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BabyBeagle
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BabyBeagle


What are your thoughts on TV fold vs. some kind of puff or points? I would lean toward the former for interviews.

I completely agree although I would err on the conservative side and skip it altogether. Sure on a few occasions somebody may appreciate that you have a pocket square, but they aren't going to be frowned upon if you don't have one. At best, pocket squares are fashion forward at the moment thanks to shows like Mad Men. You only get one shot, so why risk it? Once you nail the job you can wear whatever pocket squares you want.
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I don't like the suit because it has a tone-on-tone fancy stripe. Fine for going out, not for interviews.

The tie is also too fancy.

If you wore that suit and tie, and it fit well, you would look well dressed, sure. But, an interview is a graver in tone than a night out; these clothes are celebratory.

The shoes are perhaps the worst offender. Patent leather shoes are formal wear. I don't mean interview formal. I mean wedding formal, and only if it's your wedding.

For the money you're spending on this Versace stuff, you can get good business-appropriate clothes. It's about subtlety though, and Versace is probably the last place I'd look for that. Think of brands like Isaia and Oxxford at the top end, Burberry, Hickey Freeman, Brooks Brothers, RL somewhere below that, and Jos A Bank, Hart Shaffner Marx at the low end.

The designers, i.e Versace, Prada, Gucci, Armani, Valentino, et al, all make nice stuff, but it's very stylized and better suited for revelry. Barney's, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bergdorf all make this distinction and sell the business brands separately from the fashion brands.
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Yeah, you are right. These brands are somehow too blatant. Subtlety is what is important.
Anyway, once we are admitted, we are free to wear whatever we want :)
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Yeah, you are right. These brands are somehow too blatant. Subtlety is what is important.
Anyway, once we are admitted, we are free to wear whatever we want :)

Do you know any good tailors in Bulgaria? I don't know a lot about Eastern European options, but solid old-school tailoring is much more common in Europe than it is in the US. We have a handful of guys in major markets like NYC, 1 in Boston, 1 in Philly, probably a couple in Chicago and LA each. There's got to be someone near you that we've never heard of but does excellent work.
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Bulgaria produces excellent quality shoes; however, I am not sure whether this is the case for suits.
Europe is a small continent though, Italy and France are not that far away. Do you think we need to hire tailors for just an interview, can`t we just go into a good store and buy something nice that fits us ;)
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Ivan91
Bulgaria produces excellent quality shoes; however, I am not sure whether this is the case for suits.
Europe is a small continent though, Italy and France are not that far away. Do you think we need to hire tailors for just an interview, can`t we just go into a good store and buy something nice that fits us ;)

Yeah of course. I guess I should have said that I meant you might have access to better quality stuff for less money if you hired a tailor. I don't know though. Depends on where you live.

Also, the suit isn't just for one interview, it'll work equally well at interviews during b-school and at the office later. Consider it an investment. You'll get a ton of wear out of navy and charcoal suits b/c they go with everything, and nobody can tell if you're wearing the same suit twice a week.
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Just to bring a little sanity:

All of the advice given is true, but do not think you need $85+ ties to get admitted to school or to get hired as an MBA. If you have the money, but all means spend it on your clothing if that makes you happy. If you don't, the most important thing is to remember the principles (dark suit, white shirt, conservative tie, shined dress shoes, etc.) and make sure you find a good tailor so that the clothes fit properly.
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I want to ask if I can wear a suit color that is a different from the pants color, for example, a charcoal gray suit but a black pants?
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I want to ask if I can wear a suit color that is a different from the pants color, for example, a charcoal gray suit but a black pants?

No, you can't. A suit consists of a jacket and pants made out of the same fabric, which is what is expected.

A lot of the things I've said are extreme and only apply if you want to conform 100% to my ideal. I'm picking nits because I enjoy talking about it, not because I think it makes much of a difference. However, the wrongness of wearing a charcoal jacket with black pants to an interview is totally beyond debate and will have a material effect on how you are perceived.

If you must wear separate pieces, a navy blazer and charcoal pants with a white shirt/conservative tie is infinitely more correct, but I still would not do this for an interview.
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Thanks for posting interview attire tips for women....not a lot of those out there.

For all the girls, thoughts on black patent leather heels and black Longchamp totes (not the best but they fit bulky portfolios better than normal sized purses)?
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I'm surprised at the way people do dress at MBA recruitment events.

I went to one for Deloitte last week and all these guys trying to get into consulting were wearing $2 striped ties with $4 striped shirts. Just cause you're wearing a dress shirt doesn't mean every tie goes with it! You don't buy a different couch and loveseat and call it a set!
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nicboy
I want to ask if I can wear a suit color that is a different from the pants color, for example, a charcoal gray suit but a black pants?

No, you can't. A suit consists of a jacket and pants made out of the same fabric, which is what is expected.

A lot of the things I've said are extreme and only apply if you want to conform 100% to my ideal. I'm picking nits because I enjoy talking about it, not because I think it makes much of a difference. However, the wrongness of wearing a charcoal jacket with black pants to an interview is totally beyond debate and will have a material effect on how you are perceived.

If you must wear separate pieces, a navy blazer and charcoal pants with a white shirt/conservative tie is infinitely more correct, but I still would not do this for an interview.

Can I wear a black and gray strip tie with a white shirt. Someone says wear a red and gray strip, but I think red is kind of old?

Thanks
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lmao at the "suit color different than pants color" comment. This cannot be real life? What male older than the age of 7 does not know this?
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nicboy
Can I wear a black and gray strip tie with a white shirt. Someone says wear a red and gray strip, but I think red is kind of old?

Thanks

Remember that striped ties aren't the only option. But there's nothing inherently wrong with red as long as it matches your shirt and suit. I think black/gray/white would look a little monochromatic and that some color would be a good call.
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