Female intern clothes

I have a spring week (well, spring 9 days) coming up in April and currently the only suitable clothes I have is one smart dress. We haven't been told anything specific from HR about any kind of dress code, what I'm reading online seems to say either wear a suit the entire time, or that everyone will be in business casual.

Apologies if the following questions sound stupid, I'm just an uninformed student who doesn't have anyone else in the industry to ask.

1) As an intern, should I be wearing business formal all the time? Do I need to wear a suit jacket every day?
2) Would I be alright wearing a smart tweed jacket or something similar? I can't post links unfortunately but I just googled 'smart tweed jacket/blazer women' and some examples come up.
3) Do I need to stick to traditional smart shirts/blouses, or could I for example wear a long sleeved turtle neck top with a smart pencil skirt? Or a pencil skirt/trousers with a reasonably smart top? Again, can't post links but with regards to 'reasonably smart tops' I'm meaning the kind of stuff that Rachel wears on Suits which aren't just plain shirts (again, Google images gives good examples)

Basically, I don't want to end up stuck in the white blouse, black/navy/grey skirt/trousers and suit jacket combo for two weeks. At the same time, I don't want to be the idiot who turns up in business casual when everyone else is suited up for the whole time.

Ideally, I'd like to just buy some black court shoes, a suit jacket, smart dress, couple pairs of smart trousers/pencil skirts, another smart jacket/cardigan/jumper and some 'formal but could also wear to a nice restaurant' tops - aka not just white button up shirts. I'd also like to buy all (or at least most) of it beforehand as I don't want to spend the whole time there stressed about when I can leave to go shopping for tomorrow's clothes.

Huge thanks to anyone who reads this and offers meaningful advice without making fun of the poor student!

Banking Intern Dress Code for Females

Most of the fashion advice is here is can be simplified into the following, match your tastes to conservative business attire. If you think you think a piece in the wardrobe is risky then air on the side of caution. Common sense advice out of the way here is a few specifics to consider. These are certainly not the only styles but they are the most common.

  • Skirts
    • Black pencil skirts are the most common
    • If a skirt can be considered skirting the edge of workplace decency then pair with leggings to safe
  • Tops
    • Dress shirt with or without cuff-links
  • Shoes
    • Conservative styling with a heel that generally does not exceed 3.5 inches

Some feedback from certified female sale and trading associate
@she_monkey"

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 distracting 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 think shoes only get bitched about when it starts to resemble the ones your favorite exotic dancer wore last night

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30 Comments
 

I got cancer reading that.

Spend less time on what you’ll be wearing and more on what you’ll be doing if you want to succeed

26 Broadway where's your sense of humor?
 
Best Response

Then don't read it. I appreciate that it may seem completely ridiculous for those on here who have been in the industry for years, however as a first year university student with no prior experience in these areas, I was simply asking for advice on this. I'm not sure what the problem is with not wanting to stick out like a sore thumb due to wearing completely the wrong clothes.

 

Be conservative. Wear heels, but not too high. Standards for girls are more relaxed than for guys. You don't need to be suited up every day, but your arms should be covered, your neckline not too low, and your skirt within an inch of your knees. Always have a blazer with you. You can show some personality and accessorize, but tastefully. Within a student budget I recommend Banana Republic.

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