How conservative does interview attire have to be?

[CyrilFiggis]

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Two years ago at a conference, the adm director from George Washington said the adcom had just turned down a perfectly qualified applicant who wore a nice, dark suit because he was wearing red socks to the interview. She didn't even remember what the applicant's story was because it was overshadowed by his sock choice.

Save the red socks until after you are accepted. Be remembered at the interview for the words you say and the story they can't stop thinking about after you leave.

See that's just BS. Give me one valid, evidence based reason why that person didn't deserve to get in? If that was an actual discussion in an adcom meeting, then I have zero respect for GWs staff.

 

[LizzyM]

See that's just BS. Give me one valid, evidence based reason why that person didn't deserve to get in? If that was an actual discussion in an adcom meeting, then I have zero respect for GWs staff.

Maybe he was wearing red socks and no shoes?? That's the only justification I can come up with for such a decision.

 

[mcloaf]

Two years ago at a conference, the adm director from George Washington said the adcom had just turned down a perfectly qualified applicant who wore a nice, dark suit because he was wearing red socks to the interview. She didn't even remember what the applicant's story was because it was overshadowed by his sock choice.

Save the red socks until after you are accepted. Be remembered at the interview for the words you say and the story they can't stop thinking about after you leave.

I hope that kid turns out to be the next Paul Farmer or Don Thomas and those people remember turning him down because of his socks.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Maybe he was wearing red socks and no shoes?? That's the only justification I can come up with for such a decision.

Did he have an LOR from a mysterious Mr. Applegate

 

[CyrilFiggis]

I know this director who has a keen eye for what people are wearing, whether they are wearing blue or black socks (not joking). always gets at least one male with his fly down on interview day, and has been in the job for many years. However, her level of detail for scrutinizing applications and probing interviews is remarkable. Also, with GWU getting some 15,000 apps a year, they can afford to be dismissive

Then why have a mission statement if socks are a dismissive criteria?

 

[BombsAway]

Then why have a mission statement if socks are a dismissive criteria?

When they say "perfectly qualified", that means nothing. Everyone at interview day is perfectly qualified. Rejecting someone for their sock choice is certainly reflective of their values. Though, perhaps not in a way they'd prefer.

 

[Goro]

When they say "perfectly qualified", that means nothing. Everyone at interview day is perfectly qualified. Rejecting someone for their sock choice is certainly reflective of their values. Though, perhaps not in a way they'd prefer.

As if SDNers don't have enough things to be neurotic about now!

 

[BombsAway]

As if SDNers don't have enough things to be neurotic about now!

This is why we should all support @Jalby and his noble quest to sway applicants away from institutions whom have grown too fond of the smell of their own flatulence. Georgetown demanding a post interview mustache ride was one example. GW bragging about the depth of their applicant pool and their capricious sock-jections is another.

 

[HomeSkool]

Not sure what that means....

It means you just got owned.

 

[kb1900]

Honestly as long as your an attractive person you should be fine as long as you don't intentionally look like a doofus

People on SDN take this way too seriously lol

Literally everyone in this thread forgot about the golden rules of social success.
1. Be attractive
2. Don't be unattractive

Fwiw my school has plenty of students that wore suspenders, cuffkinks, flashy suits etc to interview day. The only had one thing in common and that is rule 1.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

It means you just got owned.

How? Because I'm in med school? Being fashionable doesn't mean you can't dress professionally. And dressing "professionally" doesn't mean in any sense that you dress well, be it applicant or interviewer.

 

[HomeSkool]

How? Because I'm in med school? Being fashionable doesn't mean you can't dress professionally. And dressing "professionally" doesn't mean in any sense that you dress well, be it applicant or interviewer.

Don't worry about it. Just move on.

 

[Jalby]

This is why we should all support @Jalby and his noble quest to sway applicants away from institutions whom have grown too fond of the smell of their own flatulence. Georgetown demanding a post interview mustache ride was one example. GW bragging about the depth of their applicant pool and their capricious sock-jections is another.

Never forget!!!! I never will. They may have taken away my thread, but they will never take my...........

