https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:56:49 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-354579 Tue, 24 May 2011 00:26:18 +0000 April 354579@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hee hee, Beth -- I, too, was quite relieved that it was an intern from one of the *other* professions. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-354553 Mon, 23 May 2011 23:11:23 +0000 KristineK 354553@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Apart from youth, I think examples set in popular media about what is appropriate to wear to work are also to blame. I'm often appalled by some of the outfits I see promoted in fashion magazines as being work-appropriate. TV shows and movies are often just as bad -- I remember reading a post over at corporette.com about how, when it comes to appropriate professional attire, Ally McBeal single-handedly ruined an entire generation of young women </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-354540 Mon, 23 May 2011 22:19:40 +0000 Jenava 354540@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting article about the casualization of start-up tech business</p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/fashion/20Noticed.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03.....ticed.html</a></p> <p>"Until recently, Mr. Tone said, informality was simply a benefit of working at start-ups. “Now it’s like one of the mandatory steps along the way,” he said. “Like you can’t get VC funding if people aren’t wearing sweat pants,” referring to venture capital. " </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-354521 Mon, 23 May 2011 21:23:37 +0000 Beth 354521@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Is it awful that I'm relieved it wasn't a psych intern, April? I dressed far too mature in my early years in the field but surely there's a middle ground:)</p> <p>The reason I'm comfortable wearing dressy jeans on Fridays is because everyone else is wearing what I term "gardening clothes." Essentially a t-shirt, faded denim and running shoes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-354480 Mon, 23 May 2011 18:21:26 +0000 Irene 354480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, honestly I don't get it. I'm 23 and would never do that. In fact, I might be lucky and get to be an intern next year, and I KNOW I'll have to buy some stuff if I ever get the (unpaid) job. Not that I dress inappropriately now, but maybe my clothes are not revealing yet a bit too casual. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-354452 Mon, 23 May 2011 16:38:59 +0000 Lisa 354452@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree, dress codes have gone down in professional looks/vibes as more and more have become "business casual" which includes jeans. I always dress up my jeans for work and although I wear jeans everyday, I am often one of the most dressed up people in my office. A couple of our younger staffers, I've talked to about "dressing for the position you want and not the position you have." I don't really want them to dress just like me, but leggings and long t-shirts or sweaters is not really professional to my eye, even in a casual setting. For some reason, dress has gone way down in all areas of life and people rarely seem to "dress for work" anymore. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353893 Sun, 22 May 2011 01:50:20 +0000 lyn* 353893@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>ROFL - Wow; I want to show up like that for wards one day just to see whawt would happen. Actually, I know. LOL. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353885 Sun, 22 May 2011 00:36:47 +0000 Jonesy 353885@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, this is a big problem! I would hope that professional dress would be part of training, professional socialization, etc., but I don't think it always is. I know a female grad student who frequently dresses very inappropriately, in a "I'm sexy and going clubbing" kind of way. One outfit that I vividly remember involved knee-high red patent leather stiletto boots paired with a tight sweater dress that showed lots of cleavage. It was not exactly appropriate for the halls of academia! I mentioned it to another prof who works more closely with her, but I felt weird about saying anything to her myself, since I don't directly supervise her or work with her. It's really too bad because it totally undercuts the perception of their competence. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353862 Sat, 21 May 2011 23:40:25 +0000 Jenava 353862@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>IT workers can be the same. I hate that some IT ppl actually believe that if you dress up you cant be competent. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353827 Sat, 21 May 2011 21:06:14 +0000 Kristine 353827@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Unfortunately it's not just interns... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353802 Sat, 21 May 2011 19:55:29 +0000 April 353802@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>And in my school district, the dress code doesn't help much. It says no jeans, but it doesn't say "no elastic-waist knit pants". If you followed the code to the letter, outfit #1 below would not be allowed, but outfit #2 would be just fine.</p> <p>I don't mean that outfit #2 is inappropriate in the way that the intern's outfit was inappropriate, just that it's far more casual than the "jeans" in the first outfit. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353789 Sat, 21 May 2011 19:36:19 +0000 Char 353789@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You know its not just 20 somethings. My son's Kindergarten teacher usually has great taste in young clothing (she's in her 30's) But some days I'll see her and wonder how she got away with a skirt that short, or low cut pants the leave little to the imagination when she bends over to talk to the kids!!! No wonder the Dad's hover around so much at morning drop off!<br /> Ah yes the 80's! Actually the only time I wore pearl necklaces (costume of course) and above the knee skirts! lol! We thought we were so cool. Ah and big hair. Very big hair!<br /> Then the 90's came and grunge with it. sigh... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353788 Sat, 21 May 2011 19:35:36 +0000 Lynne 353788@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>LOL, Sharon.... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353781 Sat, 21 May 2011 19:17:18 +0000 Angie 353781@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>WOW. This is a real problem and the reasons for this happening are many fold. (Our intern Andrew is well turned out I must say - and he is 22. But then, he interned at Oscar del la Renta in NYC).</p> <p>I see interns at Dress For Success dress in a similar way and they actually get a stern talking to - and a dressing session with one of the personal dressers (I have done many of those). </p> <p>I don't know what the solution is. Young people don't know what they don't know. There are fewer and fewer every day role models for them to distinguish between. And our age of casualization IS NOT HELPING. We totally dressed up more in the 80's, Janet. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353776 Sat, 21 May 2011 19:06:25 +0000 April 353776@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Tara, I think one reason it made such an impression on me was that I was envisioning how awkward it would be to have to hold such a conversation with one of my own interns. Frankly, I would have to think long and hard about how to approach that subject (they are, after all, adults). I would do it, but I would hate having to.