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Clothing Code for an Interview: What to Wear and What Not to Wear

A big congratulations to you! As you have passed the telephonic interview and have been selected for the face to face interview, it is indeed a big day. Before showcasing your resume and qualities at the interview, you have to consider how to make the best first impression with your dressing sense. Therefore, it is always wise to follow a perfect dress code for your dream job interview.

A Formal Suit is the Best Option

A formal suit is a universally accepted dress code for both men and women during an interview. No matter what kind of meeting it is, a formal suit and pants in a solid color like black, grey, blue, or light pastel shade looks perfect. A dark color suit with a light shaded shirt looks classy for the interview. It is better not to be overdressed or underdressed. A neat and clean suit with a low heel or flat pumps looks elegant.

Bottoms Can Be Experimental

Women have the extra provision to wear so many types of dresses during an interview, unlike men, for whom pants are the only option to wear when it comes to bottom clothing. You can simply go for a suit and pants, or try a full or short-sleeved light shaded shirt with a dark solid-colored pencil skirt. You can also experiment with a suit with a dress for your interview day.

Keep a Common Blazer in Your Wardrobe

Blazer gives an endless option for any formal interview when you become clueless about what to wear. A three-piece combination of a blazer, blouse, and pants or skirts is simple yet extremely versatile. It gives you a neat, tidy, and formal look.

You can wear it for numerous interview purposes, but it also works well with many outfits making it more interesting. A solid navy blue or black blazer with a button-down shirt and khaki pants or matching pencil skirt is a staple combination for interviews. For casual interviews, a blazer with a pair of semi-formal looking jeans looks comfortable and soothing.

Keep Out Bold Colours from the List

Colour always plays an essential role in any occasion. For an interview, you should avoid bold colors or big prints. You can opt from the colors of navy, grey, black, or brown or neutral pastel shades. White for the blouse-button down shirts or Kurtis are also good options to choose from.

You can always add a pop of color with your neutral solid color interview outfit. For example, a pale blue or baby pink color shirt with a grey suit will give a softened look to the whole attire.

Avoid Casual Footwear and Heavy Accessories

Your shoes are the second most important thing in your outfit that will be noticed after your dress. Any kind of flip-flops, sandals, or sneakers is an absolute no-no for any interview. It is suggested to wear rose shaded, black, blue, or tan-colored pumps or low heels during that particular day.

Body jewelry such as nose and lip rings, heavy earring or necklace does not go well for a formal interview with a formal dress. You can wear a statement jewelry piece like a simple stud or a light chain with your outfit to give an elegant look.

Avoid Strong Perfume Or Too Much Makeup

As you are still not an employee, it is a wise thing to keep in mind that no matter what is the rule of the employer regarding the dress code, you should always present yourself professionally. A kind of strong perfume or cologne might make you feel sick to anyone with an odor problem. A light aroma that will not make your presence feel awkward is perfect for your day.

Makeup is another most important thing along with your accessories because if you wear bold lipsticks and too much overdose of make-up, your simple formal outfit won’t match with it. Try to maintain the most straightforward and minimal makeup with your dress. A light lipstick of gloss, little mascara, and clean hair tie is enough to add that oomph. You can put a dash of kohl if that makes you more confident.

Best Interview Dress Options for Females

Source in.pinterest.com

The best outfit for a job interview will depend on the season and type of interview location. Winter, summer, autumn, or rainy season has a significant impact on how to dress. You need to understand the interview location, if it is a field interview or a corporate job, or some casual place, to dress up correctly. Here we have a few suggestions on what and how to dress during an interview.

Navy Suit with White shirt

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Once your resume gets the green signal, it’s time for you to prepare yourself for the interview. The first thing you need, along with your mental preparation, is your dress code. A simple, elegant, safe dress code for a woman can be the best option for your important day. This Dark Navy Blue Suit is always classic formal office wear, so without any hesitation, you can use it for your interview day. It is a unisex color and comes with more flexibility.

Women’s suit comes with various designs and lengths. They are more tapered towards the waist to make it look fitting. A suit with pants, a skirt suit or a dress suit is all acceptable for interviews for women. A beautiful navy or dark blue suit with a white shirt is enough to make an elegant professional statement. It looks professional and smart on women all the time.

Pencil Skirt with Pale Blue Shirt

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You head towards your dream interview and feel confident about your dress code. That will surely bring so much success to you already. Pressing optimistic about our dress will bring an x-factor in your personality. Among many other dress codes, one of the smartest interview dresses is a pencil skirt and shirt. You can use a full or short sleeve shirt with a pencil skirt, which will be the perfect option if you cannot use a blazer or suit due to weather conditions. Both of the options go exceptionally well with a pencil skirt. A dark and light combination of this dress code makes it look incredibly stylish and formal.

Try this Vero Moda Formal Pale Blue Full Shirt at Rs. 900, which is in the short length.

Source www.myntra.com

A regular fit Purple Feather Back Pencil Skirt of Rs. 569 after discount, which has a zip closure and slit at the back. Both are fantastic combinations together with some matching accessories like black semi-heel pump shoes and small stud earrings.

