The Look

Laura Mundy, 19, San Diego

Her jacket: A short-sleeve, cinched-waist blazer. "I got that at Macy's in San Diego, which is where I'm from," she says. "I'm in D.C. interning for the summer in Senator Hillary Clinton's office."

Her skirt : A graphic-print A-line from Kohl's. "I wear a lot of black and white," she says. "I feel like it's professional, and it's easy to mix and match."

Her bag : A Chanel-inspired tote she found in Myrtle Beach, S.C. "It's definitely a knockoff. It cost about $70," she says, laughing.

Her shoes : Candie's black slingbacks. "They're comfortable. They're kind of trendy too, with the point."

Her style :"I typically dress pretty casually, especially in California, since I'm next to the beach all the time," she says. "But here, I wanted to be business casual. . . . I think I fit in pretty well."

Why it works : Let Mundy's polished attire be a lesson to Washington's tank-top-loving, flip-flop-clad interns. She chooses streamlined pieces that fit well without showing too much skin. She also dresses her age, rather than suiting up in an attempt to play the part of a D.C. worker bee.

-- Suzanne D'Amato