Dress code for internship - need help

[Kassia]

Dd asked her recruiter about what she should wear for her internship.  The reply was that the dress code is typically business casual and she recommended a nice pair of jeans and top.  

Questions:

What shoes would she wear?  Dd doesn't wear heels - would flats be okay then with jeans or nice sandals in the summer?  

What kind of tops would you recommend?  Dd is tall and thin.  She does most of her shopping at Old Navy and gets talls.

Are jeans really business casual?

What would be "nice jeans" - just jeans that aren't "distressed" - clean with no holes?

For her first day, would she show up in something dressier?  She doesn't have slacks but has dresses.  

(this starts in May but she'll only be home for winter break before then so we want to figure it all out then since it would be hard for her on campus with no car and no way to return items).

Thank you!

 

[regentrude]

totally depends on the industry. What's her field?

[Amethyst]

I would not wear jeans the first day. Slacks with flats. Then see how others are dressed after that. 

[Kassia]

3 minutes ago, regentrude said:

totally depends on the industry. What's her field?

software engineering

[Kassia]

2 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

I would not wear jeans the first day. Slacks with flats. Then see how others are dressed after that. 

yikes, but if she finds out the first day that jeans aren't acceptable then she's stuck for the rest of the week!  

[Ellie]

2 minutes ago, Kassia said:

yikes, but if she finds out the first day that jeans aren't acceptable then she's stuck for the rest of the week!  

But Amethyst said *not* to wear jeans on her first day. She suggested slacks the first day.

[Faith-manor]

Depends on the field. Business casual for my husband is a pair of nice chinos and a polo shirt or a button down oxford with no tie, loafers or wingtips. For the women, it usually means a comfy pair of dress pants, a blouse that is NOT a tee or anything like that or a sweater, and ballet flats or other type of flat that is close toed. They do not wear sandals. Or at least before his department went entirely work remote, that was the dress code for casual Fridays.

[mathnerd]

16 minutes ago, Kassia said:

software engineering

Jeans (without holes) and tops are fine with flats or non-dressy heels. For the first day, she could wear slacks like these and not feel out of place:

https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-slim-leg-chino-pants/id_356827

As time goes by, she can see what other women software engineers wear and figure things out. But, generally, there are a lot of female engineers who wear jeans, slacks, tops, skirts (sometimes, but not that usual) and lots of sneakers, sandals and flats in the summer.

 

I looked up oldnavy, this style would be commonly seen worn during winter and she could find matching styles for summer for the first week:

https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=754612042#pdp-page-content

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by mathnerd

[freesia]

There's nothing to be lost by starting a job/internship being more formal than needed.  I agree she should wear slacks or a dress if she is more comfortable in dresses.

[Kassia]

8 minutes ago, Ellie said:

But Amethyst said *not* to wear jeans on her first day. She suggested slacks the first day.

Right, but if she wears slacks or a dress and finds that jeans aren't acceptable after that she won't have anything to wear for the rest of the week! 

[skimomma]

Business casual now does seem to include nice jeans.  I would guess this is especially true in the tech business.  My guess is they will be thrilled that she is not wearing PJs.  "Nice" jeans are solid color, no rips/snags, no bling, not distressed, not too tight/trendy, etc....  As someone who is most comfortable in jeans, I have welcomed this development over the years.   If she actually prefers slacks or skirts, that will be fine.  If she prefers jeans, I'd suggest wearing a black pair or very dark blue on the first day to test the waters.

Flats are fine.  Heels might even be out of place.

Tops do not have to be fancy.  I typically wear solid color, long sleeve, fitted Ts, like what can be found at Old Navy or Gap and keep a cardigan handy as AC is often chillier than I prefer.  She can easily convert the outfit to dressier with a scarf and cardigan, so she could keep those handy just in case.

[Kassia]

1 minute ago, skimomma said:

Business casual now does seem to include nice jeans.  I would guess this is especially true in the tech business.  My guess is they will be thrilled that she is not wearing PJs.  "Nice" jeans are solid color, no rips/snags, no bling, not distressed, not too tight/trendy, etc....  As someone who is most comfortable in jeans, I have welcomed this development over the years.   If she actually prefers slacks or skirts, that will be fine.  If she prefers jeans, I'd suggest wearing a black pair or very dark blue on the first day to test the waters.

Flats are fine.  Heels might even be out of place.

