Dressing for Success on a Budget
Image credit: Lindsay Garbacik for The Campus Trainer
As college students transition into the uncharted territory of adulthood, their path to the professional world winds through networking, career fairs and job interviews. While these situations are certainly nerve-racking, they are an opportunity to start building your post-graduation career and life.
In all these scenarios, it’s important to make a good first impression, which ultimately starts with your personal presence. In fact, Kelley Bishop, the University of Maryland’s career center director, said that wardrobe is an extremely important consideration when preparing for interviews.
“It’s wise to play it safe and dress more formally for interviews than you might have to once you’ve gotten the job. It’s also better to err on being overdressed than underdressed,” Bishop added. “If the interviewer was expecting you to dress casually and you are wearing a suit, you can pull off the jacket and roll up your sleeves. You can’t, unfortunately, make jeans and a T-shirt more formal if the reverse happens.”
Since business professional attire isn’t part of the typical college student’s everyday repertoire, building this kind of wardrobe from the ground up can be expensive. However, there are plenty of stores where you can find good-quality and stylish professional clothing at an affordable price.
“Off-price” Department Stores: T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Old Navy
Senior nursing major, Sara Keller is in the process of interviewing at nearby hospitals where she hopes to work in the pediatric intensive care unit after graduation. She proudly described herself as a “bargain-hunter” when it comes to shopping for business professional clothing. Her go-to stores are Marshall’s and T.J. Maxx, which carry higher-end brands, including Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren and Anne Klein.
“I wore a black pantsuit and kitten heels to my last interview,” Keller said. “I think I paid around $75 for the entire outfit from T.J. Maxx. If I shopped for those pieces at full price, the cost would probably have been double.”
For people working day-to-day in the corporate world, like senior marketing major Gianna Garufi did last summer, Old Navy offers comfy and chic business casual clothes.
While it’s important to shop for suits and ties, everyday work attire like pants and sweaters are essentially what you’re going to be wearing most.
“Not a lot of people would expect Old Navy to have a good selection but I have a bunch of chino-type business casual pants that I wore religiously during my internship,” Garufi said.
Thrift Stores: Goodwill and Salvation Army Family Store
Thrift and consignment stores are also reliable sources for solid business attire basics – a good pair of loafers, button downs or even a suit.
Besides, you only really need one formal business suit for an interview, and it doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Chain thrift stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army Family Store have an overwhelming selection, and every item is a steal.
Bishop suggested that students check out online thrift and consignment stores like Swap.com and Tradesey.com where luxury brands are for sale 50 to 75 percent off retail price.
Popular retailers: Zara, H&M, Forever 21
Retailers that are popular among the college-aged population also have stylish business wear to cater to the evolving trends in the corporate world.
According to Bishop, “While ‘business formal’ is still the norm in some fields, we’ve evolved a lot in the last decade.”
Garufi, who worked as a buyer for Ross stores last summer, admitted that a majority of her work wardrobe was from Zara and H&M.
“It’s the perfect balance of professional and trendy, which was perfect for the field I’m working in,” Garufi said. “Plus, it’s all relatively affordable.”
When it comes to dressing for success, you can swear by these stylish and affordable options.
