I would definitely dress to impress. I was shocked at how many people at my interview had no idea how to dress nicely. The guys were buttoning all their jacket buttons, wore unshined (and clunky) shoes, mismatched leather, button down collars.
I would wear anything but a black suit, unless it's all you have. I've read over and over again to go with grey or navy. Obviously make sure your suit is tailored.
Couldn't agree more. Simple sartorial rules. Shave the morning of or the night before if you get razor bumps. Cut your hair a week before to let it grow out and blend enough by interview time.
Men: learn to tie a tie. . .the
real way. No slip knots. There are a ton of resources online where you can learn how to tie a half- or full-windsor. Hell, if you're no good at it, take a million tries the night before to tie it and then leave it tied.
Women: Your dress/skirt should not be any shorter than JUST above the knee. I personally think flats are completely acceptable and would prefer them to 4" stilettos or any kind of heel if you can't walk in them well. I am also an advocate for hose. To me, bare legs in an interview is a major no-no.
Realistically the adcoms aren't going to care about these things, but I do think it's noticeable when you really take the extra mile and make sure every last detail is perfect.
Also, you want to stand out as the guy who was super dapper, not the guy trying to make a fashion statement. If this is what you mean by "go all out" then I would reconsider. You don't want to be the guy remembered for wearing the powder blue suit.
It's interesting that you say that. So before my first interview I debated getting a new pair of shoes since my interview outfit was already nearing $2500 (I bought a Zegna suit and a custom tailored shirt). For a moment I thought, "Oh hell, they're shoes. No one will notice." But there is a major realization that I think too few young people realize:
When you dress well, you will undoubtedly feel better about yourself. Wear a cheap suit off the rack with no alterations done and people tend to slouch. Wear a properly fitted suit and you WANT to stand taller, stick your chest out a bit more and hold your chin up a little higher. It makes you feel powerful.
So I got the shoes (Allen Edmonds Strands in walnut, BTW). Had an admissions committee member stop me in the middle of a group tour to comment on my shoes in front of everyone. Worth its weight in gold. Oh, and the suit got me singled out from my entire interview group at another school as being the best dressed by far. Little things can make all the difference.
Since when was a "rainbow of colors" in good taste? That's horrible.
I was thinking more along the lines of pinstripe suits, or thatched vests, or contrasting ties. And accessories like briefcases, leather envelopes/clutches, etc etc.
And yes, I am perfectly serious. I am very involved in the fashion biz so it's hard for me to gauge what is overdressed for a dental school interview, especially since it's my first time.
Believe me, I won't be wearing anything that screams pretentious (LV belts to interview, really?), but definitely would like to flaunt a bit of my personality and who I really am and what I love outside of sciences and health-related fields. I'm like you, there is a mile difference between acceptable and impeccable. It's not OCD, it's just good fashion sense 🙂
There is certainly a fine line between "showing your style" (I skipped the boring white shirt and wore a pale lavender with a strong lavender paisley tie) and going overboard to the point of being unprofessional. You obviously seem intelligent enough to realize that clubwear is not appropriate for interview day. If you are skilled enough to wear pinstripes other than chalk white and can pair contrasting colors, by all means do it, but do it within reason. Bottom line: You will be interviewing for a future in a
PROFESSIONAL career. You don't want to give any ADCOM member a reason to question your maturity or sensibility, especially on account of what you're wearing. Sure, after you get into D school you can wear scrubs everyday for the rest of your life, but you are supposed to present yourself as a
mature candidate to people who, by and large, are from a generation that understands that jeans or shorts and flip-flops are never acceptable work attire and "business casual" actually means "no tie," not "wear a golf shirt." If you're dressing to try and turn heads then you're doing it wrong (although I personally believe that a woman wearing a properly fitting pant- or skirtsuit can be an incredibly powerful
and sexy image). Button your blouse to an appropriate height. If you want to accentuate your neckline, do it with a necklace. No more than 1 ring on each hand. Nothing glitzy or overly shiny unless it's an engagement ring. Absolutely no thumb rings. Wear only 1 pair of earrings and they had better not make any noise when you walk (read: nothing large that hangs halfway down your neck). I think a briefcase or clutch is unnecessary since you'll be told to just leave your things in the conference room at every interview you go to.
Fashion is a tough thing. There's "popular" fashion (ie. catwalk, runway, blah blah blah) and there's "Wall Street" fashion. Go for Wall Street.
On a side note, GUYS: IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT TO SPEND EVERY PENNY YOU CAN ON A GOOD INTERVIEW OUTFIT.
That means suit, shirt, tie, shoes, socks, and underwear (Yes, underwear. You ever hear a girl talk about feeling more beautiful in a pair of sexy panties? Same for guys. A good form-fitting pair of boxer briefs made out of cool-wearing material will make you feel. . ."manlier."). Don't buy your suit at Nordstrom's. If you live in or near a relatively decent-sized town there's most likely a store that deals in "fine clothing." Find it. If the people working there are old and gray-haired and have been there for years, that's the place you want. Those people know their shizz. Listen to them. And be prepared for sticker shock, but know that it's worth it. A fine suit will last you years (possibly even decades) and should never go out of style. If you can't afford a $1000+ suit (which is certainly understandable) then get the best you can afford
and save enough money to have it altered. Don't get it done where you buy it unless you're buying it from said fine clothier.
Clothes are interesting: They're something you never really notice until you see someone dressed either impeccably well or completely inappropriately. And if you're in either one of those camps, no one will forget you and it will almost certainly influence their opinion of you.
Make sure you give them a good influence.
