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Topic: What to wear for a fashionable New York City internship?
| Author | Message |
| Kellilv | Posted – 2/28/2006 10:50:50 PM | show profile | email poster I'm a west coast college student interested in interning at a fashionable company in New York City. I'd like to know what is an appropriate outfit for an interview at a New York City fashion company, fashion magazine or other types of magzines? Places I'd like to apply for an editorial internship include Village Voice, New York Magazine, Time Out New York, Seventeen, Ellegirl, Vogue, Lucky, New York Times, New York Post ect. Fashion oriented companies that I'd like to apply for an internship at include Coach, The Costume Institute at the Met, various fashion PR firms, Armani Exchange, Kenneth Cole ect. Also what are some essential wardrobe items from economically priced stores, to buy before going to an internship in New York City? I'm on a tight budget and can't afford designer clothes yet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. |
| NYC1996 | Posted – 2/28/2006 11:04:06 PM | show profile What to wear.... For the interview, you might consider a conservative, yet modern cut, black skirt suit, perhaps slight A-lined, with sheer black panty hose or good fishnets, and black pointed toe pumps or kitten-heels. I work at the largest cosmetics company in NYC and HR is on our floor, and I see every candidate who comes in to the company. Cosmetics isn't fashion I realize, but it's close. Essential wardrobe items? Depends on where you finally become employed (as an intern). Every company has its own fashion culture. BLACK will never steer you wrong. Stick with buying items in black with a few things in non-black - say at Banana Republic, or the discount designer brands at Marshall's ($20 for a Michael Kors knit top). Or Kohl's - those types of places. Just do your best to look polished at first, until you get to know what the fashion culture is like where you are. Then, you can figure out which specific wardrobe items you need based on what you're seeing around you, and you can go out and buy them. In my first interview in Manhattan in September of 1996, the employment agency told me to wear a suit. So I bought and wore a brown polyester pant suit. 1 hour before the interview they made me go out and buy something different to wear. Ah...what great memories... |
| editrix | Posted – 3/1/2006 9:02:32 AM | show profile In general, I feel like, if your suit isn't Prada or Dolce & Gabbana or some other fabulous designer, steer clear of them. They just look too blah and mundane -- no matter how you spice them up w/ accessories, etc. I'd go for trousers and a great feminine blouse and maybe a jacket. Or a really pretty skirt, boots and a wrap sweater or something.Or a simple dress w/ a velvet blazer over. As an interviewer myself, I always felt like the suited candidates had gone to too much trouble, and really I want to see what their real (though dressed-up) style is -- which is prob. not a suit. |
| capricasix | Posted – 3/1/2006 9:23:32 AM | show profile Oh wow, I remember stressing over this very same issue when I was a freshly minted grad in 1994 with an interview at MTV corporate. My solution was indeed a black skirt suit with a slight A-Line skirt and fitted jacket, sheer black hose, and ... I don't remember the shoes. Maybe that's why I didn't get a callback. If you want to look fashionable and infuse some of your personality, then focus on accessories - scarf, jewelry, shoes, handbag - and not necessarily all together! Just one or two of these items, nicely coordinated, will make your statement. |
| redheadedone | Posted – 3/1/2006 10:07:16 AM | show profile | email poster When shopping do not over look thrift stores- believe it or not you have a good chance of finding something new in there-I have found brand new with tags Agnes B, Anne Taylor and a bunch of other clothing from speciality shops in thrift stores. And I have found -Dolce & Gabanna Suit, Nanette Lepore, Tocca, Max Mara, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Emporio Armani, Prada, Ferragamo, Furla and oh god, so many more uber high end designer things in excellent condition for pennies. I paid $12 for my D&G suit, $9.00 for a Tocca dress etc., If you hunt, you will find. Just remember if you are going to go the thrift route to find fashionable items- go over the item very carefully, or you might miss a stain or fabric problem that you just can't fix. Best of luck to you. |
| Kellilv | Posted – 3/2/2006 1:29:38 AM | show profile | email poster What to wear for a fashionable New York City internship? Thanks for all the suggestions, they were very helpful. |
| maxamillius | Posted – 3/2/2006 2:46:18 AM | show profile sad but true Many moons ago I worked in the media relations dept of a major entertainment company and dealt with tons of stylists, editors and fashion folk almost all of whom either dressed way beyond what their budget could allow (sporting designer names and such) or opted for a highly fashionable, creative and often less pricey yet still luxe ensemble. While interviewing there is of course a kind of 'uniform', yet please don't busy yourself too much with what you have to wear - you are there to learn about fashion and report about it - not jack up your VISA bill trying to look like the usual UES/CN fashion editor. Boring! Stacey London of What Not To Wear, who BTW worked at Vogue as an intern and later as a salaried fashion person and who was at the time about 75lbs overweight once said that attitude is largely what makes someone stylish. If she can be huge at Vogue and not be able to look at Prada much less wear it and still be fabulous (and smart) then so can you. |
| willow | Posted – 3/2/2006 11:24:14 AM | show profile Say No to the Suit If you are interviewing at fashion PR agencies, I would stay away from suits. At most of these agencies and at the fashion mags, most of the women are dressing up designer jeans with cool blazers and heels, etc. I think you'd do better by showing your style rather than looking stuffy in a suit. I probably wouldn't wear jeans to the interview but nice trousers would work. Then you can break out the jeans once you have the position! Hope this helps! |
| sss | Posted – 3/6/2006 6:59:06 PM | show profile I've interned at a couple of those places and I'd say do NOT wear a suit. Also, the culture at each is different, so it's hard to make a general post of ''you should wear this.'' |
| NYC1996 | Posted – 3/9/2006 9:14:43 PM | show profile Remember, the fashion culture is one thing. The role of interviewee is another. Those fashion companies may be sporting jeans, but when you are going on an interview, how can you go wrong with a suit? Or at least trousers and a blazer. Then, once you get the job, you can wear whatever the fasion culture of the office dictates. |
| janbrady1 | Posted – 3/9/2006 9:42:51 PM | show profile No jeans Yeah--even if you're interviewing at CosmoGirl or Seventeen, where people may wear jeans every day, that doesn't mean you should wear jeans to the interview. Even if they're your darkest, priciest, most trouser-looking jeans. That doesn't mean wear a suit either--I've gotten many jobs without one; creative types don't expect it--but a nice, polished trousers/jacket/blouse combo or a nice skirt and top show you take the interview seriously, even if the environment is laid-back. |
| prlove | Posted – 3/10/2006 9:29:05 AM | show profile I agree...if you are wearing a boring suit you're going to look and feel uncomfortable. I interviewed for an internship at a fashion PR firm in college and wore a black suit w/ a very plain sleeveless banana republic sweater underneath. I walked in and everyone was wearing trendy skirts, heels, jeans, etc. I felt TOTALLY out of place and awkward in my outfit and I honestly think that's part of the reason I didn't get the job. |
| prlove | Posted – 3/10/2006 9:31:19 AM | show profile Oh, and to add to my post...I would suggest going places like Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, etc that have trendy but inexpensive clothing...pick up some cute skirts, blouses, etc. and then add some fun necklaces. And if you can help it, don't bring a cheap handbag. |
| NYC1996 | Posted – 3/13/2006 10:18:09 PM | show profile LadyPR - those are my favorite stores and I was just today telling a colleauge about them. Charlotte Russe, Forvever 21 and also Strawberry Jamz in Manhattan (probably more for casual and Fridays). For those in NYC on a budget - these are places where you can find trendy/modern wardrobe pieces. |