Wait, I don't know where to go with this. They shut down the best thread in SDN history and I can no longer get my vengeance 🙁

 

[ADSigMel]

I wonder if I can get away with brown shoes as a female? My suit is a navy color, and I think black heels would be too harsh with the blue...I was thinking brown suede heels..or even nude.

I wore dark navy skirt suits and nude suede heels to most of my interviews, and I've gotten no rejections so far. N=1, YMMV, etc. To me, though, the rule of thumb is whether or not you look like someone that elderly WASPs can trust to be their doctor. If you can please this most discerning of client populations, you're probably conservative enough. I wore the same clothes to interviews that I would normally wear to court, where most of my judges are elderly WASPs.

 

[aldol16]

To be safe, one should always go full Amish.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

To be safe, one should always go full Amish.

When I was an Orthodox Jew, I went to a Halloween party directly from celebrating Shabbat, so I had my black hat and suit, plus my full beard. Also, I had my own snacks since I was kosher. Got me a date with an extremely attractive woman, and we ended up dating for a while. So don’t bash the Amish look.

 

[flyboy3]

We are in USA, not Canada

Roasted.

 

[Albanian24]

Is your goal to fashion forward or your goal to get into medical school? Much of applying to medical school as well as medicine itself is being conservative in approach. No suspenders, no bow tie, and no brown shoes (which as far as I am concern are never for a professional setting in a suit), Navy suit,. conservative tie, black shoes

No brown shoes? .... it literally does not matter.

 

[Med Ed]

No brown shoes? .... it literally does not matter.

If it doesn't matter then wear black shoes.

 

[Albanian24]

If it doesn't matter then wear black shoes.

Or just be an adult and have personal accountability over your footwear and don't have people from the internet telling you what to wear. Frankly, if a school looks poorly upon me for wearing brown shoes (God forbid), that's certainly not a school I want to attend.

 

[Albanian24]

in any conservative professional setting, whether coporate america, law firm, or medicine, black shoes are appropriate. Simple rule to follow especially when trying to reduce every possible risk.

You're not wrong. However, "black shoes are appropriate" ≠ brown shoes being inappropriate.

Whatever. I've worn brown shoes to all of mine and it hasn't done me wrong.

 

[Med Ed]

You're not wrong. However, "black shoes are appropriate" ≠ brown shoes being inappropriate.

I don't think anyone is saying brown shoes are going to cause a pogrom. The simple, inescapable fact, however, is that every man should have a pair of black shoes appropriate for an interview. Anyone who doesn't needs to acquire some. So, if one has committed to a navy suit and is standing in the closet debating black vs. non-black shoes, there is absolutely zero reason to choose non-black.

 

[Albanian24]

I don't think anyone is saying brown shoes are going to cause a pogrom. The simple, inescapable fact, however, is that every man should have a pair of black shoes appropriate for an interview. Anyone who doesn't needs to acquire some. So, if one has committed to a navy suit and is standing in the closet debating black vs. non-black shoes, there is absolutely zero reason to choose non-black.

I have this choice every Interview and, the majority of times, I'll choose the non-black. I suppose we can agree to disagree.

 

[BombsAway]

I don't think anyone is saying brown shoes are going to cause a pogrom. The simple, inescapable fact, however, is that every man should have a pair of black shoes appropriate for an interview. Anyone who doesn't needs to acquire some. So, if one has committed to a navy suit and is standing in the closet debating black vs. non-black shoes, there is absolutely zero reason to choose non-black.

Brown shoes look 1000% better than black shoes with a navy suit. Ipods are better than cassette players. F-150s perform better than the model T.

 

[Med Ed]

Brown shoes look 1000% better than black shoes with a navy suit.

Pleb life.

 

[flyboy3]

Brown shoes look 1000% better than black shoes with a navy suit. Ipods are better than cassette players. F-150s perform better than the model T.

That’s not a universal opinion.

 

[aldol16]

When I was an Orthodox Jew, I went to a Halloween party directly from celebrating Shabbat, so I had my black hat and suit, plus my full beard. Also, I had my own snacks since I was kosher. Got me a date with an extremely attractive woman, and we ended up dating for a while. So don’t bash the Amish look.

