<p>I’m a college junior. I’ll be applying to grad school, internships and jobs in the near future. What is appropriate interview wear? I thought I had a handle on this - I’m very comfortable in my collared shirt, knee length tweed skirt, hose and heels. Youthful and attractive, but not overly sexy, at least that’s what I thought. I had an internship last summer at a firm where I (and everyone else) never wore anything but jeans – it was a dot com so most interacting with “clients” was done over the computer. The people in sales dressed up occasionally, over in marketing we were in tee shirts and jeans. I dressed up for the interview and felt awkward and out of place amongst all of the casual dress. (Granted, it <em>was</em> Silicon Valley…)</p>
<p>Should I be wearing a suit for interviews? Is a collared shirt, skirt and heels too informal? I don’t own a suit - women’s suits tend to look either too librarian fantasy (ie, too much hugging of the butt), make me look like a football player (broad shoulders), or are way too baggy on me - I’ve never tried on one that I like. Is this really the standard/am I shooting myself in the foot by dressing professionally, but not in a suit?</p>
<p>IMO you should add a coordinating jacket. It doesn’t need to match … just coordinate well. It’s obviously going to depend on the industry or field, as well as your local styles, but I think you need to be a little more dressed up than a collared blouse and skirt.</p>
<p>(otoh … if the men in your industry show up for interviews in shirt sleeves … take a page from their playbook)</p>
<p>You can find some great inexpensive and youthful pants suits or just jackets at Banana Republic outlets. D1 found some great deals there. A pair of gray, lined wool blend pants with small pinstripe were under $20! Her jacket was around $30. Take the time to have your clothes tailored!It really makes a difference. We were able to find a local tailor who is inexpensive ($9 to shorten and hem pants), $10-$15 to take in jacket. D1 has used these inexpensive pieces for a few years now and they have brought her good luck on many interviews! ;)</p>
<p>We are now on the hunt through the outlets as we try to build a professional wardrobe for her in the future. She is a junior this year.</p>
<p>I think it definitely depends on the interview context and region (your own example is a good one- and things have not changed overnight- always remember journalists tend to vastly overrate a ‘trend’ for the sake of a story). NYC is typically more formal than say Seattle; an interview in a bank is likely more formal than an interview to grad school in chemistry. </p>
<p>Do your research beforehand. Not to make you overanalyze, but it is even possible to overdress. It can suggest lack of understanding and even lack of confidence in the right context.</p>
<p>It <em>is</em> possible to overdress. If you google and read current advice on job interviews, you will see some discussion of this. My son’s Career Services Office had some information and guidance on this. For males, they recommended having two interview outfits - suit as one option; khaki or grey trousers, check or stripe shirt and blazer for the second option. </p>
<p>Still, it is important to dress <em>up</em> for an interview. IMO, an interviewee should always be dressed one step up (at a minimum) from what the organization’s apparent dress “code” is. EG, even if jeans and golf shirts are de rigueur in a Silicon Valley techie firm, that is not a good interview outfit. For that type of place, a pair of nice slacks, nice blouse and stylish but not stuffy jacket would still be good, imo. A suit - not so much.</p>
<p>(1) Agree that you should be dressed just a notch better than the people who already work there.
