Interviewing Attire

What we wear says a lot about us. It is important you dress comfortably, while also making sure you dress appropriately for the type of interview you’re attending. Your interviewer is trained to pick up on what you wear, and what you have on will form a large part of the impression they have of you. Your interviewer will equate your manner of dress with your character and level of professionalism. If you want to stand out, or are feeling particularly bold, you can always try a more adventurous style of dress with brighter colours. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, or don’t want to draw any additional attention to yourself, then stick with a more straightforward style typified by neutral colours

In the workplace, your style of dress promotes conformity to the company, and a uniformity that is recognizable to your organization’s customer base. That’s why it’s among the first things your interviewer is trained to evaluate you on, and it’s why it’s so important you dress well for your interview. Dressing well nowadays can be cheap and inexpensive, so what you wear should make you feel confident, as well as look stylish too. If you don’t feel good in the clothes you’re wearing, the advice would always be to choose another outfit. Remember all your clothing should be clean and well pressed. Avoid foods like gum and soda, as well as any messy foods (like those with sauces) on the day of your interview

Part of the preparation before an interview always involves researching the company. Use what you learn to get a feel for the company and gauge what might be best to wear. Especially for less formal styles of interview dress, such as business professional and business casual, getting a good feel for the company will give you a much better understanding of how to plan your attire. If you are unsure of what outfit to wear, always take the side of caution and chose the more conservative one. If you are unsure what the dress code is for the interview you’re attending, try checking first with the company holding the interview. If you can’t get any confirmation from them or are still unsure, you should assume that it will be conducted in formal business interview attire

Remember that there is also a physiological element to dressing as well. For more formal interview types like business formal and business professional, it’s usually advised to keep bright colours to a minimum. That’s because unless you’re reasonably sure about the company and position you’re applying for, with bright colours there is more of a possibility they will be perceived in a more sexual or overly casual way, (if only even on a subliminal level). Consequently, even when well-coordinated, there’s greater potential for them to make your outfit seem less appropriate for the interview

As a generalization, men’s interviewing attire is usually more straightforward than women’s.
Simply put, women have a greater choice of variations and accessories to choose from to complement their interview outfits. However, ultimately you will be the one who decides what you want to wear. Therefore, the best advice here is to choose what you wear based on what makes you feel most confident and comfortable

BUSINESS FORMAL CLOTHING

Business formal dress is the most formal style of dress in an interview setting. It is by far the most common interview dress style, and is the standard for most professional job interviews

The ideal look for formal business attire differs between men and women.
For men, it should consist of a suit, worn with a long-sleeved shirt and tie. Along with dark socks and conventional dress shoes, neatly trimmed nails, neat and presentable hair, (close cropped is not a prerequisite but is normally most effective in conveying a professional appearance), neatly trimmed or shaved facial hair, with very little jewellery or accessories. (See accessories page).
Finish off the look with a briefcase or portfolio, and wear a leather belt with your suit

For women, it can consist of trouser or skirt suit, (pantsuit is also an option although this can come across as too casual and is better utilized in a business professional or business casual interview setting). There are also variations on the skirt suit being with or without tights to consider. Note. All skirt all should either be just above or just below the knee
Such clothing should always be worn with a long-sleeved dress shirt and tie, dark socks or pantyhose, and dress shoes or low-heeled shoes. (Low heels are sometimes a good option if you are particularly short, because on a subconscious level people tend to respond better to someone who is taller in stature).
For women, nails should be manicured, and may be painted, ideally in light neutral colours, beige/nude/ light pink are the best. (Although do not wear long or fake nails – keep the nail to fingertip length or just beyond the fingertip at most). Your goal is for your nails to look nice and very presentable, but not so much so that they are highly noticeable and draw undue attention during the interview.
Hair variations are more varied for women as well.
There is no defined preference, so you should wear it in a way you feel best enhances your appearance. With that being said, hairstyles should be simple, such as ponytail or bun, and for woman shoulder length hair is considered a good length for interviewing. (It’s best to wear it in a style where it is tied back, or at the very least in a style that is not free flowing – to avoid having to remove it from your face which can be distracting when speaking). Again, your outfit should be worn with very little jewellery or accessories. (See accessories page).
A briefcase or portfolio in place of your regular handbag is the right way to finish off a look for a formal business interview

Remember that everything you have on, or take with you, should look need and tidy.
Always iron your clothes and polish your shoes at least 24hrs before the interview.
Men should wear a matching belt with the outfit they have on.
If wearing a skirt, make sure it is the appropriate length, which is either just above or below the knee. Women have the option of wearing pantyhose or not. If you find yourself in this dilemma and can’t decide which to choose, a good rule is to always choose the more conservative option, which is to wear them

Note. All skirt length should either be just above or just below the knee
Note. All trouser length should leave a very slight gap between the bottom of the trouser and the top of the shoe

CLOTHING OPTIONS FOR BUSINESS FORMAL
(Neutral Colours)

