Fashion Essentials: Must-Haves for Interviews and Work
Even if you see nothing but fun in your future right now, you will eventually have to go to a job interview. If you’ve already been through the interview process and have a great job (lucky you), you still might need clothing that’s more than casual for the office. Due to popular request, here’s my list of fashion essentials for job interviews and work environments.
To start, here are some tips on shopping for interview and work wear:
- Skip sexy! An interview is your opportunity to show your potential employer what kind of worker you are going to be. Traipsing in wearing a mini skirt and sequined tank top on says “party girl”, and that is the last thing your boss-to-be wants. You want to look professional–but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style!
- Focus on business casual classics that can be worn many ways. You want versatile pieces that you can personalize with different accessories.
- While stores like Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe might be great places for everyday wear and accessories, you may need to step it up and spend a bit more (but not too much) on work clothing or interview wear. If you have a tailored piece from a discount retail store, you can probably get away with wearing it, but don’t wear anything that might look too trendy or cheap.
Office Essentials
Here are some must-have items and outfit inspiration for your big interview:
1. A Works-with-Everything Jacket
Product Information: Bow Jacket – Anthropologie, Blue Blazer – Newport News, Sateen Boyfriend Blazer – French Connection
Suits are boring, and for most entry level job interviews, too stuffy. A jacket is a great way to take things up a notch without resorting to a matchy-matchy suit set. If you already have a suit you love, break up the set and wear the pieces on their own. A blazer can be worn with almost any basic (dress, skirt, trousers) and is versatile enough to transition into everyday wear as well.
A blazer needs to fit your body type and personal style. If you are curvy like me, make sure that your jacket nips in at the waist (could I sound any more like Stacy and Clinton?), like jacket #2 above, so you don’t look boxy. A long, slim, and fitted boyfriend blazer (see jacket #3) flatters busty shapes, and a bold embellishment, like the bow on jacket #1, or a bright color, can work on pear shaped bodies. No matter your shape or size, be sure that you can comfortably button up your jacket without any pulling or gaping in the bust area. A jacket should be comfortable and should fit you right!
2. Professional Trousers
Product Information: Outfit #1: Cream trousers – Gap, Yellow silk tank – J. Crew, Ruffle-neck cardigan – Old Navy, Embellished necklace – Anthropologie, Orange pumps – Nine West Outfit #2: Straight leg trousers – Forever 21, Charcoal button front – Old Navy, Grey blazer – Anthropologie, Pink watch – Lord and Taylor, Polka-dot heels – Zappos
A great pair of pants can work year round with tons of different outfits. You can dress them up or down, pair them with flats or heels, and no matter what you’ll always look pulled-together.
I would wear Outfit #1 to the office for a regular work day. It might not be dressy enough for an interview (depending on the industry and the position you are interviewing for) but it is definitely a stylish alternative to a basic button-front and grey pants. Don’t be afraid to try new trends for work–just err on the conservative side (no sheer tops, for example). For this outfit, I decided to go with brights, which were all over the Spring runways. Mixing and matching several bright colors (like orange and yellow) is perfectly fine as long as you have neutrals to ground the outfit.
Outfit #2 is interview appropriate. My mom always tells me to dress one level above the job I’m interviewing for, and this is a good rule to stick by. If you are interviewing for a job that requires you wear business casual, take it up a notch and go the professional route. For most interviews, I would go with a serious look, but add on feminine/playful accessories like a printed shoe or pretty watch to make it your own.
3. A Structured Bag
You are going to need something to carry all your “stuff” in, but you don’t want an ultra-casual hobo or a super trendy bag for a work environment. A structured, serious, but still stylish bag is essential. This is a great time to go with an investment piece. If you are going to spend money on one thing for work, go with a bag – a good one will last you forever and make you look more professional. Here are a few structured bags in several different price ranges:
Product Information: YSL Bowler ($$$$) – Bluefly, Coach green carry-all ($$$) – Coach, Puma patent tote ($$) – Nordstrom, Camel Leather Tote ($$) – Aldo
4. A Stylish Pair of Low Heels
Low heels get a bad rap for being old ladyish, but a kitten heel can be just as fashionable as a your sexy sky highs, especially in the office. That said, if low heels aren’t your thing, high heels definitely give you confidence and exude power, so in most cases feel free to wear any heel you’d like to work or an interview. However, some people have trouble distinguishing between professional and party. If you have that problem, stick to a low-heeled shoe like these:
Product Information: Mary-janes – Anthropologie, Purple suede heels – DSW, Green trim pump – Far Fetch
When looking for stylish low-heeled shoes, my best advice is to go to sites where you can search through their catalog by heel-height. Zappos, DSW, and Payless all allow you to do this, and it’s much easier than going through the entire site. Zappos also allows you to narrow down the low-heeled shoes by designer. That way, you can prevent any potentially grandma-ish shoes from popping up.
