Whether you’re preparing for an internship, interview, career fair, or any other business-oriented event, it’s always hard, especially for women, to find something that is both chic and professional to wear.
Lately, many companies have been trying to encourage and support women in the workplace, whether it be through internal events or specific initiatives such as L’Oreal’s Women in Science Program and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative.
Paramount’s new comedy, Nobody’s Fool, which is coming to theaters on November 2nd, will attempt to do exactly this. But, this movie will take it one step further and focus on diversity not just in gender, but also in race. The main character, Danica, who is played by Tika Sumpter, is striving to be the first African-American Advertising Executive at her company. The movie’s goal is to inspire women to be strong and independent and to highlight the figurative unity between women, and in the movie’s case, literal unity between sisters, in order to stand up to men and retain their integrity as women. Two other recurring themes are feminism and positivity, which is conveyed through the characters’ dialogue and actions.
Where does fashion come into this? Well, your interior confidence can be displayed by your exterior outfit, and confidence is crucial to have when securing an internship. As stated above, there are always different occasions for different outfits, such as business casual for an interview versus a more formal presentation for a cocktail night.
In the Nobody’s Fool, many of the women experiment with various business outfits, from pantsuits to slacks. This movie also demonstrates the power of the color black in clothing not just for men, but also for women, since it is set in New York City where black is commonly worn in the workplace. This article will serve as a mini fashion style guide to find budget-friendly alternatives to replicate the outfits worn by the powerful, hard-working females in the movie.
One recurring outfit that seems to be a major trend is the pantsuit. While the suit used to be a male ensemble, women in recent years have taken a more feminine interpretation and created the pantsuit. It usually consists of a pair of business pants or skirt followed by a matching top or jacket. You can find a similar pantsuit to Danica’s black one at Macy’s, or a cheaper alternative from Amazon.
Another female business trend is the blazer. As you can see in the first picture of Danica, her blazer makes the outfit more formal, as opposed to her simply wearing the lace top and black slacks. Slacks are another popular piece for businesswomen. You can also experiment with other types of jackets, like the leather moto jacket that Danica is wearing below. Here are a few similar examples, whether you want a pair of pants in a trendy print like these ones at Zara, or a double-breasted jacket from H&M.
Lastly, what to do about the shoes? Well, you can either go for a more formal look with heels or keep it more casual with flats. Heels are great with a nice dress or pantsuit, such as classic pumps from Calvin Klein. You can also wear a cute pair of flats like these from Steve Madden with a blazer, blouse, and slacks ensemble.
For even more inspiration, you can also look at Pinterest for ideas or articles written by various publications. Check out this feature on businesswomen creating work-friendly clothing lines written by The New York Times, or this brand analysis by Business of Fashion.
Last but not least, Paramount is hosting an advanced FREE college screening of Nobody’s Fool, which you can RSVP at here. So, come out to the UPenn Cinemark on Tuesday, October 30th at 7:30 with some of your friends, and enjoy laughing alongside Whoopi Goldberg as well as joining the community to empower strong and successful women. Here is the trailer!
