Blazer, check. Nylons, check. Shirt and tie, check. The essentials of the corporate world can be so blah, blah, blah.
By no means does this mean you should wear that old tie-dyed shirt you made at camp years ago or let your brassiere hang out of your blouse for that dream job interview – there are subtle ways to show off your personality through the uniform suit.
Here are a few students we found floating around Eller College of Management who either have found that perfect combination of playful and professional, or need just that little something.
Useful tips
- Tip 1: Suits don’t necessarily have to be bought in a pair. Grey slacks with a navy blazer would be perfectly acceptable.
Senior marketing student Jennifer Rohr dressed to impress in a matching brown pinstriped pantsuit from Dillard’s.
But Rohr could have used some creative flair; she could have worn a pretty white blouse.
Her black pumps, however, were sky-high and fabulous, and she looked very poised as she scurried off in them to try to get a job.
Junior MBA student Candice Chen seems to understand the balance of personal style and appropriate attire.
If Chen had been just wearing her knee-length navy shift dress, boring would have been her middle name. However, her brocaded blazer in aqua blue adds a nice pop of color.
The aspiring corporate businesswoman proves that being matchy-matchy isn’t necessary with her brown patterned kitten toe heels. All pieces worn by Chen yesterday afternoon are from her native China.
Marketing junior Aaron O’Campo finds that dressing professional for the corporate world is just the way it is.
“”It’s the accepted norm,”” he said.
O’Campo’s suit, from Banana Republic – a great place to go for reasonably priced but fashionable office attire – is snazzed up with his yellow tie by Nautica.
“”I try and add modern pieces,”” O’Campo said.
Well done.
Third year law student Brandi Blair finds dressing professionally a challenge.
“”It’s tough because it’s expensive,”” Blair said. “”Especially for students.””
Blair wears a lavender camisole under a pinstriped blazer and matching pleated skirt, both from Dillard’s.
“”I try and keep it as feminine as I can,”” Blair said.
Although she has the right idea, pastels are sometimes hard to notice when worn under black. A pretty heather gray or a deeper purple might have worked a bit better.
