Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Jessica Bright Professional attire in the workplace is a must. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Jessica Bright Casual attire is appropriate for school and fun. [Click to enlarge]

All college students are working toward graduating and starting a career in the field of their choice. They attend classes, read textbooks and write papers, but when do students learn the rules about dressing for the job they want? How do they make the transition from jeans, T-shirts and flip-flops to blouses and slacks?

Students and professors agree that fashion in the workplace is not something that is particularly stressed in the classroom.

"I don't think they (professors) really stress it until the end when you're a senior doing internships," said Amy Gyurics, an undeclared junior who is currently taking social work classes.

Alex Gomez, a junior biology major who will most likely pursue a career in medicine, said he knows what is expected of him once he starts working, but he didn't find out at school.

Gomez, 20, said he learned about the proper medical field attire "from observation, more from the TV - 'Grey's Anatomy.'"

Criminal Justice Professor Lynette Lee, who works with the department's internship program and teaches an upper division class for seniors, said she feels that advising students on apparel is not as important as helping to develop the correct mindset for the job they seek.

She does this by asking questions about what their future job means to them, such as what it means to be a professional.

"There's a lot of observation you need to do," Lee said.

Luckily for graduating seniors and those beginning internships, there are ways of easily observing professionals in their desired field.

By visiting any financial institution, finance majors can find out what they will need to wear. A student in the teaching credential program can look in a K-12 classroom, or even at the professor teaching a class, to find out what teachers are expected to wear.

Communications Professor Tim Howard leads by example.

"...I always come to work in professional attire. Furthermore, I make it a point to dress, speak and act in a professional manner to be a role model," Howard said. "I want my students to reach levels of success in life that go beyond classroom instruction. It is more than just a dress code; it is a way of conducting oneself."

Students today are luckier than in the past because of access to information the internet provides that was not always available. Anyone can easily walk into one of the school's computer labs, get online and research any profession.

Louise Bobbitt, a fourth-year nursing student, suggests sitting in front of a computer, going to google.com, typing in the career of one's choice and pressing the "search" button.

"The best part about using the Internet to research what you should and shouldn't wear is that after you find out, you can buy the clothes right online," Bobbitt said.

Gomez said he can find what he needs online, at thrift stores and even at the hospital where he will work.

Gyurics, 20, recommends Nordstrom Rack and the Folsom Outlets for business and business-casual clothes.

Stores like Macy's, Forever 21, JC Penney and Marshall's provide a wide variety of reasonably-priced clothes.

Gyurics said the best way to go is with the clothes that are cheapest, but still professional and nice.

Tyganae Harris can be reached at tharris@statehornet.com