11 Fashion Mistakes A Female should Not Make at her Internship

 

An internship is really just an extra-long job interview, so you want to dress accordingly. If that means that you have to go buy some new clothes, so be it. Think of it as an investment in your future, because that is exactly what it is. Hey, do you want the job or not?

Mistake 1: Your underwear/bra strap is showing.


 
Even something as seemingly innocent as a camisole peeking out from an open blouse can read as inappropriate in an office environment, especially if it has little spaghetti straps or lace detailing that make it look especially like lingerie.


Fix: Cover it up!

 
Look at yourself in the mirror. Turn around. Stretch. Reach. Bend over. If at any point your bra strap pops out or you catch a glimpse of your shapewear peeking below the hem of your skirt, it's probably a good idea to change. Even if the exposed undergarment in question isn't sexy, the fact that it's visible makes you look sloppy and that's not the impression you want to give to a potential employer.

Mistake 2: Your shirt/skirt/dress/whatever is see-through.

Depending on the office you work in, even wearing a sheer blouse over a neutral bra or camisole can end up looking inappropriate. The fact is, even a little bit of transparency can be a distraction and you never want your clothes to be a distraction.


Fix: Stick to sturdy fabrics and knits, and stay away from anything flimsy.
 

 
And make sure any under layers you wear are smooth so they don't cause awkward ripples and bumps in your clothing.

Mistake 3: You're trying to do a whole day-to-night thing.


 
When you are at work, you should dress for work. Period. Dressing for whatever you have going on outside the office just gives the impression that work is not your number-one priority, and that is only going to hurt you in a highly competitive job market.


Fix: Save the day-to-night stuff for after you actually have a job.


 
Push that dinner reservation of yours to 9:00 so you have time to go home and get dressed after work. And don't even think about bringing a change of clothes to the office and getting dressed in the bathroom. 

Mistake 4: Your hair is wet and it's not even raining outside.


 
How do you expect your boss to trust you to complete important tasks when you can't even manage to wake up in time to wash and blow-dry your own hair?


Fix: Either wash it the night before, or put in some dry shampoo and give yourself an up-do.

 

No one cares if your alarm didn't go off or if you were up all night comforting your roommate. It's up to you to manage your own time outside of the office.

Mistake 5: You can't bend over without flashing the person standing behind you.


 
If you feel the need to hold your skirt against your butt before bending over to pick up a dropped pen, then it is really too short.


Fix: Wear a longer skirt or just wear pants.

Mistake 6:Your high heels are slowing you down. 


It doesn't matter how professional your pumps look, if you can't haul ass when the time comes, then they are not appropriate. 


Fix: Stick to shoes you can run across the room in.

 For some people, this means wearing flats. For other people, it might mean wearing a heel that is just a little bit thicker than normal or putting a rubber tread on the bottom of an otherwise slick shoe. Whatever you need to do to stay mobile, just do it, because if your boss sees you walking when they think you should be running, they will think you do not share their sense of urgency, which could really hurt your chances of getting hired if/when the time comes.

 That is all.

 Mistake 7: Your makeup could only be considered professional if you are performing in a drag show.

 
Wearing a lot of heavy makeup is distracting to those around you and can make you look high-maintenance, which is not an attractive quality to employers. 


Fix: Less is more.

 
Office makeup should be minimal, natural, and polished. Even if you are wearing a lot of makeup, it shouldn't look like it. Save the heavy stuff for the weekend.

 Mistake 8: What the fuck??!!

 
At no point do you want anyone you work with to look at what you are wearing and think, What the fuck?

 

Fix: Keep it simple.


 
Listen to that little voice inside your head urging you to reconsider. If you look at your outfit and wonder if it is too sexy or too colorful or too cluttered or too trendy, then it probably is and you should probably do something about it

Mistake 9: The smaller the straps, the smaller your chances of being taken seriously.

 
It should go without saying then that strapless tops and dresses are completely inappropriate.


Fix: Just make it easy on yourself and wear sleeves.


 
You can also try layering a jacket or sweater over your strappy top or dress, but keep in mind that you will not be able to take that top layer off if you start to overheat.

 Mistake 10: You are just so precious!

 
As an intern, you are pretty much at the bottom of the food chain, and as such, you are probably going to be asked to complete a lot of menial tasks that no one else wants to do — physical tasks that will have you running around, hauling, moving, and generally busting your hump. If you don't look like you are ready to roll up your sleeves and do what needs to be done, you might not get asked. That might be nice for you in the short run — after all, who wants to take out the garbage or run errands when it is 3 degrees outside? — but what about when something cool comes along? Who do you think your boss is going to ask to help them then? You? Or the person who has already proven themselves capable of getting shit done?


Fix: Leave your fragile, super-special stuff at home.


 
Looking nice is great, but only to the extent that it doesn't get in the way of you doing your job.

 Mistake 11: Just because you are young, it doesn't mean it is OK to dress like a kid.

 
"Cute" might be your "look," but if you want people to trust you with grown-up responsibilities, then you need to dress like a grown up. That means no ditsy graphics, no heart-shaped jewelry, and no frilly little baby doll nonsense.


Fix: Only wear clothes that make you feel like a strong, professional woman, not a girl.


 
And don't let yourself be influenced by the other interns working around you. Just because no one has told them that shorts and a sunhat are inappropriate office attire doesn't make them OK. More likely, those same interns have already been written off as being unhirable in the long run, so their supervisors don't consider them worth the time and energy it would take to correct them. Harsh? Yes. But that's just how it goes sometimes.If, after all that, you are still unsure if you are dressing appropriately for your internship, ask someone like your mom or a teacher or professional you know who works outside your company. Do not ask your boss. Dressing appropriately is your responsibility, not theirs.