You want to make the best possible impression on the interviewer so they see you as the ideal candidate for the job. While your qualifications and interview answers are crucial, your appearance and how you present yourself visually also factor into the interviewer’s evaluation. Dressing appropriately for an interview shows you are detail-oriented and care about the impression you make.
To have the best chance of landing the job, you’ll want to avoid common mistakes people make when dressing for interviews. Follow these tips to look polished, professional and ready to be hired!
1. Wearing Unprofessional Attire
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is showing up in unprofessional clothing. Even if the workplace has a casual dress code day-to-day, you should always opt for more formal business attire for the interview itself. Wearing casual clothes like jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, or flip flops can give the impression you don’t take the interview seriously.
Some examples of professional interview attire include:
- A tailored suit (pantsuit or skirt suit for women) in a dark neutral color like black, navy or charcoal gray. Make sure the suit is not too tight or revealing.
- A button-down collared dress shirt or blouse, paired with dress pants or a knee-length skirt. Solid colors or subtle patterns are best.
- A sensible dress paired with a blazer or cardigan and closed-toe dress shoes. Avoid short skirts or low necklines.
- Dark trousers, dress shirt and tie for men. Make sure clothes are neatly pressed.
- Closed-toe dress shoes in black or brown, with minimal embellishments. Heels should not be over 3-4 inches high.
The bottom line? Leave the jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, leggings, and other casual clothes at home when interviewing. Overdressing is better than underdressing! Show you respect the employer by presenting yourself professionally.
2. Showing Too Much Skin
Along with avoiding casual attire, it’s important not to show too much skin when interviewing. Revealing clothing can come across as unprofessional and give the wrong impression. Use these guidelines:
- Don’t wear sleeveless tops or dresses without a blazer or cardigan over them. Bare shoulders can seem too casual.
- Avoid low cut tops or necklines that show cleavage. This can be seen as inappropriate.
- Wear skirts or dresses that hit at least 1-2 inches above the knee when standing. Anything shorter can border on too sexy.
- Skip the see-through fabrics. Transparent material is not interview appropriate.
- Make sure tops are not too tight or clingy. You don’t want to look like your clothes don’t fit.
- Go easy on the leg with slits in skirts or dresses. Too high of a slit can show off too much skin.
- Only open 1-2 buttons max on dress shirts. Never go bare-chested under a suit jacket.
The key is striking that balance between professional and provocative. You want to look polished and modest.
3. Poor Fit and Alterations
Ill-fitting clothes are another downfall when dressing for interviews. Baggy, sloppy clothing makes a negative impression. However, anything too small or tight also misses the mark.
To ensure proper fit:
- Have dress clothes professionally tailored to your measurements. Avoid anything too loose or too clingy.
- Try on your interview outfit ahead of time to check for fit and comfort. Make sure you can move easily.
- Jacket and dress sleeve lengths should hit right at the wrist bone. Pants should lightly graze the top of dress shoes without bunching.
- For button-down tops, make sure there are no gaping holes between buttons when you sit and move.
Pay attention to alterations details:
- Make sure any hemmed pants or skirts hang properly and don’t look like they were hastily tacked up.
- Check that there are no loose threads hanging on seams or hems. Remove them to keep things neat.
- No visible safety pins! Never try to temporarily pin up a too-long hem or pants. Get them properly altered instead.
Putting thought into the fit of your interview clothes shows you have respect for your appearance and the occasion.
4. Forgetting to Iron
Few things convey “careless” like a wrinkled, rumpled interview outfit. Make sure to properly press and steam clothes before an interview. Here are some ironing tips:
- Iron shirts, dresses, suits and other items the night before so they are crisp for the interview.
- Hang up the outfit immediately after ironing so it doesn’t get wrinkled again.
- Steam pants and skirts to remove wrinkles and creases. Pay close attention to eliminating wrinkles around the knees and rear.
- Use spray starch on collared dress shirts and blouses to make the fronts extra stiff and crisp. Make sure any creases in sleeves remain defined.
- Don’t forget to also press undergarments, slips, and camisoles that may show under clothes.
Taking the time to iron shows you pay attention to details. A wrinkle-free outfit conveys put-togetherness and professionalism.
5. Scuffed or Dirty Footwear
They say you can tell a lot about someone by their shoes. Dirty, battered, scuffed up shoes detract from an otherwise nice interview outfit. As you get ready, inspect footwear closely and address any issues:
- Shine dress shoes until polished and remove any dried mud or dirt on soles.
- Use leather cleaner to remove any salt stains or water marks.
- Cover any deep scuffs with matching shoe polish. Lightly buff so polish blends in.
- Make sure heels and soles are not worn down or cracked.
- Check that shoe laces are clean and not frayed. Tie neatly.
- Examine the toes and sides of heels for scratches or nail polish marks. Clean as needed.
Taking a few minutes to clean shoes makes a big difference. Freshly polished footwear completes the package of any professional interview look.
6. Inappropriate Styles for Industry
While a tailored suit may be perfectly appropriate for an interview in banking or law, it could strike the wrong chord if you’re interviewing with a tech startup. Make sure what you wear fits the industry culture and norms:
- Research the company ahead of time to get insight on the work environment and how employees dress day-to-day.
