Shirt Color for Interview?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

marlin1

Member
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
Messages
45
Reaction score
0
Any Advice? I know to wear a dark suit, but do I have to wear a white shirt? Can I go with light blue or anything else? I'm a guy by the way.

Members don't see this ad.
 
marlin1 said:
Any Advice? I know to wear a dark suit, but do I have to wear a white shirt? Can I go with light blue or anything else? I'm a guy by the way.

Pink. Pink is always best. :thumbup: :laugh:

I don't think it matter as long as you look the part: Well dressed, well spoken....

Wear what ever you like best.

E-
 
white or gray. Any other color is meant for a party not for an interview. It really can be distracting and set a different tone. Despite popular belief it does not make you stand out in a good way. When I interview people, you look for business dress (granted I never interviewed people for med shcools just a drug company).
 
Members don't see this ad :)
marlin1 said:
Any Advice? I know to wear a dark suit, but do I have to wear a white shirt? Can I go with light blue or anything else? I'm a guy by the way.

i'm a girl, but i'm going with dark grey suit and a white shirt with subtle stripes. I think some color is fine, like light blue or something of the sort, but i'd stay away from bright reds, etc... just my opinion :)
 
Hunter green suits with camouflage shirts are guaranteed to get you an acceptance.

OK, seriously. If you don't wear a white shirt with a dark suit, you're obviously, obviously going to get rejected. Don't worry about your MCAT scores, GPA, extracurricular activities, and motivation for a career in medicine and osteopathic medicine in particular.

You should worry only about the color of your shirt.
 
marlin1 said:
Any Advice? I know to wear a dark suit, but do I have to wear a white shirt? Can I go with light blue or anything else? I'm a guy by the way.

Are you serious? Wear what ever you want, but you may want to see your doc about some xanax before your interview.
 
medic170 said:
Are you serious? Wear what ever you want, but you may want to see your doc about some xanax before your interview.

I was actually thinking about propranolol....but thanks for all the cynicism and sarcasm!!!
 
marlin1 said:
I was actually thinking about propranolol....but thanks for all the cynicism and sarcasm!!!


You welcome, and propanolol is a beta blocker and is not FDA approved for Rx of anxiety ;) !

BTW, at various interviews I wore red, blue, silver, gold/yellow and maroon and I was accepted with all those colors on. Chill out and wear what you are comfortable in.
 
Get a mood shirt.. one that changes color with your body heat.
 
medic170 said:
You welcome! BTW, at various interviews I wore red, blue, silver, gold/yellow and maroon and I was accepted with all those colors on. Chill out and wear what you are comfortable in.

You must be the most amazing applicant ever. No school would have turned you down. I must apologize to your highness for asking such a simple-minded question about dressing for interviews. It's hard, though, for those of us without your academic prowess to not worry about out interviews. Please forgive me sire.
 
marlin1 said:
You must be the most amazing applicant ever. No school would have turned you down. I must apologize to your highness for asking such a simple-minded question about dressing for interviews. It's hard, though, for those of us without your academic prowess to not worry about out interviews. Please forgive me sire.
Why are you being such a jerk. You asked what to wear and I told you that I wore various colors without a problem, and then I said, based on my experience, to wear whatever you were comfortable in. Seriously, I was answering your question and trying to help. Based on your shirt worries and your hostility, I truly do think you better take a deep breath and chill out before you interview. That level of sarcasm was uncalled for, although maybe I had it comming :) . Good luck to you, and please do relax!!!
 
Members don't see this ad :)
marlin1 said:
Any Advice? I know to wear a dark suit, but do I have to wear a white shirt? Can I go with light blue or anything else? I'm a guy by the way.

Actually, I wondered this same thing before I went on my first interview a few weeks ago. I played it safe and wore my navy suit with a plain white shirt. But there were four other guys in my interview group, and I was actually the only guy with a white shirt. The others wore blue, light gray, etc. As long as it looks sharp without being distracting, I think it is okay to wear a dress shirt that isn't white.
 
Megalofyia said:
Get a mood shirt.. one that changes color with your body heat.

ha ha. i remember those, what were they called again? :D
 
irishlaydi said:
ha ha. i remember those, what were they called again? :D
"Hypercolor" ...and I had one that changed between pink and purple when I was a little girl. Damn I was the ****!

To the OP...wear whatever you want. I am a girl, but wore a black suit with a mint green shirt underneath, and felt much more comfortable than I did with the same suit and a plain shirt that I did not like. I actually think that a little bit of color (not bold) looks nice with a crisp black suit.
 
I advocate white shirts with suits. They are professional, internationally accepted, and always in good taste. You can't go wrong with white.
 
The biggest factor in deciding a shirt color (or overall dress for that matter) is how you feel when you put it on. If you think you look good, you'll feel confident in your interview and that's the most important thing.

