What to Wear to an Interview Outfits Attire (Women Men)

What to Wear to an Interview Outfits Attire (Women Men) People tell you to dress for success. To dress for the job you want, not the job you have.Makes sense because 55% of first impressions are determined by the way you dress and walk through the door and 65% of hiring managers say clothes are a deciding factor between two candidates.But no one ever tells you what it is exactly you should wear to an interview.Not us!Like Edith Head said, you can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.This guide will show you:How to dress for an interview to make the right impression.What to wear to be business-casual-friendly.What colors are appropriate for an interview.The dress code for business professional attire that works like magic in job interviews.Business casual and business professional interview outfit ideas for both men and women.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. 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With the same stuff.Create your resume now1What to Wear to an Interview: The General RulesDressing up for an interview is all about matching their company culture.Most offices operate in business professional attire (dont worry well get into that in less than 50 seconds), but some startups and companies prefer casual outfits in the office (well also give you the deets on this).If youre not sure what to wear to your job interview, you could send a quick email to your recruiter to ask about the dress code.If anything, it will demonstrate your proactive nature and your intentions to do well in your interview.If for whatever reason you think asking is a bit too out there for you, most companies have social media profiles these days. You could check a few of their em ployees profiles and see what theyre wearing during office hours.A few companies even have A day in the life videos. You could watch a few of those and get an insight of what the office dress code is all about there. Or simply show up during lunch break to assess what everyone wears.Weird? Perhaps. Foolproof? Most definitely!If the company feels corporate, then a suit and tie for men or a suit and dress for women is the way to go. If its more a-la Zuckerberg, plain t-shirt and casual pants, you know business casual is your friend.Here is a general guideline of what to wear to an interview according to the industry or department youre in:How to Dress for an InterviewConservative/Business ProfessionalBusiness CasualCasualCreative/FashionableCorporationsFinancial institutionsAccounting FirmsLaw FirmsHigh-level governmental institutionsSalesGovernment agenciesEducationRetailSmall BusinessTechEngineeringReal EstateRepairLandscapingPlumbingConstructionEntertainmentFashionGraphic DesignTra velMusicBefore we get into the good bits, lets set a few rules for you to dress to impress:Avoid deciding what to wear on the day of the interview. Youll be stressed enough, trust me! You dont want to end up looking like a kid playing in daddys suit or wear the wrong bra with the only professional dress you have. The right fit is as important as the outfit.Do your laundry a day before. Hiring managers can spot a great candidate. They can also spot that meatball stain you have from your last Bumble date, because heythats the only shirt you wear to close the deal. If you think a stain is human, you need a reality check. Stains and dirty marks turned off 59% of executives. Mic drop.Stay away from too much jewelry. Leave your stacking skills for Coachella. Too many chains, necklaces or bangles can clang together and end up being just pure noise and distraction.Skype interviews dont escape any of these rules. They require the same level of thought and attention to your outfit. Also, plea se wear pants. You never know if youll need to suddenly stand up to get something. Awkward...Pro Tip: After assessing the tone of your prospective company, you should always aim to dress one notch smarter for your interview. But remember, being way too overdressed can be as bad as being underdressed. So do your research!If you know what all this means, youre good to go. Start preparing for your interview by studying the most common interview questions:Tell me about yourself.Why should we hire you?Describe what you do in your current position.Why did you leave your last job?What motivates you?What is your greatest strength?What is your greatest weakness?Why do you want this job?Where do you see yourself in 5 years?What is your management style?Do you have any questions for me?What are your salary expectations?And learn what questions you dont have to answer with help from: Illegal Interview Questions an Employer Cannot Ask [So Don't Answer!]2Interview Attire for Women: Business Profe ssional Interview ClothesWorking in