Dressing the summer intern?

[swimmermom3]

I would love some ideas for putting together a wardrobe for ds's internship with a congressman this summer in Washington, D.C.

 

We purchased a gray suit over the Christmas break and I'll see if I can post a picture of it here. We bought it at Men's Warehouse, had it tailored here, and then shipped to their store in D.C. where ds could pick it up. The D.C. shop took one look at the West Coast tailoring and completely overhauled it. This was very helpful, so my thought is to pick some things out here, but have them be at the D.C. store. Dh will be there for a very short visit this coming weekend and they can swing by the store and see what works.

 

We are confirming the dress code, but so far it is looking like predominantly suits and always a dress shirt and tie. I would like to put together a basic wardrobe that looks sharp, but is not overly trendy where pieces can be interchanged.  He's getting ironing, steaming, and shoe polishing lessons when he's home at the end of May.

 

From those of you with far more experience than me with this, do you have some ideas or favorite sources. Do 19 yo guys wear linen suits on Capitol Hill?

 

Ds is about 5'5" and 125 lbs. He works out most days, so his shoulders are getting a bit broader.  Shirts and suits are slim to extra slim. The gray suit is a little bit more trendy than a traditional suit, but it's suitable for his age without being over the top. So far, he has one very nice white dress shirt, two ties, black shoes, and a black belt.

 

This is totally foreign territory for us, so advice is greatly appreciated.

Edited April 16, 2017 by swimmermom3

[Ethel Mertz]

White dress shirts for sure. You won't find many guys wearing colored shirts. Not sure about the linen.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I searched for a couple names of Congressmen and searched through the images. It looked like white shirts were standard with an occasional blue shirt (light blue or powder blue).

 

A young man can get away with more vibrant colors I think. It might help to search for images of people on in the staff he will be on.

 

This could also be a good question for older guys in his major who have interned in the past.

[angela in ohio]

What I have learned from dressing dh... :D

 

The lighter the shirt, the more formal. So to get away with a more casual colored or trendy suit, you can balance it by wearing a white shirt and more traditional tie. If the suit is more traditional, then you can work in a light colored shirt (blue, grey) and/or a more trendy tie.

Edited April 17, 2017 by angela in ohio

[hopskipjump]

No worthwhile suggestions since my only son is just a young teen & my what-my-girls-wear advice would be of zero help - but I am SO excited for your ds!! What an amazing opportunity!!

 

(and I'm laughing a bit about the DC stores overhauling the suit once they saw the "West Coast" alterations. :lol:  Wouldn't have occurred to me that suits would be tailored differently from one place to another!  :D )

[MomsintheGarden]

I work at a college that has many DC political interns. Dress on Capitol Hill is very formal and traditional - black or dark navy suits, white shirts, traditional ties, and quality dress shoes. He should not do trendy. He needs to go for the look you see politicians wearing on the news. I do not know about linen, but I would guess no.

Edited April 18, 2017 by MomsintheGarden

[plansrme]

Even in hot and steamy Atlanta, young men are not wearing linen suits, so I also would say "no" to linen.  Besides, it would be a wrinkled mess and have to go to the dry cleaner constantly.  A good wool suit, however, could easily go two or thee wearings between cleanings.

 

And tell him his shirts have to be starched by the dry cleaner.  He may not wash and iron his own shirts.

 

 

[Ravin]

Even in hot and steamy Atlanta, young men are not wearing linen suits, so I also would say "no" to linen.  Besides, it would be a wrinkled mess and have to go to the dry cleaner constantly.  A good wool suit, however, could easily go two or thee wearings between cleanings.

 

And tell him his shirts have to be starched by the dry cleaner.  He may not wash and iron his own shirts.

 

Teach him to properly wash and iron his own shirts and he won't have to take them to the dry cleaner.

 

Wrinkle free fabric is also your friend!

[bibiche]

I work at a college that has many DC political interns. Dress on Capitol Hill is very formal and traditional - black or dark navy suits, white shirts, traditional ties, and quality dress shoes.

No black suit. No no no no no. Gentleman do not wear black suits.

[8filltheheart]

For all of the business formal interviews dd went on this yr, we followed these guidelines.

 

I can't get it to post on my phone. Google unc-ch business formal.

Edited April 18, 2017 by 8FillTheHeart

[plansrme]

Every attorney I know, and I work in a firm whose attorneys still wear suits every day, has a dry cleaner do his shirts.  By "he may not do his own shirts," I mean he should not do his own shirts.  

[MomsintheGarden]

No black suit. No no no no no. Gentleman do not wear black suits.