Tops do not have to be fancy.  I typically wear solid color, long sleeve, fitted Ts, like what can be found at Old Navy or Gap and keep a cardigan handy as AC is often chillier than I prefer.  She can easily convert the outfit to dressier with a scarf and cardigan, so she could keep those handy just in case.

thank you!

[Bootsie]

It depends upon the industry, the location, the weather, and the company.  We have a company locally, for example, that requires closed toe shoes for all employees because some are required to wear closed toe shoes for safety reasons.  So, it doesn't matter if you are a software engineer, a receptionist, an accountant, a customer service rep--you cannot even wear shoes with a peek-a-boo cut out at the toes, much less sandles.  In the heat in Texas, it would not be unusal for a woman to wear a sandal in the summer, especially with a skirt; these would be dressier sandals than beach sandals and would provide more coverage/stability than a flip flop.  Personally, I do not consider jeans as "business casual" in a work setting--I would consider it "casual"; but I know many people who do consider it business casual.  Also, I have worked several places that have a separate summer dress code that is more casual than the rest of the year.  

[skimomma]

2 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Right, but if she wears slacks or a dress and finds that jeans aren't acceptable after that she won't have anything to wear for the rest of the week! 

I would not stress too much about this.  She will really not make a poor impression as long as her clothing is neat, clean, and does not stand out.  I'd say overdressing is more of a sin in the tech world than underdressing.

[regentrude]

15 minutes ago, Kassia said:

software engineering

That's a very casual field. Jeans and t- shirts casual. I suggest she dress a notch above for her first day, like jeans and a not-t-shirt and then see what her colleagues are wearing 

[Bootsie]

5 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Right, but if she wears slacks or a dress and finds that jeans aren't acceptable after that she won't have anything to wear for the rest of the week! 

If she has a pair of basic slacks and several shirts (that could be worn with slacks or jeans), she could wear the same slacks to work several days without having to wash them.  

[Farrar]

She's embarking on being a grown up. She should get a handful of mix and match pieces that she feels comfortable with and that can dress a little up and down. I would include nice jeans in that.

[vonfirmath]

I worked in an engineering firm for just over 5 years. Slacks with flats everyday. (but I'm not a jeans wearer)  Some of those who had to go see customers would get dressed up in more suit type clothing.

 

[Kassia]

Any opinions/suggestions on tops?  She's tall and thin - usually wears Old Navy talls.  I like Old Navy because it's easy to return from home by mail (we live in an area with no stores.  She's OOS but doesn't have a car so returns are hard.

[vonfirmath]

3 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Any opinions/suggestions on tops?  She's tall and thin - usually wears Old Navy talls.  I like Old Navy because it's easy to return from home by mail (we live in an area with no stores.  She's OOS but doesn't have a car so returns are hard.

Stay away from T-shirts with printing and you'll likely be fine)

 

(I had solid color Shirts I wore that were cut like T-shirts -- maybe a thicker fabric? I got them at places like Lane Bryant) and never felt out of place

 

Oh the receptionist often dressed up more too. But even though I sometimes covered her for lunch, etc. No one ever asked me to dress up more.

 

[QueenCat]

29 minutes ago, Kassia said:

yikes, but if she finds out the first day that jeans aren't acceptable then she's stuck for the rest of the week!  

She could mix 2-3 bottoms with 5 different tops that go with both slacks and jeans.

[alisoncooks]

I have these pull on jeans and they’re pretty comfy (and available in different inseams). The black/green/burgundy are a “slacks” material. The jean colors are stretch denim. They look nice and dressy, IMO (especially the darker colors). https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B077R928NV?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

I wear them with ballet flats or ankle boots or loafers. 
 

Tops, I would go with nicer knit tees (Old Navy’s “luxe” line looks nicer than a regular tee) and lightweight cardigans over top. I bought this recently and it’s super cute. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075N9GG4D?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Edited November 9, 2021 by alisoncooks

[Harriet Vane]

I would absolutely stay away from jeans and tee shirts, even knowing that the tech world is more casual. She's an intern. This is basically a long audition for a career job, whether she returns to that company or simply leans on her contacts there as references for work elsewhere in the future. For that reason, she should present herself as a professional at every step of the way.

Obviously she doesn't need to wear a formal suit or dress with heels each day, but I would definitely veer more towards a step up from jeans. That means slacks, casual skirts, knit pants with flats and a nice blouse. The only tee shirt option I would consider is a knit that looks slightly dressier, possibly paired with a cardigan or light jacket. 

