Best Fashion Items To Wear To Interviews

Making the decision on what to wear to an interview might prove stressful to some with all the options one comes across when shopping for smarter clothing.

What you choose to wear depends on factors such as what type of job you are getting interviewed for, the time of day, what company you are wishing to join, and so on.

Some companies enforce formal clothing, startups tend to go for smart or business casual, and summer jobs and internships require the most casual clothing usually.

Age is also a factor in how you should dress for an interview, so we will also be mentioning young interview outfits, as well as more mature ones.

Whether you wish to dress more feminine or masculine is up to you, we will be covering both male business professional attire and female as well, with all three styles mentioned in the paragraph above.

Formal or Professional

Male

Formal attire for men can be either drastically different from that of women, or be extremely similar depending on the garments you choose to go with.

For males, try to keep it simple and clean-looking. This involves muted colors, such as gray, dark blue, or black, but is not exclusive to only these three colors, since your choices could also depend on your age.

This style involves suit jackets, shirts, and ties, but if you are a younger gentleman you can even go with a vest over your shirt, a sweater, and if your interviewer is a bit more lenient, a bow tie might come appreciated as well.

If you are afraid of experimenting at first, stick to keeping your shirt lighter than your suit, but if you feel more advanced in the world of formal dressing, you could play around with say a black shirt under a blue suit.

As for the lower part of your body, suit pants are recommended with solid color socks that still cover your leg when the hem of your pants rises up from movement. You should also be wearing slacks or some form of elegant leather/vegan leather shoe to finish off your look.

Other color options and combinations for men would be blue-toned clothing and brown accents such as shoes, belts, and watches, brown and burgundy, black and blue, or some muted colors such as purple, but you should most likely stick to calmer and darker colors.

As for patterns, you should stick to solid colors or small patterns such as pinstripes or tiny dots.

Avoid wearing strong scents and keep your hair and facial hair tidy and clean when attending an interview, you need to look clean for employers to desire to hire you.

Female

The first question to answer is whether you should wear a skirt or pants, and that decision is entirely up to you and your comfort levels. If you think you will be more confident in a formal skirt, then go for it, it will probably give you a confidence boost during your interview as well.

If you choose to wear a skirt, make sure it reaches your knees, not necessarily out of modesty, but because when you sit down, skirts tend to hike up on your legs, maybe revealing more than you or the interviewer bargained for.

You should also be wearing tights that have no holes, patterns, or anything jarring under that skirt to maintain that air of professionalism.

As for your upper body when wearing a skirt, a more tailored suit jacket will be your best bet. Looser jackets paired with skirts may create an image of sloppiness and an imbalanced silhouette. Your shirt should also be a solid color to not over-complicate your outfit.

When opting for pants, a pantsuit is recommended for that look of being put together. The same color rules apply for pantsuits as they do for skirts and make sure to stick to darker and muted colors just like in men’s clothing.

As for shoes, your toes are a no-show. Go for shoes that are closed at the toes and when going for heels, a shorter heel is recommended.

As for accessories, minimal jewelry and minimal, more natural makeup is your best bet, as well as either a small purse or a thinner briefcase.

Lastly, your hair should be well kept and either done up or let loose. Whatever hairstyle you choose, make sure it looks tidy.

Business Casual

Business casual is one step down than formal, with more leniency and more versatility in your options. This style projects a casual workspace where respect is important but the general vibe is not as uptight and friendlier.

Male

The business casual look for men is quite idealized by many since it is more comfortable and looks more approachable as well.

For pants, you can wear normal fabric pants or chinos of any color as long as it doesn’t look tacky. In this form of dressing, you can play with colors and light patterns a bit to add personality to your appearance and show energy to your interviewer, which they are probably looking for.

Make sure to always wear a button-up shirt, and to always have a collar on your shirts, because it is still business nonetheless. You can incorporate suspenders, belts, and bow ties for extra personality.

Closed leather shoes and matching socks are needed, and make sure to keep all your garments and items clear of stains, creases, and dirt.

Your hair and facial hair should be well-kept at all times.

Female

Just like with men, women can play with more colors and patterns in this style.

Skirts should remain knee-length, as should dresses. You should also wear plain tights free from patterns and holes. You can also opt for blouses with skirts or more conservative dresses paired with a jacket.

As for shoes, stick to closed-toe shoes and short heels alike, but you get more playroom with accessories thankfully. Handbags should match your clothes, other than that make sure to not bring an overly large bag with you, it might be too tacky or jarring.

You can play around with jewelry styles and colors more and make sure to add personal touches to outfits for an extra bout of confidence.

Your hair and makeup should be simple, clean, and tidy.

Casual

Male

The rules stay the same as they have so far, except with more leniency in clothing items.

Men going casual should leave jeans at home for now but can opt for chinos with loafers rather than fancy pants with leather shoes, and polo shirts or any shirt that is a button-up is ideal as well.

In all honesty, you can wear whatever looks clean, matching, and nicer than what you would wear to the store. You should still keep your hair and facial hair orderly.

Female

Just like for men, the same rules apply as they have so far, except you can go for more comfortably fitting clothing, including cardigans and elegant sneakers. Your jewelry can also be bolder here.

Make sure to maintain minimal makeup and clean, tidy hair though, that is still a standard.