<p>My D. was invited to interview for a scholarship at her first choice school. We are west coast and VERY casual but the school is in the east. The invitation said “business Casual” dress. What does that mean for the east? She wants to wear pants (not denim) and a somewhat trendy button down top but I think she needs a blazer or jacket of some type. She can be hard-headed about my interfering with things so wanted to know if I should try to encourage her or not. </p>
<p>She doesn’t need a blazer or jacket of some sort. Neither of my college aged daughters own one. However, both have been to interviews as well as auditions for college. They dressed up beyond their regular school attire, but not party clothes. In other words, they wore a nice top or sweater and dress pants or a skirt and nice shoes. They looked beyond their normal everyday casual attire but not so dressed up like a business interview or party. Dressier or more polished clothes and nice shoes would be fine. No need for a suit or a formal jacket. If your D is wearing dress pants, dress shoes and a nice top (nothing very revealing…can be conservative or have a bit of style), she would look appropriate. Basically dress for the occasion. And this isn’t a business and most college girls don’t wear blazers and so that is not necessary. But she should dress beyond her everyday casual clothes and shoes.</p>
<p>Sooz has it correct. Essentially, and this goes for adults as well as the kids, you dress one step up from the normal day-to-day wear of the environment. Two steps up and you look overdressed. No steps up and it looks like you don’t care. </p>
<p>So slightly dressier slacks than daily wear; slightly dressier top than daily wear. Jacket is unnecessary, though okay, provided it is not particularly dressy.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. The pants are grey slacks so are OK. The top I’m a bit worried about because I think it is a bit snug and shows a little cleavage but not too much. I also worry that the top hits just at the hips and if she reaches will show some midriff.</p>
<p>Since it’s on the East a nice simple sweater could be nice. My daughter wore a button down shirt with a crewneck cable sweater over and I thought it looked age appropriate and conservative.
It’s actually harder than you would think to find appropriate tops for young girls, especially if they are too petite for the misses department. Why is everything in juniors sizes so revealing!!LOL
Good luck to her for the interview - I would say most importantly she should feel comfortable in whatever she wears so she can be herself and focus on what she says rather than how uncomfortable she is in dress clothes LOL</p>
<p>I’d think twice about that top. You don’t want the clothes to be a focus. If it is revealing as far as cleavage or midriff or overly trendy, that’s not so great. She doesn’t have to dress conservative and “proper” and can have style that is individualistic but the top ought to be simpler and not tight and not revealing and not anything that calls attention to her clothing so much. A dressy blouse, shirt or sweater would do…something she might even be seen in a place like church or synagogue. I recall my younger D wearing dressy pants or a skirt and the tops were fashionable sheer tops in a solid color with a boatneck type and with a tank top underneath. I recall my other D wearing a nice sweater or solid button down blouse with dress pants. Both wore their nice shoes.</p>
<p>For a scholarship interview I would not wear anything showing cleavage or midriff. How does the button-down top show cleavage…is it from not having enough buttons on? I like PAMoms idea of button down shirt + sweater. My D would probably wear a L/S collared shirt or L/S collared sweater (polo-style).</p>
<p>Another option with the button down shirt would be to wear a tank top underneath so that there is no cleavage. I don’t know the outfit exactly to say but a layered look would make that shirt less revealing. Talk to her about being “tasteful” for an adult audience, rather than her peers’ standards.</p>
<p>I don’t know from colleges, but this would be a mistake for a professional business job. Try to talk her down out of the tree on this.</p>
<p>My son went to a recent scholarship interview with a blue buttondown shirt, khaki slacks, brown leather shoes, and – wonder of wonders – he chose to wear a blue geometric pattern tie. He looked amazingly good and grown up. I’m sure he overdressed, but the interviewers had to have noticed his effort. You don’t HAVE to dress up, but it shows a real interest in the process.</p>
<p>2gone - I know what you are saying about juniors clothing these days…they can be very revealing.</p>