For context--this is the approach both of my kids have taken. My daughter dressed up more than jeans for student teaching. Not super formal. Just slightly nicer. My son alternated between button-down shirts and nice polos, and he set up his work station in the dining room with a nice background rather than up in his bedroom. My son was told that since he was in a virtual internship it didn't matter. But it actually really does, as I know from hearing stories bandied about (dh coworkers or friends we know) seeing others' unmade beds in the background or overly casual attire or hair on-screen. People say this or that is okay--except that often, it's really not. Not for an intern who needs to show they are a grown up who will be a good hire. 

[Emba]

15 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Any opinions/suggestions on tops?  She's tall and thin - usually wears Old Navy talls.  I like Old Navy because it's easy to return from home by mail (we live in an area with no stores.  She's OOS but doesn't have a car so returns are hard.

I tend to think button down shirts for business casual, not flannel or plaid, but solid or stripes.  I also tend to think khaki pants or slacks rather than jeans, but it has been years since I had to worry about “what is business casual?” 
 

If jeans are acceptable, I’d say definitely no rips or distressing, and dark washes tend to look more dressy and nice to me than faded washes.

[Catwoman]

If there is only one company in the building, can she slink over there unnoticed and hang out in her car in the parking lot early in the morning or at the end of the day to see what people are wearing? 

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

I would wear slacks and a blouse with leather flats the first day.....and be prepared that you might see everyone else in jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies. Tech culture varies very much by region. When we lived in the Midwest, dh wore slacks and dress shirts to work. Here on the west coast, that is a major faux pas. I'm not sure of the location of her internship, but just know that the recruiter might be exactly spot on.

I'd have her shop as if it is more formal....nice blouses, a couple of pairs of trousers, a couple of basic skirts, because it's still nice to have a decent wardrobe.  Look at Loft for work blouses...many of those will pair nicely with dark jeans.

[prairiewindmomma]

https://www.loft.com/bouquet-tie-back-blouse/578677?skuId=32399097&defaultColor=2222&catid=catl000011&selectedColor=2222

https://www.loft.com/shimmer-clip-smocked-yoke-blouse/578717?skuId=32326390&defaultColor=4899&catid=catl000011&selectedColor=4899

https://www.loft.com/floral-smocked-shoulder-blouse/570910?skuId=32017380&defaultColor=0013&catid=catl000011&selectedColor=0013

https://www.zappos.com/p/lucky-brand-emmie-black/product/7786864/color/3

https://www.zappos.com/p/born-julianne-mid-brown/product/8070378/color/7046

[Katy]

Software is the one industry where I would plan on khakis or jeans (dark wash, no holes).  Generally business casual there means inoffensive casual in other industries. No pajamas or political shirts, nothing seductive, but otherwise probably anything that would pass a high school dress code would be fine. 

I would NOT wear a dress as some software companies are so casual that she might be expected to sit on the floor or the office version of bleachers for meetings, and I would not want to deal with either in dress or skirt. 

I’d check out stretchy (comfortable) khaki, navy, gray, and black separates in the coming months.  With minimalist shoes & accessories it’s work appropriate in any industry, and she can always add in more color & personality to suit the space. 

[Kassia]

18 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

If there is only one company in the building, can she slink over there unnoticed and hang out in her car in the parking lot early in the morning or at the end of the day to see what people are wearing? 

 

 

She doesn't have a car now and it's a huge company - they have their own complex pretty much.

[Ausmumof3]

If she’s been told to wear jeans I’d be careful overdressing as it may be seen unfavourably.  If she goes for jeans I’d go black as they seem slightly dressier.

[gardenmom5]

the *recruiter* told her to wear jeans?   does the recruiter work for the company or outside?  If the recruiter is outside, I would take anything they say about dress with a grain of salt.

(1dd has had more experience with recruiters than she'd wish - and she had some absolute lousy advice from some. who didn't know squat about what they were talking about.)

 

What industry?    I wouldn't consider jeans - or denim - as business casual for an internship.  Ever.  (do NOT look at what *stores* call business casual - they're in the business of *selling* clothes to you.)  Does the company have a page that describes their dress code? bottom line is she wants to look like a  professional from that place of business.  Unless her "bosses" wear denim on a regular basis, I would consider it verboten.  