a conservative industry or for a big corporate company?Choosing business professional attire is always a safe bet, even when you dont know the dress code in the company youre applying to.But not to worry, well show you how to rock your business professional attire, even Anna Wintour would be impressed.Ladies first though. If youre looking for answers on the gents side, scroll down a bit further for advice and details on business professional ties, suits and shoes for men.What is business professional attire for women?Sometimes you wish you were a man, only a standard pair of shoes, a dashing suit and plain shirt and voila! All ready to seal the deal during the interview. But deciding what to wear for an interview for women doesnt have to be as complicated as you might think.Business professional attire is the most formal attire one can wear (weddings notwithstanding), it needs to reflect your personality and competence without going overboard.Trut h is, most everyday outfits women have in their closet can be tweaked and have you interview ready.Lets start with business professional suits for women first.How to wear a business professional suit for womenSuits are a staple of a womans professional closet. Even Wonder Woman has one!For women, suits are generally made of a blazer and either a pair of trousers or a skirt in a matching fabric. Here are some guidelines for interview attire to follow.Youll feel like youre the brainchild of Carrie Bradshaw and Michelle Obama (come on, who wouldnt want to be):Always choose a neutral color like navy blue, grey or black.The fabric should be seasonless like wool.The sleeves on the blazer should end right at your wrist. Dont bother with sleeves that come down to your hands.The blazer should sit nicely on your shoulder. It should be right at the edge without hanging past.The skirt should come at least to the top of your knees so its not too short when youre walking or sitting down.The trous ers may need to be tailored depending on your height and the height of the shoes youre planning to wear with them. The trouser cuff should be at the midway point of your shoe or just past your ankles.Even if you plan to wear the blazer open, you should be able to comfortably close it. But careful of too much extra room when the blazer is buttoned!What is a business professional dress for women?What would women be without a good old dress?We all have that one dress, often black, that we like to wear on every occasion. But is it interview appropriate?Lets find out.Formal dresses for women are easy to come around. But remember that work dresses shouldnt be too tight, too short or too revealing. You can, of course, pair them with blazers but be careful that your color coordination is on point.Avoid the steely gaze of Miranda Priestly and opt out of sleeveless. Theyre generally too casual for most offices.Still hanging on to that black dress of yours? No problem.What to wear with a black dressA jacket always adds a professional touch to any simple black dress. Paired with a nice pair of shoes and handbag (avoid flashy colors here), it might just be what your day-to-day black dress needs to enter the business professional clan. Keep the look simple, polished and elegant.Waitare you more a skirt kinda girl? That works too.Women are often confronted with the good old skirts or pants dilemma. Truth is, there is no right or wrong answer. It pretty much comes down to personal preferences.What to wear with a black skirtYou can never go wrong with a lighter top and black blazer here. Black shoes work well too.Are you more of a woman who wears the pants?Joan of Arc would be proud. But unfortunately, its not necessarily the easiest option. You need to make sure theyre the right fit.How should womens dress pants fitFirst of all, you want to avoid pants that are too tight you cant sit comfortably or so tight you have a visible panty line. If you have a camel toe at the crotch or if your pants are smiling, your pants are too tight.A picture is worth a thousand words:Notice the creases at the crotch, not good...In contrast, a rise seam that is too long will create bulges at the top. You dont want that either!If you cant pinch at leach an inch of extra fabric on your thighs, your pants might be in the too tight category.Now lets tackle the shirts.How to choose professional shirts for womenWhen it comes to looking for shirts to wear with skirts or professional pants, deciding on what shirt to wear to an interview can be challenging. Whether you go with a classic professional white shirt or a silky colored one, what matters here is to stick with simple.Avoid flashy colors and logos at all cost. Certain prints can be an option, but if youre not too sure, dont risk it.Now lets move on to the shoes and lets address the elephant in the