(2) I love eBay. There are suits there that you’d never be able to afford new. Got one of my boys a beautiful SFA tux (why rent when you can own something with no polyester for the same price?) that was close enough in size to be tailored to fit him just right. You just have to allow some time. Check in every week or so, and search on your size, any designers you like, . . .</p>
<p>I found most of my interview/work attire (a few years ago) at Barami (you can buy just skirts or jackets–have full range of sizes from zero to larger–you can’t always find this everywhere in conservative styles). [url=<a href=“http://www.barami.com/]Barami[/url”>http://www.barami.com/]Barami[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Not sure if they have the same selection they used to, but I found items there I couldn’t find anywhere else.</p>
<p>The Limited sells suit separates. You can buy the jacket and pants/skirt in different sizes if necessary, and the styles appeal to young people.</p>
<p>My college-sophomore daughter has an actual suit (pin-striped, yet, and bought on sale at Lord and Taylor) for interviews, but it’s not at the ultimate level of business formality because 1) it has pants, not a skirt, and 2) she wears it with a sleeveless shell, rather than a blouse with a collar. I actually recommended the pants and the shell because I didn’t want her worrying about the position of her legs or the arrangement of multiple collars instead of the content of the interview. She doesn’t look old or strange in the suit. I think that’s because the jacket is cut on the short side. Short jackets seem to look better on young women than long ones do. </p>
<p>I work in a suburban East Coast office that describes its dress code as business casual, which means no t-shirts, no shorts, nothing sexy, and no denim or sweatshirts except on Fridays. The women typically wear dark-colored dress pants with a non-sexy sweater; the men wear khaki pants and polo shirts. But whenever people are interviewing for jobs, they show up in outfits with jackets (both sexes). The guys wear a white or blue dress shirt and a tie with their suit or blazer-and-pants and nice leather shoes. The women wear a pulled-together outfit that includes a jacket (either a matched suit or separates that go together well), usually with a dressy piece of jewelry (a gold or pearl necklace or a nice pin) and nice leather shoes. Of course, if the person gets hired, this outfit will never again appear in the office, but it’s nice to have at least one relatively formal business outfit just in case you have to go to an outside meeting (or a funeral).</p>
<p>I agree with everyone. As a SAHM with little interest in clothes, I still have occasions when I have to look professional. I have found that throwing on a jacket that goes well with my usual slacks and shirt outfit makes a big difference. Throw on a scarf to pull it together or a necklace or really any jewelry can dress things up tremendously. These days a jacket over jeans can suffice. For more formal job interviews, a dress or dressier pants would do it.</p>
<p>Here is a tip I haven’t read before: Practice wearing your suit. I know it sounds goofy, but I can’t tell you how often we see (I am in a business school), undergraduates- men and women both- all dressed up but they look so uneasy and awkard in their suit that it doesn’t do them justice. I’m not sure if it’s the shoes, or the wrong fitting, or just unfamiliarity but for some, it just doesn’t work. They feel awkward and then come across as awkward. I’ve wondered if it might help if they try wearing it for a day or two to grow into it.</p>
<p>I agree. Throwing on a blazer, tying a scarf can give you a nice look. That’s one thing I like about Catholic school. The boys really get used to the coat and tie. LOL You feel better in the clothes too. I have gotten used to throwing on a blazer type jacket even over casual clothes now that I am an older woman and feel that too casual dress looks sloppy on me. The look is pulled together more when that jacket is added, and it make me have to coordinate everything. I am not a naturally careful dresser, so I have to take the pains. I have always had some sports jackets for my boys to throw on as well. What a difference it makes to just put one on even over Tshirt and jeans. I did well with some corduroy blazers and just carrying it when looking at some colleges allowed my son’s look to be versatile. He now looks natural in that jacket.</p>
<p>You can find cheap jackets at Salvation Army, some of them name brand, and they go for half price on a designated half price day each week. I get my all of boys sports jackets there. I have a stash of old jackets that I wore in the '70’s as part of suit ensembles that I still rotate so I haven’t bought anything in a while. My mother picked up some great deals at Filene’s Basement with coupon and from the sale racks. Got Liz Clairborne and other names for $20-40 per jacket. I was tempted but I have enough, too much already in that department. A good jacket can last you for many years. Mine are 30-40 years old and you would never guess.</p>
<p>One cautionary note about dressing up. Bought DS a discounted suit for his interviews senior year but took him to Brooks Brothers for the appropriate necktie to “make” the outfit. The knowledgeable salesman steered him away from certain ties that he said were appropriate for the boss but not for the new hire. “One wouldn’t want to overstep.” We took his advice and DS received offers on the spot(!) at both interviews the next day.</p>
<p>I’m curious, worrywart–if you wouldn’t mind sharing–what does an appropriate ‘interview tie’ for an applicant look like (vs a ‘boss tie’)? Who knew there were such subleties in men’s clothing…!</p>
<p>Agree with all on the women’s attire. For men, Brooks Brothers or Gentlemen’s Warehouse have excellent salesman as above poster states. Interview tie is middle of the road not flashy.</p>
<p>Luckycharmed, you <em>absolutely</em> need a jacket. It finishes off the look. The collared shirt and tweed skirt may be a pretty outfit, but it’s not what to wear to a professional interview.</p>
<p>You might even find a high-necked jacket that you can wear closed over the skirt, maybe with just a shell underneath, if you don’t want to wear both a blouse layer and a jacket layer.</p>