One of the hardest parts about working in the real world is realizing that my entire wardrobe is completely insufficient for my internship. Apparently, leggings and sweatshirts do not pass as business casual. Luckily for my lazy girl taste, my internship workplace is actually quite casual, which means no pant suits or pantyhose for me. I did have to do a little shopping though.

I am at desk for most of the day, but I also do a lot of walking on tours and visiting different collections departments. It is also hot and humid in D.C. during the summer, but can be cold in the collections areas. I needed a wardrobe that would be professional for my role, but also comfortable for commuting and hot days. I am also on a budget, so I needed to shop smart. I headed to Target, Kohl’s, and TJMaxx for a fashion make over. I went with sleeveless tops for the warm weather, some linen tops and some more professional fabric tops. That’s actually how I refer to them, I’m not even sure what fabric it really is. I also went with cropped pants to stay professional but again combat the heat, and also because my office is casual. I can even wear jeans! This internship just keeps getting better! For a girl who doesn’t know fashion and spends 5 minutes to pick out an outfit, having easy wardrobe choices was essential for me. A solid pant with a patterned top makes every outfit look professional and fashionable with trying too hard to make a statement. I also have a few dresses for when it is really hot, which are even easier to dress up. If you haven’t noticed by now, for me it is mostly practicality and ease for how I dress.

As for shoes, I learned the hard way that flats are not my friend. First day blisters that took two weeks to heal meant I could not wear flats to work for two weeks. Instead, I wore my Steve Madden slip ons. They are leather with a stitched pattern, making them fashionable but also professional enough to wear to work. They are comfortable and perfect for commuting. No blisters, no problem!

Having to wear business professional would be a nightmare every day. I still feel as if I am a twelve year old dressing up in her mom’s clothing when I wear anything close to business professional. Someday I will need learn how to style business professional for myself, but for now, I am happy with the business casual/casual work attire.