Wildcat Wardrobe helps students look the part, feel confident
Kinesiology junior Erika Swilley tries on a jacket at the grand opening of the University of Kentuckyís Wildcat Wardrobe in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, March 8, 2017. The Student Government Association operates the Wildcat Wardrobe, located in Blazer Hall room 249, based on donations and gives professional clothing to students for free. Photo by Joshua Qualls | Staff
August 31, 2017
“Fake it ‘til you make it.” Many students will get this advice at some point in their college career, but what does it mean?
In a sense, it means to keep trying. When a person is stuck on something, a difficult math class for example, but are actively seeking resources to improve their situation, it could be said that they are initially “faking” the capabilities they will “make” into a reality later.
For many students, trying to look the part for their intended career is their biggest fake-out, due to financial concerns and uncertainty about what is acceptable in their intended workplace.
How can students confidently look the part on a budget?
To start, UK’s Student Government Association created the Wildcat Wardrobe last semester, which is a free professional clothing service for students.
Students can walk in and grab a suit, a dress, and even shoes and dress socks before their big day. But the best part about the Wardrobe is that the donations come from the Lexington community.
Pair that with the fact that some dry cleaning chains in Lexington provide student discounts, and it really shows how our city wants UK students to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
The Wardrobe is located in Blazer Dining room 249, and is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m.
As far as learning about dress codes, it always helps to talk to someone in that field or perform a quick Internet search.
Very rarely will someone judge how someone else dresses on the first day, especially if that person is a student.
The first few days are expected to be a learning curve as the new guy learns about the working environment and the tasks expected of them, so don’t panic.
Many places are business casual, which means boys can skate by with nice pants and a button-up shirt while girls can don knee-length dresses and peep toe shoes.
But be aware that business casual and business professional are not the same. Business professional usually requires a full suit for both sexes, whether that suit includes pants, a skirt or a dress.
Of course, these are just my observations as an intern in the political science field.
My career choice may have a stricter dress requirement than others, which illustrates the need for students to do their own research when trying to look the part.
Don’t let me tell you what to wear – I’m faking my way through the office, too.
