So last week I had the privilege to attend a rose seminar on what not to wear to certain events: interviews, parties, information session, and work. Much to my surprise, there is a far thinner line for men to differentiate between business casual and business formal. Basically, if a man is wearing a matching suit, shoes that match his belt, a button down and a tie, this is considered business formal. The second the suit coat comes off, it’s business casual. Personally, I think it is nice that men can be flexible in terms of what they chose to wear for business casual attire: a blazer, a sweater, a button-down shirt with a bow tie, it looks like fun. It was also interesting to learn that people perceive ties as a more professional look compared to bow ties or collared shirts. Ultimately, however, the way one dresses to an interview, in the event they are unsure of what to wear, should give off a professional vibe, and then change if need be to fit the work environment.

The rule stands that it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. After seeing what was appropriate for a woman to wear, I felt much more comfortable about the decisions I have made in terms of clothes I’ve worn to interviews and information sessions. Basically, girls should wear heels and either a matching skirt suit, pantsuit, or a dress with a nice blazer to be considered business formal. Personally, this is great for me because I love wearing heels and dresses because it gives off a very feminine aura. At the same time, however, it is important to take into account the work environment one is in and in certain more serious settings, a pantsuit is better suited for women to be accepted in the work force.

We ended the seminar by practicing how to tie a tie with Ty, a GRF in Flora Rose, which was fun but definitely showed me that I need to work on it much more before I can consider myself a pro. This seminar really helped, especially since I am entering my senior year and will begin applying for full-time jobs. And I have a new addition to my bucket list, learn how to tie an Eldredge knot.