Halloween Extravaganza

Here is the conversation that happened at my internship today:

Paul: "It's weird, we are selling out tonight, but not tomorrow night."
Me: "Well, I can't speak for everyone, but you guys aren't doing any Halloween special. I know when I go out tomorrow, I'm going to do something Halloween themed. You guys should encourage people to dress up or give out candy."
Paul: "Yeah, yeah! That would be really great! We could give out free tickets to another show to the best costume!"
Me: "Yeah! Even just a little Halloween flavor would entice people."
Paul: "Let me tell John (the owner)."
(10 minutes later)
Paul: "John loved your idea, we are promoting costumes starting right now. Too bad you didn't think of this two weeks ago."

While the timing may not have been my best, I love that the people at my internship take my ideas seriously. I am given relevant tasks for PR with no one constantly critiquing me over my shoulder. Since Riot Act is smaller, I seem to matter more. I still do some clerical work, but everyone does. There is no hired office administrator, they can't afford one. Everyone pitches in for everything. It truly is a team effort.The best part is how much everyone believes in Riot Act, we are all fighting for the same thing, and as an intern this make my job extremely rewarding and exciting.

Sure, I'm an undergrad student, but they don't care. A good idea is a good idea.

What To Wear When They Don't Care

I started my internship at Riot Act Comedy Theater in late August, and on my first day there, I dressed up. No one had mentioned any dress code, but seeing as this was a professional establishment, I assumed business attire was appropriate

When I arrived, my boss greeted me in shorts and sandals. As it turns out, during the day, the Comedy Club is fairly casual. They want to be approachable, cool. Riot Act opened in mid-August, they were the new kids on the block. Of course my boss would suit up for meetings and every night for the shows/events, but during the day he was able to take it easy.

I casually asked what was appropriate for an intern to wear, he replied "Whatever I want." Suddenly the freedom of my clothing became overwhelming. Do I dress down? Do I wear flip flops? What do my clothes say about my respect for my internship?

I decided to take this freedom and use it to my advantage. I decided to always dress to impress, but since I did have this 'wear whatever I want' allowance, I was going to be creative. I wanted to show Riot Act I took my position seriously, while also expressing my creativity. Since I was held down by the term 'business casual' I started arriving at my internship in a bright red dresses, or patterned tights, chunky jewelry, or yellow high heels. To me, my outfits say I'm composed but expressive; I know how to do a lot with a little; and I have confidence in myself.

Obviously, not all internships are this flexible, but the point is - know how the clothing you wear to an internship reflects upon you. If there is a serious dress code, follow it; if there is some flexibility, use that to express your individuality. It can give you an edge and it can make it memorable. It doesn't take a lot, accessories are small and can make a huge statement.

Dress to Impress. It's fun, it's free, and you will look fantastic.