room first.Do I have to wear heels to an interview?You dont have to wear heels to any interview, especially if youre not comforta ble. And even if youre petite. You dont want your prospective team or boss remembering you as the wobbly candidate. Not the greatest of impressions if you ask!When deciding what professional shoes to wear to an interview, make sure your shoes are closed toe, the heel no higher than 3 inches, and in neutral colors. Flats are perfectly acceptable for an interview too.Leave the flip-flops, Eskimo boots, and Nike in the shoe cabinet. And the sandals are for casual Fridays, not interviews!3Interview Attire for Men: What to Wear and How to Pull It OffNot all men have Tom Fords fashion acumen and thats why were here!In a world where most guys wear sneakers and can barely remember how to knot a necktie, a business professional outfit is your chance to look cooler than the rest.So, should you really wear a suit to an interview?When men are deciding what to wear to an interview, theyre often left with one choice: to suit up. If you work at the C-level of an organization, in law or in finance, the dress code pretty much has one rule only: conservative. If in doubt, always choose a suit.But, how do you wear a suit for an interview? And whats the best suit color?Your suit should be a two-piece, in either charcoal grey or navy blue. You can also wear navy suits or grey suits with subtle pinstripes. Lighter greys and blues can be worn in spring or summer. But very light suit colors are for garden parties and weddings, not the office.Should you wear a black suit to an interview?Good question! Look, wearing a well-fitted black suit wont make you miss your chance at the interview, but its not ideal either. If you can, avoid wearing a black suit. And a black shirt for that matter. Just saying, we never know.Speaking of shirts and colorsWhat color shirt should you wear to an interview?Solid white and light-to-medium blues would be your best choices. Pink dress shirts look nice, but they tend to be more accepted in England than they are in the United States.Should you lose the cuf fs?You can either go with barrel or French cuffs, but you could leave the French cuffs to co-workers who have more seniority over you. A younger man wearing French cuffs may be seen as a bit arrogant. Sounds unfair, doesnt it?Ties for InterviewsOne word: simple. Solids are a preference, but you could do stripes or dots. Unless youre interviewing to impersonate Ronald McDonald, avoid electric bright colors like yellow, or a flaming red.What shoes to wear to an interviewThis is where men can have some fun when picking what to wear to an interview. The color of your shoes should be either black, brown or burgundy. The rest is up to you. Oxfords, quarter-brogues, whole cuts, Venetian loafers or cap-toes, whatever you fancy.Pro Tip:If your budget is limited or if you want a few options of interview outfits, you could always get a first-time buyer discount with online retailers. End of stock retailers like TJ Maxx or Century 21 can also be a source of good finds for both men and women.4Ho w to wear Business Casual for an Interview? [MEN and WOMEN]First of all, lets address the question all of us had at some point: what the heck is business casual?The easiest way to think of business casual is a hybrid of business professional and casual wear. You dont need to wear a full-on suit, but shorts and flip-flops wouldn't be appropriate.Think button-down long-sleeved shirt or casual blouse with khakis.When googling around to decide what to wear to an interview, both men and women end up thinking that its perfectly okay to wear jeans. But business casual isnt meant to be a casual look, its meant for business purposes.When deciding what to wear to an interview, always lean towards the business side rather than the casual side.Some companies allow jeans and you might get away with it, but ask yourself whether you want to wear clothes that you get away with or wear ones that give the most professional impression of you. Plus, you can still gauge what others are wearing once in t he office.Better to be safe, than sorry.Whats a business casual shirt for men and women?Dress shirts are business casual must-haves for both women and men. Some offices might allow polo shirts in the summer, but once again, dont risk it for an interview. Wear a shirt when interviewing then once you have a sneak peek of the office style, go for it!Shirts in conservative colors work for both men and women. And please, tuck it in!An untucked shirt has no business being in a business casual outfit. Leave your top two buttons undone, unless its showing too much chest hair or cleavage, then leave just the top one undone.What are business casual pants?Weve already established that jeans are a