Dress To Impress

In this article it discusses a study done in 2002 where different types of job interview outfits were questioned on appropriateness. It provides us with a lot of information that I feel I already knew about but completely disagree with. For example the idea women should always wear a high collard shirt under a suit, either a pantsuit or dress suit. This article was interesting to me but not for the reason that I learned something about what I should wear to job interviews, but for the fact that I saw how much fashion changed from the time this article was written in 2002 until now in 2013. If you look at the photos used in this article under ‘Most appropriate’ or even ‘Middle-range suits’ there is a sense of nostalgia that washes over you, most likely because it has been years since I’ve seen a suit like this. No one wears these suits anymore so this article was almost moot.

Here are two of the pantsuits that this article found to be ‘Most appropriate’. This is crazy to me to see and think that these would ever be considered in a job interview now. I think if you wore this to a job interview now you wouldn’t be taken seriously because your style is so far out of date.

I think an outfit like some of these seen here are more likely to impress someone in a job interview because you’re showing some of your own personality through dress while remaining tasteful and classy. They flatter the woman shape better and they each have small details that can add some interest to the piece. These women also accessorize the outfit, which is something the article stated was seen as a bad thing by the potential employers questioned.

In my opinion the suit shown above in the ‘Most appropriate’ photo make women seem like they’re more masculine and are just supporting the theory that men are better suited for working positions.


- Mare

 

In today’s society, the cultural norm is to dress to impress and sometimes that means a little more revealing than one may think is too much. But how can you blame any one when the media controls our lives. Today, media is what sets the standards for fashion. As the articles in the book states, Sarah was confused how to dress for her upcoming interview and wondered what dressing moderate meant. Does it mean fully covered up or can she go to the actresses of Sex and the City to help her dress in a good-looking way. Were the actresses dressed in Sex and the City too revealing for an interview. She posed all the right questions but in reality, what is right and what is considered too far out for an  interview.

Research showed their test groups all chose pant suits to be deemed appropriate for an interview. Even when dresses and skirts were in the mix, the overall appropriate look for any midlevel position should wear fitted hemmed pantsuits that fit the chosen interviewer in all the right ways. Nothing should be too tight or too short and there should definitely not be any cleavage. But I feel now days the “cultural norm” is different. Women are aloud to dress more revealing for job interviews and work. But the question lies “what is too revealing?”  The book states that “inappropriate” suits had too low-neck lines, Capri pants, body and busy textures, and slits showing too much leg. 

Overall, interviewers that wore symmetric and completely covered pant suits, full length sleeves, and jackets that were fitted but similar to a mans suit were more likely to get hired. Moral of this blog is to realize and analyze your surroundings and atmosphere. Ask yourself where you’re going and who you are trying to impress. If it’s a work atmosphere and you really need that job, then save your sexy attire for the weekend! Its better to be covered up and make money than be sexy and broke. 

- Val

Personally, I think that the proper way to dress for an interview depends highly on the position you are applying for, and the setting as well. An example that just happened to me recently was an interview that I had for an intern position. It was extremely informal and very short. I didn’t wear the typical knee length skirt with coordinating jacket that the article mentioned, because I felt that it wouldn’t be appropriate. The company itself is very easy going and fashion forward, so I incorporated that into my attire. I take every interview I have seriously, and just how I mentioned before, I considered the setting as well as the position. If I were applying for a paid, higher-level position, I’m sure the location and time would have been different, in which I would have taken into consideration and my attire would have changed.

"different industries, different rules" 

 

I can see why there would be a difference between in the way to dress for an interview for a more conservative company in the business industry, rather than a company in the fashion industry. The way you dress yourself for an interview says a lot to the interviewer. But there are things that all interviewers can agree on that are inappropriate, regardless of the industry. 

•         plunging necklines
•        skirts that are several inches above the knee
•        matching leather jacket and pants
•        slits in pant legs or skirts slit up to mid thigh

- Alex