- For creative fields like tech or media, you may have more leeway to express personal style and stand out while still looking professional. Just don’t get too casual.
- In more buttoned-up fields like finance or academia, keep things traditional and conservative. Now is not the time to take risks or be bold.
- No matter the field, err on the formal end of the spectrum. You can always dress more casually once you get the job, but make a polished first impression.
The key is ensuring what you wear shows understanding of—and respect for—that company’s culture. Making smart style choices demonstrates you’ve done your homework.
7. Loud Prints and Patterns
While wearing a basic navy suit to every interview can get boring, don’t let your desire to stand out go overboard into flashy territory. Avoid loud prints and distracting patterns that can undermine your professionalism:
- Skip anything too brightly-colored, glittery, or heavily bejeweled. You don’t want to look like you’re going to a party.
- Florals, wild graphic prints, and overly bold plaids tend to look more cocktail attire than interview appropriate.
- Same goes for heavily patterned or brightly-colored dress shirts. Keep it simple with light stripes, solids or subtle designs.
- Accessories like striped ties, jeweled belt buckles and printed scarves can also compete for attention. Opt for simplicity.
The interview is about you and your qualifications, not your outfit. Make sure clothing doesn’t distract from—or become the focus of—discussion. Simple, classic and understated is the way to go.
8. Visible Tattoos and Piercings
If you have tattoos or piercings, use discretion when dressing for an interview. You want to avoid judgment based solely on appearance.
- Cover visible tattoos with clothing, bandages or makeup. Only display those in highly-visible places if the company culture openly embraces body art.
- Remove facial or tongue piercings. Leave in conservative ear piercings for women, like a single set of studs.
- Flip up nostril piercings to hide them. Limit surface piercings to ears or sides of neck.
- Skip the heavy chains connecting one piercing to another. Go for simple, professional looking jewelry.
There is nothing wrong with having tattoos or piercings. But displaying alternative styles can still be controversial in more traditional business settings. Don’t let appearance be a deal breaker before your experience is considered. You can always show your personal style later if you get the job.
9. Overdoing Makeup, Hair and Perfume
Looking polished for an interview includes paying attention to makeup, hair and scent. But it’s easy to go overboard and make these work against you.
For makeup:
- Stick to a natural, minimal look. Skip heavy eye makeup, dark lips or contouring.
- Make sure any makeup is blended to avoid harsh lines between neck and face.
- Fill in and shape brows but avoid anything radically sculpted.
- Pick neutral tones that complement your skin. Avoid glitter, shimmer or bold lips.
- Go easy on perfume and scented lotions which can irritate when strong.
For hair:
- Neatly style hair away from face and avoid anything overly stiff with product.
- Skip dramatic colors like hot pink—natural or traditional colors like blonde, brown and black are safest.
- No drastic cuts or punk styles. Avoid anything too over-the-top trendy.
- Pull back long hair into a conservative bun, braid or ponytail. Keep it simple.
You want to look natural and avoid styles that are distracting. Let your experience shine through, not your makeup.
10. Clothes that Wrinkle Easily
The last thing you want is to arrive at the interview looking pressed and polished, only to end up with a wrinkled mess half an hour later. Choose fabrics that will maintain their crisp look and structure:
- Opt for suits, shirts and dresses made from natural fabrics like wool, cotton, linen or silk blends. Avoid cheaper polyesters.
- Hang clothes in the bathroom while showering to let the steam release wrinkles.
- Pack an ironing kit for last minute touch ups. Press seams and pleats before entering the office.
- Wear an undershirt to absorb sweat and prevent pit stains on dress shirts.
- Carry pressed shirts and blouses on hangers rather than folded into a bag.
- For extra insurance, pack a back-up dress shirt or blouse. Nothing hurts confidence like a rumpled appearance.
With the right fabrics and some strategic steaming, you can maintain a crisp look from arrival to post-interview departure.
In Conclusion
Getting hired for a job is about more than just having good qualifications on paper. It’s also about showing up dressed neatly and appropriately for the interview. The clothes you wear and your overall appearance is one of the first things the interviewer notices when you walk in. So you want to get it right.
If your outfit is wrinkled, too tight or revealing, has stains, doesn’t fit right, shows too much skin, or looks sloppy, it will make a bad first impression. The interviewer may think you don’t take the job or interview seriously. Or that you are lazy and don’t pay attention to details.
On the other hand, if your interview clothes are nicely pressed, clean, fit you properly, cover what they should, and are appropriate for the type of job, it shows you care about looking professional. It makes you seem organized, responsible and qualified for the position.
So when getting ready for a job interview, take time to pick out and try on the right outfit. Make sure it is wrinkle-free, fits correctly, and suits the company culture. If needed, get it tailored or pressed to look neat. Check yourself in the mirror before walking in to the interview. Little things like stained shoes, missing buttons, or makeup smudges can ruin the overall effect.
Dressing neatly and professionally for job interviews is one way to show the hiring manager you are detail-oriented. It demonstrates you want to make a good impression and care about presenting yourself appropriately. With the right interview attire, you will look polished, put together, and ready to step into the new role. Your clothes help reflect the effort you have put into advancing your career.