no-go, but chinos, dress pants or khakis are a no-brainer. Here, conservative colors are always your best friend. Were talking navy, camel or grey for example. If you want more colored pants, make sure theyre muted.What if I want to wear a business casual dress or skirt?That works too. Although if you re a man reading this, you might want to scroll down a bit further. The blouses or shirts you wear with your pants will most likely pair well with a skirt. Pencil, A-line or pleated skirt in a solid color always works best.Try avoiding patterns during a first interview and leave your fashionable pieces for when you signed your contract!Dresses are an easier choice for business casual outfits for women. Its one item and off you go to work! Here, sleeveless could work. But avoid minis, high-low, and asymmetrical hemlines and go for dresses and skirts just above the knee or below.Its still an interview youre going for!What are business casual shoes?When deciding what to wear to an interview, the only business casual shoes you want to pick are sneakers. Those Stan Smith are originals after all, and you want to show them off.But dont. Seriously, your hiring manager couldnt care less about your sneaker collection.Men should consider loafers, oxfords, derbies, and brogues when deciding wha t to wear to an interview.If you get a pair in black and another in brown, you have an appropriate pair of shoes to wear with any color of your pants. You might even forget those sneakers for a little while! (Never, you must be screaming)Women should consider flats, wedges, heels, and boots when picking what to wear to an interview.Only certain sandals can be worn with your business casual outfits so you might want to stick with flats or less than 3 inches heels. You can spice up the color of your shoes, but neutrals are always a good bet.Examples of Business Casual Outfits for MenChannel the James Bond in you and dazzle them with your effortlessly chic business casual suit. This is a smart one too.If you end up in an office with a more business professional look, you wouldnt stick out too much. But if your interview is with laid-back colleagues, you can just lose the jacket, and youd fit right in.An odd jacket means a jacket that wasnt made with a matching pair of pants. So for all of you tweed lovers out there, this is your chance to show off your collection.Dress pants or chinos work well with any odd jacket. Dress pants are a bit more on the business professional side and chinos are more casual.This look is for all the casual junkies out there. Yep, looking at you suit snobs!Its not as dressed up as the two previous ones but still misleads your interviewer into thinking that youre a trustworthy professional. If only they knew!Youre probably sick of seeing Ryan Gosling in every fashion (or not) related article out there, but he does a good job at picking a business casual outfit that doesnt look that casual.Or maybe Im just biased.In any case, live by this rule: either wear a jacket and tie, or neither. Wearing a tie with this look will make you look boyish. Like your mother dressed you up for your aunts wedding. Not exactly the look we want to go for here.Examples of Business Casual Outfits for WomenA sleeveless dress might be too much on the casual side, but paired with a blazer, youre ready to butt heads with Oprah in those fancy billionaire lists.Ok maybe you wont have billions coming through in your bank account (or not just yet), but youll sure feel like a million bucks.A basic cardigan is a must in any business casual outfits for women. A simple waist length cardigan or longer one works just fine.Buttons, no buttons, it doesnt matter. We just emphasize the right fit. You dont want to show up for an interview like youve stolen your boyfriends cardigan.With longer cardigans, you can even use a skinny belt to add some definition and a different look to an outfit.This one is an all-star favorite. Wearing a nice blouse with dress pants or chinos doesnt compromise comfort and is totally business casual. Seriously, men wish they could just show up to an interview like this too.In colder months, stick with long or sleeves. For spring and summer, short or cap sleeves work well. Keep your neckline somewhat modest with a collared, boat n eck, square neck, or turtleneck.I mean how comfy and professional does this look.Simple, professional, not too casual, not too stuck up.Fine-gauge knits work best. Bulky sweaters not so much. You can wear well-fitted sweaters with pants, skirts, or even over a dress.Pro Tip: When deciding what colors to wear to an interview, you should always go for colors that go with your skin tone. Nudes and solid colors are every man and womans best friends. Leave the bold choices to when you actually know if the dress code allows it.5Interview