<p>For interviews, we bit the bullet and spent a few bucks at BCBG where my d was able to find nice dark charcoal/almost black pinstripe slacks with an elegant cut and a black cashmere turtleneck that was not too sheer or too tight. She wore my grey pearl necklace (though some say jewelry is a no-no) and very small pearl studs (no danglies). She also wore high-heeled black boots…only the pointy toe was really visible from beneath the pant cuffs. </p>
<p>She liked the outfit because it didn’t feel ‘old-fashioned’, but it was also conservative enough that her clothing (or assets) were not a distraction. We were lucky enough to find the slacks and cashmere on sale and though the price tag was a little high, she wore that outfit to death. It is still in great shape and she has it at college should the need for something more than jeans and uggs arise (which HAS happened). So it was money well spent.</p>
<p>Pearls are never inappropriate, according to my east coast friends. Out here, who knows? I’m the only person I know in this area who owned any, and mine were from my mother (good fakes). I gave them to my daughter, who actually wears them from time to time.</p>
<p>lol…I had to make sure those things ended up back in MY jewelry box. Mine aren’t heirloom treasures though…just the fruit of having a husband who travels to Asia a lot. ;)</p>
<p>Thank you, thank you! I am embarrased to admit that I had to google BCBG. I’m pretty clueless when it comes to fashion. My other D is very preppy and that is where part of the problem lies. The girl’s are twins and spent their lives differentiating themsleves from one another. D number 2 resists anything preppy and accuses me of trying to get her to dress like her sister if I make suggestions. </p>
<p>The top is revealing because D has been blessed with a figure that is hard to ignore, even when wearing sweats or Tees. She does looks great in sweaters so I might try to talk her into one. She has resisted in the past becasue her sister wears sweaters. Also, tanks under are a good idea. Fortunately we have a week and a half but she is so busy it is hard to find the time to shop with her.</p>
<p>She does have black boots that she can wear so at least shoes are taken care of.</p>
<p>I agree with the consensus about the low cut snug top. Could her dad or other male figure perhaps make the pitch about what looks professional, and what might be distracting in an interview type situation? Sometimes it’s hard for girls to believe their old moms know anything, especially regarding attire.
They so hate to look matronly! This is understandable, but they can still look serious without looking dowdy. </p>
<p>For most of her interviews, my daughter wore a straight knee -length cotton skirt, a solid color t-shirt, and a pretty blouse , unbuttoned,over the top that matched the skirt. It gave sort of a suit look, yet softer and less dressy. She felt comfortable in it, and after the interviews she could take off the blouse and still look “almost normal.” She did wear nice sandals, though ( a no-no, they say) but it was warm when she had her interviews. They looked appropriate with the outfit, so I let it go.</p>
<p>I do not think she has to dress preppy or conservative. Her top can be stylish or slightly trendy and show her personal side. But it just has to be tasteful as to not be revealing and to not call attention to her body or clothing. For instance, a dressy top from a store like Express might work, and/or with a tank top underneath, and need not be a J Crew or GAP look. However, overly trendy (say Urban Outfitters) or revealing would be a mistake. Solids are good too. The trendy blouse may be fine except that you said it showed cleavage and that is where I recommend for THIS situation, a solid tank top underneathe and nothing overly fussy looking to distract. Her clothes should look tasteful but at the same time not calling attention to them.</p>
<p>It might be easier if you stress the cold aspect too. Today is above 30 degrees and it’s the warmest day in the forecast. Even the college students are layered up now.</p>
<p>I just have to chime in, although I’m the mom of sons and am not up to speed on girls’ clothes. When my older son had a scholarship interview, he wore the typical blue blazer, button-down collar shirt, tie and khaki’s. At his school, this is their usual “dress up” attire. We also saw several girls waiting for their interview before the panel, and they were all dressed very nicely – I think a couple actually wore dresses. I see girls around here (Boston area) with cute, fashionable jackets (denim or corduroy are common) which might be a good idea for the weather. I’m not talking Brooks Bros. or Talbots level of dressiness, but more than a top with pants.</p>
I like PAMoms idea of button down shirt + sweater. My D would probably wear a L/S collared shirt or L/S collared sweater (polo-style).</p>