What to wear & what not to wear

in a job interview

Men

For the gentleman, a suit is your go to! Your suit should be clean and well fitted, nothing too big or baggy. Don’t even bother going to the interview if you have wrinkles in your shirt or pants; take the time to nicely iron out your clothes.

Shirt

Let’s start with your shirt choice! Please include an undershirt under your button up, nobody wants to see your sweat from all the nerves. The undershirt also can act as a compress shirt which slims the figure and helps from showing your skin if the shirt material is thin and see through. You should wear a nice, wrinkle-free button up shirt to your interview. The best colors to wear are plain white, light blue, or a grey shirt. You should also button your shirt up all the way to look professional. You want your shirt to fit your body in a comfortable way, nothing too baggy or tight. Now for the centerpiece of your outfit, the tie! Since you are wearing a solid color shirt, you can go with a patterned tie to show your bold, smart, or simple style. The tie stands out first on an outfit, so don’t overdo it!

Image 1.1 (below) a great example.

Blazer

On to the blazer, rule number one is always match with your pants. It looks very unprofessional to have a blue blazer with black pants. Rule number two, for a three button suit always button the top, sometimes the second, but never the bottom. Always, sometimes, never, pretty simple to remember. When you sit down for the interview make sure to unbutton your blazer or it will fan out like a butterfly when you sit. Lastly, dress your age. For younger professionals, a tighter fitting blazer looks good and is age appropriate, as you get older a more relaxed fit will suit you better. If you are applying to a very fancy company like real estate, then you might consider wearing a vest as well to add a little something extra to your look. Make sure to gauge the company you are interviewing to determine how fancy you should dress.

Bottoms

Never, ever, wear jeans to a business professional interview! You should always wear clean, ironed, wrinkle-free slacks. The best colors to wear are grey, navy, or black. An important note, you do not have to match you with your shirt, and in fact, you shouldn’t. The easiest choice is a white shirt because it goes well with any color pant. The length of your pant is also very important. You don’t want them too long that you are stepping in them as you walk. You also don’t want them too short, because when you sit down they will rise up even higher and show your calf.

Image 1.2 (below) is a poor example.

Shoes

You might think choosing the shoe is the easy part and that it doesn’t really matter. It does! When picking out what pair you are going to wear make sure they are clean with no scuff marks or mud. One should always try to match their shoes with the color of their slacks. You don’t want to walk in with super shiny shoes. Instead, go for a nice matte finish so that it doesn’t draw away from your suit. Below is a cheat sheet!

Your socks should only be seen when you are sitting down. Socks are the best way to silently showcase your personality. One should NEVER wear athletic socks or mismatched ones. You can have fun socks within reason, just make sure they still have an appropriate pattern or design. Image 1.3 (right) is a poor example of shoe choice, but a great example of a sock!

Accessories

Some signature pieces that will tie your professional dress together are cufflinks, a nice watch, handkerchiefs, and a belt. These show your future employer that you have an eye for detail as well. It looks nice when you match your belt to your shoes, it compliments your entire outfit. Cufflinks are another way to show off your personality but don’t overdo it. A handkerchief and a watch instantly make your look more classy.

Image 1.4 (left) is a great accessory combo example.

Briefcases are optional if you choose to bring one. Just make sure it’s not the same style as what people may have used 20 years ago! Something nice, simple, and small is great for storing your phone, keys, and papers you might want to show your employer. You don’t want to overstuff your pockets with a bulky wallet or jingling keys.

Lastly, take a fresh shower before your interview. You want to look clean and sharp, not dirty and raggedy. If you have a beard make sure it is very well kept and trimmed, and if not, a fresh shave looks sharp. Nothing spruces up your look like a fresh haircut! Don’t forget deodorant, you are going to need it unless you are one of those lucky few who don’t sweat during interviews. Skip the cologne guys, no one wants to sit in a small room filled with your cologne scent for 30-minutes. Some people might be sensitive to fragrances.

Now you know the do’s and don'ts for a professional interview outfit - time to rock your next interview!

Written by: Kimber-Lynn Anderson