A Female Intern's Wardrobe

I'm going to be a summer analyst in IB at a BB for 10 weeks this summer. I am a college student so I have literally nothing that's appropriate for the workplace besides the one skirtsuit I wore to my interview. I am starting completely from scratch so can anyone give me a breakdown of exactly what I'll need to get by for a summer? How many shirts, suitsets, heels, cardigans, etc? And how much should I budget? Also, if anyone has suggestions on good brands, please share (though I'd like to do this without breaking the bank)

 

there is a thread on this from a while back, called "for the girls" ... also the blog www.corporette.com has some good ideas as well.

If you are trying to stay on a budget, go to places like The Limited. I think the quality of their suits are great, and they usually have a lot of promotions/coupons that you can use as well. I found that forever 21 has good options for shirts to wear underneath jackets. The quality is definitely not as good but you can get a lot of blouse shirts for VERY cheap. If you go to places like Ann Taylor or even The Limited for shirts, they can be up to 50 a piece.

Also, banana republic has some great suits, but sometimes can be expensive. I found that you don't need that many jackets. I found my heels at Ann Taylor, they were on sale. But, this year I think I'll go to aerosoles to get a pair of comfortable heels.

 

I would recommend second-hand shops as well, because sometimes you can get something very high quality for a much lower price. Flutterby is right: you don't need that many jackets. I would say 2-3 tops. Number one thing is a comfortable pair of shoes. I actually damaged my knee last summer walking around in heels all the time. Couldn't walk for a few days. Go to Marshalls or TJMaxx. I found some Theory suits, which have a really nice cut. Normally you'll pay over 500 for a jacket/pants, but there you may find something for 100. Don't buy a low quality suit, because it will rip and will cost you more in the long run.

 

i know brooks brothers is known for men's clothing but i actually really like their clothes. it's simple, classically conservative, yet stylist. it's work clothes that you can wear in just about any industry. check it out.

 

Alright I went through that entire thread and nowhere was there a breakdown of exactly what I'll need for the summer. I'm basically just looking for a shopping list. How many heels? How many full suits, skirts, and pants? How many blouses and cardigans? What kind of accessories? Thanks.

 

Alright I went through that entire thread and nowhere was there a breakdown of exactly what I'll need for the summer. I'm basically just looking for a shopping list. How many heels? How many full suits, skirts, and pants? How many blouses and cardigans? What kind of accessories? Thanks.

 

bikini if you're hot. burka if you're not. I'm kidding [no I'm not]

Seriously, the dress on a trading floor is usually more casual than in IBD. The shoes you posted are fine, if a bit flashy, but think in terms of fitting in with a roomful of people wearing power suits....

Congrats and good luck!

Get busy living
 

J Crew may be ok... I would go with something a little more formal though. Not sure how much money you are looking to spend, but Theory has good basics to build a wardrobe off of.

You would be fine wearing a black pencil skirt. Keep in mind that you don't want to stand out because of what you're wearing. Chances are that everyone will be wearing dark suits (navy, black) so I'm not sure whether it is a good idea to invest in too many gray suits.

I got away without wearing tights with a pencil skirt in September, so I think you'll be fine in July.

And about the shoes - those are good because they aren't that expensive, and aren't nearly as identifiable as some other brands (think Gucci flats - baad idea). I have a pair of black patent leather Pradas that have about an inch and a half heel - most comfortable shoes I've ever owned.

Good luck!

 

Female SA at BB IBD.... wardrobe advice!!

naked please.

jokes aside, good mates have the following wardrobe habits (in Asia-pacific so may differ, but be of some guide):

  • pencil skirts all the time. every other outfit has a pencil skirts. they've all been black as far as i've seen for consulting(Big 3), law(boutique) and accounting(big4 tax), conversative length.
  • combo with a shirt w/ or w/o cuff links.
  • if it's summer they just go skirt IF conservative. if the skirt is mildly too risque, the consultant always combos with leggings. if it's long enough, and it's hot, don't do it. if you're not sure, wear them to work and take them off in the morning if the other girls aren't wearing them.
  • if you're really not sure: go black pencil, blue shirt for the first few days, see what the FT girls are wearing, go out and buy appropriate clothes

from a guys perspective. + hot girls with short skirts ALWAYS get bitched about by the other girls - > don't do it. guys love it - > but still don't do it. hate/love factor is positively related to how many inches your heels are that day. + hot girls with conservative skirts: still seem to get bitched about by girls, but less. the guys know you're hot anyway - > bottom line, just go conservative. you're there to impress with your bushy-tailedness not your bushless-tail

i'm still prospective so senior opinion may vary. good luck

ps. i think stacked heels are good to go as long as the rest of the shoe is solid/neat. if you're borderline sloppy later on, i think you're good throwing on a jacket. ps some BBs have uber-strict dress code ie some UBS offices. so just go conversative for first week and see how you go

 
GotBushels:
Female SA at BB IBD.... wardrobe advice!!

