Guide to Business Attire Should you be judged by what you wear? Perhaps not, but the reality is that you are judged by what you wear. Throughout the entire jobseeking process employers use short-cuts to save time. With cover letters, it's the opening paragraph and a quick scan of your qualifications. With resumes, it is a quick scan of your accomplishments. With the job interview, it is your appearance – what you are wearing and how you present yourself - that will set the tone of the interview. So, how should you dress? No matter what the office attire might be, remember:

You can’t wear the uniform until you are on the team! Dressing conservatively is always the safest route, but do a little employer research beforehand so that what you wear to the interview makes you look as though you will fit in with the organization. If you overdress (which is rare but can happen) or under-dress (the more likely scenario), the potential employer may question your interest in the job.

How do you determine what to wear? You can call the Human Resources office where you are interviewing and simply ask about the office’s dress code. Or, visit the company's office to retrieve an application or other company information and observe the attire current employees are wearing -- though make sure you are not there on a "casual day" and misinterpret the dress code. TIP:

Dress at the same level or at one level above the person(s) with whom you will be interviewing. Do this and this you can be sure that you won’t be under-dressed for the interview.

Do you need to spend a lot of money on clothes? No, but you should make sure you have at least two sets of professional attire. You'll need more than that eventually, but depending on your current financial condition, two is enough to get started. You can buy more once you have the job or have more financial resources.

Make a Good First Impression Attention to the details of your appearance is crucial, so here are some tips for both men and women.

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Make sure you have: • • • • • • • • • TIP:

clean and polished conservative dress shoes well-groomed hairstyle cleaned and trimmed fingernails minimal cologne or perfume no visible body piercing beyond conservative ear piercing for women well-brushed teeth and fresh breath no gum, candy, or other objects in your mouth minimal jewelry no body odor When you arrive at the interview site, find the restroom. Go in and check your attire and appearance in the mirror; make sure your tie is straight, your hair is combed, etc. Wash and dry your hands. Take a deep breath. Go ace the interview!

Tips for Men and Women on Buying an Interview Suit First, decide what type of job you're interviewing for. What's the industry? Advertising jobs allow greater apparel flair than do investment banking jobs. Sales and traders can be more expressive than those in corporate finance; commercial bankers are more staid than investment bankers; and Silicon Valley jobs allow even greater variations in dress. Second, allocate a day from your busy schedule to shopping. Focus your thoughts on the purchase of your suit. When shopping, men should wear shoes, trousers, and a dress shirt with a collar. If you try on a suit in a tee-shirt and high-top sneakers, neither you nor your tailor will get a true picture of the fit. Women should wear a bodysuit under their blouse if they plan to try on blouse and jacket ensembles. A bodysuit will also eliminate the tuck-in problem during interviews. Third, go to a store. Try on a variety of colors, patterns, sizes, styles, and cuts. Tell a knowledgeable sales associate that you need an interview suit for your specific industry. Try on an expensive suit, just to get an idea about its fit, the drape of its fabric, and the comfort of the suit and the fabric's finish. Fourth, men should choose a wool suit. There are four major types of wool: Worsted, Tropical, Flannel and Tweed. Forget tweed, especially if you have a wide body. Concentrate on worsteds, flannels, and tropicals and their weights. Wool blends are blends among wools and other natural fibers or synthetics (synthetics are not natural, they are made from chemicals). MBA Style magazine recommends that men stick with a 100% wool suit for the interview suit. Women can choose wool, wool blends, linen, and a variety of natural and synthetic blends that mimic wool. Linens do not travel as well as wools, tweeds, and synthetics -- meaning they wrinkle quickly, so if you'll be getting callbacks that involve travel, you may wish to avoid linen. Fifth, have a price range in mind, but try on suits with lower and higher price points.

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Sixth, try on the suit. If it doesn't fit, don't buy it, even if it's on sale. Never sacrifice fit for color, fabric, or price. Don't get caught up in an embarrassment over the sizes. Sure, I'd like to be a 40 Long. But I am not. I am a 42-Long. Okay maybe even a 43. The same goes for women. Although a model, like Pamela Anderson, is a size 6, the average American woman is a size 10-12. As a matter of fact, the average American woman is 5 feet-4 inches tall, brown-haired, 143 pounds, with size 7.5-B shoes. Therefore, just forget about what size the tag says, and find a garment that fits right and projects the proper image. Seventh, you can change a suit's fit, but not its design. Meaning, you can alter the sleeves and hems, but shoulders and lapels should not be changed. By the way, any alterations should be measured by the 1/4 inch, at least. Eighth, look in a three-way mirror, no matter how painful it might be to see your big nose in profile, your butt, your bald spot, or the cellulite on your calves.