- 1dd is a computer nerd she wore jeans when she was crawling around on the floor of the lab.  1ds wears plaid shirts and khakis. (engineer .. .)  2ds is an accountant - the only time he ever wore denim was fridays when they were casual.  (2dd doesn't count - she wears scrubs.)  dsil - wear's slacks and dress shirts.  (no tie, no suit coat)

Slacks, dress shirt, skirts/dresses, blazer/jacket/sweater

business casual you can mix colors, and textures.  (formal business wear doesn't.)  You also have more freedom with styles.

flats/low heels should be acceptable assuming the style of the shoe is otherwise appropriate.  (Unless she's interning for Miranda Priestly.).

Edited November 9, 2021 by gardenmom5

[DreamerGirl]

OP, I work in software part time. 

I always, always err on the side of business casual.

Black formal pants, no leggings, jeggings or jeans.

Not flashy jewelry. 

Neutral color top, sleeveless if the weather needs it. In TX summer believe me, lots of people wearing sleeveless. But we always have a blazer to throw on.

I wear heels. Ankle boots if applicable. nothing open toed.

As for make up, I wear lipgloss rarely lipstick and mascara. I do not wear makeup but I really take care of my skin.

I have long hair so I always wear an updo. 

I also have three ear piercings, a nose piercing, wear multiple bracelets, an ankle bracelet, rings but all are small enough that they melt into me. You will never know I am wearing them unless you come close.

I compromise since I have multiple piercings so I up my dress to be more formal than necessary.

This is my work uniform.

It has worked well for me.

But I am one generation away from your daughter. Still I would err on the side of caution and dress business casual than casual as it is easier to dial down. 

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by DreamerGirl

[katilac]

The recruiter ought to know. I don't think the "overdressing is always okay" thing really applies to most tech companies. 

50 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I would absolutely stay away from jeans and tee shirts, even knowing that the tech world is more casual. She's an intern. This is basically a long audition for a career job, whether she returns to that company or simply leans on her contacts there as references for work elsewhere in the future. For that reason, she should present herself as a professional at every step of the way.

 

All the more reason to fit into the company culture. Teaching, lots of office jobs, yes, you can dress 'up' and it's fine and maybe appreciated. In other jobs and industries, it's a sharp backfire. 

For context, I know someone with tech experience who has done several interviews, at least one of which involved them flying him across the country. For all of his interviews, he wears jeans, tennis shoes, and tops that are stylish but most definitely not polos or dress shirts. He says that wearing standard issue khakis with polos or typical button-up shirts to interview, work, or meet with clients would be absolutely weird and noticeable in his section of tech. 

She doesn't have to guess, her recruiter is telling her what to wear. Any halfway decent recruiter is going to know the culture of the company. 

44 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

If there is only one company in the building, can she slink over there unnoticed and hang out in her car in the parking lot early in the morning or at the end of the day to see what people are wearing? 

Not a bad idea at all, if she's not comfortable listening to her recruiter. But honestly, the recruiter should know. 

[gardenmom5]

47 minutes ago, Katy said:

Software is the one industry where I would plan on khakis or jeans (dark wash, no holes).  Generally business casual there means inoffensive casual in other industries. No pajamas or political shirts, nothing seductive, but otherwise probably anything that would pass a high school dress code would be fine. 

 

When 1dd was in the lab (and wore jeans) crawling on the floor regularly (very few of her coworkers wore jeans, her bosses wore dark khakis.) - she did wear shirts with computer related "writing" on them.  

"the server is down, what do you do?"  - and gives a list of options.  *Commit seppuku* is checked.  Another one said "talk nerdy to me".  

she hasn't worn jeans to work in years - unless she knows she's going to be crawling on the floor somewhere..  

eta: just wanted to add - she didn't wear jeans until it was established her duties included crawling around on the floor in the lab working on server racks.  Until then - she wore pants.

you only have one shot at making a first impression.

Edited November 9, 2021 by gardenmom5

[katilac]

Just now, gardenmom5 said:

When 1dd was in the lab (and wore jeans) crawling on the floor regularly (very few of her coworkers wore jeans, her bosses wore dark khakis.) - she did wear shirts with computer related "writing" on them.  

"the server is down, what do you do?"  - and gives a list of options.  *Commit seppuku* is checked.  Another one said "talk nerdy to me".  

she hasn't worn jeans to work in years - unless she knows she's going to be crawling on the floor somewhere..  

It's definitely going to depend on company culture. "Tech" really isn't detailed enough. The majority of people I know in tech fields don't even own khakis and would commit seppuku before wearing them, but I know that's not true across the board. 