 

They do on Capitol Hill.  It is a different world there.  Dark navy is probably more versatile.  Tweed jackets work for Republican men in the winter.

 

https://dcfashiongeorgetown.wordpress.com/2015/11/24/fashion_dos_donts_capitol_hill/

 

It's a different world on CH.

 

Congrats to your son, Swimmermom!  Can he email a staffer for clarification if he's not sure?

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I would go with a navy suit as my number one choice.  Don't pick linen, seersucker or cotton twill, he'll be a wrinkled mess by the end of the day.  For dress shirts I'd go with light blues and whites.  Have at least one white shirt that does not have a button down collar for the most formal of days. He can probably be a bit more colorful with ties but not crazy prints.  Have at least one very reserved tie.

 

I'd ask around if he is ever permitted to wear a blazer and pants rather than a full suit.  A navy blazer and couple different pants in grey and tan could offer lots of expanded options.

 

Be prepared for rain with a good umbrella.

 

Once upon a time Land's End was good for blazers and pants, had to mail order a suit from Macy's a few years ago and that worked out well.  Expect to need tailoring. 

[MomsintheGarden]

Burlington Coat Factory can be a good place to go for less expensive young men's suits. A little polyester will make it affordable and less wrinkly. Interns do not need the $1K suit look, they just need to blend in. Wrinkle resistant shirts are awesome! And the latest trend is "expressing yourself" with fancy socks.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Every attorney I know, and I work in a firm whose attorneys still wear suits every day, has a dry cleaner do his shirts.  By "he may not do his own shirts," I mean he should not do his own shirts.  

 

I suspect this has more to do with the value of an hour of an attorney's time than with the need to pay for laundry services to get it done well enough.  Also an attorney likely has enough shirts to have several at the cleaners and still have enough to wear.  

 

I think an intern would be fine with doing his own laundry, including ironing with a can of spray starch. I do recommend spending the extra dollar for the can labeled "no flaking."

 

Other tips for ironing.  If you use a steam iron, drain the water out each day and if possible leave the cap to the iron open.  This will cut down on mildew inside the steam openings, which will always spurt onto your clothes when you don't have time to deal with it.  You can also skip using the steam function and use a small spray bottle of water instead.  I pick them up in the hair care or make up aisle for $1.

 

I think there is a good guide to ironing at Art of Manliness.

[madteaparty]

I'd hand *my particular child* the jcrew catalogue and dry cleaning $ because who will be properly ironing in DC in the summer?

No black suits because he is not Karl Lagerfeld and no starch for the shirts at the dry cleaner :)

Edited April 18, 2017 by madteaparty

[swimmermom3]

I work at a college that has many DC political interns. Dress on Capitol Hill is very formal and traditional - black or dark navy suits, white shirts, traditional ties, and quality dress shoes. He should not do trendy. He needs to go for the look you see politicians wearing on the news. I do not know about linen, but I would guess no.

 

We are learning that. I must say that looking at pictures of congressmen and their interns is a bit boring. He has a darker gray suit. The shop in D.C. that retailored his suit to meet D.C. standards has his size and the suit on file, so they are putting together some pieces for ds and dh to look at this weekend. The manager suggested that we go with separates that create a suit, but can be "broken" for more looks. So navy jacket with gray trousers. Usually, I like this plan, but I don't see a lot of it in photos. We have asked for a dark navy suit and a black one as well. We are at two white shirts and one blue shirt, and you are right, I think we'll need maybe three more white ones for sure.  The ones I have so far are good quality, trim fit, non-wrinkle shirts. My dh's have worn very well.

 

 

Even in hot and steamy Atlanta, young men are not wearing linen suits, so I also would say "no" to linen.  Besides, it would be a wrinkled mess and have to go to the dry cleaner constantly.  A good wool suit, however, could easily go two or thee wearings between cleanings.

 

And tell him his shirts have to be starched by the dry cleaner.  He may not wash and iron his own shirts.

 

Yep, the shop is DC said "no" to the linen idea as well. Kenneth Cole suits incorporate the same technology as athletic wear for wicking moisture. I am curious about that as long as they still look like a traditional wool suit.

 

I figured I could teach him how to do his shirts, but he'll probably be at a laundromat, so unfortunately for his budget, the cleaners may be a better bet.

 

Teach him to properly wash and iron his own shirts and he won't have to take them to the dry cleaner.

 

Wrinkle free fabric is also your friend!

 

I like this option. My shirt looks as good as the cleaners, sometimes better, but I am not sure ds can achieve the same look if his doing his shirts at the laundromat as far as the machines being hard on the shirts. What do you think?

