By: Danielle Zibiri
So you've finally gotten your dream internship. It's been months of constantly making Linkedin connections, being told there was something wrong with your resume, sending hundreds of emails and staring at congratulation messages wondering when it'll be your turn. Wardrobe has been the last thing on your mind (unless you're an avid over-thinker like me) and four weeks till the start of your professional lives it's dawned on you that you have absolutely nothing appropriate to wear and the frat shoes just won't suffice.
All our MUUZ girls know that to work in the capitals of the world, you need to dress to impress. We all want to avoid an Andy moment. No oversized blue sweaters, ugly kitten heels and God forbid plaid skirts. But where do you start, in an industry where trends are forever evolving, you're constantly being told what to do and it can start to feel overwhelming. One minute cherry is the it color, all of a sudden even our ankles have to be tied with bows(please lets end coquette). Next minute we're being told logos are out and quiet luxury is in. It's enough.
At some point you can't let trends dictate fully what we wear unless you'll never have a wardrobe your happy and content with, however there are limits .We have the commandments of fashion for a reason so to avoid burning in the hell of dirty looks, debit statements and numerous visits to the return office, let's try to follow these . We need to dress to impress. Not to impress people around us but to impress ourselves cause we all know when you look your best you feel your best.
Identify Your Character:
Firstly, it's important to look within and identify who you are. What are you trying to portray? I grew up knowing I belonged at the offices of W magazine and Vogue so automatically what I watched centered around these things too. I was vile for The Devil Wears Prada, Ugly Betty, Sex and the City. And even if I may not be able to afford the velvet suits from the 1990 Gucci collection, I know I'm able to find cheaper alternatives that still portray the same aesthetic. My personal style inspo has always been Carrie Bradshaw so I knew what I wanted to portray going into the professional environment of the fashion industry. Finding a style inspo takes a lot of the pressure off especially if you're not one that fusses over fashion.
Build On A Foundation:
Now you've decided what you're trying to portray, head out to shop accordingly. The mistake a lot of us make is shopping without a plan and it leads to spending hundreds of dollars on clothes we will probably grudgingly wear once. As I've learnt over the years, basics is the way to go. When building a house you need foundation to build on. The same goes with looks. We need trousers,tops that are neutral but interesting. It's easy to get miscarried by the word basics. This doesn't mean dressing nun-like, not that there's anything wrong with that, but it involves picking out clothes that can easily be built on.
Staying Conservative:
Every girl needs neutral colored tank tops, a button up oxford shirt not the oversized ones, but the fitted, peplum style shirt. A set of high rise and mid rise trousers are also very important and depending on your body type you could get a straight leg, wide leg or slim fit. Now let's talk about skirts. When it comes to dressing for the office, it's all about finding style in conservancy. The skirts cannot be too short, but luckily that's why we have boots. I've always loved those 90s/2000s looks where a midi skirt is worn with knee high boots and a stylish fitted blazer. However if you prefer shorter skirts, make sure to cover up the top half. We always have to pick arms or legs and this is very important to remember. So if you wear something sleeveless to the office, no legs. And if you wear something appropriately short, no collar bone. These issues can be resolved with a chic jumper as well. If you're not one for too many eyes on you, a classic stiletto and a pantsuit can never go wrong.
On days when you're feeling festive, a pop of color is always advised. And for the winter a nice wool button up cardigan, black translucent tights that can be worn with boots or even a heel,and a nice fitted coat is perfect .When it comes to getting dresses for work it's easy to get misguided there's always a problem with it being too risque or too grandma-esque. The best solution to this is to find a playful mid length dress. And style it will either be a blazer or a chic necklace accessories are really key. For work it's easy to go ahead with plain black shoes and call it a night but accessories matter, they make up the whole look sometimes. To build this up get some knee high boots, your favorite pumps, stilettos or mary janes. Invest in a cute timeless work bag. It could be something designer that you splurge your first paycheck on,that is classy, understated but draws attention. No one has money to buy new outfits everyday, but picking a rotation that still allows you to look fabulous is really good. Below are some looks I've curated for your day in the office!
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