Dressing Interview Ready on Budget

After working at my district's career fair recently, my fashion forward co-worker and I began to chat about how it felt to be on the other end (the person looking for a job) and all the emotions and feelings that you feel being at a job fair...nervousness, excitement and especially feeling overwhelmed.  One of the things we discussed was dressing for an interview and how as college students funds may be limited to spend on new clothes.  So hark, a blog post idea came on sharing budget friendly and simple ways to dress appropriately for a school counselor interview.

I thought back to my first rounds of teacher interviews fresh out of college (I was a teacher before becoming a counselor) and I wore the "unofficial interview uniform"...a black dress suit.  Not just any suit, this said suit I thought was quite snazzy (for 12 years ago).  This two-piece suit had a dress and a black long-sleeve jacket to go over the dress accompanied with black pumps AND off-black pantyhose (gasp)!  Did I mention that I did my interviews during the summer months...in the south (HOT)!  Since then, my interview dress has been a little more relaxed and I don't think I've worn a suit to an interview since then.  There are ways to dress professional without wearing a suit or breaking the bank.

I'd like to share some affordable ways to dress for your school counselor interview.  I stuck with basic clothing pieces and things that most people are likely to already own (or have a friend they can borrow them from).

So here are Basic Clothing Pieces to start with:
-Black or Navy dress pants
-White Button-up Shirt
-Basic Black Dress
-Black  pumps

Pants: JC Penny, Shirt: Nautica  Pumps: Nine West

Black Pants: Banana Republic, Navy Pants: JC Penny

Dress: Old Navy

Here are some ideas on how simple pieces can update your look, while looking professional.

Black or Navy Pants + White Button Down Shirt + a Statement Necklace:  

Statement Necklaces: NY & Co (Left), Gifted (Right)

Black or Navy Pants + a Stripe Shirt + a Statement Necklace:

I added brown pumps since it's great compliment color with navy pants. 

Shirt: Old Navy, Necklace: NY & Co, Shoes: Naturalizer

Black or Navy Pants + White Button Down Shirt + a Stripe Blazer:

Blazer: JCrew Factory

Black or Navy Pants + White Button Down Shirt + a Stripe Blazer+ a Statement Necklace:  

Basic Black Dress + Belt:

Belt: Gap

Basic Black Dress + Belt + Cardigan +Statement Necklace:

Cardigan: JCrew, Necklace: Belk

Basic Black Dress + Belt + Cardigan + Scarf

Scarf: Old Navy

See there's potential awaiting you in your closet as you prepare for your upcoming interviews!   Veteran counselors these looks work for us to, just for a regular school day.  I loved writing this post, I plan to share more shopping and outfits that are school appropriate and budget friendly. Pin It

Summer Wear to Work Gear

Now you know I couldn't just not post about summer wear to work?  Well this time I'm teaming up with the fashionably fabulous Melanie from The Stylish School Counselor Blog and we'd love to share some summer wear to staple pieces and work outfits:

Maxi skirts/dresses:

Shirt: Old Navy, Necklace & Skirt: JCrew Factory, Belt & Shoes: Gap

Jacket: Kut from the Kloth, Dress: Groovy's

Lightweight scarves

Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt: Kohl's, Scarf: Nordstrom

Shirt, Scarf & Belt: Old Navy, Skirt: Thrifted, Shoes: Nine West

Cardigan: JCrew Factory, Shirt & Skirt: Old Navy, Belt, Scarf & Shoes: Gap

Shirt & Scarf: Old Navy, Capris: JC Penney, Shoes: Nine West

Summer Dresses

Dress & Belt: Old Navy, Shoes: Nine West

Dress: Gap, Scarf: World Market (& yes that's NYC Times Square, summer vacay)

Jacket: Kut from the Kloth, Dress: Groovy's

Stripes

Scarf: Charming Charlie's, Shirt: Old Navy, Capris: JC Penney, Shoes: Target

Jacket: Nordstrom, Tank: Old Navy, Crop Skinny Jeans: Michael Kors 

Jacket: Kut from the Kloth, Tank: Old Navy, Pants: Express 

Dress: Old Navy, Cardigan: Gap leopard, Necklace: Francesca's 

Printed Pants/Capris

Shirt: JC Penney, Pants: Anthropologie, Shoes: Gap

Cardigan, Shirt & Necklace: JCrew, Capris: JC Penney, Shoes: Cole Haan

Shirt: Banana Republic, Capris: Old Navy, Shoes: Gap

Statement Jewelry

Statement Necklace: Kate Spade, Dress: Target

 Necklace: Groovy's, Dress: Charming Charlie

Necklace: Groovy's, Dress: Old Navy, Cardigan: JC Penney 

So many ways to dress for the summer heat and work!  What are some of your summer wear to work must haves? Pin It

Spring Wear to Work Gear & Counselor Showcase

If I haven't said it enough, I really enjoyed doing The School Counselor Wear to Work Series.  During the series of posts, I had hoped to share early spring work gear, but wouldn't luck have it that we had an extra long winter (in the south), so now that it's warmed up I can share even more pictures that you amazing school counselors have sent in (and I have some of me in my spring work gear)!  Here goes:

Noelle, Robin, Judy & Barb:  Grade 5 & 6 School, Ada, MI (LOVE the color coordination among the team & I was told it wasn't planned!)

