Men's Interview Dress Guide

By Ian Acosta on March 1, 2017

Impression is everything. In preparing for an interview, make sure your appearance is on the list as well as your qualifications. You want to give off the impression that you take this process seriously and hold it in high regard.

Dressing for the part makes all the difference. Your outfit should be a reflection of your personality: strong, confident, personable, knowledgeable, etc. Look good, feel good. Take this to heart and your interview will go off without a hitch. The question now is: what to wear? Here are some tips on how to dress to impress for your interview.

Dress Shirt

A properly fitted button-up dress shirt is the key to your interview outfit. Solid colors are best as they will not come off as too much. At least in interviews, tend to stay away from patterns and unnecessary designs. Try and stay toward lighter colors such as blue, white, or even light grey.

Another factor to consider is the fit. Make sure the collar is not too loose or too tight. Make sure it lies flat and snug to your shoulders. Lastly, keep in mind the torso fit. Make sure the buttons do not look like they are about to burst as you wear your shirt. Another piece of advice is to iron. Wrinkles are off-putting. Show that you took the time to care about your look. Appearance is key.

pixabay.com

Tie

Your tie is the piece that ties (pun intended) your whole outfit together. First and foremost, do NOT wear skinny ties. Just don’t. Second, be sure to pick a tie with stripes, patterns, or some type of styling on it. Another factor to consider is the color. Does it matter? Well, you’d be surprised.

Different colors can imply different meanings. For example, red implies power, wealth, strength, and passion. Blue is a calming, soothing color that exemplifies peace and tranquility. Yellow represents radiance and vitality, like the sun. Green is seen as a symbol of rebirth and growth, also representing someone who is a good teammate.

My personal favorite is a light blue. It goes well with basically any shirt and tie combo while also being easy on the eyes. However, it is ultimately up to you. Go with your favorite color. Remember it is all about confidence.

Pants

The bottom of your outfit is just as important as the top. Most importantly, make sure your pants match your suit. Do not wear shorts, khakis, or jeans. Remember that the goal here is to look as formal as possible, i.e. business professional. Get your pants fitted as well. Ideal colors to go with here are black or charcoal but preferably black. Black is more formal and is generally accepted as the go-to color for interviews and events.

pexels.com

Suit

Business professional is the name of the game. It is always best to err on the side of caution in terms of dressing for a meeting. In addition, it is best to get it tailored to fit you exactly. A baggy suit that is too much in the shoulders or tight in the chest is, frankly, a terrible look. You are more likely to be a distraction with your suit than to be focused on for your abilities and qualifications.

Ideal colors: black, charcoal, or blue. As stated earlier, though, always best to err on black as being the safest color to wear. It’s the classic color for an interview suit combo.

Brown Capped Oxford Shoes (pinterest.com)

Shoes

The final piece to your suit game is your shoes. Go with a solid pair of leather lace shoes to complete your look. Slip-ons look a little dated and tacky. Ideally, the color should match the color of your suit, i.e. black shoes with a black suit. However, there are some exceptions, namely, with a charcoal or blue suit, a pair of tan or brown dress shoes would complement your suit nicely.

Socks

The final piece part two: socks. I personally am of the mind that as long as your socks do not have a comical or goofy design on them, they are good to go. Typically try to have at least one of the colors in the design of the sock either match your pants, suit, or shirt just to keep the design in check. Also, make sure the socks go high above your ankles. No exposed skin is the goal.

At the end of the day, trust how you look and trust in your abilities. You are getting interviewed for a reason. Your look, from head to toe, should be the final check off your list of interview preparation. Make sure to check that your tie is straight, your pants are buttoned and zippered, and your suit is free of any stains. Go out and kill it!

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