Orientation Attire

[Splinky123]

So I might totally be overthinking this, but I have orientation coming up soon and my school didn't say anything about attire. I am so torn over what to wear, because it is a professional program but I don't want to be over dress or under dressed. Do you think the attire is business casual, such as dress pants? I don't want to show up under dressed compared to everyone else. What do you guys think? Thanks!

[slporbust2016]

Can you call the department secretary and ask? That's probably what I'd do. 

[jmk]

What about a business dress (like the kind Target makes...fashionable, but professional), and flats? (with possibly a cardigan, depending on weather) I feel like a dress is most versatile in the fact that it blends in with both casual and professional dress. Or what about cute khaki capris (I recently saw some at Old Navy), (or straight leg khakis rolled up at the ankles) with a polo or flowy blouse (think Gap) on top? 

 

[MangoSmoothie]

If you really want to know the department's expectations, call them and ask. It is better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed, in my opinion. My orientation was a mix, but the majority were in business/near-businesses casual (slacks/summer slacks and a nice top/blouse for the women and mostly sandals and flats) or a work-appropriate dress. A few also wore nice jeans with a nice top, which was a good in-the-middle look. I remember a few folks who just wore t-shirts and jeans or shorts, and all of them after the fact were a little sheepish because they felt really underdressed, especially as the department took our class photo that day.

It's honestly going to vary from program to program, so really, it won't hurt to call and ask. It's not that big of a deal, so try not to worry too much about it. I would still recommend dressing a little nicer/more professional than how you dress day to day (i.e., don't show up in short-shorts and a camisole). If you're really worried, I think nice jeans with a blouse/nice top is a good look, and you shouldn't feel too underdressed. You should feel comfortable with yourself during orientation. So ask yourself, if everyone was dressed in business casual and you showed up in jeans and a nice top, would you feel okay? If everyone was dressed in casual, daily clothing and you were in slacks and a blouse, would you feel okay? Which would make you feel more awkward? I personally wore business casual (slacks, blouse, flats, and a cardigan) because it was what I wore to my full-time job for three years prior to beginning my program. I personally would rather be overdressed, so I err on the side of caution that way, although it's never really happened that I've actually been overdressed.

(There are also multiple threads on this from the past, so you will find more answers if you utilize the search.)

Edited May 22, 2016 by MangoSmoothie

[jpiccolo]

Ours was totally casual. We had a brief orientation the same day class started and then a longer orientation for clinic a month later. I don't see any reason to dress up. It is a professional program but you only need to dress nicely for days you have clients. The rest of the time our cohort is in jeans although few people had the luxury of a day or two without clients. 

[castikat]

Business casual is the way to go from now on for anything you're uncertain about. As others said, it's definitely better to be overdressed than underdressed. The only thing I would say is that wearing a full suit or blazer with your slacks is probably over doing it. But can't go wrong with a professional dress!