Good Luck!
 
it doesn't need to be white! white is definitely the minority when it comes to shirt colors, safe, but nothin' special! I wore a pin stripe suit, with a light blue shirt, and an orange stripped tie...and at each interview at least one person (non-fellow applicant) had something good to say about my choice in suits! so wear what you feel comfortable in, just make sure it looks good!

G'luck :thumbup:
 
How about a silver leotard.

Admissions: So, if we had 100 great applicants all with similar credentials to yours, what would make you stand out?

marlin1: [Points to silver leotard]

Admissions: Oh.. right.. the leotard! You clearly have the capacity to handle medical school. Welcome aboard!

:laugh:

(Actually, I've heard that red makes you seem more proactive or something. For a guy, I would worry more about the tie than the shirt, you dont see much of the shirt.)
 
Kevbot said:
How about a silver leotard.

Admissions: So, if we had 100 great applicants all with similar credentials to yours, what would make you stand out?

marlin1: [Points to silver leotard]

Admissions: Oh.. right.. the leotard! You clearly have the capacity to handle medical school. Welcome aboard!
Don't be too sarcastic, marlin gets pretty upset at that.
 
medic170 said:
Don't be too sarcastic, marlin gets pretty upset at that.

He's just stressed out by the application process. We've all been there.
 
Kevbot said:
He's just stressed out by the application process. We've all been there.


Ain't that the truth. :scared:
 
A blue or white shirt is great on a dark (black or blue suit). I had the white shirt with a red/black striped tie. I was going for the power look with a touch of purity. If I put the blue shirt I would of put a darker color striped tie. Don't go with stiped shirt... too lame. Hurts the eyes. Don't ever wear a grey suit. I find that so grade 10 or church like. I try to go for that Nip Tuck Christian style look... and for god sake make sure you have black dress shoes.

The good post above... one of the ladies describing in details what she put on.. hehehe..
 
Megalofyia said:
Get a mood shirt.. one that changes color with your body heat.

Hmmm...I wonder what color "anxiety" would be.
 
I wore a blue shirt. My suit probably looked more like a lawyer's suit than an interview suit. At least that's what my dad told me--AFTER I had interviewed! Just look professional. How you perform at the interview is infinitely more important than what color your shirt was. Admittedly, I was concerned with the exact same thing before my interview :p But I decided to go with what I thought looked nice and professional.

Good luck to you!
 
docbill said:
A blue or white shirt is great on a dark (black or blue suit). ... and for god sake make sure you have black dress shoes.

Actually, I consulted w/ some fashion "experts" and they informed me that dark brown or burgundy shoes are pefectly fine interview attire and are in fact most appropriate for a navy blue suit. Everyone wearing a dark suit with black shoes is overkill. It's no wonder why people joke that interview day looks more like a funeral day. As long as you look sharp and don't call attention to yourself with what you are wearing, it's okay to go a little outside the lines.
 
1 vote for RED shirt. Worked for me. :D
 
Ok, those of you who are giving Marlin1 a hard time about this question, should really ask yourself if you know what professionalism means. As a former hiring manager, I know that the small details have a big impact of the first impression. Within the first 10 seconds, before any exchange of words, the interviewer has already form some opinions of your professionalism based on how you are dressed. It may not be a big deal to you, but you have to ask yourself..."How important is it to the person interviewing me?" So play it safe...dark pinstripe or solid suit, with a light shirt. You can go with white, light blue etc, but keep away from red. As far as your tie, stick to stripes or solid...no crazy designs. Those of you who disagree with this, good luck on your interviews trying to get the interviewers to listen to you and not be distracted at your bright red shirts!
 
I went as conservative as possible to my interview - black suit, white shirt, navy tie. I was the only person in my interview group to do that. There were gray suits, light brown suits, striped shirt, striped ties, patterned ties, etc. I don't think it matters.

Go with what makes you comfortable. Given the choice to wear anything, I would've been in a black suit, charcoal shirt, and a gold paisley tie. However, I felt more professional in all solid, basic colors. Just make sure your shirt is ironed, hair combed, teeth brushed. Go in swinging, because this is your chance to get in.
 
Ok, those of you who are giving Marlin1 a hard time about this question, should really ask yourself if you know what professionalism means. As a former hiring manager, I know that the small details have a big impact of the first impression. Within the first 10 seconds, before any exchange of words, the interviewer has already form some opinions of your professionalism based on how you are dressed. It may not be a big deal to you, but you have to ask yourself..."How important is it to the person interviewing me?" So play it safe...dark pinstripe or solid suit, with a light shirt. You can go with white, light blue etc, but keep away from red. As far as your tie, stick to stripes or solid...no crazy designs. Those of you who disagree with this, good luck on your interviews trying to get the interviewers to listen to you and not be distracted at your bright red shirts!
Sweet. You bumped a 6 year old thread. Congrats. :rolleyes:
 
Always white.

White is boring. I think that color is alright as long as it looks good. The suit itself should be dark, but the shirt and tie can be all kinds of colors. I have seen people pull off great looking red, blue, orange, purple, and even pink shirts/ties. I agree with what was said before, stick to solids and striped patterns.

Lots of times people associate colors with personality. For example a red shirt or tie is often associated with power, assertiveness, strength and passion. Blue ties and shirts tend to be more relaxed or peaceful, which are great traits to radiate in a tense interview. Bright purple or pink ties are more bold colors to wear to an interview, but people who need to lighten up a little bit benefit from the “fun” personality traits associated with these colors.

http://www.tie-necktie-video.com/tie-color.html

I wore a navy blue suit with a light pinstripe (5$ value village! What, what?!) a light grey shirt with a very subtle textured pattern, a silver and blue striped tie, and a matching silver watch with a blue face. Classy. The whole outfit cost me about 50 bucks with shoes and looked great.
 
people actually are asking what color shirt to wear now?
this has to be a new low.
 
I havnt worn white with my black suit once so far, with multiple acceptances. It dont matter as long as you look professional. I am usually the only one in the group not wearing white though.
 
I personally chose not to wear a black/navy suit on my interviews. I wore two different suits (one was dark brown slacks with a lighter brown jacket, and the other was charcoal slacks with a herring bone jacket) with colorful shirts (still conservative colors though, no red/orange/etc) with absolutely no problems. I chose to do this on purpose because EVERYONE wears dark suits, and I thought that it allowed me to stand out from the crowd a little bit. It has not caused me any problems with acceptances. I think the most important thing is to feel comfortable in what you are wearing...

It is much more important to not wear a suit that does not fit properly, and to learn how to tie a tie properly!!!
 
i wore pink with a black tie and got in.. lol..
but honestly, what color shirt doesn't really matter, i know someone who didn't even wear a suit and got in... not saying that I would recommend that...
it's all about the person, it's all about u, they want to know u! not how well u dress.. tho u should still stay professional.
anyways, just my 2 cents.
GOOD LUCK!
 
Interviews aren't the time or place to make a fashion statement. 100% cotton white shirts are the long-established standard. I've seen some creme or almonds, but white is the safest and most conservative.
 
90% of interviewers wore a solid black suit and white shirt with some understated tie. It looked pretty boring.

I wore a black pinstripe suit with light blue shirt and a bright pink tie. Or a bright green/yellow shirt with a bright gold tie. Got compliments on both outfits and was uniquely dressed at all my interviews compared to other candidates. And it worked fine for me.

Wear whatever makes you feel the most confident. :)
 
people actually are asking what color shirt to wear now?
this has to be a new low.

Most people who post on these forums are 20 yo college students. They don't have any professional experience.

It is much more important to not wear a suit that does not fit properly, and to learn how to tie a tie properly!!!

I haven't seen a single properly tied tie at a med school interview. Half the people's ties were too short or too long. None were tied well.

This is what a tie should look like:

3320.jpg



Most people showed up looking like this:

shorttie.jpg
 
Solid or regimental ties only please. No pink polka dots. No tie-dye.
 
Most people who post on these forums are 20 yo college students. They don't have any professional experience.



I haven't seen a single properly tied tie at a med school interview. Half the people's ties were too short or too long. None were tied well.

This is what a tie should look like:

3320.jpg



Most people showed up looking like this:

shorttie.jpg

Exactly...I saw one guy who was wearing a clip on at an interview...To be honest, it was embarassing to see...If you do not know how to tie a tie look online, or go to a men's store (Jos A Bank, Men's Warehouse, etc) and they will be more than happy to teach you how to properly tie one!
 
Exactly...I saw one guy who was wearing a clip on at an interview...To be honest, it was embarassing to see...If you do not know how to tie a tie look online, or go to a men's store (Jos A Bank, Men's Warehouse, etc) and they will be more than happy to teach you how to properly tie one!

If you're really bad with ties, they also have these new zipper-ties that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. My husband bought one on a lark and it looks good. Puritan makes them.
 
What I would do is wear the school color. For example, if you were interviewing at OSUCOM you would wear orange. DMUCOM you would wear purple. WVSOM you would wear green.
 
Most people who post on these forums are 20 yo college students. They don't have any professional experience.



I haven't seen a single properly tied tie at a med school interview. Half the people's ties were too short or too long. None were tied well.

This is what a tie should look like:

3320.jpg



Most people showed up looking like this:

shorttie.jpg

That looks like a four-in-hand. That is not what a tie should look like. Looks like crap, and that you are going to your sophmore swirl dance. HALF-WINDSOR.
 
That looks like a four-in-hand. That is not what a tie should look like. Looks like crap, and that you are going to your sophmore swirl dance. HALF-WINDSOR.

This is ******ed. Four-in-hand is the classic necktie knot and is used by the large majority of tie wearers. Regardless of what knot you use, my point was that good knots should always have a dimple, and the proper tie length is to your belt.
 
Top