Job Interview Outfits: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

By Amanda Cohen on July 1, 2017

Job interviews are extremely stressful. There are always hundreds of questions going through my head when I am preparing for an interview: how should I prepare? What if the conversation goes silent? What if I say the wrong thing? How formal should I be? And last but certainly not least, what should I wear?

Dressing for an interview is tricky because you want to stay true to your own personal style while also looking appropriate and professional. Read on if you want to learn more about how to dress for a job interview and what fashion items and faux-pas you should try your best to avoid when diving into this stressful endeavor.

Image via. http://images.memes.com/meme/1056169

My first major piece of advice is to always dress nicer than you think you need to. You want to wear items that go along with business-formal attire: pants, blazers, pencil skirts that go below the knee, nice blouses, etc. When it comes to business-formal, you want to look put together, but not in a way that makes you look like you are ready to go out to the club with your friends.

For men, suits should be tailored, shoes should be shined, and your tie should be tied correctly. Make sure you don’t look like you are swimming in your suit and make sure that it fits appropriately.

For girls, skirts should be an appropriate length and should be either flowy or A-line, blouses should not be see-through and should cover your chest, and shoes should be closed-toe and you should be able to walk in them. Do not wear any excessive makeup or jewelry; some eyeshadow, mascara, and a necklace will suffice.

Now, let’s get down to the good, the bad, and the ugly: AKA what not to wear. These general rules apply to all genders; always dress nicer than you think you need to. I’m not telling guys to wear tuxedos and girls to wear floor-length gowns, but the rule of thumb is to dress nicer than the office dresses during the interview so that you look well-prepared and serious.

Men, always wear a suit. Bottom-line. No ifs, ands, or buts. Even if the job is a lower-level position or an internship, you need to look professional. Whether people admit it or not, first impressions are everything. If you go into the interview in khakis and a button-down, the employer may not take you as seriously. If you want to add some color to your outfit, wear a fun tie that gives the interviewer a glimpse into your personality. It is always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Here is a list of items to avoid for your job interview:

•Jeans

•Boat shoes

•Bowties

•Khakis

•Patterned shirts

•T-shirts

•Short-sleeve button-down shirt

•Wrinkled shirts

Ladies, unfortunately, we tend to get judged with much more scrutiny than men because of certain features that we cannot control. However, the same rule applies to us that applies to men: always dress nicer than you need to.

In terms of blouses, silkier material is always a safe bet, high necklines are the best bet, and longer sleeves is usually the move. If you wear a tight top that flashes your chest, then the person interviewing you may consider this a red flag because this type of blouse does not coincide with a professional vibe. Pants should be fitted, but not tight and absolutely no jeans. You also want to avoid pants that have visible buttons and/or zippers. Channel Hillary Clinton and opt for a fierce pants suit.

Here is a list of items to avoid for your job interview:

•Jeans

•Tight pants

•Tight shirts

•Tight skirts

•Open-toed shoes

•Denim jacket

•Leather jacket

•Excessive makeup

•Short skirts

Just a general rule of thumb for all genders: make sure your clothes fit correctly and make sure it does not look like you were rushing to find an outfit so you borrowed your friends’ clothes. This rule may sound silly, but nothing looks worse than an outfit that you are either swimming in or an outfit that is simply and obviously too tight and/or too short. For girls, if the shirt you want to wear is on the smaller side, wear a simple tailored blazer to cover up any sort of evidence that your top does not fit.

I know these rules may seem excessive, but trust me I know they are good rules from my experiences and my friends’ experiences with job interviews and potential employers. These tips may not guarantee that you get hired, but they will guarantee that you make a good first impression.

As always, complete your outfit with your resume in hand, a strong handshake, and a smile! Good luck with all of your upcoming and future job interviews; I know you will all do great!

Image via. http://s2.quickmeme.com

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format