As this girl went in for another puff, I watched as the embers smoldered at the end of her cigarette; I imagined myself smoldering like the embers of that cigarette as I tried to think of a topic to write about this week. With my brain still fuming, I decided to do what most (pretty much all) college students do in times of desperation; I went on Facebook. As I flipped through countless pages of close friends and acquaintances, old and new, I noticed on my home screen that it displays older statuses from my friends, one of which read “I have a woman’s body. I will not apologize for that.” I not only liked her status but it got me thinking about how for years I have always been sorry for this womanly body that has be blessed upon me.

Growing up, I always felt like I had to choose between my beauty and my brains. My family luckily endowed me with curves so I never felt afraid to show off and dress up my figure. When it came time to do work in the classroom, however, I always felt as if I was not taken as seriously as the girls who just decided to wear sweatpants and a North Face to class. One of my biggest fears is that this same issue transfers into my professional life. When interviewing for a job, you’re always supposed to go one step further than what your employer expects in terms of attire but your safest bet is to dress “conservatively.” For some reason I find that women read this term as meaning “manly.” It feels as if women believe that if they dress more like a man then they will have a better chance of being hired or taken seriously. Echoing the wise words of my good friend, I have a woman’s body so why would I ever think it is ok to drown myself in shoulder padded blazers or bland colors. It makes me sad when I see smart and capable women taking over the world looking like what I would call “a hot, sometimes flaming, mess.” If you’re struggling to figure out what to wear to your interview, then I would highly suggest looking in the Career Planning & Resources Career Services Guide under their section titled “Interview Attire” where they give some very handy do’s and don’ts. I would also recommend browsing through the store New York & Company, a store that I believe does the best job of complementing the woman’s body in professional clothing. But don’t be afraid to flatter your figure and/or give a little color because at the end of the interview you will always have a woman’s body and should never have to be sorry for that, so don’t let your clothes say otherwise.