Interview Attire

It takes only a few seconds for someone to form a whole list of impressions you during a job interview. Make sure your physical appearance isn’t the one thing that has a recruiter thinking, “This person is not for us.”

We recommend students dress as professionally as possible for interviews. It’s better to be a bit overdressed than to be underdressed and to therefore come off as unprofessional. 

A few general rules regarding interview attire:

• When in doubt, always go the conservative route. You want YOU to stand out, not the clothing, jewelry or makeup you wear.
• Ensure you’re well-groomed before an interview. This means having clean and manicured nails, showering, wearing deodorant/anti-perspirant, brushing your teeth and neatly styling your hair.
• Whether male or female, your jewelry should be understated and should complement your outfit. Men should stick to no more than a wedding band and a watch, while women should choose conservative jewelry.
• Bring a briefcase, portfolio or simple tote bag to carry your work samples, a notepad, pens, research materials, etc.

Interview Attire Tips for Men and Women: 

• Well-tailored, clean, pressed suit in conservative shades, such as navy blue, gray or brown.
• Pressed white or light-colored, long-sleeved shirt underneath suit.
• Shoes should be plain black or brown leather and should coordinate with outfit. 

Interview Attire Tips for Women 

• Pants or skirt suits are acceptable. Skirt suits should be no longer or shorter than knee-length.
• A sweater set with a knee-length skirt or dress pants is also acceptable.
• Hosiery (neutral nylons or tights, depending on the season) is a must.
• Shoes should be sensible pumps or low-heeled dress shoes.
• Natural-looking makeup.
• Hair should be out of your face. A neatly placed bun is a good way to ensure hair isn’t distracting.

Interview Attire Tips for Men 

• A tie that coordinates with your suit and that avoids wild colors and patterns is necessary.
• Dark socks should be worn and should be long enough to cover legs fully at all times.

You should avoid... 

• Low-cut necklines
• Mini-skirts
• Loud prints and patterns
• Open-toed shoes and spike heels
• Dramatic makeup
• Fragrance of any kind
• Excessive or flashy jewelry
• Baseball or any other kind of hat
• Low-cut necklines
• Sleeveless tops and sheer fabrics
• Mini-skirts
• Loud prints and patterns
• Open-toed shoes
• Dramatic makeup
• Excessive or flashy jewelry
• Gum, mints or other objects
• Flaunting designer labels too much

Looking for help with business casual? It's not recommended for interviews, but you can find some information on it here.