5. A Shift Dress
Like the white t-shirt from the Going to Class Essentials feature, a simple black dress can go a long way. Re-working a basic shift dress (or whatever plain dress you have in your closet) is a great way to stretch your work wardrobe.
Product Information: Outfit #1: Black dress – J. Crew, Flats – Payless, Tote – Coldwater Creek, Trench – American Eagle Outfit #2: White blouse – Delias, Red flats – Endless, Headband - Ulta
What do you think?
For more on this topic, be sure to see our article on How to Dress for a Job Interview! It contains even more tips and outfit ideas, sorted by the industry you want to work in.
Now I want to hear your thoughts! Have you ever been to an interview? What did you wear? Do you think these looks are work appropriate? What do you wear to work? I’d love to hear from you.
Posted on on January 27, 2010 / Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Career, Essentials, interview, Job, Outfits, Tips, wear to work, Work, work clothes
Like this post?
Before you post a comment, please read the 
Ashley
I am a recent (May 2009) college graduate who currently works in Human Resources, and I can not thank you enough for this article! While it may not seem like it, appearance is SO important in an interview — if I’m interviewing 10 equally qualified candidates for a job and one shows up dressed in a wrinkled shirt and jeans (it happens)…well, you can guess what happens. Being able to present yourself well is part of selling yourself — you don’t have to spend a lot of money, but have your shirt tucked in and ironed!
I noticed you didn’t meantion suits, which might not be entirely necessary depending on the type of interview, but I think it’s a good thing for a college student to spend some money on (and a lot of times parents will help!). Some good places to look for a first, not to expensive suit are New York and Company, The Limited, and Ann Taylor (Loft and Regular).
You can always overdress and be fine for an interview, but underdressing never looks good!
Ashley
ugh, sorry for all my typos! I look like a fool!
Isabelle
I love these types of articles, thank you so much for it. I’ve had a lot of badly dressed girls come to my company for interviews with me which leaves me walking away and shaking my head. Especially if your field of interest is something creative showing the creativity in your wardrobe is very necessary. But creativity does not equal tackiness. Vast difference.
Liz
Some good tips here but I’m going to suggest that you NOT use a Puma bag or any other typically “athletic” brand of bag. There are low cost totes out there that look much more professional than those.
Kristi
This is great!
Could you by chance now have an article on what is stylish to wear AT work?
I work in a place with the only dress code is: don’t show cleav, sleeves must be longer than cap-length, and pants/jeans with no distressing.
This might sound easy but it’s incredibly hard for a petite girl with a large bust to not show at least a little cleavage, unless it’s a turtleneck.
Thanks!
Jessica
Perfect timing! I’m going to an employer info session tomorrow, and that’s kind of the same thing, and I had no idea what to wear. Thanks :)
Kristen
This article is so perfect! I just found out today that I have a job interview next week and this helps out so much.
lalalina
I agree with a lot of what you said in this article, especially about the blazer. I have two go-blazers and they take an outfit from everyday office attire to big meeting ready. I too am a May ‘09 college grad and have found that you need to dress up a bit more for those big meetings. The only critique I have is that the traditional office setting is not the place for the straight leg trousers you mentioned in the first outfits. Great job on the article! I’d really like to see an article on how to accessorize at the office, because pearls are great but can get boring.
Katie
This was a great article! I really liked how you broke down how each look could be worn and how the pieces can work together, AND that you offered info on how they can be applied in terms of body type, workplace formality, and budget. Nice! I agree that the Puma bag seems like an ouch, but everything else here looks so on-point. Definitely bookmarking for when it comes to internship-shopping time.
As a sidebar, my work uniform for last summer was basically low heels, high-waisted printed skirts over basic blouses, topped with a cardigan. I felt totally OK if there was a meeting, used the layers to survive the menopause-esque duality of air conditioning and city temperatures, AND never felt like I was playing dress-up. PLUS I get to wear all of those clothes during the school year, just mixed up so that they don’t feel as business-y.
If you’re looking for printed skirts, I cannot recommend Anthropologie enough. I know, I know, they have those crazy prices, but they ALWAYS have high-waisted skirts in the sale section. You can get some for about $30 (as opposed to $129) at any time of year! I love them.
lyra
this is great thank you! my school band is going on a trip and we have to dress formal and stuff for a ENTIRE week XP…. by teh way…at teh risk of being accused of trolling could u pretty pl0x do a post on like channeling a toned down lady gaga? preferably the hair bow? ^ ^ i love her but her look is just too much XD
lyra
and the lady gaga thing mainly because me and some friends r having a contest where we emulate someone for a month and for once i wanna win one of our “contests” (i.e. the great hot dog juggling contest of ‘09 XP )
kaley
Great ideas! i love the gray and black outfit with the trousers. dressing professionally is so important in certain circumstances, but you never know when they will pop up! At my job, I wear a uniform, but my boss recently asked me if i would like to try working at a higher position where the dress is business casual/professional depending on the day. It’s a great opportunity, but if i didn’t already invest in certain business pieces, i would either have to turn down the offer or do some serious shopping. Seriously, ladies, make these investments well before you desperately need to.