[DreamerGirl]

OP, in my experience I have never seen the casual, hoodie type culture. But I am in TX and most women dress business casual in an office environment. No one is sloppy.

DH is full time in software. When he joined, he had to wear full suit and had to wear the jacket to go to a meeting even the printer or the restroom. The jacket could only be taken off in the cubicle.

Now he dresses in jeans and shirt when he goes in. He is WFH mostly. 

I have never seen the anything goes culture in software in my TX.

Also I will say, I have seen women dressed more formally than men. You can see that with Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg for instance even in Facebook. 

I dress very differently in my real life. Jewel tones, chunky jewelry, sandals, flats. But work uniform is what I think of when I go to office. 

Unfortunately, the work needs to be speak for itself but first impressions do count and for women especially the more polished the look the better in my experience

Edited November 9, 2021 by DreamerGirl
clarity

[lmrich]

And not wrinkly. Maybe give her a steamer or iron for Christmas.

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, Kassia said:

software engineering

 

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

If there is only one company in the building, can she slink over there unnoticed and hang out in her car in the parking lot early in the morning or at the end of the day to see what people are wearing? 

I hang out in the general parking area while my husband goes into office to get his work parcels. Jeans (light blue, dark blue, black) and shirts (button or polos) with sneakers are the norm here. I get to see staff from Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon coming out of their office buildings. 

Long sleeve shirt and slacks with flats would be fine for the first day. 

[Kassia]

52 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

the *recruiter* told her to wear jeans?   does the recruiter work for the company or outside?  If the recruiter is outside, I would take anything they say about dress with a grain of salt.

What industry?    \ Does the company have a page that describes their dress code? =

\

yes, the recruiter told her and she does work at the location where dd will be.  This is software engineering but no page on their website about dress code, which is why she asked

43 minutes ago, DreamerGirl said:

 

 

 

 

 

29 minutes ago, DreamerGirl said:

OP, in my experience I have never seen the casual, hoodie type culture. But I am in TX and most women dress business casual in an office environment. No one is sloppy.

DH is full time in software.

Now he dresses in jeans and shirt when he goes in. He is WFH mostly. 

 

Unfortunately, the work needs to be speak for itself but first impressions do count and for women especially the more polished the look the better in my experience

Dd is in TX (we live in OH).  My DH is a computer engineer and has always worn jeans to work (now he's WFH).  But I was surprised to see the recruiter refer to jeans as business casual.  

[Arcadia]

2 minutes ago, Kassia said:

.  But I was surprised to see the recruiter refer to jeans as business casual.  

I think the late Steve Jobs’ choice of jeans paired with black turtlenecks kind of “define” business casual for tech. When my husband first started in software engineering in the 90s, he dressed more like Bill Gates in shirts and chinos. My husband is happy to not have to iron pants anymore. He could give presentations at conferences in jeans instead of in a suit.

[Kassia]

4 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

I think the late Steve Jobs’ choice of jeans paired with black turtlenecks kind of “define” business casual for tech. When my husband first started in software engineering in the 90s, he dressed more like Bill Gates in shirts and chinos. My husband is happy to not have to iron pants anymore. He could give presentations at conferences in jeans instead of in a suit.

good point about Steve Jobs! 

[Bootsie]

I would recommend to all college students that they begin investing in the basics of a professional wardrobe.  For young women, I think that begins with a suit/dress appropriate for interviews or a business luncheon; a pair of dark slacks or a dark skirt, a pair of khakis and a nice pair of jeans.  If the work place is casual, a simple knit shirt can be worn with all three pants.  A cardigan, blazer, or scarf can dress items up to wear with the slacks and khakis.  Even if they are not worn daily at work, the jeans can be worn on a casual Friday dress day.  Or, there can be instances in which all of the interns or new recruits are taken to a baseball game, or some other activity, to which one can wear the jeans for casual attire.  Some depends upon climate.  In Texas, for most work places it would also be appropriate for a young person to have a nice pair of shorts (like Bermuda shorts) for work social events that occur outdoors in the summer.  Shoes practical for wearing all day and walking distances should also be part of the standard wardrobe.

[DreamerGirl]

48 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Dd is in TX (we live in OH).  My DH is a computer engineer and has always worn jeans to work (now he's WFH).  But I was surprised to see the recruiter refer to jeans as business casual.  