This is exactly why everyone should go full Amish.

 

[aldol16]

Brown shoes look 1000% better than black shoes with a navy suit. Ipods are better than cassette players. F-150s perform better than the model T.

That’s not a universal opinion.

I agree that brown shoes look better with a navy suit but I think that's just because it gives off the more relaxed look. For med school interviews, this won't matter but if you're ever in a formal business setting, black is considered formal whereas brown is more casual. Doctors do both.

 

[begoood95]

With my navy suit I had a:

• white shirt (with barely noticeable light light light blue stripes),
• a solid red tie, and
• medium-dark brown shoes.

I guarantee you no ADCOM took issue with this; we're being very neurotic right now. Brown shoes may look a little more relaxed, but the black shoes simply didn't look good with what I was wearing, and I'm not gonna look like a fool so...I chose to wear what I felt good in. I'm not going to wear something I'm not confident in (especially at MS interviews), and neither should you as long as the outfit is reasonable.

And black clashes soooo hard with navy! Fashion crisis right there buddy

 

[BombsAway]

Pleb life.

You don't have to answer, but what decade were you born?

 

[Med Ed]

You don't have to answer, but what decade were you born?

Nixon was still a major political figure.

 

[BombsAway]

Nixon was still a major political figure.

I thought that might be the case. I googled 70's and 80's business suits/interview attire. I wouldn't endorse any of those examples for the 2017 interview cycle. My point is, fashion is dynamic. Black shoes w/ navy suit is approaching the realm of pleated pants.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

I thought that might be the case. I googled 70's and 80's business suits/interview attire. I wouldn't endorse any of those examples for the 2017 interview cycle. My point is, fashion is dynamic. Black shoes w/ navy suit is approaching the realm of pleated pants.

But people from this era are a large part of the ones judging admission into medical school. Just because fashion is dynamic doesn't mean that the norms expected by admissions members is. Brown shoes have been historically informal for several hundred years.

 

[el_duderino]

I don't think anyone is saying brown shoes are going to cause a pogrom. The simple, inescapable fact, however, is that every man should have a pair of black shoes appropriate for an interview. Anyone who doesn't needs to acquire some. So, if one has committed to a navy suit and is standing in the closet debating black vs. non-black shoes, there is absolutely zero reason to choose non-black.

You mean besides the fact that brown shoes look significantly better with a navy suit?

This whole shoe argument is ridiculous. Charcoal or navy suit, white or light blue shirt as appropriate, appropriate shoes and socks, reasonably professional tie. Make sure it all fits well and get it tailored if necessary. Don't wear a flashy watch or a fancy designer belt buckle. The end.

You don't want to be remembered or noticed for your sartorial choices. You want to look professional.

The entire point is to show that you exhibit good judgment.

edit: just to note, I actually wore a brown windowpane suit with oxblood shoes to my interviews, and I got accepted!

 

[Med Ed]

I thought that might be the case. I googled 70's and 80's business suits/interview attire. I wouldn't endorse any of those examples for the 2017 interview cycle. My point is, fashion is dynamic. Black shoes w/ navy suit is approaching the realm of pleated pants.

WWII was still in progress when the follicle that contained half my genetic information was formed. I wouldn't wear any business/interview attire from that era, either.

 

[Med Ed]

You mean besides the fact that brown shoes look significantly better with a navy suit?

A navy suit with black shoes and an appropriately dark tie looks more professional.

The only reason this is a discussion is because the navy suit/brown shoe combo has been "discovered" by interviewees in the past few cycles. A third of the men are showing up looking like admirals who just walked through pools of caramel. It's not fresh, and everyone advocating for that bandwagon should know it filled up and moved on.

edit: just to note, I actually wore a brown windowpane suit with oxblood shoes to my interviews, and I got accepted!

Yeah, but it cost you a full COA scholarship.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

...
A third of the men are showing up looking like admirals who just walked through pools of caramel
...

 

[BombsAway]

WWII was still in progress when the follicle that contained half my genetic information was formed. I wouldn't wear any business/interview attire from that era, either.

Then we agree that fashion changes through the decades. Can you not concede that your opinions are outdated?