from a guys perspective. + hot girls with short skirts ALWAYS get bitched about by the other girls - > don't do it. guys love it - > but still don't do it. hate/love factor is positively related to how many inches your heels are that day. + hot girls with conservative skirts: still seem to get bitched about by girls, but less. the guys know you're hot anyway - > bottom line, just go conservative. you're there to impress with your bushy-tailedness not your bushless-tail

i'm still prospective so senior opinion may vary. good luck

this is actually extremely, extremely accurate. everybody (er, relatively slim) looks good in pencil skirts.. but the second it get close to the point of 'too short'... you will get bitched out behind your back from women unattractive or attractive. it's part of life.

though guys love it ... it still won't earn you brownie points b/c 1. you already pissed off the women 2. if you are working in the guys' group, then you can be too distractiing to be hired; if you don't work in their group, there is NO way they would risk with HR and give 'positive feedback' to someone in your group.

i dont think heel length and hate/love factores are positively related until heel reaches >3.5in. i think shoes only get bitched about when it starts to resemble the ones your favorite exotic dancer wore last night

 

honestly i never liked wearing flats but Tory is alright... I wouldn't say those are too flashy at all, they're pretty standard, anything from Tory Burch should be fine from what I hear/have seen (the "fashion financier", being in the office).

Personally not a fan of stacked heels apart from the Christian Louboutin ones, and those are 4" so you can't wear em anyways... Usually probably not a good idea? Just like you wouldn't wear wedge heels.. there's no particular reason for it you just don't... As for tights I think you can get away with not wearing those, also you could try wearing sheer ones the first couple weeks and see?

Might be very dependent on your specific firm, too. i think it was mentioned that it's always a good idea to at least have a suit jacket with you in teh office just in case.

Search the fashion financier and she had a piece on it... personally i just bought a lot of solid color tops (neutral colors nothing flashy), a lot of BB shirts and lots of different lengths of skirts. The shorter ones you can wear occasionally with flats and the longer ones (which i would lean toward just to be conservative) with up to 2-3 inch heels depending on your height. Ughh just please never wear flats with long skirts..

I don't accept sacrifices and I don't make them. ... If ever the pleasure of one has to be bought by the pain of the other, there better be no trade at all. A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud.
 
Best Response

Black or navy pencil skirt. Def stilettos (if you worry that your feet will hurt, wear the flats into the office then change into heels) Def would wear stockings, don't know how girls get away without them in the office. What if one day all guys decide to roll into work w/o socks also, because it's mid-summer and high 80s. Can you imagine what that would smell like? Not saying it's the same thing, but esthetically speaking it has the same effect. If anything, you can take them off at the end of the day when you switch into your flats. Dunno what the culture is like and if you have casual Fridays or not, but you could get away with more on those days I'm guessing. Dress your best and look you're best, all day, every day. It's a client-focused role and appearances do matter... unless you're fugly as shit then it's really not worth having this conversation now, is it? Good luck this summer

 

A lot of women wear skirts and cardis - it's fine. Women generally dress slightly less formal than man. I like wearing a full suit because I feel underdressed in a cardi when I'm in a room full of men wearing jackets and ties but it's up to you. Not an issue if the guys are not wearing jackets and ties:)

Black, navy, grey - it doesn't matter, all are fine.

Type of heel - doesn't matter. Just make sure your trousers are not too short for your heels, that looks just awful.

As for tights, a lot of girls don't wear them in the summer. Personally, I don't like it, to me it's unprofessional to have half of your legs bare at work but you're not asking for my personal opinion so they answer is: "it's fine".

 

My rule of thumb is this. Would an outfit that a man is expected to dress in show the same amount of skin as an outfit I am looking to wear? If the answer is no, I don't wear it. There was a female intern wearing a skirt without tights last week at my firm and I admit I looked at her and thought, unprofessional. I would not feel comfortable having bare legs at work at a meeting trying to be a professional. I'm not a prude by any means but until I see the men strolling in wearing shorts I keep the tights on and my chest area fully covered. The women in my office wear cardis and pants as well but I still stick to the suit look.

GotBushels is right too about the hot girls and skirts thing. If you are remotely above average attractive you have to take care to not dress in a manner that sets you apart any further. It sucks, its not PC, but it is what it is. You want to blend in. When you have established a career and solid reputation you can start to have fun with office looks but until then, stick to the safe and boring stuff. I stick to one piece of jewelry, always have my hair pulled back and up, and will wear a suit jacket if I wear a shirt that is not neutral colored. I like the shoes you posted too, its a cute way to dress up an otherwise "dull" outfit. I also wear collared shirts most days. Keep it simple and easy. You want everyone to remember you for something incredibly brilliant you said at a meeting, not your fashion sense alone. Its just a part of building a professional image. Good luck and crush your summer!

