girls internship attire
what to wear for an IB internship & recommendations for places to shop at
i.e. what bag to carry, heels or flats?, where to buy dresses pants etc
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Firstly... dress like a woman, not like a girl. Avoid leggings and overly casual looks EVEN IF it's a 'business casual' setting. Add to that, nothing too short, too clingy, too sheer or too low-cut. Look around the office during your first week and get a feel for what everyone else is wearing, you want to fit in and not stand out in a bad way.
Footwear-wise, wear what you like, whether flats or heels, just keep them up. It's so painful to see a man or woman nicely dressed from the ankles up and then see that their footwear have super worn-out heels, cracking leather/material. I wear comfortable flats, boots, sandals for the walking portion of my commute and keep a few different pairs of heels in my drawer that I change into.
Personally, I exclusively wear dresses or skirts. Pants are certainly acceptable these days, but make sure they are flattering and proportionate to your height, not too tight, too short and not dragging on the ground. A decent tailor is your friend if you have a height or figure where it's trickier to buy off-the-rack and not look like you borrowed someone's clothes that are obviously ill-fitting.
Don't know where you live/work, but H&M, Zara, Express, Lord & Taylor, Century21 outlets - you can find lots of affordable brand-name dresses, along with nicer logo-free t-shirts and knit tops to wear over skirts. Tops and skirts/pants will allow for more versatility, mixing/matching, especially when you are slowly buildng a work wardrobe. You can probably survive without a proper blazer/jacket, however, it's never a bad thing to own one or two, one neutral, one bright or favorite color. There are also tons of lovely cardigans and wraps that you can easily find. I keep a blazer and 2 cardigan/wraps at my desk, so I can cover up when the a/c is kicking or when I need to attend a meeting and want to look a bit more polished.
As for handbags/totes/gear-carrier, there are tons of leather and non-leather options. Many of the stores I mentioned above also sell accessories like handbags, knapsacks, etc. Avoid anything "too cute" like a Hello Kitty knapsack or those furry purses with varsity patches stitched on. You can never go wrong with a basic black or neutral bag or tote with either some interesting metalwork or embroidery if you are looking to make things a little interesting.
Same thing goes for jewelry. You want a few things to top off your look, but nothing over-the-top. Costume jewelry is fine, but don't wear noisy, jingly bracelets.
Make-up and perfume - keep them on the more-lightly-applied side, especially perfume or cologne, and especially if you're going to be working closely with others in a fishbowl or bullpen setting.
Good luck on your internship!
If you do a search you can find a few threads with suggestions. I think it's best to err on the side of conservative as a younger woman in the office, so here is what I have found works for me.
Suits: Assuming you've already been to the interview, you should have one navy suit. Go back and buy the full set- skirt, pants, blazer. Pick up another suit in gray and black (black is a no-go for men, but more acceptable for women). Again, get each skirt, pants, blazer from the same place, and make sure the fabric and color are the same. These items are your basic essentials, you can build all of your outfits around them. Get your suits tailored and they'll look like they cost twice as much. Brands, from most expensive to least: Theory, Hugo Boss, Reiss, Tahari, J. Crew, Anne Klein. There are cheaper options like Express or H&M which should be fine for everyday, but I've found getting an entire suit set is a better investment, and you can mix and match the pieces.
Shoes: Heels versus flats depends on your office. I would wear black heels and note what the full-times are wearing your first few days, but flats are becoming more acceptable. Black and beige are the standard colors. Heels should be 2-3 inch pumps, no wedges/block heels (they look clunky)/anything excessively strappy. Brands: Varies, these aren't hard to find. Prada point-toe and Jimmy Choo Romy 60 are the classic look you're going for, but obviously those are high end and out of an intern budget. For less expensive options, look at Calvin Klein, Anne Klein, Vince Camuto, Nine West, Sole Society (sometimes), Michael Kors, etc. Macy's and DSW have lots of options. For flats, Tory Burch are common, plus the previously mentioned brands. No one will be staring at your normal black pumps, so don't feel like you have to splurge here.
Dresses/Shirts: Dresses are nice to have on rotation, just toss it on with a blazer and you're set. Same brands as mentioned for the suits, but really any conservatively solid colored, non-cleavage, knee-length dress is good. I personally don't mind spending money on pants, but don't like to splurge on shirts. I wear a combination of button downs, shells, and some colored short-sleeved blouses (pale blue, a few light pink, red, lavender, but mostly white), all from random brands. For shirts I really dislike Brooks Brothers' women's selection, even though it is highly recommended for men. Most of all make sure the shirt/dress is thick enough/high enough on the sides that you cannot see your bra through it, or the bra lines on the back. Brands: Check out the suit brands mentioned for nicer ones. Other options could be Express, Everlane, Banana Republic, and the department stores (Nordstrom/Bloomingdales/Macy's/Lord&Taylor all have great workwear sections with shirt options, and most have sales at least once a month). The shell-type shirts in particular are very inexpensive and look great with a blazer.
I would get a watch if you don't have one. Brand does not matter, just something conservative looking and not a blingy Michael Kors. For bags, Longchamp is popular, but anything solid/non-flashy (no LV Neverfuls, Goyard bags, or Gucci logos) is a safe bet.