wazy
Hey Kristi I have the same problem. One thing you can try doing is wearing a bandeau underneath your tops. I’ts not as heavy as a tanktop/cami but it still provides coverage. You can find them pretty much anywhere from lingerie stores to just regular clothing stores and there are some that are ruched in the middle so it still might show a bit of cleavage, but there are ones that are not-ruched which should provide coverage.
You could also try wearing things like one-shouldered shirts or those turtleneck haltertops underneath even short-sleeved cardigans so that it’s conservative enough for work. Hope that helps!
jem
i really appriciated this article, i’ve been searching for an internship this summer… and now i know the proper way to dress for the interview!
Moran
You definitely would not take a Puma bag to a job interview
Lu
Great idea for a post. I think two other things you should add is the basic white or black oxford and pencil skirt. And on a side note I think the second shift dress outfit is a little granny. Maybe some people can pull it off but mainly it makes people look older.
Emily the Panda
thanks for the reminder… i will be needing these tips in a few weeks! yikes.
val
This is an awesome article, as expected from CF!
s.
I liked this article, as I am currently working at an office (a rather relaxed one though) before I go on a semester abroad…
I would have included boots though! flats are great to wear around the office too, but Ive got a pair of calf high, black leather boots with a small heel that I keep in the office and wear with everything. Theyre a bit more my style (a little more rock, a little less prim) and they look great with everything…
My favorite outfit was the one with the gray jacket under “professional trousers”. very cute. I would wear that, but with black jeans and boots since my office is pretty casual!
Jessica - Butte College
I’m so glad you posted this! First impressions are very important. Your appearance lets prospective employers know if you take the opportunity to have this job seriously or not. If you dress up for the interview, they’ll be more likely to remember you. I always believe that it’s better to dress up then to dress down!
I LOVE every dingle handbag you picked out. So cute! Especially the YSL bag. YSL is definitely one of my favorite designers, never disappoints.
Workchic
This post was really well done! Love your suggestions! The only thing I would change is to switch out the Puma tote to a more classic, structured tote. The name indicates athletic or casual.
Melissa
I know you said that suits are stuffy, but don’t underestimate the power of a good one! Most employers love a candidate wearing a suit – it shows professionalism and that you’re serious about the job. I wore a suit on the interview of my internship and it wasn’t stuffy at all. Grey, pinstripe, with a small belt to nip in my waist. I wore a light blue top underneath with understated black jewelry. You can still be fashionable and wear a suit – just get one that’s your style.
Beth
That black dress is not appropriate for work. You really don’t need to spend almost 200 dollars on a dress but this would be a much more appropriate work dress.
http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/dresses/suitingdresses/PRDOVR~24030/24030.jsp
Audrey - Ohio State University
kristi,
I would go with a tie-neck blouse. They still have a slight v-neck, but not enough to show cleavage. You can even leave them tied for a more covered-up look. I would pair them with basic trousers or tucked in to a pencil skirt.
lalalina,
Straight pants are very work appropriate: You may be confusing them with “skinny” trousers, which are not. Skinny pants are fitted through the leg and taper at the ankle. Straight pants skim the leg and have an standard width of 17″, making them a great alternative to traditional wide leg trousers. Check out Banana Republic, The Limited, and Ann Taylor Loft for great ways to wear straight trousers into your work wardrobe.
beth,
I always push readers to express their personal style. I feel the black dress shown is work appropriate (or obviously I wouldn’t have shown it), but if you don’t, I would suggest (as I did in the original post) to choose a plain dress of appropriate length that you already own and style it your own way.
lyra,
I got a new People Style Watch magazine in the mail today. It has an article about how to emulate Lady Gaga’s style. You might want to pick up a copy and check it out!.
Marijke
About #3…If you want a nicer bag but you can’t afford it, always look at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. I can promise you that their prices for purses are AMAZING. And they’re real legit purses. Like Dooney & Bourke, Coach, nice Italian leather purses, Kathy Van Zeeland, and others.
All are about 50% or less than what you would pay at the department stores in the mall.
And to make it even easier to shop, most TJ Maxx’s and Marshall’s have their purses in order by color.
I always buy my Kathy Van Zeeland purses there. At Macy’s her purses run around $100, at TJ Maxx they’re normally between $30-$50.
Just thought I’d help.
Agnes
i want it all!!!