How should a woman dress for an interview

Question

I am thinking of shopping for a suit and just curious what would you recommend? What color?

I haven't been invited yet, but I'd like to shop for one anyways, so that I can use it even at a job.... I have skirt suits but they are very light colored such as blue and even a pink one. I know the guys are probably laughing but they look good and I can pull it off:) but I don't think I want to wear something like that for an interview.... I have a brown pant suit too, but I believe brown is a no no as well? I usually wear slacks/skirt and shirt/sweater to work most times so I can get by...

So what do you guys recommend for an interview.... I just want to have it ready... since I am wrapping up apps and the waiting game has begun so I need something to keep myself busy:)

kidderek · Answer

I vote for navy pinstripe skirt-suit.

Pants suit = Hillary Clinton-ish (I've been watching too much Letterman).

nervousgmat · Answer

I would wear whatever you are comfortable with. I don't see anything wrong with the color brown or pants. In fact, I always wear pant suits to interviews because i don't have to think things like a clinging skirt or sitting down and making sure that i am not showing too much of my leg...

At the end of the day, what matters is how you handle yourself during the interview. As long as you are not wearing something inappropriate or flashy, you should be just fine!

rhyme · Answer

Every single girl I've seen at the GSB wears pant suits. DARK Navy blue with pinstripes or without.

defenestrate · Answer

I agree with the above.

Also, it does not hurt if you look professional and businesslike, but at the same time HOT! Remember that an interview should be fun as well.

gmatclb · Answer

Yes, wear what you want.

But I like to see a traditinal dress suit.

But I'll be frank and say wear what you look hot in. Not sexy hot, but business classy hot.

Don't flame the messenger. It shouldn't matter, but the truth is it does.

uvs_mba · Answer

Thanks guys! I have a Dark navy blue with pin stripes, I just need to get it tailor fit because I lost a lot of wt. Unfortunately my suit is having a ball in NY. What do you guys think of charcoal gray? How is a gray with pin stripes? or a black in pin stripes?

kidderek · Answer

I'll tell you what (aka here comes the non pc comment) - I've been to quite a few companies and the thing that I've noticed is that the more prestigious a firm, the better looking the women (the men as well, but there's a lot more leeway). Take it for what it's worth. 

It's a fact of life.

kidderek · Answer

My order of preference of pinstripe suits - navy, blk then gray. Darker the better.

emoryhopeful · Answer

I agree that appearances matter and you should try to look as stunning as possible. If you look better in a pants suit, go with that. If you look better in the skirt suit, go with that. Its whatever you think you look best in. I think too many women are worried that a skirt is inappropriate so they end up wearing the pant suit and look like Ellen Degeneres or, using kidderek's example, Hilary Clinton.

dextrous · Answer

wouldn't that be a good thing :twisted:

riverripper · Answer

Not if she gets interviewed by a female...

Seriously though. I tend to shy away from anyone wearing black (Esp. guys). Its too funeral like. Dark blue or Gray will work better. Though I must say that women can get away with a lot more in their outfits color wise. They dont have to follow the classic trends as much as men do.

uvs_mba · Answer

lol, exactly I think it is better to be comfortable and I can pull off a pant suit much better than a skirt:) Thanks for all the advice guys, I will go shopping this weekend and lets see if I find something nice.

dextrous · Answer

i suppose it is a chance she will have to take, given that it is a male-dominated field!

aaudetat · Answer

my two cents:

closed-toe shoes (this isn't the hard rule it used to be, but why risk it? toes are, apparently, inherently casual).

On a personal note, I don't like to wear anything too girly when I'm going for power-duds. Ruffles, chiffon, ribbons, etc. Lots of women pull it off, but I tend to be a boring dresser anyway, so I prefer a more streamlined look. 

Colors - anything dark-ish is fine. brown, black, gray, navy. it's really all ok. It's not like you're interviewing for i-banking.

aviroop · Answer

women's fashion advice given out by men on this forum...lol...

we are truly well rounded... awesome guys...

from essays to fashion.. long live gmatclubbers

KingKREEP · Answer

Lol! I was actually waiting for you to say something! Pink suit, yellow shirt, polka dotted scarf....

aviroop · Answer

I can assure you that if Govinda (comic Indian movie star) gets invited to GSB, he will be making u the fashion guru

KingKREEP · Answer

Oh yeah Govinda...how could I forget him?!? Btw, we really haven't seen him running around trees lately. Wonder what's up with that...

dextrous · Answer

actually, im curious, how many women are there on the forum?

How should a woman dress for an interview

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