Business Casual Attire

[kristin5792]

Hey seasoned CC parents!

I have an interview for an on-campus position (essentially recruiting new students to come to my school) on Wednesday night. Could you give me some examples of appropriate college kid business casual attire?

Thanks,
Kristin

[ebeeeee]

dark slacks and a conservative button down the front blouse. Straight skirt (knee length) and similar blouse or sweater. No jeans, no flip flops, no tee shirts, no skin showing at the midriff...
If you don't have dark slacks, khakis or chinos would be fine too...

[tenisghs]

@ Kristin5792

This is business casual attire below:

Tailored Pants: Slacks, Khakis, Corduroys (No Jeans or Shorts)
Skirts, Blouses, Sweaters, Turtle Necks (No T-Shirts, Tank Tops, Spaghetti Straps)
Dress Shoes or Dress Boots, preferably leather ones (No Tennis Shoes, Birkenstocks, Hiking Boots or Flip Flops)

[mafool]

Pants that are not jeans; skirts that are not terribly short or terribly tight; simple dresses that are not revealing; no tank tops; no cleavage; no midriff; no exposed lingerie; no flip flops or athletic shoes.

Depending on your climate, I think that Polo shirts and nice sandals may be OK.

Everything clean and neat. No torn pants or wrinkles.

Does that help?

(cross post)

[StitchInTime]

Here's a site with pictures from UC Davis that might be helpful:

http://aes.ucdavis.edu/animalinks/dress.htm

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

Stitch:

It figures someone whose name includes 'stitch' would come up with a great reference - thanks fo rthe link.

[mathmom]

And another one:
http://www.ncf.edu/CareerServices/Do...ForSuccess.htm

Personally for me I usually wear nice pants, plain cotton knit shirts with a scoop or v-neck and a blazer/jacket.

[corranged]

If you google "business casual," you'll come up with tons of great sites with examples. For an interview that's held at night (i.e. after classes) by a non-student (I'm assuming), I'd aim higher rather than lower and skip khakis or cords. Heck, cords weren't even allowed in my relatively-lax high school dress code. Shoes showing toe, Polo shirts, sandals, and khakis may be fine for business casual in some settings, but since this is an interview and since you aren't familiar with the common dress yet, I think you should step it up a notch instead of taking a chance on something more casual.

Black or grey dress pants with a button-down top or other nice shirt with nice shoes is a sure bet. Blazer optional, but nice if it's chilly out. No need to keep it on if you're wearing a button-down. Simple jewelry, light makeup, no perfume. Everything should be ironed (or hung up in the bathroom while the shower's on if they look pretty good), clean, and in good repair. If you smoke, make sure no fumes are on your clothes.

[momofthreeboys]

If someone says "business casual" as opposed to "dress casual"....For women, sleeveless tops are usually a "no-no". Open toed shoes and sandals except in the most casual of environments is usually a "no-no". Jeans and cords are almost always a no-no. If hose are worn, no patterns. I'm assuming you've been in the admissions office at your school -- that will usually give you a clue as to what is appropriate. Agree with corranged that a notch up is much better than being too casual. Keep the jewelry to a minimum. Doesn't need to be conservative but just not too distracting. If you are interviewing the interviewer will expect that you are in "top form" in your appearance.

[TrinSF]

It depends on where you are. Business casual in Atlanta means something different than business casual in San Francisco.

To be general, business casual means a step down from suit and tie, but still more formal than polo shirts and jeans. I would suggest for men, khaki or dark pants and an oxford shirt, without a tie. Belt, and loafers. In some more formal places, a tie would be added and a "sport jacket". In some places, business casual means "not flip flops, not jeans, not a t-shirt".

[tenisghs]

@ momofthreeboys

Corduroys are allowed where I work (business casual attire). I live in the state of Michigan so the weather can become very cold (below freezing) around this time of year. It depends on where the OP lives.

[kristin5792]

OP is in Missouri! Weather is expected to be cold and rainy that day. I plan on wearing rain boots (I have to walk pretty far to get to the interview location) and changing them as soon as I walk in the door (before anyone important sees me!) Hope that's not too much of a fashion faux pas.

[corranged]

I did that for an interview on Saturday. Wore my snow boots to trudge through the snow and slush (about a 15 minute walk across campus), and then changed into nicer shoes. This was a large interviewing day on campus for internships, and they were all happening in the same building; the room that was being used as a lounge and coat room had many pairs of sneakers and boots.

[Marian]

Changing your shoes is fine.

I suggest dark dress pants (every woman should own a pair of black dress pants), with inconspicuous black shoes that don't scream "let's party." Wear either black socks that go fairly high up your leg (so that you won't have a ring of skin showing when you sit down) or knee-high hosiery.

Many young women of your generation are not accustomed to wearing skirts. They have a tendency not to sit properly when wearing them, which is a really bad idea if it's a relatively short, straight skirt. Do not wear such a skirt unless you are confident that you have developed the habits necessary to sit properly. A longer, looser skirt is easier to deal with but also gives a more casual impression.

On the top half of your body, if you wear the oft-mentioned button-down shirt, tuck it in. This means that if your pants have belt loops, you must wear a belt. The alternative is a sweater that your grandmother would approve of (not so short that your middle hangs out, not so tight that an observer could sketch the exact shape of your bra, not so low that you would be embarrassed if the interviewer was standing and you were sitting). If you happen to own a sweater set, that would work nicely. A turtleneck is OK unless you happen to be on the well-built side, in which case it may conspicuously scream "Hey, look at these breasts." Use your own judgment on that one.

[ebeeeee]

Marian, good call on the sitting in a skirt thing. Never thought about it since my generation was taught by our mothers the proper way...My HS daughter hasn't worn a skirt in about three years!