A suit? A tie? A skirt? A scarf? I really don’t understand the reasons why the look of PR practitioners is something from my nightmares. I am a student and I know for a fact that I will never wear a pantsuit. PR students are told every day to dress like a “professional” but what does that mean? In todays PR world a variety of looks come to mind, but I get stuck when I think about nylons and flats. I often wonder if our professors tell us to dress like this because that is how it is or it’s their idea what a professional looks like.
I often fear that the industry is completely oblivious to the way dress or “dress code” can make for some incredibly uncomfortable work days. I am not saying that sweats are okay but the idea of looking professional is class oriented. What are students to do when they are required to dress to impress and you can barely pay rent? That is the question. I suggest looking online for inexpensive ways to spice up your wardrobe that you have or stores that emphasize on a low budget. I found an article called Looking Professional on a Budget, check it out or search other sites offering similar advice.
The generations to come seem to have their own styles and depending on the company and agencies you are interested the dress code will likely reflect that of those organization. Try to investigate where you want to work and see how other people dress and if you can see yourself in that atmosphere. Don’t be critical about the dress code sometimes we need to be flexible but comfortable.
Good luck everyone and remember its not what you wear, it’s how you wear it.
Photo from: somethinghire.com
You bring up a valid point. As I prepare for a P.R. internship this summer, I wonder how I am going to afford to look so professionally put-together all the time! Clothes are expensive! I think maybe the key to saving some money while still looking good is to buy a few key items that are maybe more expensive but will last a lifetime, and then mixing and matching with more inexpensive pieces.
[...] to Impress 14 02 2008 After commenting on a fellow P.R. student’s blog about dressing professionally in your public relations career, I decided to look a little further into the subject and write my [...]