The Daily Pennsylvanian is a student-run nonprofit.

Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site.

On Wednesday night, a group of Wharton Women members strutted their stuff on a runway on the second floor of Huntsman Hall. Instead of showing off the latest trends, however, these students modeled office-ready outfits.

Wharton Women hosted its annual Dressing For Success event, which had a dual purpose — to educate members about dressing appropriately for the office and to raise money for the Global Fund for Women.

Attendees participated in three workshops on beauty and style tips for the office and enjoyed a silent auction and raffle during the first part of the evening. 1984 Wharton graduate and Executive Vice President of Macy’s Home Lisa Magann addressed the club members and their guests on her career experiences and her personal workplace style tips.

Of the event’s focus, Wharton junior and Wharton Women Vice President of Philanthropy Lilian Chen said, “I think one of the issues women face in college is how to dress professionally and maintain personal style.”

Wharton senior and Wharton Women President Gloria Herbert said she hoped guests would better understand how to “dress in a professional environment and dress for themselves.”

During her workshop, Alexander Q Image Group Lead Image Consultant Elethia Gay-Deal offered advice on creating a personal brand. She emphasized the importance of reflecting individual personality when dressing for work.

“Don’t lose who you are when you go out into the industry,” Gay-Deal said. “You’re unique, each and everyone of you, so go out and express that. You can be professional while still maintaining your personal brand.”

Drawing on the advice presented in the workshops, Magann emphasized dressing appropriately for all work situations.

“When in doubt, I always overdress,” Magann said. “Never underdress … always err a bit more conservatively and dress up, don’t dress down.”

In addition to style advice, Magann also highlighted the importance of a good work ethic in the office.

“Use your education to get you in the door,” she said, “but once you’re there, roll up your sleeves and really work at your job.”

Students at Dressing For Success seemed ready to take that advice. “I thought [the event] opened my mind to how personality can shine through in the workplace,” College sophomore Victoria Chimento said. She added that she enjoyed “hearing about [Magann’s] personal experiences in the workforce and taking risks and having flexibility.”

Wharton sophomore and Wharton Women member Elonia McHenry was equally enthusiastic about Magann’s speech. “It really made me want to work in retail because she’s so approachable yet also intelligent,” McHenry said.

Magann was similarly complimentary of the students at the event. “The sky’s the limit for this group of people,” she said. “There’s no glass ceiling, just hard work.”

Comments powered by Disqus

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.