Best dress code for a teenage internship

[clothesforinternship]

Two background things:
first: we live abroad, so I'm not talking about the UK school system here
second: I have name changed because I don't want the internship to be identifiable, as it would be if I used my current identity.

DD1 has to do an 3-week internship in year 9, next January. She'll be 14. She's very interested in politics and human rights, so has managed to snag an internship at an embassy where English is spoken. All hunky-dory. I'm really proud of her persistence in getting the gig.

The big problem is about what to wear. Schools here never have uniforms, and I have always allowed the DC to choose their own clothes, as long as they are appropriate for the weather. The schools impose very few restrictions - girls are allowed to wear shorts, but not bikini tops, for instance. I've always supported this policy, with horrible memories of how uncomfortable my school uniform was 20 years ago - too hot in summer, too cold in winter, compulsory skirt etc. I also think DD has generally good sense with clothes, and goes for practical rather than overly-revealing stuff or stupid high heels. However, DD now has interpreted this freedom to mean she should never be expected to conform to any sort of clothes code. She wants to wear her usual jeans and motif t-shirt to 'work' at the embassy, and 'forcing' her to wear smart clothes is an infringement of her human rights bla bla bla.

The country we live in is notoriously laid-back about clothes, but at a high political and diplomatic level people are expected to wear suits and smart work clothes like anywhere else. We need to go to the embassy this week to sort out some paperwork - do I let her just wear the jeans and make her own mistake, or maybe one of you style gurus can give her some advice she might listen to - perhaps you think it's not such a problem for a 14yo to wear such informal clothes.

And yes, we asked the embassy over the phone and they were very vague, perhaps because they've never done an internship before. I don't know if they're really expecting jeans.

PS I'm not suggesting that she wears 'full school uniform', but I have a nice winter trouser suit that fits her well (she deigned to try it on) and would go with a plain black T-shirt.

[dexter73]

I can't imagine jeans would be a good thing to wear at an embassy in any country for work experience. My dd has just done 2 weeks work experience and she wore black or grey trousers with smartish t-shirts or a blouse, or a dress.

[mellen]

She should wear something like a dress (the sort that would be suitable in an office envionment), or maybe your suit with a t-shirt. If the staff dont wear jeans then she shouldnt either, IMO.

[wellwisher]

She needs to follow the dress code of the place where she's working. She will not have a chance of doing anything interesting during her internship (e.g. sitting in on meetings, meeting important people) in jeans and a t-shirt.

What if you went with her to lurk outside the embassy at 5 p.m or whatever time they all go home and check out what the staff are wearing?

[colditz]

I would tell her that she dresses as an adult for an adult role, or she does her internship at a cafe washing up if sh prefers to dress like a child.

[LynetteScavo]

Point out to her if she wears jeans she will stick out like a sore thumb, and people will treat her like a Y9 on work experience, which may hamper what she gets to see/do.

[clothesforinternship]

Thanks all - this was more or less my thought.

"she does her internship at a cafe washing up if sh prefers to dress like a child"

ooh, that will sting - but I imagine it will have the desired effect.

A dress is not really the best option, and I can't imagine the embassy staff will wear one at that time of year either, as it's often minus 10 here in winter and nobody in their right mind wears dresses. But the kind of get-up described by dexter is entirely appropriate - either smart trousers and a top/blouse, or my trouser suit.

She's generally a lovely, intelligent mature person, but for some reason on this issue she just reverts to foot-stamping teenage silliness. Perhaps if I show her this thread she might realise it's not just me being old-fogeyish, but actually standard workplace behaviour.

[KatieMorag]

I run a professional services company and if a trainee turned up in jeans and a t shirt he/she would be sent hometo change.I would expect them to wear normal office attire . We have clients visit our office and it would give a very unprofessional impression of our company to have anyone, even a 14 yo, so inappropriately dressed.

If she is very keen on being " an individual " and " expressing herself " then the civil /government/diplomatic service isn't the best choice of career for her TBH