 

No black suit. No no no no no. Gentleman do not wear black suits.

 

What????? I just didn't want him to have a black suit because it looks a bit harsh if the ties and shirts are really traditional.  What do gentlemen wear?

[swimmermom3]

I suspect this has more to do with the value of an hour of an attorney's time than with the need to pay for laundry services to get it done well enough.  Also an attorney likely has enough shirts to have several at the cleaners and still have enough to wear.  

 

I think an intern would be fine with doing his own laundry, including ironing with a can of spray starch. I do recommend spending the extra dollar for the can labeled "no flaking."

 

Other tips for ironing.  If you use a steam iron, drain the water out each day and if possible leave the cap to the iron open.  This will cut down on mildew inside the steam openings, which will always spurt onto your clothes when you don't have time to deal with it.  You can also skip using the steam function and use a small spray bottle of water instead.  I pick them up in the hair care or make up aisle for $1.

 

I think there is a good guide to ironing at Art of Manliness.

 

Great information, thank you! 

 

Someone suggested he also have a hand-held steamer to for a quick go over on his suits when he gets home.

Any thoughts on that?  Does anyone have a good recommendation for a hand-held steamer?

 

[chiguirre]

Dh lives out of a carry on suitcase about half of his working life (he's a partner in a international consultancy). He only buys wrinkle free shirts and wool suits. They're all navy or gray. All his client meeting shirts are white. All his ties are boring. Everything mixes and matches. The wrinkle free shirts aren't as crisp as starched shirts but they may be more common among staff if they have to travel back and forth to their home district. The starched kind don't pack well in a carry on or stay as nice on a long plane ride.

 

Could your son go and scope out the staffers and see what they wear before you buy?

[bibiche]

What????? I just didn't want him to have a black suit because it looks a bit harsh if the ties and shirts are really traditional. What do gentlemen wear?

Perhaps it is a cultural thing, but where I grew up, men just don't wear black suits unless they are undertakers. It would be akin to buttoning the bottom button of a suit jacket, or wearing a short sleeved shirt, or not unbuttoning a single breasted jacket upon sitting, or wearing a matching tie and pocket square, or not matching the color of belt to the shoes, or wearing your tie stupid long (ahem!). These things would brand you as being of a class that is less than gentlemanly.

 

A dark suit, sure. But black? Never.

Edited April 18, 2017 by bibiche

[Guest]

a briefcase may also be helpful, even if he just has a sandwich or spare tie. A back pack will not do with a suit.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I hadn't seen admonishments against black suits before, but I can see that it makes some sense.  Although when I looked for some guidelines, it seemed like there were also many men in conservative locations and businesses who did wear black.  And some of the discussions did seem to be among people who were getting bespoke tailoring.

 

I think I wouldn't make it the first suit, since a grey has more flexibility in tone.  But if he already has a black suit, I would definitely take it with him.

 

I did have to laugh at one site that was warning against black suits, but then had as their example of a better grey suit, a photo of a young man wearing brown shoes, no socks and pants hemmed high.  I think a lack of socks would be more of a problem than a black suit in DC.

 

I did like this article on suits.  http://www.artofmanliness.com/2016/01/28/the-suit-ladder/

 

Two other thoughts.  He will probably be walking a lot.  So good looking but comfortable dress shoes help.  If he has enough shoes that he can let one air out while wearing the second pair the next day, it can help with keeping them and his feet in good shape.

 

My suit wearing son likes to wear a wicking shirt under his suits.  We recently found that Hanes or Jockey sells undershirts that are close fitting, but wicking.  Nice for DC summers.

[bibiche]

My suit wearing son likes to wear a wicking shirt under his suits. We recently found that Hanes or Jockey sells undershirts that are close fitting, but wicking. Nice for DC summers.

But never "wife beater" (sorry, offensive, but I don't know the actual name for those) undershirts! Add that to the list of no-no's! ;)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

But never "wife beater" (sorry, offensive, but I don't know the actual name for those) undershirts! Add that to the list of no-no's! ;)

 

No, these are standard short sleeve crew neck shirts.  Just a higher quality fabric than all cotton.  

[bibiche]

No, these are standard short sleeve crew neck shirts. Just a higher quality fabric than all cotton.

Of course. :) DH always needs new undershirts. I will look into these, thanks.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I don't know about a gentleman and black suits but they always seem to make one look like an undertaker or funeral attendee.

 

If he has a shop in DC already they should be able to give him great advice.  He might look for year 'round wool weights so that the suits will have a more useful life.  There is also something nagging at the back of my brain about trousers with cuffs vs no cuffs and the appropriate style of shoes for each.  The more formal suit should allow for lace up leather shoes.  