Additional Interviewing Attire Tips for Men Suits • • • • • • • •

Choose a conservative single-breasted, 2-, 3-, or 4-button jacket. 100% wool looks and wears better than any other material. Darker suits (dark gray, charcoal, olive, navy) carry more authority, but avoid black (it's too formal). Solid colors and pinstripes are best, as long as the pinstripes are muted and narrow. Avoid flashy or showy fabrics. Make sure your suit is altered to fit properly--sleeves should break just below your wrist. Pants should be pleated and cuffed. A working price range for a good suit is $250-$500; it's not necessary to spend up to $1000 on a suit at this point. Stores to consider for best value and quality are Men's Warehouse, Stein Mart, Foley's, and Dillard's.

Shirts • Solid white is best; resist buying colored shirts until your wardrobe has expanded and you know more about the culture of your workplace. • Cotton looks better and holds up better under perspiration. Cotton/polyester blends are acceptable, but keep in mind that the higher the cotton content, the better you'll look. • Collars should be stiff but comfortable. If buying a shirt with a pointed collar be sure it has collar stays or can be buttoned down. • Always wear an ironed shirt, even if the shirt claims to be "wash and wear." • Always wear long sleeved shirts, with cuffs extending 1/4" below suit sleeve. • A good quality shirt will cost $35-$60. Ties •

100% silk ties make the most powerful and professional impact and are also the easiest to tie. Linen ties wrinkle too easily and wool ties are too casual for interviews. The University of Texas at Austin – College of Communication Page | 3

• • • • Shoes • • • •

Your tie should complement and add color to your suit. Width should be approximately the same as lapels, generally 2 3/4" - 3 1/2" wide. When tied, the end of the tie should touch your belt. A good quality tie should cost $20-$80.

Always make sure shoes are polished and well-maintained. Black, brown, or cordovan (burgundy) are the best colors. Slip-on dress shoes (even those with tassels) are the most versatile for day or evening. A good pair of leather dress shoes will cost $90-$150.

Socks • Socks should complement the suit (and tie, when possible) and should not bunch around the ankles. • They should be long enough that skin is not seen when legs are crossed. Accessories • Jewelry should be very simple and conservative. • Portfolios and briefcases should be leather; brown or burgundy are the best colors. • Watches should be simple and plain (put away the Mickey Mouse or sport watches). • Belts should be leather and should match or complement shoes (for example, blue/black/gray suit = black belt and shoes; brown/tan/beige suit = brown belt and shoes). The buckle should be simple.

Additional Interviewing Attire Tips for Women Suits • Choose a conservative-style suit in a solid, basic color. Darker colors generally work best. • Conservative novelty patterns (small hound’s-tooth or other tight pattern) are also acceptable. • Buy the skirt that goes with the jacket, and if possible, buy pants and a printed skirt that matches the jacket as well. • Suit skirts should be no higher than 2" above the knees. • You don't have to spend a ton of money to look professional. Good quality suits can be found at Foley's, Dillard's, Casual Corner, and Talbot's. Blouses • Look for white, ivory, black, navy, and gray blouses or shells to wear under suits. • Avoid sleeveless blouses and dresses. Shoes • Stick with flats or shoes with medium (2"-2 1/2") heels. • Buy black, navy, or neutral colored closed-toed shoes. The University of Texas at Austin – College of Communication

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Accessories • Limit jewelry to five pieces at most. • Always wear hose and have extra pairs on hand. • Don't go overboard with cosmetics and fragrances.

Business Casual "Business casual" is a phrase that is used quite liberally throughout the country. The rule to remember is: Business casual does not mean casual. It does not mean that you can dress however you want. It does not mean jeans and a tee-shirt. You are still expected to look professional. For men, a business casual wardrobe should consist of several long-sleeved cotton oxford shirts; a few cotton polo or golf shirts; chinos in acceptable colors (khaki, dark blue, olive green, or stone); wool slacks; and a sport coat. If defining business casual is difficult for men, it is much more difficult for women. An oxford shirt and chinos can look very tailored and polished, but not necessarily feminine. Try experimenting with scarves or blouses with a bit of detailing. The addition of a blazer always projects authority and credibility.

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