What to Wear to an Interview

Dressing appropriately for an interview is essential in maximising the chances of receiving that dream job offer. This is the essential guide on what to wear to an interview. There is also considerable empirical evidence that physical attractiveness impacts upon employment decision making, with the result that the more attractive an individual, the greater the likelihood that the person will be hired. Style plays a significant role in attractiveness, so why not take every advantage you can? Also find below a most wanted list of the most stylish solutions to what to wear to an interview.

The key in interviews is to sell yourself to the interviewer. Put yourself mentally into the shoes of your interviewer and imagine what kind of candidate they would be looking for (both verbally and physically). When wondering what to wear to an interview, ponder how the interviewer would picture the successful candidate including their clothing, grooming and accessories.

Due to the emergence of networks such a Linkedin and Instagram, an ever increasing number of interviewers will not have taken the time to thoroughly analyse your CV which leads to greater importance being placed on the interview stage. When solving what to wear to an interview, making a good first impression is key.

When searching what to wear to an interview, it is better to overdress than underdress. If you are unsure about the dress code just go with a full, well fitted suit. It is also important to remember that you are dressing for an interview, not necessarily how you think (or have heard) people dress in the office. Below I will discuss what to wear to an interview for various scenarios which therefore require differing attires.

Smart

Simplicity is essential when deciding what to wear to an interview. It is not wise to pull too ambitious a style decision for an interview – especially if the line of work is within a more conservative industry such as legal, insurance, banking etc. For a traditional office role a full suit is the most appropriate approach to getting a good first impression with your interviewer. A suit is arguably the most practical solution to what to wear to an interview, as it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Navy blue is psychologically said to give an impression of trust and confidence. That is why I would recommend a dark navy suit made out of 100% wool and then tailored to fit your body. I would highly recommend Stitches as the go to place for your clothing alteration needs. Stitches offer an excellent tailoring service with stores in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. Pair the suit with a white shirt, matching knitted tie and brown shoes to look fully prepared to get your dream job. Suits from Suit Supply and Reiss are some of the more affordable solution to what to wear to an interview however for those with higher budget, Canali or Richard James are the places to go for impeccable formalwear.

A grey suit is another option for a smart and sophisticated look. In order to find what to wear to an interview, avoid double breasted and stick with a well tailored, single breast, notch lapel, high quality grey suit. A Charcoal suit is also a good choice and I would highly recommend purchasing Reiss suits for a combination of high quality, modern design and affordable price point. Suit Supply is another excellent option.

Contrasting a grey suit with a black mock turtle neck jumper can be a wise option to display your style credentials whilst still looking appropriate for the occasion. Either black or brown shoes combine well with grey suits whilst for blue/navy suits only brown shoes will do. It is best to own no more than two good quality suits, and rotate between the grey and navy versions particularly if you feel feel your body might outgrow the suit in the near future.

Smart Casual

Smart casual might be the interview dress code provided for traditionally non-office jobs. Or even jobs in more creative industries such as film, media, marketing etc. Smart casual can be a tricky dress code to navigate when pondering what to wear to an interview however when done right there is non better to showcase your style to a prospective employer.

Smart casual is interpreted differently through various workplaces. The definition can change, depending on several factors, including the industry, size of the company, number of employees, amount of interaction between employees and customers, geography, climate, culture, and average age of the workforce.

There are two ways to dress appropriately bearing a smart casual dress code in mind. The options are a blazer with a shirt or without a shirt (and tie). The blazer should be paired with separate but matching trousers with a grey blazer looking fantastic with black trousers and a slim black tie. Having the option of keeping trousers tapered but slightly cropped above the ankle is another fashionable benefit of a smart casual dress code over more formal office attire.

A shirt and pair of shoes is however not necessary within a smart casual outfit. Below you can see a excellent example of incorporating a matching white t-shirt and trainers yet the outfit is still smart and therefore suitable for certain interview environments. Pairing a grey blazer with charcoal trousers will do the trick in making you look the right person for the job. Remember this kind of attire may only be a suitable solution for what to wear to an interview in more relaxed work environments.

Casual

On certain occasions particularly for workplaces without a strict dress code policy – a casual dress code may be advisable for an interview. These interviews usually include positions such as bar/restaurant roles, retail jobs and certain creative industries such as fashion or entertainment positions.

Although the dress code given may be ‘casual’ in reality you are best maintaining a smart look whilst avoiding anything which will make you adversely stand out such as a blazer or tie. Fitting in with the other staff members is essential when you question what to wear to an interview.

A wool jumper is the most appropriate option for a casual dress code. The jumper retains both a distinct formal appeal which contrasts against its easy, relaxed nature which is perfect for a casual (but still smart) attire. Wearing black jeans and matching trainers on the bottom half, whilst pairing the jumper with a luxurious camel coat and holdall for a sophisticated yet ready for any outcome outfit. Find below a most wanted list of some of the best solution to what to wear to an interview from multiple retailers.