MEN

Suits. A suit should be worn for all interviews. The suit should be a dark color, such as black, pinstripe, navy blue, or dark gray, and should be conservative rather than trendy. A suit makes a much better impression than a dress shirt and pants, and is something that will last well into your career. Make sure that the suit fits properly; for example, the sleeves should come to the top of your wrist, the material should fit properly in the shoulders and around the neck, and the pants should just touch the top of your dress shoes.

Ties. Conservative is the key word. Do not wear anything with bright colors or wild patterns on them. A tie with a small print or conservative stripes that matches the suit is ideal.

Shirts. A long-sleeved white shirt should be worn under the suit, and should fit properly in the shoulders and neck.

Shoes, socks, and belts. Shoes should be a dark color, depending on the color of the suit, and should also be conservative. Trendy shoes should be avoided, such as ones with buckles on them and ones made out of suede. Shoes should be freshly shined and not scuffed! Socks should be dark in color, and should match the suit, in colors such as black, navy blue, and dark gray. White socks should never be worn! A black or brown belt should be worn, depending on the suit color. Belt and shoes must match.

Jewelry. Earrings, bracelets, neck chains, or any type of body rings such as tongue rings or eyebrow rings should not be worn. Men can wear a wedding band and class ring, as long as it is limited to one ring per hand. A nice watch is also acceptable.

Grooming. Hair, facial hair, and nails should be short, clean, and neatly trimmed.

WOMEN

Suits. A conservative skirted suit is considered appropriate business attire for interviews (of course, pants are okay if fitted properly). Dark colors such as black, navy blue, dark brown, and dark gray are best. The skirt length should be at or slightly above the knee, anything shorter is considered inappropriate as business interviewing attire.

Blouses. A blouse that is white, ivory, or a dark color that matches the suit is best. Bright colors and stripes should be avoided. Long sleeves are best and the blouse should have a modest neckline.

Shoes and pantyhose. Shoes should be black, navy blue, or dark brown, and should match the suit. Trendy shoes should be avoided, such as ones with chunky heels and buckles, and ones that are open-toed. It is best to buy simple and classic looking shoes for an interview. Flats should not be worn, but heels should not be longer than two-and-a-half inches. Shoes should be freshly shined and not scuffed! Pantyhose should closely match the color of your skin tone.

Accessories. Minimal jewelry should be worn. One pair of earrings, a simple chain and bracelet, a nice watch, and one ring per hand are acceptable. Any other type of body ring, such as a nose ring, eyebrow ring, or tongue ring, should not be worn! A lapel pin or neck scarf can also be worn as long as it matches the suit and is a subtle color. However, do not wear any accessory that will draw bad attention to you or make you look unprofessional.

Grooming. Hair should be clean and neatly trimmed; if you have long hair, it is a good idea to neatly pull it back from your face. Make certain not to over-do your makeup; avoid bright and dark colors, and do not apply heavy makeup that day. Again, you do not want to draw bad attention to yourself. Nails should also be clean and neatly trimmed; nail polish is acceptable as long as the polish is a subtle color and is not chipped.