 

i was wondering about so many of these things, so thanks for the great thread post. Ive been trying to make a list of things to purchase for the summer, and I'm getting the idea that i should just get a bunch of dark colored pencil skirts and dress pants with nice blouses / button ups? Also, do most firms want you to wear like matching suit jackets, or would cardigans in a few different colors suffice?

 
peagirl:
i was wondering about so many of these things, so thanks for the great thread post. Ive been trying to make a list of things to purchase for the summer, and I'm getting the idea that i should just get a bunch of dark colored pencil skirts and dress pants with nice blouses / button ups? Also, do most firms want you to wear like matching suit jackets, or would cardigans in a few different colors suffice?
- if you're really not sure: go black pencil, blue shirt for the first few days, see what the FT girls are wearing, go out and buy appropriate clothes

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=oh+fashion+financier...+what+do+i+wear%3F! hit the first link

 

I keep a few rules:

No Pink No Ruffles or bows

About the black skirt. this will become your best friend after you finally realize you're too damn tired to put together an outfit every morning. All of your black clothing will become your best friend. No nylons are cool if you're rocking knee length skirt and closed toe shoes. otherwise eyes will....wander.

A+ on the stilettos. I'm 5'3'' and everyone on my team is 6'4'' and up. you want to be eye level right?!

 
Jackiesinthesun:
I keep a few rules:

No Pink No Ruffles or bows

About the black skirt. this will become your best friend after you finally realize you're too damn tired to put together an outfit every morning. All of your black clothing will become your best friend. No nylons are cool if you're rocking knee length skirt and closed toe shoes. otherwise eyes will....wander.

A+ on the stilettos. I'm 5'3'' and everyone on my team is 6'4'' and up. you want to be eye level right?!

Thanks for the advice!! I am a huge fan of black pencil skirts but was sad to hear that IBD girls are always in navy and gray. So that isn't true? What are some of your favorite, more reasonably priced places to shop for work clothes in NYC? I am planning to get one suit that I love from brooks brothers before I move up and maybe just go to Nordstrom and ask one of the sales girls to pick a few things out for me, but other than that i am clueless! And I feel like I should buy most of this stuff after I start and see how the other girls dress but I don't see how I'll have much free time to spend shopping.

 

Let this logic drive you as well:

If your boss is a guy: * If you're good looking, dress very conservative and sexy....hang out with the guys and think, but don't say, 'fuck you' to the jealous bitches. * If you're not hot, then you'd better know your shit, work your ass off, and have an awesome personality: this is a boys club and you want to be invited back.

If your boss is a woman: you've hit the jackpot, just make her love you any way you can.

Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
Let this logic drive you as well:

If your boss is a guy: * If you're good looking, dress very conservative and sexy....hang out with the guys and think, but don't say, 'fuck you' to the jealous bitches. * If you're not hot, then you'd better know your shit, work your ass off, and have an awesome personality: this is a boys club and you want to be invited back.

If your boss is a woman: you've hit the jackpot, just make her love you any way you can.

True Statements. Very true. Ability to roll with the boys to happy hour and handle yourself and be one of the boys is important as well. Don't be a prude, but don't take any sh*t.

 

wondering if any females here can comment on how much a typical Theory suit from Woodbury commons would cost? I know Theory usually runs about $700 retail, so I'm trying to see whether it'd be worth making the trip to Jersey.

 
peagirl:
wondering if any females here can comment on how much a typical Theory suit from Woodbury commons would cost? I know Theory usually runs about $700 retail, so I'm trying to see whether it'd be worth making the trip to Jersey.

You can find a lot of theory stuff at discount stores, like tj maxx and marshalls. you just have to look in a few locations and you'll get lucky.

 

can anyone else comment on Theory prices at discount stores? i'm only asking because I can get a large discount at a department store, so I was just wondering whether or not that would be cheaper than just buying it straight without the discount from a woodbury/loehmanns type of place.

 
peagirl:
can anyone else comment on Theory prices at discount stores? i'm only asking because I can get a large discount at a department store, so I was just wondering whether or not that would be cheaper than just buying it straight without the discount from a woodbury/loehmanns type of place.

At a discount store, I have been able to find blazers for $100 and pants for $70. The only thing is, they often will have just one item, so you have to shop around at different places to find matching pieces. What kind of department store discounts have you found?

 

I'm wondering if it's absolutely necessary to get brand name suits for internships. As a college student, my budget is already pretty low, so I got some clothes custom tailored in China (where it costed about $200 for a jacket, pants, pencil skirt, and 4 blouses). Would no-brand custom tailored clothes work in internship scenarios?

 
fabulouslyfoxxy:
I'm wondering if it's absolutely necessary to get brand name suits for internships. As a college student, my budget is already pretty low, so I got some clothes custom tailored in China (where it costed about $200 for a jacket, pants, pencil skirt, and 4 blouses). Would no-brand custom tailored clothes work in internship scenarios?

Yes, don't worry about this at all. As long as it looks professional it's not important. Just make sure it fits you well!

 

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