Dressing for business can work for Gen-Y

Vickie Matthews, an intern in the human resources department at Cox Communications Inc., knows the importance of professional attire.

The Virginia Wesleyan College junior proudly examined her outfit: a white blouse, knee-length skirt and black round-toe heels. Image is everything to Matthews, especially in a corporate setting with a business casual dress code like Cox Communications, which has its regional office in Chesapeake.

"It's like when you're in a play and you get dressed for the character," she said. "You're ready for it."

As the academic college year ends, summer interns and recent college graduates are entering the work force. Experts say that their appearance can make or break a promising career.

T raditional business attire isn't getting a resounding endorsement from the next generation of workers. Robert Half International, a California-based staffing agency, recently reported that only

4 percent of Generation-Yers entering the work force said they would like to wear business attire in the office. This contrasts with 93 percent of executives who said a person's attire influences his or her chances of earning a promotion.

Nonetheless, local stores have noticed younger people purchasing business clothes lately.

"I've had a handful of people that come in looking for suits saying they have to get ready for jobs or summer internships," said Tracey Wise, owner of Savvy Seconds Consignment near downtown Norfolk.

Stephanie Campbell, manager of Plato's Closet, has also noticed more slacks, shoes, button-ups and polos leaving the racks.

The Virginia Beach store is geared toward a younger crowd, and Campbell said the bulk of her customers are high school and college students.

But what should one do when the wardrobe budget is as limited as one's fashion sense?

Margie Johnson, president of Shop Talk, a Virginia Beach-based retail consulting business, said the first impression is important to employers, so interns and young hires should take notice of what they wear.

They should ask for a copy of the company dress code and ask about the interpretations, such as wearing panty hose. "It's like going to a dental hygienist whose fingernails aren't clean," Johnson said.

For women, she said the professional wardrobe should start out with eight key pieces that can be interchanged: appropriate trousers, a respectable skirt, a good jacket, and about five shells/blouses.

Sandy Dumont, president of The

Image Architect in Norfolk, said it doesn't take much for a Generation

Y-er to build a professional wardrobe.

"You can build a great basic wardrobe with one black skirt and one pair of black pants," she said. "Just get different jackets."

Small budgets work at places like TJ Maxx, Stein Mart and consignment shops, she added.

The same concept applies for guys. For those who are used to wearing T-shirts all the time, wardrobe planning can be a tough task, Johnson said. They should have a couple of jackets that can rotate with well-fitting trousers, she advised.

Lindo Gharib, regional manager for Robert Half International, said interns and new hires who dress appropriately for their office environment show an understanding of corporate culture.

"Ultimately, dressing for success isn't necessarily about wearing the nicest or most expensive clothing," said Gharib, who's based in the Glen Allen office. "It's more about portraying a professional image and adapting to the business environment that you're in."

These are all things that Matthews has taken into consideration. She didn't go shopping for this year's internship because she had professional clothes left over from last year, when she interned at a bank.

She estimates that she spent about $200 then at various discount stores for her business wardrobe. It was worth every penny, she said, because professional attire always makes a statement.

"People say you dress for the position you want," said Matthews, a print journalism major. "You never know whom you're going to meet on what day."

Jennifer Jiggetts, (757) 446-2643, jennifer.jiggetts@pilotonline.com