Well, it’s that time of year again. At the end of last semester we mourned for the dignity that was robbed of us by our Final Exams, and we begin to become more excited about the second semester in anticipation that the academic year is almost over with. However, it’s not quite done yet. Like I said folks, we still have another semester of this year to complete, but it’s not all bad. With the start of a new semester begins new opportunities for many Marquette students.

Last year at this time, I found myself surrounded by engineering students who were not returning the next semester. For those of you not in the know, engineers have these things called co-ops; in short, co-ops are internships specifically designed for engineering students. Many of my friends began to complain about having to wear professional wear every day for the next three months. To them, the thought of wearing suits, ties, vests, power skirts, anything-but-sweats was daunting. However, they were making things way more complicated than they needed to. Yes, one would have to look professional, but there’s a way to pull off your chicest (and most favorite) look without sacrificing the air of professionalism.

That being said, by no means do I wear professional wear everyday, and so I don’t expect you to take my word on this topic. Professor Vanessa Liederbach, Phd., however, is a professor within the College of Education and every day that I’ve attended her class she has yet to fail me when I see that she is dressed to impress while at the same time maintaining a professional disposition. Here are her words of advice:

 Q: “Describe your style when considering dressing for a professional environment.”

A: “I was never really told that I have a style. However, I know for me that there are certain things that I wouldn’t wear. I like color. I’ve been bold with color. However, I’ve played it safe with those neutral colors (black, white, brown, gray).”

Q: “Knowing that there are certain things or colors you wouldn’t wear, what’s in your closet?”

A: “There’s an influx of black and cream. Ivory, cream, peach, wine. The boldest color I have is red…as far as what I wouldn’t wear looking at the current trend, you wouldn’t find leather, and if I had leather I wouldn’t wear it to work…you’ll also find a lot of accessories…I have too many earrings.”

Q: “You’ve mentioned to me before that you wear wigs, could you explain that to me?”

A: “I’ve made the decision about six months ago to go natural. Chemical free, relaxer free…my hair almost went into shock. So, when you have those moments, ‘Ok, how do I wear my hair?’ because it’s part of [looking professional], right? The wig was the way to go.”

Q: “When you shop for professional wear, do you have a checklist of what you’re looking for? In other words, do you look for a particular fit, color, etc.?”

A: “ Well, I guess as far as a concrete checklist, I know what I wouldn’t wear just knowing me, knowing what I’m comfortable with, and the statement that I’m making. So, that being said, I’ll see something on a mannequin and think, ‘Hmm…How can I adapt? ’. My checklist is always color first, and fit in terms of what that says about me…It’s really very purposeful for me for what statement I want to make at that time.”

Keeping what was said in mind, what I took away from this short interview was that everything has a purpose; this does not exclude the choices we make when deciding what to wear to classes or various fieldwork. Ideally, as students we want to show our colleagues and professional supervisors that we take our work seriously. However, the fact remains that we are students, and we are still learning our way through the professional world of corporate America. We’re still unsure of ourselves, and how we want to present ourselves.

My recommendations: find your purpose. This will then influence the choices you make when purchasing clothes for any occasion. More importantly one should still have fun with what they wear. Like I said before, we’re still students, and students are allowed to make mistakes when learning a new concept to them; this includes how to dress for work.