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How To Dress For Summer Internships
May 5, 2015

Dressing for an internship can be both daunting and expensive, but it really doesn’t have to be. Some of you may remember Hillary’s post on how to dress well on a budget? In that post, Hillary showed you how you don’t have to break the bank to look good at work. 

While that post is relevant all year round, it was more winter focused. We all know DC gets hot in summer, so what’s an intern to do when it comes to dressing for work in warmer months? You want to look respectful and be well covered up, but you also want to make sure you don’t melt as the temperatures soar.

It can be tricky, but I’m here to help you navigate these tricky waters and show you how to dress for summer internships.


Ladies…

1. A Great Summer Dress

A dress is one of the quickest and easiest summer wardrobe staples. But there is a fine line between what’s appropriate for work and what’s not. When picking a dress for your internship, you will need to make sure it isn’t too short or revealing. A dress like the one pictured is perfect. It’s not too short and the sleeves and high neck perfectly balance with the length of the dress.

Another tip is to try to avoid wearing all black. Sure a black dress (and black in general) is easy and always looks chic, but it also attracts the sun. If you want to keep cool over summer, go for some lighter shades in your looks.

2. A Light Blouse

Summer is here so it’s time to free your arms and embrace shorter sleeves. Every girl should have a few great white pieces in her wardrobe. White is versatile and you can easily mix and match with trousers, shorts or skirts. Something like this blouse is perfect for your summer work wardrobe.

3. A Pencil Skirt

As the temperatures start to creep up, wearing trousers may not be an option. Light weight pencil skirts are the perfect solution. As with your summer work dresses, make sure your skirt is the right length. A black skirt like this will be a great addition to your summer wardrobe. You will be work ready by pairing it with a great short sleeved white shirt.

4. Summer Shoes

It’s time to ditch the boots and let your feet breathe again. A neutral pair of dressy flats will work well in any girls wardrobe. Again, the color is versatile and will be sure to work well with various different office looks.

Guys…

1. Short Sleeved Shirts

Guys, like with the girls, it’s time to get your arms out. There are so many great (and smart!) short sleeved shirts available for men. Make sure you keep cool by investing in a few key pieces.

2. Light Colored Trousers

For most guys, office wear means black trousers. The good news is, it doesn’t have to. There are great lighter colored options available (like these chinos) that will be great for the summer months.


Want to know the best thing about all of these pieces? They are well within your intern budget. Now you can look the part and still be able to enjoy your time in DC. Happy shopping!