Editor's note: This is the seventh in a weeklong series of stories providing tips and forecasting the future for soon-to-be college graduates.
Graduation signals the end of Ohio University hoodies, sweat pants and flip flops, which are traded in for a more professional, polished look for the workforce.
Although it might sound intimidating or expensive at first, there are easy ways to get an original, fresh look without breaking the nonexistent bank.
An outfit says a great deal about a person before he or she even opens his or her mouth, no matter the setting, said Sass Brown of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
For women, she recommends any frilly or pretty shirt and a skirt of no particular length or color, as long as it isn't too short or too tight. Women can coordinate an outfit instead of sticking to a more formal suit, she said.
As a professor at the Fashion Institute, Brown said she doesn't usually have a strict dress code and instead chooses pieces that reflect her eclectic style. To a seminar or sales meeting, she likes to wear something to stand out, such as an ankle-length chocolate brown skirt paired with a $3,000 designer jacket, she said.
Molly Marinik, who graduated from OU in fall 2005 with a visual communication degree, works at Togs, a boutique in New York City's Soho district and as a freelance graphic designer. She likes to include her creative side into her fashion, she said.
For her boutique job, Marinik dresses polished and stylish so she can sell clothes to rich tourists
she said. She represents her creative side in her fashion by rebelling against a black suit.
It's not who I am and I don't want my personality to be reflected like that Marinik said.
She prefers to wear a black wool blazer from J. Crew paired with gaucho-style pants and tall black boots or the blazer with pinstripe pants, she said. Young professionals who look polished will be taken more seriously, she said.
New York & Company designs trendy, affordable business clothing for women at a reasonable price, said Public Relations Manager Robin Cavan. A complete outfit would cost about $130, she said. For her job, Cavan usually wears a pant suit with a decorated camisole underneath to make it less formal, she said.
For men, Brown suggests a basic pleated or flat-front suit with a shirt. Dress shirts, patterned or plain, or a clean T-shirt with no logo can complement a good suit, she said.
Men are usually more challenging than women because most men have less of a fashion sense, said Lee Bray, an employee at Express Men. Many men are color blind, and color schemes are sometimes hard to match, he said.
Bray, who works in the Easton Town Center in Columbus, describes his store's style as a fun, conservative look. He suggests buying a pinstripe suit because it is different than an average suit. He also recommends that men's dress shirts look like they should be worn strictly to the office, not to the bar or club, he said.
At Total Quality Logistics in Cincinnati, 2005 OU graduate J.D. Potting wears jeans and a polo shirt to work almost every day. His business' dress code is pretty casual, but the company is developing more rules to become more professional, he said.
Potting tries to buy most of his work clothes on sale and shops at Express Men and Guess, although he does have a few pieces from Abercrombie & Fitch, he said. He spends about $40 on a nice shirt and $100 on a pair of pants, of which he suggests men should have at least four or five.
A suit and tie are musts for interviews, said Potting, and once you've got the job, being over-dressed is much safer than being underdressed in the office.
Sarah Miller, an employee at Ruehl No. 925 at Easton Town Center, said her brand's pieces offer a more casual luxury look, but certain pieces can be added to professional outfits. Ruehl is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch but focuses its reasonably-priced line on the 20-something crowd.
Ruehl offers a variety of polo shirts and dress shirts for men. Sweaters, embellished camisoles, shirts and Italian-leather handbags can add to a woman's ensemble, Miller said.
In addition, young professionals can create great outfits at many other business casual stores. Brown's top two picks are Banana Republic and Zara, a high-quality, wallet-friendly European company. She also recommends Gap and Express for men and women. Marinik likes J. Crew and H&M for basic pieces.
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Caitlin Price
Young professionals seek a more polished look while on the job