Grooming: Hair Up or Down? (Face On or Off?)How to wear your hair for an interview can be a bit of a daunting question.If youre a man, then its pretty straightforward. Err on the safe side with a clean, neat and well-maintained haircut. Also, put your best self forward and shave, its that simple. And send a selfie to your mom, shell be proud!If youre a woman, it gets a bit more trickier.If youre more Becky with the good hair, then you can rock your long ( or short) hair dont care, as long as its combed, fresh and sleek. Controlled waves can also look elegant, so dont worry too much about wearing your hair all natural.A bun or ponytail look also works for both short and long hair. Getting a blow out will give you that extra boost of confidence before an interview for sure!Should you wear your hair up or down for an interview?Whatever style youre going for, make sure its polished and youll sure be ready to get that interview.And whats the verdict for men with long hair in interviews?Mmh, tricky tricky one. The general consensus is to cut it. Dont start crying just yet though, you could get away with wearing it in a tight bun. But wearing it loose is unfortunately not acceptable in various industries. Sorry, bruh!What makeup should you wear to an interview?In terms of makeup, keep it simple. This isnt the time to experiment with different looks. If you usually know how to rock a red lip, then go for it. But if youre a newbie, please don t even try. Not the day of your interview.Stick to nudes and warm colors and tone down the glamorous eyeshadow, youll have plenty of other occasions to use that Huda beauty palette at the annual gala if you get the job.Pro Tip: Your hair and face arent the only ones you need to care for here. Make sure your hands are well-kept and your nails are trimmed. If youre a woman and really insist on having some colors popping, stick to sheer colors, taupe, beige or clear nail polish and ensure your nails are well-manicured.6Whatnotto Wear to an Interview?All of us, at some point in our lives, have watched an episode or two of any makeover show. Come on, you dont have to be a heavy binge watcher to know what Im talking about.Can you at least picture that before stage?Thats exactly how we dont want you to show up at your interview.Here is what NOT to wear to an interview:Flip-flops. Wear grown-up shoes, you can do it.Shiny bright suits. Only Stanley Ipkiss (The Mask) can rock that one!No open toe anything. True, sandals can be fine for women in some climates but stay away for beachy sandals in general.Heavy fragrance. Its super distracting and not everyone is keen on your 100 years old cologne. Also, dont go to your interview smelling like your lunch, please!Underwear thats visible. Bras, briefs, boxers, etc., even if your bra strap matches your top.Blouses that are too short or too low cut. No one is interested in your chest hair, cleavage or belly for that matter.Graphic T-shirts. Leave your Future is Female and Train or Die gems at home. It takes too much attention away from you and your interviewer might not like the message it carries.Ill-fitting anything. Seriously, you think youll still look cute in an oversized jacket or pants? Well, you wont. Make sure your shoes also fit, otherwise hello blisters the next morning!Shorts and jeans. Do we really have to go over this again?Pro Tip: Avoid wearing brand names, designer names or labels. All the attention needs to be on you and what you have to offer, not the brands you choose to wear. And making it obvious that you like fancy designers wont guarantee you the job either!Key TakeawayWhen deciding what to wear to an interview, avoid a fashion interview faux pas by sticking with simple and sleek choices. This is not the time to play around with your style or be adventurous. Lets leave that to when you start cashing on the checks of your new job!Here are a few things to remember:Plan ahead. If you have that one or two classic interview outfits, youll always be prepared no matter when the interview might be.Always do some research. You want to the hiring manager to see you in the role already. And if youre wearing a casual shirt and ripped jeans when applying to a corporate client facing role, that might be hard.Being too formal is always the safest option. If you end up wearing a suit to a business casual interview, thats always more acceptable than wearing a t-shirt to a conservative interview.You might want to cover your tattoos or get rid of your earings and rings. Depending on where youre interviewing, some companies have policies which limit wearing rings, piercings and tattoos.Whats your favorite job-winning outfit? Ever got in trouble because you wore something that made you stand out for all the wrong reasons? Share your experience in the comments!