MEN’S NEUTRAL INTERVIEW COLOURS – Upper Body
Men’s Suit (Jacket) – Black, Navy, Dark Brown, Dark Gray, Beige   
Men’s Suit (Vest) – Black, Navy, Dark Brown, Dark Gray, Beige
Long sleeved shirt, Dress Shirt – Black, Dark Brown, Dark Gray, Blue or Dark Blue
Tie – Black, Navy, Beige

WOMEN’S NEUTRAL INTERVIEW COLOURS – Upper Body
Women’s Suit (Jacket) – Black, Navy, Dark Brown, Dark Gray, Beige
Women’s Suit (Vest) – Black, Navy, Dark Brown, Dark Gray, Beige
Long sleeved shirt, Dress Shirt – Black, Dark Brown, Dark Gray, Blue or Dark Blue
Tie – Black, Navy, Beige

MEN’S NEUTRAL INTERVIEW COLOURS – Lower Body
Suit Trousers – Black, Dark Brown, Navy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige
Slacks – Black, Dark Brown, Navy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige

WOMEN’S NEUTRAL INTERVIEW COLOURS – Lower Body
Women’s Suit (trousers) – Black, Dark Brown, Navy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige
Pantsuit – Black, Dark Brown, Navy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige
Suit Skirt – Black, Dark Brown, Navy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige
Pantyhose – black or nude-coloured, if your outfit is darker than your shoes, choose nude-coloured tights or stockings instead

MEN’S NEUTRAL INTERVIEW COLOURS – Shoes
Shoes – Black, Dark Brown

WOMEN’S NEUTRAL INTERVIEW – Shoes
Shoes – Black, Dark Brown
High heeled dress shoes up to 3inches – Black, Dark Brown, Dark Blue



CLOTHING OPTIONS FOR BUSINESS FORMAL
(Bright Colours)

MEN’S BRIGHT INTERVIEW COLOURS – Upper Body
Men’s Suit (Jacket) – White, Blue/ Light Blue
Men’s Suit (Vest) – White, Blue/ Light Blue
Long sleeved shirt, Dress Shirt – White, Blue/ Light Blue
Tie – Blue, Striped (Mixed colours), white

WOMEN’S BRIGHT INTERVIEW COLOURS – Upper Body
Women’s Suit (Jacket) – White, Blue/ Light Blue
Women’s Suit (Vest) – White, Blue/ Light Blue
Long sleeved shirt, Dress Shirt – White, Blue/ Light Blue, Pink, Purple
Tie – Blue, Striped (Mixed colours), white, Purple

MEN’S BRIGHT INTERVIEW COLOURS – Lower Body
Suit Trousers – White, Blue/ Light Blue
Slacks – White, Blue/ Light Blue

WOMEN’S BRIGHT INTERVIEW COLOURS – Lower Body
Women’s Suit (trousers) – White, Blue/ Light Blue, Pink, Purple
Pantsuit – White, Blue/ Light Blue, Pink, Purple
Suit Skirt – White, Blue/ Light Blue, Pink, Purple

MEN’S BRIGHT INTERVIEW COLOUR – Shoes
Shoes – White, Blue

WOMEN’S BRIGHT INTERVIEW COLOUR – Shoes
Shoes – White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Light Blue, Pink, Purple
High heeled dress shoes up to 3inches – White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Light Blue, Pink, Purple



Suggestions for Business Formal outfits
The list below contains suggestions for business formal outfits. While this list is by no means a comprehensive one, it may provide some useful ideas if you’re struggling to come up with an outfit for your next interview. For instance, men can make the most of shirt and ties to add colour and vibrancy to their interview attire. One example would be a white or light blue long-sleeved shirt worn under a black pin striped suit, with a colour striped tie, finished off with black socks and black dress shoes.
For women, an example would be a blue or grey suit dress and jacket, worn with a long-sleeved white dress shirt, a black tie, pantyhose, and finished off with black dress heels. (For women who are wearing skirts, make sure it is the appropriate length, which is either just above or below the knee)

Men’s Suggestions
Men’s suit (Suit Jacket and trousers), with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks, and dress shoes that match the colour of your suit

Men’s suit (Suit Vest and trousers), with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks, and dress shoes that match the colour of your suit

Women’s Suggestions
Women’s suit (Suit Jacket and trousers), with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks, along with dress shoes or low heels that match the colour of your suit

Women’s suit (Suit Jacket and skirt), with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks or pantyhose, along with dress shoes or low heels that match the colour of your suit

Women’s suit (Suit Vest and trousers), with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks, and dress shoes or low heels that match the colour of your suit

Women’s suit (Suit Vest and skirt), with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks or pantyhose, and dress shoes or low heels that match your colour of the suit

Pantsuit, with long-sleeved or dress shirt. Worn with a tie, black socks, and dress shoes or low heels that match the colour of the suit