While having an extensive curriculum vitae supplemented by on-the-job training experience is an essential part of any business job interview, dressing the part of a professional is also a necessity.
Last night in Houston Hall's Hall of Flags, 110 people joined to watch the fourth annual Wharton Women's Fashion Show.
"Wearing the appropriate attire has become a critical detail in the business world, especially with the change from business formal to business casual in the workplace," said Wharton Women Vice President of Member Development and Wharton sophomore Lauren Ankeles.
In honor of both this change in business fashion and approaching summer internships, Wharton Women took this opportunity to share some quick fashion advice with fellow Wharton women.
Nevertheless, there were still 10 males in the audience cheering on their favorite models.
Three companies donated clothing to the event, including Ann Taylor Loft, United Colors of Benetton and Nine West.
"We did try to contact other vendors, but unfortunately, due to time constraints, we were unsuccessful in getting additional donations for the day," Ankeles said.
Nevertheless, the assortment of clothing proved to be more than acceptable to the audience.
The show began with business-casual wear. A total of 15 student models walked the runway in a variety of sophisticated yet less formal work attire.
Outfits in this section included sweater sets and black skirts, khaki, pleated skirts and the ever-popular pinstripe pants suit.
These fashions "provide the simple yet perfect approach" for any starting businesswoman, said Bibi Schweitzer, the president of Wharton Women and a Wharton sophomore.
The second section of the show, entitled "Suit Yourself," featured the more traditional business-formal attire.
In this part of the show, the pinstripe suit made a comeback but this time was dressed up with a colored shirt, high heels and a matching pocketbook.
Other business-formal options included the simple black pants suit with a pink shell underneath and the more modern white skirt suit adorned with a flared skirt.
A businesswoman would not be complete without a short black dress to wear to the numerous cocktail parties she must attend; therefore, the last section of the show featured cocktail hour attire.
Many versions of the black dress were worn by the models, proving that with the right bag and shoes, plain black can be made into a stunning ensemble.
Other clothing options included wrap dresses, pink silk dresses and long floral gowns.
To top off the night, everyone in attendance was given the chance to win numerous prizes, from tickets to the Bridge: Cinema de Lux to free salads at Saladworks and even makeup packages from Parfumerie Douglas Cosmetics.
Schweitzer and the Wharton Women were pleased with this year's attendance and were glad to have shared their fashion knowledge with others preparing to enter the business world.
"It [was] just a really fun event. Lots of our club events are focused on academics and careers, so this ties into our mission while providing some variety to our members," Schweitzer said.
