One of the biggest questions facing seniors as they prepare for life after Brandeis is: Are we ready? In other words, are all the tiny intricacies and formalities of life in the real world just a part of the ancient tribal knowledge all adults have, that college students will have to quickly learn, most likely the hard way? Particularly when it comes to fashion, it is significantly better to learn life lessons beforehand than afterward.Fashion in the real world is a lot different than that in college, and although most people know this, the degree to which the two realms differ is still shocking. Think about it: In college, if you have a 9 a.m. class (bless you, poor soul) you can go in pajamas, without having taken a shower or even brushed your teeth. If you showed up to Goldman Sachs like that, even if you were high up on the asset management food chain, you would be fired or, at least, interrogated as to the status of your mental health! This is, however, an extreme example; there are other more nuanced distinctions that are not so obvious. Let us explore.

For men, the workplace is often more straightforward than for women, but that does not mean it is without challenges. Can you wear a white jacket? Can you wear sneakers? It's all about the industry, and I will discuss creative and casual industries later on. For men, these simple rules to follow will generally be good guidance in regard to dressing for the workday. First, it is important to look better than your competitors but not your boss. Take competitors to mean what you want: your peers, people vying for the promotion so rightly yours, whatever. Just know that clothes show something about the kind of worker you are. The second rule is, at the very least, always look like you would want to look when speaking in public or appearing on TV. That means match your belt with your shoes, tuck in your shirt, straighten your tie, etc.

One recent controversy in the field of studying the way people dress at work: What is too sexy for the office? It's not uncommon for people to dress at the office-especially ones with a less specific dress code-in a manner that would be equally appropriate for a Saturday night out. The problems that come out of this: "Where is the line?" and "Who loses when that line is crossed?" These philosophical questions often have answers that are office-specific, but it is becoming more and more of a concern. My advice on this matter is fairly simple: If you have any desire to be taken seriously and be considered for an award, promotion, raise-whatever-dress to look about one step above how qualified you really are. Dress like a cage dancer and expect appropriate treatment!

Creative fields like curatorship, marketing, writing, wine promotion and so on have different requirements for dress than the standard business office. Once again, the way someone is dressed is a pretty good indicator of how qualified that person is. If you are hiring someone as an interior designer and you want your kitchen to be mapped out in the "deconstructionist" style, and that designer shows up in a two-button suit, your first impression may be skepticcism. Different fields obviously cater to different clientele and their needs.

One final thought, perhaps the most relevant to students, is the question of what to wear to an interview. Once, I was applying to work for a fixture-manufacturing company in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin. On the night before the interview, my father and I got into a fight about what to wear. He said, "It's a very casual workplace, especially in summer, so you should wear khakis and a polo shirt." Aghast and appalled, I contended that while a point of an interview is to see how well you fit in with the company culture, it's also to see whether or not the candidate knows the proper attire for the interview. My mother agreed with me, saying I can dress office-appropriate when I start, but for the interview, it's better to make the right impression.

So the take-home message is that you dress to show how qualified you are, and mistakes made are rarely met with clemency. Remember that even if you think fashion is trivial in the grand scheme of philosophical questions, it can literally mean the difference between a paycheck and nothing.