Flat Trousers with Rose Pink Shirt

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Light pink is a very soothing formal colour for ladies without any hesitation, it is perfect for day or evening interviews. It is such a pleasant color to wear at any season or any kind of conversation. A pink shade can blend well with dark colours like blue, brown, or black. But if you want to try it with the light shades like white, off white or tan, you can't go wrong either. Allen Solly has this cotton high-quality Pink Shirt which is perfect and comfortable for all day long. It has a shirt collar, three-quarter sleeve, and a regular fit look. It is priced for Rs. 1,264, and it comes in various sizes.

Source www.lifestylestores.com

Allen Solly also has a wide range of professional pants for women, which looks perfect for an interview. The Solid Flat Front Trouser Pants is a chic piece that will amp up your casual style. You can pair it with the beautiful rose-pink shirt, and this light-deep combination can make it look like a desirable interview dress code. It is a full-length pant worth Rs. 1,439 with a slim fit look and the material is a polyester blend. So just wear a pair of dark pumps with the rose pink shirt and flat trouser pants on your special interview day.

Formal Blazer With Tapered Trousers

Source www.veromoda.in

Do you know wearing smart formals makes you stand out of the crowd? If the suit places you in the superior position in a meeting or interview, a blazer makes you look smart, pleasant, and spiffy.

Vero Moda has a formal blazer, perfect for interviews and its beige colour is exciting and different, yet not loud. It is a beige-coloured blazer, that can be used with any contrasted bottom, whether light or dark. The price of the blazer is Rs. 2,309, and it comes in various sizes and you can get it from veromoda.in. It has one big button at the center and two pockets on each side.though it is a blazer, it has a gentle feminine approach, which is perfect for a single interview and at any casual parties. It is made up of 96% polyester and 4% elastane.

Source www.lifestylestores.com

With this beautiful blazer, a light shaded solid tapered trouser will be a perfect combination for any formal interview. You can pair these Off-White Textured Mid-Rise Pants which is priced at Rs. 1,119, and it comes in various sizes. It is made with cotton lycra with two slant pockets and two wet pockets. It is mid-rise, ankle-length, and zipped and comes with a detachable belt.

Wine Color Knee Length Dress

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Although a dress should be professional and conservative to wear at an event of an interview, that does not mean you can not experiment with different attires. You can also try for colorful dresses other than blue and black, like a maroon, and make it a part of your interview wardrobe.

With a statement dress, it is better to wear formal black pumps and fewer accessories with this kind of dress. This wine-colored dress is from Ms. Chase and is available to buy from amazon.in. It not only looks professional but also feminine. The fabric is polyester, and it has a 3/4th sleeve and round neck. The style of this dress is button closure and knit. It comes in various sizes - XS, S, M, L, and XL, and the price is between Rs. 699 - Rs. 749.

Grey Cotton Kurti

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In India for years, Kurti has been a trendy dress for everyday use, occasional and festival use, and even it is widely accepted as an interview dress too. You need to be selective about the color and design when you are going for Kurti, as Kurtis are mostly ornamented and colorful. This Grey Cotton Kurti is one of the ideal dresses for interviews if you want to wear Indian outfits.

It is a corporate color and goes well with any light or dark shaded leggings. It is available on Snapdeal and is priced at Rs. 698 and comes in various sizes like S, M, L, and XL. It is a front slit and designed with many buttons. It looks decent to wear for any interviews, especially during the hot and humid months of Indian weather. It is also a comfortable attire to choose from your wardrobe for meetings or interviews.

Formal Salwar Suit

Everything you wear in an interview matters as it is the first thing anyone will notice, along with your attitude and resume. A salwar suit is very commonly used all over India, whether in jobs or even in job interviews. It will surely depend on the type of interview you are going to attend, but if you wear a cotton and professional-looking salwar suit, not with lots of big prints or bold colors, then there will be no confusion about the dress. This Small Check Salwar Suit in light shade and blue contrast can make a corporate statement dress for an interview. The price is Rs. 565, and the material is crepe, which is breathable and light.

Ethnic Linen Saree

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Saree is the first choice of most Indian candidates as its ethnic and professional look glams up the dress code easily. This White Linen Saree with temple borders for Rs. 2,900 is one of your best choices for your interview day. It is a textured linen saree that will bring out the grace and elegance in your look at any kind of interview or a formal meeting.

Tips to Add a Perfect Touch to Your Interview Dress Code

Some of the common mistakes we do while going out for an interview can be significant obstacles in your victory. Let us discuss a few things which you should avoid on a particular day.

Keep Your Backpack at Home

Sometimes we just grab all the necessary items in a backpack or a fanny pack and take it to the interview center so that nothing looks clumsy. But it’s better to keep your backpack at home and use a beautiful briefcase or file holder. Your attire or dress code will not go with the usual back-pack on your interview day.

Be Well-Groomed

Maintaining a clean look with tightly tied hair in a bun or ponytail, no skin-show outfit, no heavy makeup, or glossy jewelry will provide a fresh look with your interview dress.

Select Your Attire According to the Interview Ambience

Keep a few different outfits that can be matched with each other when needed for your interview day and it would depend on the role you and the company you are interviewing for. Ethnic and western both are necessary for different kinds of interview purposes.

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Research Well about Your Role and the Company

What you wear and carry yourself will of course help you create that good first impression during the interview, but a good interview is not just limited to that. So, it is important that you do your homework and research about the role, its expectations, and also about the company and its culture. This will help you feel more confident and also interact with your interviewer in an informed manner.