The Fine Line of Appropriate and Inappropriate Interview Appearal
Like every other morning before this one, I rode the bus to work. I always see, hear, or smell interesting things on the bus – always. That is to be expected on public transit in a college 
town. What I saw this morning was not surprising at all, but it did make me wonder where women get their ideas about what is appropriate and what is inappropriate to wear to an interview.
Ladies, we need to have a talk. No, not that one. If you didn’t learn that in school, then ask your parents.
Where – I repeat – Where did you learn what is acceptable to wear in an interview?
Before you answer, do not even think about saying anything that resembles “Sex in the City,” or “What not to wear.” I’m sorry, but we live in Indiana, not New York or Paris.
At this point, you have to be wondering what the heck I saw that could throw me into a rambling spiral like this. Well, there was a young woman on the bus this morning dressed, quite obviously, for an interview. From the waist up, she looked fabulous! She had on a black suit jacket and dressy, trendy shirt on with a long necklace. The jacket was clean and tailored and her shirt, while not a collared button-up, was high enough on her chest to be appropriate. Lovely outfit (so far).
Then there was her skirt… or lack of it. Okay, have you ever seen those movies that take place in the fifties and the girls in school are required to kneel on the floor to see if their skirts touch the floor? I’m not saying you should go to that extreme, but I should not be able to see your upper thigh at ANY time (NO NO NO!). I am not saying “wear a skirt like your mom.” I have 2 black skirts at home that are knee-length, but fitted and stylish while remaining professional. Yes, it CAN be done.
Here are some general rules when shopping for professional dress:
- Are you in college? Then do not buy anything for an interview from the “Juniors” section. I’m serious. You are not a junior anymore.
- Dress for the job you want. For many jobs, this means overdressing. I don’t care how casual the job may be once you get there, you have to GET the job first, so dress to impress.
- If you have nagging doubts in the back of your mind about a piece of clothing that you are wearing, it is probably time to change. Unless you are fully confident and comfortable, you will not do well in the interview.
When in doubt, pull on a pair of black pants. They still look good with heels and if you pair tailored pants with cute jacket and the right accessories, you will not look too conservative. I promise.
To recap:
