6 Outfit Choices That Will Jeopardize Your Interview Performance

Few first-time meetings are more important than a job interview. When you first meet your potential employer, it’s essential not only to exhibit your positive attributes through your outfit choices, but also to avoid showing negative ones. 

By avoiding common interview fashion mishaps, you improve your chances of getting the call back and being selected for the job you want. So, if you want to make the best first impression, avoid wearing these six things to your next interview.

What not to wear:

There are many factors to take into consideration when planning an outfit for a job interview. Primarily, consider what you want to convey and what you want to avoid conveying to your potential new boss. Some hiring managers won’t give what an applicant has on a second thought while others scrutinize every last detail. 

While your experience, skill and attitude should ultimately determine whether or not you’re offered a position, unfortunately people are judged on what they wear both subconsciously and consciously. Use this knowledge to your advantage by making sure that your interview wear works for you. Avoid showing up to a job interview wearing:

1. Wrinkled/tattered clothing

2. Visible undergarments 

3. Heavy perfume or cologne

4. Distracting prints or accessories

5. Uncomfortable clothing

6. Something brand new

4 things to consider when planning your interview outfit

• Company culture: Understand the vibe of the company by doing as much preliminary research as possible. What you should wear to interview for a position of attorney at a law firm should vary from interviewing to work as an event coordinator at a tech start up. Let cues of formality guide you in your planning. You should aim to look slightly more professional than the everyday look of those in your position.
• Piercings and tattoos: Unfortunately, studies have shown that many hiring managers still hold a negative bias towards those who have tattoos. While this doesn’t mean you have to cover up all tattoos together, it does indicate that if you’re on the job hunt, you may benefit from seeing what the company culture is like before you arrive. It may be advantageous to cover them in your initial interview until you see if those interviewing you or other employees are showing off their ink. 
• Accessories: Scarves, handbags, jewelry and other accessories should be considered before sitting in the hot seat. The accessories you choose should complement the rest of your outfit and should add to it instead of taking away from it. It’s typically best to go for accessories that are classic rather than trendy and understated rather than loud. 
• Season and temperature: Make sure that what you wear makes sense for the season. In summer or spring, opt for fabrics that are lighter, like cotton or linen. In cooler months, wear fabrics that are thicker like wool or cashmere. In warmer months, wearing skirts and dresses may be a better option than pants, but the hemline should fall below the knee.  

Final tips

What is the best color to wear to an interview?

Favor neutrals over bright colors and busy patterns. Black can come across as dominant, so blues and grays are better neutral options. Solids are typically favored over patterns. Overall, blue is considered to be the most ‘trustworthy’ color, and for many it has a calming effect, so incorporating the hue into your interview outfit can help put both yourself any your interviewer at ease.

Can I wear a dress to an interview?

In general, dresses and skirts are completely acceptable to wear to interviews. However, there are a few tips to keep in mind. Hemlines should hit below the knee, and as with all forms of professional wear, the garment itself shouldn’t be overly form-fitting. The dress itself should be a professional style—for example a sheath dress or something else that is more structured. Flowing garments like sundresses or casual maxi-dresses should typically be avoided unless the company is hyper laid-back. 

Can I wear leggings to an interview?

Conventional guidelines once said that women should always cover their legs with pantyhose while in professional settings such as job interviews, but contemporary standards have slightly shifted. In warm weather, pantyhose isn’t often expected or required unless the occasion is extremely formal. In winter or fall, tights or leggings are also generally alright to wear beneath dresses or skirts.

Kayla Heisler is an essayist and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet. She is an MFA candidate at Columbia University, and her work appears in New York's Best Emerging Poets 2017 anthology.