As I’m sure we’ve all experienced, being uncomfortable with what you are wearing is one of the worst feelings in the world. It instantly lowers your self-confidence and makes it hard to focus on anything else. As college women, it is important to have at least one outfit in our closet that can be easily accessed for an interview. Since interviewing for a job or internship is one of the most nerve-wracking things that most of us will ever experience, you shouldn’t let worrying about what to wear add to the stress! It’s all about feeling confident, and dressing the part is half the battle. Even if you are secretly scared out of your mind, putting a great outfit together that is appropriate and comfortable will ease the process. If you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin, it will most likely come across to the person interviewing you. Just because you are dressing for the workplace doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your own personal style, however.
Accessories are the perfect way to remain true to who you are while still looking employment worthy! Here are some examples of a classic interview outfit that will never lead you astray: the dress and blazer or cardigan. Not only is it an outfit that is easy and versatile, but an essential look for your professional wardrobe.
Getting started: Find a dress that you love in a staple color, like black, navy or grey. Make sure it is a quality, professional fabric. Then you can add a blazer or cardigan with more color to it to make the outfit pop. I’m not saying neon pink, but perhaps a blush tone or rich blue (see third look from right). Likewise, buying a nice black blazer is an investment that won’t let you down, as it can be paired with virtually any type or color of dress you want. Either way, choose one piece of the outfit to be a more conservative color, and then build around that. The pictures above are helpful examples of how to incorporate color into your outfit without going crazy, as well as showing pieces that can be easily mixed and matched. With dresses, having the shoulders covered is always a safe bet, and throwing on a cute cardigan or blazer makes this easy to do. Dresses that hit just above the knee, like in the photos above, are a respectable length that won’t leave you guessing if it is suitable or not. Look for something that isn’t too form fitting, but still shows that you have a form. A dress that cinches at the waist, like with a belt for instance, is a good option. The navy and grey dresses from H&M below are affordable examples of all of these things: a nice length, appropriate fit, and easy to add a blazer or sweater over. Keep in mind that ifIf you’re ever in doubt about the length or fit of an item, don’t buy it!. Better safe than sorry.!
Accessories: Accessories are another perfect way to let your personality shine through. A statement necklace is a great way to complete an outfit, and you can find them virtually anywhere and for any type of budget. Check out Forever 21 for some cheap options!
Shoe-wise, a basic pair of comfortable black and nude pumps will get you through anything. The Madden Girl Getta Platform Pump from DSW is the perfect shoe. Order them in black and nude right now, I promise you won’t be disappointed! They aren’t too tall and are super comfortable, which is obviously rare for heels. While chic flats can be nice for day to day work outfits, a stylish pair of heels is essential for an interview, dressing up the look overall. They are a good pair of staples to build upon, and can be worn outside of the workplace too!
Once you have a few variations of the basic dress and blazer look, it will be easy to expand your business-y wardrobe and mix and match your tops with formal pants or pencil skirts. Make sure to have a few blazers and dresses ready to go, so that you never have to scramble at the last minute. Now go ace that interview, you can do it!