Professional Attire

Dress the part to make a great impression for professional networking, interviewing, career fairs, and most work environments.

There are many variables that influence how you should dress and those depend on the organization, specific situation, the industry, company “culture” or work environment, and your culture.

If you are unsure how professionally you should dress, it’s better to err on the side of dressing more professionally.

General Recommendations

Clothes:

• Tailored or fit well
• In good condition
• Wrinkle & lint-free

Shoes:

• Neat and clean dress shoes and in good condition

Accessories:

• Belts should match the color of your shoes and attire
• Jewelry should be moderate

Hair and Makeup:

• Hair should be well-groomed
• Nails and makeup should be natural in style

Fragrance, piercings, tattoos

• Fragrance other than deodorant should be avoided
• Piercings & tattoos should align with company culture or standards

Business Professional

Same as the general recommendations plus the following.

Clothing:

• Solid, dark, or neutral colors
• Light colors can be worn underneath
• No stripes or bright prints/colors
• Suit jacket & pants/skirt should be matching colors

Shoes:

Closed-toe heel or dress shoes

Personal items:

• Bring essentials only!
• Keep phones turned off and out of sight with personal items
• Carry a portfolio, professional bag, or simple purse

Business Professional Examples