</p> <p>Mercifully, my interns have all been more savvy than the one at that meeting, maybe because most of them had experience in clinical psychology. When you're learning to do therapy, there is a lot of talk about what to wear, to ensure that the focus is on the client's needs and not the therapist's cleavage, pedicure, or legs. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353743 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:58:14 +0000 Janet 353743@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I really don't understand this phenomenon. For my first job, when I was 17, I started working in an office, and I wore skirts and nice tops, trousers, jackets, dresses, etc. Maybe it was the times (people dressed up more in the 80s), and maybe I was a very mature 17yo (yes, I was, I guess not many real estate companies would hire a 17yo to answer their phones and process contracts), but STILL! A little common sense would tell people to look at their environment and act accordingly. Dressing unprofessionally is a sign of disrespect, IMHO.</p> <p>Now you kids get off my lawn. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353737 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:46:47 +0000 tarzy 353737@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wonder why the professional didn't give any advice (in a friendly, helpful way) to the intern about the expected dress code in that particular industry?</p> <p>Would that be considered a no-no? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353727 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:28:58 +0000 Maya 353727@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yikes, the naivete of youth is no excuse for this IMO. Internships are one of the most valuable ways to begin building your professional network and possibly securing a first job. When the stakes are so high, wouldn't you do anything to give the best impression possible? When I was an intern, I dressed up every single day that I worked, even when I didn't feel I had to. I found that when you look like an intern, you get treated like an intern--in a bad way. Instead of a potential future hire, you're just a temporary coffee-getter. It really does make a difference. </p> <p>There are so many ways to get nice professional attire without being forced to break the bank, and interns rarely work more than twice a week anyway, so there is no need to have a lot of clothes. A small capsule of mix and match pieces would do the trick. </p> <p>I guess I am the oldest 27 year old on the planet but I just can't get behind that. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353726 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:22:01 +0000 Michelle 353726@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh wow, that is a deeply unfortunate outfit! And in my view, it's indefensible. Sure there's some onus on parents, teachers etc to talk about appropriate attire in the workplace, but in this day and age, it's the easiest thing in the world for an intern to take some initiative and do a little research. A few minutes on the internet would yield plenty of good advice (maybe with some bad mixed in, I grant you, but a consensus would definitely emerge). There's just no excuse to dress like that in a professional setting. </p> <p>Great post, April. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353610 Sat, 21 May 2011 10:15:29 +0000 April 353610@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maybe this should be a word to the training programs who are placing interns: please have a conversation with your students about the correct wardrobe for your field. </p> <p>For heaven's sake, don't send them out into the world without a little guidance about what's appropriate -- they are representing your program, after all. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353587 Sat, 21 May 2011 06:59:56 +0000 synchronia 353587@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't think I would wear a sequined tank, cargo skinnies, and flip flops together for any occasion, let alone work! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353563 Sat, 21 May 2011 05:05:41 +0000 marianna 353563@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree. Many of my peers don't have a clue. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353463 Sat, 21 May 2011 00:49:11 +0000 Steph 353463@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think a lot of it is just youth. I see interns coming to work dressed inappropriately as well--typically skirts that are too short and clothing that is too casual. I honestly think that it is because they are young and have never been exposed to a workplace before. They probably don't have a professional wardrobe--I look back to my college days and remember having to borrow an outfit to wear when I was invited to a special dinner at the college president's home. I never wore cleavage to my summer jobs, or skirts that were too short, but I can see how other young women, particularly those who don't have anyone to guide them, could make these mistakes out of ignorance. Sure, they can look around and see what other people at the office are dressed like, but they probably think of those people as "old" and assume it is okay for someone of their age to be dressed differently. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353415 Fri, 20 May 2011 22:57:38 +0000 April 353415@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>LOL Sharon.</p> <p>I think one of the things going on is that people let what's in the stores dictate what is okay to wear. I notice that many of the young women I work with (whose demeanor is not provocative in any other way) are comfortable sporting a TON of cleavage at work. I think it's just because that's the way tops are cut now, and probably have been since these women have been in the workforce, so it seems acceptable. </p> <p>Retail hegemony? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353399 Fri, 20 May 2011 22:32:44 +0000 Sharon 353399@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hehe. My friend says "It's Casual Friday, not Pole-dance Friday". Always makes me giggle. I once saw an intern in a short skirt, high heels, a low cut top and with long hair hanging down. I remember thinking that I hoped she wasn't working on the cardiac ward. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353395 Fri, 20 May 2011 22:13:53 +0000 greenglove 353395@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree 100%. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353392 Fri, 20 May 2011 22:10:36 +0000 biscuitsmom 353392@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It really is appalling the way some people dress for work..I cant understand *why* they feel that is appropriate.... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-few-words-for-the-interns-of-the-world#post-353382 Fri, 20 May 2011 21:49:34 +0000 April 353382@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was in a meeting this morning where one of the professionals had an intern with her. </p> <p>I work in a school district, so the dress code certainly doesn't require a suit, but here is what this young woman was wearing: a knit tank with the front made entirely of sequins; bra straps exposed (by design of the shirt, not an accidental peek); cargo skinnies; flip flops.</p> <p>I've been an intern. I've also supervised many fine interns over the years and have appreciated them more than I can say.</p> <p>But, interns -- please, please dress appropriately for your work environment. Don't undercut your credibility by dressing like a high school kid, or like someone on her way to the boardwalk. </p> <p>No matter how talented or brilliant you are, you will be underestimated if you look like you don't understand what's expected in the workplace.</p> <p>That's all I wanted to say. </p> <p>P.S. It's official -- I have become my grandmother... </p>