Takeshia:  School Counselor Grades 6-12,  Fairburn, GA

Shirt: Old Navy, Capris: JC Penny, Shoes: JCrew

Shirt & Belt: Old Navy, Skirt: Banana Republic, Shoes: Gap, Necklace: Belk Dept Store

Necklace: Belk, Shirt: Old Navy, Blazer: JCrew Factory, Pants: Calvin Klein (Macy's), Shoes: Nine West

Yes you can mix patterns! Shirt & Skirt: Old Navy, Necklace: Belk, Shoes: Cole Haan

Scarf: World Market (this was my giveaway scarf), Cardigan: JCrew, Camisole: Banana Republic, Capris: JC Penny, Shoes: Gap

Shirt & Skirt: Thrifted, Necklace: JCrew, Shoes: Old Navy

Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt & Shoes: JCrew, Necklace: Belk

So is my like of stripes showing this spring or what?






















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School Counselor Wear to Work Giveaway!

Can you tell that I really enjoyed writing about my school counselor work fashion?  Well I certainly did, so much that I'm doing a fashion related giveaway!  Since the weather's (finally) warming up I've been wanting to wear a light, fun and colorful scarf that can be worn both inside and outside of school (remember to buy clothing pieces that can be worn in multiple "looks"). I bought the scarves (1 for me and another for the giveaway winner) from the store World Market. 

Scarf from World Market

Here's a couple of "looks" the scarf can be worn in (I apologize for not having pics of me in the actual outfits, but I was on a time crunch to get these taken and you know how we school counselors have to do what we have to do...):

If I were to wear this scarf to work with a....skirt (skirts are my fav):

Cardigan: JCrew, Camisole: Banana Republic, Belt: Old Navy, Skirt: Thrifted

Shirt: Old Navy, Belt & Skirt: Thrifted

Shirt: Old Navy, Belt: Gap, Skirt: JCrew Factory

If I were to wear this scarf to work with....capri/cropped pants:

Shirt: JCrew, Capri Pants: JC Penny

And if all else fails, we all have this "black & white" outfit:

Shirt: Old Navy, Capri Pants: JC Penny

If I were to wear this scarf to work with...a dress

Dress: Old Navy

Vest & Dress: Gap ( I probably wouldn't wear the vest to work but would for an outside of work setting)

After seeing a few ways to rock the spring scarf in and out of work and if you can totally see yourself wearing it, please enter the giveaway below.  If you're the winner, I'd love to see how you're wearing the scarf (I won't post your pic unless you'd like me to).  Also fellow blogger and fashionable school counselor Melanie from The Stylish School Counselor is doing a #stylishschoolcounselor challenge via social media where you post your outfit of the day (#ootd).  Please join in, I love getting ideas of what others are wearing to work. 

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School Counselor Wear to Work Series: Counselor Showcase Pt. II

I've had so much fun and amazing feedback on the wear to work series and I can gladly say that I have even more pictures....showcasing YOU!  You wonderful counselors who serve in so many roles...helping students, staff and parents, chairing committees, advocating, just going beyond the call of duty and all while looking so stylish!  Take a look for yourself!  Also thanks to my counselor friends in my district that "volunteered" to have their picture taken. 

Katie: Elementary School Counselor, Raleigh, NC

Ashley: K-8 School Counselor,  Greenwich, OH

Laurin: Elementary School Counselor, Raleigh, NC

Dentra: Middle School Counselor, Raleigh, NC

Anna: Elementary School Counselor, Zebulon, NC (Anna was my very 1st intern and her style made me step up my dress game)

(left) Raychelle: High School Counselor, Hilton Head, SC (center) Deana: Elementary School Counselor, Ashland, KY (right) just me!

There's still time to send in pics,  I'll be doing another counselor wear to work counselor showcase in the future (yay)!  Email pics to jyjcounselor@gmail.com.  Please include in your email: your name (only first names will be used), the school level you work on, and your city & state.  Thanks again, for making this such a fun set of posts. 



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