As part of the weekly “What’s on Wednesdays” series in Union Court, located in the Memorial Union Building (MUB), the Dress for Success event aimed to prepare students to dress appropriately for next week’s Career and Internship fair. The fair will be held on Wednesday, March 1 in the Whittemore Center from 12 to 5 p.m. The event, which took place on Feb. 22, put on by the career and professional success department, featured a table setup on the stage with people available to answer questions directly. Fliers regarding the subject were also handed out.

A running slideshow projected onto the screen above the table displayed slides that provided examples of appropriate dress, along with tips about what to wear and what not to wear.

Amanda Temple, the employer relations manager for the department, encouraged students to stop by the table and enter into a raffle for a chance to win gift cards to Brooks Brothers and Men’s Wearhouse.

“We’re here to show people how to dress for the career fair,” Temple said. “We’re just trying to spread awareness.”

In preparation for this article, The New Hampshire received a tip that, at the last career fair, women were advised not to wear skirts or dresses. Temple said she was not aware of this and was concerned with the message that could send.

“We tell women to wear suits or skirt suits,” Temple said. According to her, they advise people to just dress professionally.

Christina Crosby, a junior in the Paul College of Business and Economics, said that this was the first time she was helping out at the Dress for Success event.

“We’re really trying to get people to come to the career fair,” she said. “And we want people to dress appropriately so they can get an interview or a job.”

Crosby’s reaction to the question regarding dresses was similar to Temple’s. 

“That is totally not true,” she said. “We are encouraging women to wear appropriate skirts and dresses.”

Crosby explained that an appropriate dress or skirt would be longer than your fingertips if you put your arms at your side, or two inches above the knee.

Jonah Foulks, a UNH sophomore and a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi co-ed business fraternity, stressed that they are really trying to advertise for the career fair. Foulks said that these events are the best resource for those  looking for a job after graduation.

Students helping with the event handed out fliers with information about future events being put on by the career and professional success department. One such flier was paper with 25 tips for a successful interview that was published by Men’s Wearhouse in 2013. A pamphlet from Men’s Wearhouse was also provided. Inside the pamphlet were two coupons, tips for interviews, tips for dressing appropriately and guides for how to tie a tie and a bow tie.