I don't how to explain properly how women wear jeans and men wear jeans to make it more formal looking. I have rarely seen women wear lighter jeans unless it is Friday. if they wear jeans, rarely it is almost always dark. Shirts are tucked in. They are more put together. Almost universally even dressed casual which I am not explaining.

Men seemed more rumpled ? DH is not a sloppy dresser, but he would never think about ironing a pair of jeans you know.  Most men are neat and clean, but you would see the occasional beard that needs to be cleaned up. 

I dress very differently when I am not at work, even the way I wear jeans. DH dresses the same. That is the fundamental difference I think. In my real life, I am more leggings, hoodie, shorts kind of person. But I wear my work wear like uniform which is even seen in the way I wear jean. I would, never ever wear leggings for instance. But like I said, I am a generation away, so I may be behind the times and it has been a while since I worked with someone as young as your DD.

[Melissa in Australia]

My oldest son is a research scientest/aerospace.. He wears business casual which is ironed button down shirt and business pants. Work boots are fine or black shoes. 

[Arcadia]

9 hours ago, Kassia said:

She doesn't have a car now and it's a huge company - they have their own complex pretty much.

Does the company post any presentations on YouTube? I would say for my husband’s employer, the way the tech presenters/speakers dress on YouTube is similar to their normal workwear. 
Does she know what she would be doing for her internship? For example, I spent most of my internship in an office cubicle with two computers and I could “doll up” if I want to. When I know I needed to go to the department’s server room, I wear dark colored jeans and a warm blazer. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Arcadia
Typo

[Pippen]

2 hours ago, DreamerGirl said:

I don't how to explain properly how women wear jeans and men wear jeans to make it more formal looking. I have rarely seen women wear lighter jeans unless it is Friday. if they wear jeans, rarely it is almost always dark. Shirts are tucked in. They are more put together. Almost universally even dressed casual which I am not explaining.

Men seemed more rumpled ? DH is not a sloppy dresser, but he would never think about ironing a pair of jeans you know.  Most men are neat and clean, but you would see the occasional beard that needs to be cleaned up. 

I dress very differently when I am not at work, even the way I wear jeans. DH dresses the same. That is the fundamental difference I think. In my real life, I am more leggings, hoodie, shorts kind of person. But I wear my work wear like uniform which is even seen in the way I wear jean. I would, never ever wear leggings for instance. But like I said, I am a generation away, so I may be behind the times and it has been a while since I worked with someone as young as your DD.

Business casual at my recent college graduate daughter's job is dark navy or black jeans with a top. Flats or low heels. The women also keep a jacket on hand in case they need to dress it up. If she's meeting with clients it's not business casual. 

If she has her internship placement already I'd suggest making contact with her mentor to get details on the requirements. 

[katilac]

43 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

He wears business casual which is ironed button down shirt and business pants.  

That's just "business" around here, lol. 

[Faith-manor]

I think a lot of this can be regional. Some of what seems to be okay with casual clothing in some regions would not fly here. So it is difficult to know how to advise because it differs from region to region, and of course from corporation to corporation. 

[TechWife]

7 hours ago, Kassia said:

software engineering

First day - slacks,  nice blouse, sweater if called for by weather, flats or boots

There will probably be some type of orientation where the expectations Will be clarified & when she meets her co-workers she will get a good idea of what is the usual attire. In that field she may end up with blue jeans & sweaters all the time. If she is client facing expectations may be different. My dh matches the client dress code when he goes on site. If she is in an IT department of an organization, the dress code may be different. Healthcare administration is business dress in our area, for example. Retail, hospitality, etc. may all have different expectations. 

[TechWife]

7 hours ago, Kassia said:

Right, but if she wears slacks or a dress and finds that jeans aren't acceptable after that she won't have anything to wear for the rest of the week! 

Then she will need to expand her wardrobe to include more slacks, it’s that simple. First impressions are important - slacks the first day.  Honestly though, any adult needs two-three outfits that they can wear anywhere - slacks, blouses, a jacket, good simple flats or low heels, simple earrings & simple necklace. One never knows what life will bring you - a wedding or funeral, an invite to a networking event, court, speaking somewhere, going to church with a friend, a nice night out - the possibilities are endless. 

She might find it helpful to read Emily Post’s Etiquette. It’s actually quite interesting and relevant to everyday life. It’s not stuffy at all, but prepared the reader my creating an other-centered mindset to interactions. It explains different dress codes and dressing appropriately for the situation.