DC 9-5 Guide

After an all-too-quick, wonderful long weekend, I’m back and in full-on summer mode!!

I know it’s not officially the summer season just yet but that didn’t stop me from planning recipes filled with watermelon, fresh berries, grilled sweet corn, grilled romaine, really grilled anything if we’re being totally honest. I have roughly 3 lbs of hot dogs currently sitting in my freezer that I cannot wait to chargrill this summer.

In the midst of my crazy summer blog post brainstorm bonanza, I realized I haven’t done an outfit post in months. In the spirit of disclosure, I gained weight over the winter thanks to typical winter hibernation and have been avoiding being in front of the camera because of my own lack of confidence. That’s on me and something I need to work through. But this post isn’t about my personal insecurities.

Last summer, I had the realization the work wear outfits I saw on my favorite style blogs weren’t “DC work wear” appropriate at all. If you have to dress up 9-5 every day, you don’t want to look frumpy but you also need to look professional. Balancing style + conservative office attire is a tough tightrope to walk but after working in DC for close to 5 years, I think I have a pretty solid handle on it.

It’s funny, I started this blog 4 years ago on a whim in the downtime I had between wrapping up junior year exams and starting an internship in a DC public relations firm. Fast forward four years and I’ve gone from interning to interviewing and hiring interns myself. It’s the ciiiirrrccclllleee of life!!

With summer intern season picking up speed, I received a handful of emails from girls either coming to DC to intern for the summer or looking for a job fresh out of college. I hope my emails were helpful to you! I’ll be back in the coming weeks with ideas for 9-5 outfits on a budget, navigating a networking event and general advice I’ve received and learned over the years to maximize your internship + job in DC! If you have any questions, please comment or shoot me an email at dcgirlinpearls(at)gmail(dot)com if you’re more comfortable with that. I’m happy to help : )

In the mean time, let’s take a stroll down Memory Lane with “How to Pack for an Interview“, “A Summer Intern Wardrobe Checklist“, and “Reception Etiquette.”

Oh and in case you didn’t get enough Memorial Day sales, here are my favorite work wear pieces currently on sale for under $50!