Ah, sweet summertime. It’s everything I’ve been waiting for since Mother Nature first teased me with a balmy 60-degree day of sunshine back in March. Right when I thought it was safe to pull out the sundresses and sandals, chilly Northern winds said otherwise, forcing me to remain trapped beneath layers of bulky wool sweaters, oversized flannel and the figure-flattering sleeping bag coat. And I wondered why I was severely deficient in Vitamin D?

A lot’s changed since then. I packed up camp and headed out of good ole’ South Bend, Indiana after a notoriously draining round of final exams in May. But on my drive home, I had a startling thought. My internship starts in less than a week…and I have nothing to wear. Well, I mean, not really. But I’m never one to turn down an opportunity to shop (like mother, like daughter…blame it on DNA). While I try to buy classic pieces that don’t go out of style from one season to the next, let’s face it — there’s something about walking in on your first day wearing an edgy new blazer or killer little black dress that says everything and nothing all at once.

In the several hours I had to mull over the season’s must-haves in the car, I realized that this summer wardrobe would be different than in years past. I would be moving into that awkward life stage that’s not quite independent adulthood, but certainly not carefree youth, either (channeling some Britney Spears here). It would be a new kind of season. Let’s hear it for…

Internship season:
in-tern-ship sea-son, n.
an appetizer of sorts before college kids everywhere sink their teeth into the “real” working world

Sharpen your pencil skirts and grab hold of some coffee and cigarette pants. It’s time to get down to business. (Just don’t forget your flats for those inevitable coffee runs.)