 

Also, keep in mind that despite their seeming wearability/durability, thick rubber soles don't belong on dress shoes.  Another item to keep in mind is a belt or two that will work with the suits.  For long term investing good leather is best and least likely to crack. 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I found this guide for interns and thought it might be helpful.

 

http://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/files/HN-Best-Intern-Ever-FINAL.pdf

[8filltheheart]

Reading this thread makes me appreciate the fact that the males in my life are science and engineering geeks. Their definition of dressed formally for work is a polo. ;)

[gstharr]

Here is a link to photo's of congressional interns. https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=congressional+interns+2016.  clothes range from polo's to suits. nothing fancy. just neat. Might call and speak to a current intern on your congressperson's staff and get the dress code.  Probably, a suit, a navy blazer, some khaki's and a handful of white and blue shirts (long and short sleeve). .

[fourisenough]

Reading this thread makes me appreciate the fact that the males in my life are science and engineering geeks. Their definition of dressed formally for work is a polo. ;)

Yes, I am thankful that DD18 needs only scrubs for her clinicals.

[swimmermom3]

It's been a while since I have told you all how much I appreciate you, so here's some extra :wub: :wub: :wub:

 

The black suite thing was news to me, but actually okay because I just can't picture ds in one. My husband has one, but it's beautiful with a tiny red pinstripe and a beautiful, crisp white shirt and a super-elegant tie.  None of his suits or ties get worn these days as his industry's dress code has changed dramatically.

 

Esquire had this article:

 

"The Only 15 Things You Need to Build a Working Wardrobe"

 

No black suit there.  I like the idea of the lighter gray, the charcoal with the white pin stripes, and the navy (dark navy in my book) suits. His current suit is a lighter gray. Of course, they are missing the belts in this article, but those are a given. I think we'll need 7 shirts at a minimum with heat and turn around time on getting them washed and pressed.

[saw]

Swimmermom3, would you be able to share advice/tips on housing for DC interns? My DS16 is interning for three weeks in August, and we're trying to find somewhere for hi to stay. University dorms are tricky because of his age. Any suggestions welcome!

 

As for suits, DS is wearing what he wears for school -- navy or grey suits, white or blue shirts, fun ties. Don't know if that helps or not!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

An observation. It is easier to get a bunch of same colored socks that blend with shoes than to get an assortment of different black patterned or grey patterned socks.

When more socks are identical it's simpler to match them up after laundry day.

Edited April 20, 2017 by Sebastian (a lady)

[swimmermom3]

An observation. It is easier to get a bunch of same colored socks that blend with shoes than to get an assortment of different black patterned or grey patterned socks.

 

When more socks are identical it's simpler to match them up after laundry day.

 

This makes sense. What's the rule about socks?  I think I've always bought socks for dh that matched the pants.

 

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

This makes sense. What's the rule about socks?  I think I've always bought socks for dh that matched the pants.

 

Honestly, in the color register dh was wearing, he pretty much went with black socks and shoes.  The suits were also very dark grey.

 

It does look like matching pants works better.  http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/12/15/guide-to-socks/

[swimmermom3]

You are all wonderful and the boy now has a wardrobe, no place to live yet, but he does have clothes. :lol:

 

Thanks for the black suit tip. He now has his med. gray suit, a navy suit, and a charcoal gray suit.  The salesman was very good and dh and ds face timed me from the store to show me the options. He got a pair of tan trousers that can be worn with the navy or the charcoal jackets and there are ties that pull it together. The med. gray suit can mix with the two darker suits. There are 3 white shirts, 2 blue shirts, 1 solid gray shirt, and two more casual shirts, I think both plaid.There is one charcoal tonal tie for the dark gray suit and white shirt if he needs to be a bit more formal some night. He miraculously found some cool brown shoes at Nordstrom Rack in his very small size.

 

Ds got the salesman's card if he needed help again. They had to order the suits in ds's size and he'll go back in to have them tailored.  He's been working out for the last couple of months and his improved posture looks good in those suits! some things were on sale, so I feel a bit better about that.

 

I sent him a tie rack, a shoe polish kit, and a hand-held steamer. I'll Amazon (new verb, you know) an ironing board and iron when he gets a place to live.

 

 

[MomsintheGarden]

Fantastic! I have a friend in Alexandria who is on several Capital-area homeschooling email lists. PM me with a blurb requesting a room fo rent if you want her to post it for you. It's very common for people to do that in the DC area.