Dress to Meet the Firms

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Dress to Meet the Firms

• February 14, 2007

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Why dress special for an interview?

• Because
• looks can killopportunities
• Because it shows
• you recognize this as an important occasion
• Because it shows
• respect for your interviewer
• Because it shows
• you can adapt to company expectations

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Hair

• Clean
• Neat
• Professionally styled/cut
• No unusual hair colors
• No big barrettes or combs
• Nothing distracting

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Body

• Clean and fresh smelling
• Natural looking makeup (women only)
• No jewelry except
• wedding ring
• functional conservative watch that doesnt beep
  during the interview
• Clean and well manicured hands
• Natural colored, clear, or no nail polish
• No visible tattoos or body piercing
• Perfumewhen in doubt dont
• Be sure to brush and floss your teethcarry small
  mints

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Clothing

• Women
• Skirted suit or pantsuit, conservatively tailored
• Skirts usually knee-length
• Appropriate colors are navy, black or gray
• Cleaned and pressed
• Not flashy

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Clothingbuying guide

• You should be able to button and/or zip and still
  allow you to move and sit comfortablypinch an
  inch
• Clothing should be smooth, without pulls or
  wrinkles
• Sleeves should cover the bend in the wrist
• Hem should be even and stitches well hidden

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Samples
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No visible blouse would be worn under this
jacketA little trendy
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Traditional blouse would be better
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Sleeve length good
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Needs blouse, nojewelry

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• Good except for ruffle on skirt
• Notice the soft drape of the fabric.
• Blouse or shell could be worn under jacket
• Non traditional collar

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Double breasted
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Double Breasted Jackets

• Double breasted jackets add bulk
• Use only if you need bulk
• Double breasted jackets should remain buttoned
• Never wear a button down collar with a double
  breasted jacket

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Blouse or shirt

• White, ivory or light colored blouse or shirt
• Long sleeved
• Conservative lines
• Neckline should compliment jacket lapel
• Quality-silk or cotton
• Cleaned and pressed

• Avoid tight fit
• Avoid sheer
• Avoid low necklines
• Avoid sleeveless and short sleeved
• If button up, make sure buttons dont gape at
  bust line

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Blouse/shirt examples

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Shirt
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Linen wrinkles
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Wrap around--possible peek-a-boo problems
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Mentioning the unmentionables

• Panties, no thongsthong lines are distracting
• Appropriately colored underwear--so it doesnt
  show thru
• Always wear hose with a skirt
• Color? Plain-style, non-patterned in a neutral
  color. Take an extra pair in case.

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Shoes and accessories

• Wear low heeled pumps in a neutral color that
  matches your accessories
• Be sure they are clean and polished
• Avoid open toed shoes
• If you wear a belt or carry a purse or briefcase
  (one, not both) be sure they are the same color,
  polished and conservative

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Keep is simple

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A little more risky for some situations
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Younger Women can wear a little higher heel to
the office
But NOT these
Like these
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Oops1 color2 texture3 heal height
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Good heal height
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What to wear for men

• Suit
• Fit
• Shirt
• Accessories, socks, shoes

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SuitObjective

• ConservativeTwo-piece two- buttoned, vented,
  single breasted business suit, 100 Worsted Wool,
  fully lined coat, half lined trousers in navy
  blue or charcoal gray (pinstripe, muted plaid,
  solid or herringbone)

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SuitObjective

• Semi-ConservativeSame as conservative plus three
  or four button suit in navy, charcoal, earth
  tones or possibly even black. Additional options
  are textured fabrics in lighter to medium tones,
  as well as non-vented jackets. The more creative
  your work environment the more creative you
  clothing options.

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Jacket Fit

• Jacket should lie smoothly over your shoulders
  and across your back
• Shoulders cut too wide diminish the head.
• Shoulders cut too narrow make the head appear
  larger than it is.
• The jacket's shoulders frame the head--A balanced
  presentation.
• Collar should follow neck silhouette closelyno
  gaping
• Jacket length should cover your entire seat and
  should be half the distance from the collar seam
  to the floor. Jacket hem should line up with the
  thumb knuckle.
• Sleeves should cover the break of the wrist,
  allowing ¼ to ½ inch of shirt cuff to show

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Hollywood knows about sleeves length

• You should too.

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Trouser fit

• The waist of your trousers should be just at or
  slightly below your navel and should fit snugly
  without feeling tight. This puts the crotch of
  the pants at the crotch of the wearer, which
  allows for movement without stressing the pants.
• Trousers should fit smoothly across the top of
  the buttocks, then follow the curve about halfway
  down, then fall straight down. When pants follow
  the curve all the way down, we call them jeans!
• Hems may be either straight or cuffedif cuffed,
  make sure they are proportional to the wearers
  height.

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Shirt

• White is best. When in doubt wear white.
• 100 percent cotton is preferred
• Point, button tab, or spread collars best
• Point collar for fuller faces
• Spread collar for narrower faces
• Collar should show ½ inch above jacket collar at
  nape of neck
• Cuff should show ¼ to ½ inch below sleeve.
  Sleeve must have enough length for the arm to
  bend without pulling on the cuff. Cuff must fit
  snugly so additional sleeve length will not fall
  over the hand.
• Very clean and well pressed
• Shirt should fit well and have an index finger of
  breathing room at the collar.

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Shirt samplesspread/point collar
                                
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Narrow face, spread collar

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Wide face, pointed collar

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Accessories

• Ties
• Conservative pattern in silk or silk like fabric
• Must coordinate with suit, but contrast with
  shirt
• Shoes
• Lace-up, wing tip, cap toe or split toe styles
• Clean and polished in very good condition
• No tassels, loafers or cowboy boots
• Socks
• Should match your pants
• Wear over the calf socks that wont slide down
• Belt, briefcase
• Leather matches leathershoes, belt, briefcase
• Metal matches metalbelt buckle, watch metal,
  etc.

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Tie samplesSubtle or simple patterns enhance
credibility

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Mens Dress Shoes
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The little things count

• Wear a tee shirt under your shirt
• Make sure your nails are well manicured and hands
  not rough
• Moisturize your face
• No beards or mustaches
• Line it up
• tie/belt buckle/zipper
• Unbutton your suit coat when sitting
• Never button just the bottom button of a suit coat

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Presentation

• Use a full length mirror
• Repeat what is good or compliments
• Do not repeat what is not good or minimizes
• Proportionalize your patterns
• Beware of texture
• Ladiesuse proportion to your advantage

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References

• www.menswarehouse.com
• www.brooksbrothers.com
• www.thejobexchange.com/women_attire.html
• www.amdt.wsu.edu/research/dti/general_guidelines.h
  tml
• www.seekingsuccess.com/articles/art166.php3
• http//www.mens-fashion-tips.com/index.html
• www.zappos.com
• Style and the Man by Alan Flusser
• MBA Style Magazines Color and Patterns to Wear
  for Interviewing