Just landed a NYC summer internship and I have to buy a new wardrobe & Idk what's appropriate!! HELP!!

I'm a sophomore and I just got my first offer. Except I own 1 work-appropriate outfit that I wear to every interview. So I need more clothes.

I've been looking thru forums and stuff to get an idea but I'm soo lost bc nobody is using pictures!! I can't find any pics actually showing what u need to wear. And I have no idea what people are describing. I'm worried my idea of "sleeveless blouse" might be different from someone else's. 

Can someone please send links to work-appropriate pants/shirts/tops. Or upload images? Like what would a work-appropriate sleeveless blouse be. Work appropriate sweater? 

THANK U SO MUCHHHH

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Congratulations on landing your NYC summer internship! Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's a breakdown of what you need to build a professional wardrobe, even if you're starting from scratch:

Key Wardrobe Essentials for Women:

  1. Blazers/Jackets:

    • Aim for 1-2 blazers. A neutral color (black, navy, or grey) is a must, and you can add a second in a brighter or favorite color for variety.
    • A blazer instantly elevates any outfit, whether paired with a dress, skirt, or pants.
  2. Tops/Shirts:

    • Sleeveless Blouses: Look for shell-type shirts that are high-necked and thick enough to avoid showing bra lines. Brands like Express, Everlane, and Banana Republic have great options.
    • Button-Downs: Stick to classic colors like white, pale blue, or light pink. Avoid overly sheer fabrics.
    • Sweaters/Cardigans: Lightweight cardigans or wraps are perfect for layering. Keep one at your desk for chilly office days.
  3. Bottoms:

    • Pants: Invest in a couple of pairs of tailored trousers in neutral colors. Make sure they fit well and are hemmed to the right length.
    • Skirts: Pencil skirts are a classic choice. Ensure they are knee-length and not too tight.
  4. Dresses:

    • A few knee-length, solid-colored dresses are versatile and easy to style with a blazer.
  5. Shoes:

    • Comfortable black pumps or flats are a safe bet. Tory Burch flats or brands like Nine West and Vince Camuto are popular choices.
  6. Accessories:

    • A simple, solid-colored tote or handbag (avoid flashy logos).
    • Conservative jewelry—nothing too noisy or over-the-top.
  7. Outerwear:

    • For NYC summers, you won’t need heavy coats, but a lightweight trench or blazer can be useful for cooler mornings.

Tips for Shopping:

  • Affordable Options: H&M, Zara, Express, and department stores like Macy’s or Nordstrom often have sales on workwear.
  • Tailoring: Even budget-friendly pieces can look polished if tailored to fit you well.
  • Mix & Match: Focus on versatile pieces that can be paired in multiple ways to stretch your wardrobe.

What to Avoid:

  • Low-cut tops or overly tight clothing.
  • Flashy logos or overly trendy items.
  • Worn-out shoes or accessories.

Pro Tip:

During your first week, observe what others in the office are wearing to fine-tune your wardrobe choices. It’s always better to overdress slightly than to underdress.

Unfortunately, I can’t provide images or links directly, but the brands and stores mentioned above should give you a great starting point. Good luck, and you’re going to crush it this summer!

Sources: girls internship attire, S&T Summer Intern Clothing Guide, A minimal wardrobe that works for interns/first years, Female intern clothes, Women's Investment Banking Attire

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Go to Brooks Brothers when they’re having a sale, which is pretty much all the time. Let the salesman sell you 3 suits, 5 ties, 5-7 dress shirts and 2 pairs of shoes. Wear the shirts with white t-shirts. Black, navy or gray socks. Polish the shoes. 

Do not wear business casual if you’re at risk for looking like an underdressed slob, which is often the case for most 19-20 year olds. Business casual done properly requires good taste and enough money and is very context dependent. Wait until you see how your coworkers dress.

 

Thanks!! Would I be wearing a suit everyday? I don't have a brooks brothers in my state. Do u have any online alternatives? I'll definetly wait to see what everyone else is wearing. On tiktok everyone looks to be dressed wayyy too casual. 

 
Most Helpful

As a first time suit wearer, you really need to step inside a BB store and have a salesman help you. Not until you try on the jacket will you know if the suit looks right on you. 

One other thing, don’t mix and match one brand of suit with another brand of shirt or another brand of tie. At least not until you know how to wear a suit. Suit lapels go with certain shirt collars and not others. Ditto shirt collars and particular ties. That’s why you should buy suits, shirts and ties from one brand — everything fits together. 


Road trip over spring break to a city with a Brooks Brothers store. Two hours with an older salesman will set you right so that in the future you can buy what you need online. White shirts v. blue. Oxford cloth v. broadcloth. Collar options. None of this is complicated but someone has to show you what works on you and what doesn’t. 

This last point is important. When I was in business school the placement office flew in a Broadway costume designer to evaluate whether MBA students seeking jobs in finance were wearing suits that hurt or helped their chances. What looks good on one person doesn’t work on someone else.


Good luck. 

 

For shoes, I would highly recommend checking out the becket simonon Lambert Loafers in Oak and the Beaumont Loafers in black. They're really high quality for the value (snag the 2 for $319 promo), but they take 3 months to come in as they are all made to order. I wear Lambert oak ones everyday and my black Beaumont ones for more formal days/events and I couldn't be happier. Honestly, I wish I had them during the summer instead of my suitsupply oxfords which are good just not as comfortable as loafers. I can also give you a referral code if you want to try stacking it on top of the combo but just lmk.

Undershirts - Just grab the 3 pair white v-neck slims from calvin klein and it'll help protect from sweat stains and extend the life of your shirts. 

Socks - I usually just match the color of my shoes or pants except when wearing brown shoes, I'll use socks which match pants as I don't have oak colored socks. Polo has pretty good priced socks. 

Ties - You just need 2 decent ties max(I personally like subtle patterns on a light blue, dark blue, dark red, dark silver combo). I've gotten ties from suitsupply, vineyard vines (honestly patterns too loud for me), and hermes, but just make sure you feel and test them before buying or cutting the tag off them.

Suits/Shirts - I got my first suit from bonobos, and after having tried SuitSupply, am honestly pretty dissapointed with bonobos' value. Obviously you pay a bit more for suitsupply but regardless of brand at least get it tailored as fit is arguably more important than brand. For shirts I like the Bonobos Weekday Warrior dress shirt. It's thicker in material than the Jetsetter but doesn't crease or show wet marks from sweat if you get sweaty in the subway/commute.

 

Sry lol don’t know how I missed that. @ma_associate on IG has pretty great style/recommendations for women which could be worth checking out.

 

Hugo Boss and especially Charles Tyrwhil are good for tall but slimmer/leaner end of athletics. Most companies cater to bigger/heftier sizes so you should have more of a a wealth of options as compared to the lean. Find a few recommended companies on styleforum askandy  with a decent return policy and try them out. Its not ideal, but once you hit 6'3 the forms become wildly different in proportions.  We are on the odd end and the odd end and the odd end isnt mecessarily good for brand exposure

Bobby the Baboon - Leader of the Next Great Market Chimpout
 

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