should be free from large holes, rips, or stains
- Your outfit should allow you to reasonably move around without riding up or bunching
- Most offices now are business casual (sweaters, button-downs, pencil skirts), but you may find some offices that expect business professional (full suits almost every day)
- You can't go wrong with neutrals - navy, black, white, beige, caramel, grey
- You do not have to wear the same color on top and bottom! Grey pants can work well with a black blazer, for example
- Fit, cut, and fabric will have an impact on how "professional" a piece of clothing appears
- There are too many weird and arbitrary rules to list here, but keep these elements in mind.
- A cotton sundress is too casual for many industries, but a knit dress in the same length will read as more professional.
- Err on the side of too conservative for the first few weeks at a new job
- You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great professional wardrobe!
- Check out thrift stores, department store sales, or organize a clothing swap with friends.
- Contact Captain's Closet while you're a student a UTM to borrow interview clothing.
Bottom line: Know your field. Ask your professors or a trusted mentor what you might expect!
