A button-down, blouse and blazer circle my weekly laundry rotation for my first professional internship. This past summer, these staples began to replace my trusty monochrome tanktops and washed jeans. If you are anything like me, your taste in clothes come and go almost as quickly as the Ithaca winds, and I have always enjoyed the freedom of following where they take me. You can imagine my horror when I learned that 9 to 5s required an everyday nonnegotiable template. I am what I wear, to the extent that colors and patterns reflect my mood for the day.
At first, consistent with the common consensus, I struggled to make corporate cute. As someone with a highly specific taste in clothes and accessories, I grew up expressing myself through fashion, experimenting with different styles to accompany different times in my life. A dress code has never existed in my mind. There may have been phases I wouldn’t dare share with the public, but the becoming is just as integral as the result — like a butterfly out of the cocoon.
Pinterest is my all-time favorite inspo platform for color and pattern matching, as well as visualizing different silhouettes. In addition to black and white, navy and light blue pair well with grey, beige, and sage green options. When I have some free time (and money), I’ll browse Depop, Cider, Banana Republic, and even Loft if I need a staple piece. Don’t be afraid to dress up popular patterns and make them your own; they’re trendy for a reason! Yes, I’m talking about the polka dot epidemic.
Whether you are just starting your first corporate internship, or simply wondering how to dress up (and still dress like you) for recruitment season, it can be tough to balance personal style with strict professional dress codes.
Here’s how I do corporate my way.
- Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize.
Corporate accessories should be statements yet simple, elegant yet versatile. Anyone who knows me knows my 925 silver jewelry, from rings to bracelets to my timeless Return to Tiffany Heart Tag pendant my parents gifted me for my 18th birthday. Unfortunately, I don’t have my ears pierced, but once I do, silver earrings will be on the list as well. Of course, every item on this list has a story. My current ring stack consists of three minimalistic, yet striking designs from a handmade brand I discovered gallivanting in New York City with an old friend. During her last visit, my grandmother from China gifted me a chain bracelet with small lock-shaped gems in green, yellow and pink. They dangle perfectly on my wrist, which means a lot for someone with a wrist size that won’t fit most bracelets. Last but not least, I had been eyeing the Tiffany heart pendant for months leading up to my big day. If I ever lost it, I’d lose myself.
- Don’t forget to customize your footwear.
You may think your feet are the last place someone would look, but a pair of professional shoes to your liking is the ribbon tying your outfit together. Kitten heels and leather ballet flats are my personal favorites recently, especially in black, brown or red. Black is always a safe option, while brown is paired best with similar tones or contrasting colors, and red is an occasional statement piece.
- Personalize your bag with charms, keychains and color.
I like muted neutral tones, so I alternate between black and dark brown leather bags with meticulously strung keychains. Each carries its own sentimental value: some I bought at miscellaneous locations, and some were made by my crafty friends. It feels like I’m taking a piece of everything and everyone I love with me wherever I go.
- Layer up like it’s an Ithaca winter.
It’s all in the details. For example, a simple top can be elevated with lace, and midi skirts don’t feel complete without knee-high socks. Whenever I felt too plain during my internship, I’d reach into the depths of my endless closet for something, anything, more personal. I struck gold when my mom gave me a loose cream tank of hers with lace outlining. Nothing crazy is necessary; just find an extra piece that turns your head in every reflective surface you pass.
- Good hair days make the world go round.
Do your hair, even if it’s a simple brush in the mornings before heading out the door. I enjoy more volume in my painfully flat, fine Asian hair, so I’ll sleep in rollers or a loose messy bun to save time when I wake up. If you prefer it straightened, no frizz, no nonsense, I’m no expert in that department, but my roommate takes around 10 minutes every day to work her magic. If I’m having a bad hair day, I’m having a bad day.
- Most importantly, never forget yourself in the world of low-hanging fruit and grimace-inducing small talk that nobody will remember.
Despite the polished plainness of corporate wear, cuteness comes from within. If you look good, you feel good, and looking good looks different for everybody. In fact, I am loyal to my heel-bitten jeans outside of the office. A friend I interned with saw me on campus the other day and gasped at seeing me in casual clothes for the first time. I think it’s safe to say my preferred style diverges greatly from the typical corporate agenda. But we can always circle back to this later, right?
Selina Chen is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at sc3543@cornell.edu.