A third of the men are showing up looking like admirals who just walked through pools of caramel.

As you approach your pockets-full-of-Werther's-Originals years, do you not find this endearing?

 

[Med Ed]

Then we agree that fashion changes through the decades. Can you not concede that your opinions are outdated?

Most fashion changes quite rapidly. That's why only certain looks are considered conservative enough for professional interviews.

As you approach your pockets-full-of-Werther's-Originals years, do you not find this endearing?

I do, actually, in the same way I find neck tattoos and earlobe gauging to be endearing. We all go through the phase. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go tie an onion to my belt.

 

[begoood95]

In one of my sociological theory courses we read a cool paper on fashion; it's dense and long but some of you might be interested! It's fairly old, but IIRC, I liked it (this is from a course I took ~1-2 years ago). I've attached a picture of the abstract and the actual article. Have fun folks, highly recommended and serious look at a theory on changes in fashion (cited by 2126 people according to google!).

Article: http://sites.middlebury.edu/individualandthesociety/files/2010/09/Simmel.fashion.pdf

 

[ProspectivePostPreDent]

I do, actually, in the same way I find neck tattoos and earlobe gauging to be endearing. We all go through the phase. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go tie an onion to my belt.

If it's not one of the fancy little white ones, you're no better off than the earlobe gauge guy.

 

[turkeybacon]

When I was an Orthodox Jew, I went to a Halloween party directly from celebrating Shabbat, so I had my black hat and suit, plus my full beard. Also, I had my own snacks since I was kosher. Got me a date with an extremely attractive woman, and we ended up dating for a while. So don’t bash the Amish look.

Not to derail, but how did you go from Orthodox Jew to Matthew9thirtyfive?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Not to derail, but how did you go from Orthodox Jew to Matthew9thirtyfive?

I'll tag you in the social thread so as not to derail.

 

[nezpas]

I wore a green dress and jacket set to an interview and I got accepted. It was not a loud, obnoxious shade of green but it was not very dark either.

 

[Saifa]

I got accepted at a school I wore floral print socks to FWIW

 

[RNthenDoc]

"We review candidates holistically, with a special emphasis on the underrepresented and financially disadvantaged. But **** YOU if you wear the wrong dress shoes, you uncivilized cretin."

😆

 

[LizzyM]

I am thankful that we are seeing more blue suits and brown shoes than the funeral processions that used to pass through campus three times per week.

 

[BombsAway]

I got accepted at a school I wore floral print socks to FWIW

I got accepted to a top 20 with a light grey suit and brown shoes. The horror!

 

[calivianya]

I've worked in a corporate environment before. It's professional in a business casual way. Just like a plaid suit would be. Doesn't mean it's professional for an interview. With that said, I don't think med school interviews are as serious as job interviews anyway. Most interviewees are cute kids that don't know too much about life and the purpose of attending the school is to mature through mentorship to become the kind of physician that school would like you to become.

Which is why you can get away with brown shoes, skinny ties etc. Wear that to a serious corporate interview and you'd get laughed at. Some may be okay with it, but at a really uptight firm they'd laugh behind your back.

Really? I'd say med school interviews are way more serious than job interviews.

Most jobs interviews I've been on, I wore black pants with a trendy printed blouse, and got hired. Didn't even wear a suit jacket... except for the times I wore a trendy, light gray suit with narrow/skinny legs and aqua pinstripes. I honestly felt overdressed even in that, which doesn't meet business professional by any stretch of the imagination. It depends on your field, I suppose.

 

[LizzyM]

Really? I'd say med school interviews are way more serious than job interviews.

Most jobs interviews I've been on, I wore black pants with a trendy printed blouse, and got hired. Didn't even wear a suit jacket... except for the times I wore a trendy, light gray suit with narrow/skinny legs and aqua pinstripes. I honestly felt overdressed even in that, which doesn't meet business professional by any stretch of the imagination. It depends on your field, I suppose.

It totally depends on the field. There is no reason for a medical school applicant to dress for an interview at JPMorgan. It is also not the time to dress as if you are applying for a job in a creative role at Groupon.