So, you did it! You finally scored that summer internship you’ve been dreaming about. The question now: What do you wear? The single most important thing you need to know is that what you wear directly affects the way people in your office will perceive you. If you look professional, people will associate you with being professional.

Still, every office has a different protocol when it comes to attire and it can be difficult knowing what is appropriate and what is not. Whether your office is casual, business casual, or business formal, it is important that you understand the dress code at your office, and that you adhere to it – no if’s, and’s or but’s. Even with the guidelines, it’s sometimes difficult to tell what is expected of your attire. Here are some tips to help you assemble the perfect wardrobe.

It’s better to overdress than underdress, so make sure you dress to impress on your first day.

Sure it can be somewhat embarrassing to show up to work in a suit when everyone around you is in jeans, but isn’t it even more embarrassing to show up the other way around? You might stick out a bit, but at least you won’t be drawing attention for being dressed inappropriately.

Make observations

The best thing you can do for yourself is to make observations about what the majority of the people around you wear and try to blend in. I say “majority” because there will inevitably be someone around you dressed in open toed sandals when your company policy clearly states that this against the rules. Even if everyone in the office ignores this policy, remember, you are the intern. You are trying to make a good impression – are the sandals really worth it?

Be Conservative

Ladies, if there is one thing that I see time and time again, it is inappropriate skirt lengths and cleavage. I know it’s summer, and I know it’s hot, but please remember to keep it conservative. I’m not saying you need to wear a skirt down to your ankles, but if you make it a habit to avoid bending over in your favorite summer dress, then it’s inappropriate for work.

Casual Dress Code

Just because a dress code says “casual” doesn’t mean you can show up in sweatpants. Casual, especially for the summer intern, should be more than jeans and a tee shirt. Your boss may show up in a tracksuit, but it’s important to be “put-together” as the intern. Think trendy. An appropriate outfit for a woman may look something like this:

Image courtesy of: http://www.theepochtimes.com/

A belt with your jeans and dressy shoes make this casual outfit more than your everyday look.

A man would dress something like this:

Image courtesy of: http://www.theepochtimes.com/
Note the belt and nice shoes (not sneakers). It’s important to look as though your outfit is well thought out. It’s the difference between professional and “I just rolled out of bed and threw this on”.

Business Casual

Think about this as a step up from the casual wardrobe. You’re still not wearing suits every day but the jeans are officially out of the picture. For women, it might look something like this:

Image courtesy of: http://smartcasualdresscode.com/

Cardigans and blazers, button up shirts, dress pants and skirts are all appropriate for business casual.

For men, something like this:

Image courtesy of: http://casual-apparel.tumblr.com/

The jacket is optional for every day use, however you should always have your jacket on during a meeting.

Business Formal

This attire is typically reserved for high-end offices, but be prepared for it no matter where you end up. Typically Business Formal means you’ll be wearing a suit everyday. As such, it’s very important to go and get fitted for your suits, because simply wearing a suit is not enough. You’ll need to see a tailor to make alterations so that the suit fits you correctly, otherwise it’s likely that you’ll look a little disheveled. An example for a woman:

Image courtesy of: http://dress.ankletss.com/womens-business-dress/

And Men:

Image courtesy of: http://www.askmen.com/fashion/keywords/business-attire.html

Additional Things to Remember

Ladies, keep the make-up clean and light. You want to enhance features, not create new ones. Leave the bright green eyeshadow in your make-up bag.

Also, both men and women need to be mindful of perfumes and cologne. You want to smell clean and fresh but don’t bathe in it. Your officemates will appreciate you taking it easy on the fragrance.

And last but not least, wear a good attitude. Attitude is everything when you’re the “new guy”, and if you want to stick around after your internship, a good attitude will be the single most important thing you wear all summer.

This post was written by guest blogger, Diana K. Diana is a southern transplant from the Philadelphia area (which is where she gets all her charm) and blogs about her new life as a mother over at A Little Bit of Sass