Workplace Attire

What Should I Wear?

Choosing what to wear on a daily basis can be stressful, especially when your schedule includes an interview, career fair, networking opportunity, first day of a new job/internship, or other career-related experience. There are thousands of online resources that provide advice on what to wear for certain occasions; searching through them all can be very overwhelming, especially when they include conflicting information. These resources also may not take into account your personal identities or preferences. Our hope is to provide you with guidance and inspiration from other members of the UConn community to help you decide what to wear for various career-related occasions and feel confident in your decisions.

Workplace Attire

Watch the video below to hear from 10 members of the UConn community, ranging from undergraduate and graduate students to faculty and administrators, about their definitions of workplace attire, how they decide what to wear every day, and their advice for students looking to grow their workplace wardrobe.

Some of our key takeaways from this video include:

  • Workplace attire should be functional, comfortable, and make you feel confident
  • Your attire choice should represent the organization or environment you are in but also you as a person
  • It’s not about how much you spend; it’s about finding quality pieces you like and enjoy wearing 
  • Consignment stores and online shopping are great ways to find your core workplace attire items
  • Take attire inspiration from your friends, coworkers, and role models

Attire Gallery

The Attire Gallery features photos of students, alumni, and community members in their workplace attire. Some photos were taken at UConn events, like a career fair or internship showcase, some were submitted by students and alumni who wanted to provide inspiration to others, and some were sourced from public photo databases. Photos feature both in-person and virtual events as well as a variety of styles, including business professional, business casual, and smart casual.

Scroll through the gallery below to draw inspiration for your own workplace attire decisions. The gallery also links out to Pinterest where you can pin outfits if you have your own Pinterest account!

The bottom line: There is no one right way to dress, and recommendations even vary based on your industry or where you’re going. Gather as much information and inspiration as you can, and make a decision you feel confident about.

Submit a Photo

Would you like to submit a photo to the Attire Gallery? Submit one via this form according to the dimensions below:

Horizontal – 960px w X 640px h

Vertical – 640px w X 960px h

Square – 1000px X 1000px