Guide to Recruiting and Schmoozing - Part 2 - What to wear

If you read any guide to meeting people, schmoozing, or interviewing, it will tell you that after your face, the first thing that people will notice is your shoes. For example, in the US, wearing tassled loafers means something - it's the traditional footwear of top lawyers and it's and image you don't want to project as someone looking for a job.

The bottom line is that people will in fact notice your shoes, so you just want something that is serious and professional - ironically you want to select something that makes people think you didn't worry too much about your shoes. You definitely don't want something that screams 'I'm high maintenance' or 'I'm difficult' or 'I like to dress pretty rather than professional'.

Hey! what type of coat/jacket is suitable for a suit?

Knowing what to wear and when to wear it is anything but camp.



Two or three button.

I'm thinking about picking up a pair. Allen Edmonds is really the best bang for your buck as far as shoes go. To move up noticeably in quality, you have to make a huge price jump.

This is probably off-topic, but do you guys have recommendations for dress shoes that cost < $100?

Try Florsheim or Rockport.

Hi,
Perhaps you may wish to find a better price rather than a cheaper pair of shoes. This may not be an option if you are pressed for time but is great if you have the luxury of planning ahead. Two options to buying a cheap pair of shoes are thrifting and playing the discount game. The key to either is to know ahead of time what item you want (i.e., brand and model) and your exact fit in that shoe. This knowledge opens the key to shopping online, taking advantage of retailers emailing you advance notice of sales, new shoes on fleabay etc..

When you visit the big shoe store to shop and try on shoes (so you know your size etc.) pick your salesperson carefully. Avoid the young fellow who's pants are pooling about his ankles and deal instead with the middle aged career salesperson. Try on several pairs of shoes including something that you intend to buy. Buy them and get the person's card. When the store emails you that advance notice call and deal with that person. "I really appreciated you help last time, I understand you're having a sale, could you see if you have X in 9.5D..." The best stuff (especially if you are a common size) disappears quickly and a relationship with SA will assist with getting it held. Eventually this relationship can get stuff put aside for you before the sale, calls when something you want becomes available etc..

Help!

cheap but good quality dress shoes: Clarks and Bostinian Outlets. I swear by those shoes, and unless someone is a shoe critic, there's nothing to nitpick about those shoes.

Good stuff Pel.

I can't even picture in my head socks being darker than shoes. Just so wrong. Anyway, your socks should match your pants. While the bottom of your pants is moving around, your color-matching socks give a more consistent view of your pant leg.

If your socks match your shoes, but not your pants, it looks like you're wearing boots.

But for all intents and purposes, Pelihu's advice was to be fool-proof, hence the black socks to match the dark shade of charcoal/navy suits.

I have two questions that were not addressed:

1. What is your opinion of dress shirt collar style? There are three basic styles: button-down, point collar, and spread collar. My opinion is that spread collar is a little too flashy and looks best with a large knot. Button-down vs. point collar seems to be a matter of personal preference. The button-down seems to be a little more traditional, and it is the style I have always worn; however, I am thinking of switching to point collar based on what I see business/political leaders wearing.

2. Does it matter if the suit jacket is central or side vent?

Thanks.

1. I always believe that point collar is more formal and appropriate for business attire than button down.

2. I don't think the vents matter. It is a matter of personal preference. The functionality of them is for when you're sitting. I prefer side vents since they seem "neater" to me.

Definitely avoid a button down collar. That is not considered business formal, though sometimes you seem people wearing them on business casual days. They just look really sloppy when combined with a tie. You have some options when it comes to a point collar, but definitely always use collar stays (sometimes called collar bones) to make sure they are straight.

How to dress for a career forum.
GUYS:
-Something wrinkled , unmatched that will CLEARLY state "My mother no longer dresses me. I am independent."
-Try not to shave - or it will look like you are trying too hard.
-Be sure you BADLY need a haircut - or it will look like you are trying too hard.
-Don't comb your hair - or it will look like you are trying too hard.
-Either mangle your tie, or don't wear one - it will help you be memorably compared to all those other fools wearing suits.

GIRLS:
-Tightest, thinnest shirt you can find, and also made with the least cloth possible to leave nothing to the imagination. Shoot for extremely revealing of cleavage, and plenty of skin. Think "skankerchief".
-Worlds tightest skirt, about 8" in length.
-Worlds tallest, heels, about 8" in length.
-Be sure your "shirt", "skirt", and "shoes" are black, that makes it classy. Any other color would be trashy.

I saw a few examples of each of these at a forum for jobs with Japanese companies - IN JAPAN mixed in with the thousands of appropriately dressed folks. Cause, you know, those corporations in Japan are SUPER casual.

In the club, during my early 20s.

love spread collar (we call it shark collar). Don't think its flashy at all. Needs a decent tie knot though.

A pretty informative thread on b-week (I KNOW!!??) about suits/dressing up for interviews.

https://forums.businessweek.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=bw-bschools&tid=75219

I agree with all of that except for the pleats vs. flat fronts. Pleats are not "80's and 90's". They are traditional and therefore not out of style. To me, it is a personal preference decision similar to 2 vs. 3 button jackets. For some people (me included), flat front pants do not suit their body type.