I need help becoming beautiful on a budget for interviews

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cryhavoc

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So, I've spent the last hour pouring over interview clothing threads and I'm having a lot of questions.

-So Men's Wearhouse is bad? I'm really poor. Like Ramen noodle eating, I'm still not sure how I paid for those secondaries, hitch-hiking to interviews poor (joke). But everyone who recommends Men's Wearhouse still says "pre" under their avi, so any people get in with Men's Wearhouse?

-So black is a no go? I would like to get black because then I could use it when my grandparents start dying. Is charcoal grey appropriate for interviews/funerals?

-Tie color. What are your thoughts on navy blue, forest green, light grey, and black with a charcoal grey suit? With a black suit? I really like green, it is my favorite color, but what if they think it is my favorite color because I like money?

-So are black dress socks cool? I'll probably sweat a lot because I'm wearing way too much clothing so I will probably put a ton of baby powder on my feet and I'm worried it will show through the black socks.

Thanks.
 
cryhavoc said:
So, I've spent the last hour pouring over interview clothing threads and I'm having a lot of questions.

-So Men's Wearhouse is bad? I'm really poor. Like Ramen noodle eating, I'm still not sure how I paid for those secondaries, hitch-hiking to interviews poor (joke). But everyone who recommends Men's Wearhouse still says "pre" under their avi, so any people get in with Men's Wearhouse?

-So black is a no go? I would like to get black because then I could use it when my grandparents start dying. Is charcoal grey appropriate for interviews/funerals?

-Tie color. What are your thoughts on navy blue, forest green, light grey, and black with a charcoal grey suit? With a black suit? I really like green, it is my favorite color, but what if they think it is my favorite color because I like money?

-So are black dress socks cool? I'll probably sweat a lot because I'm wearing way too much clothing so I will probably put a ton of baby powder on my feet and I'm worried it will show through the black socks.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The tie color, check your Zodiac sign, and determine your lucky color.
 
I'm serious about the Men's Wearhouse question though, but I will consult my star sign for color advice.
 
cryhavoc said:
I'm serious about the Men's Wearhouse question though, but I will consult my star sign for color advice.
Click to expand...

A suit is a suit, no one really cares as long as its clean. I would go with a lucky color based on your Zodiac.
 
This will probably be an unpopular opinion but honestly, if money is that tight you need to peruse Goodwill and thrift shops. You can find the odd decent piece or set there, just keep in mind your ideal outfit. Of course your chances might be slim this time of year... but it's worth a shot to save some money. To keep it classy I'd go with navy or light charcoal. If you can find something in either color you should be good. Do a silver tie for both colors, skinny if you can find one that doesn't look tacky. White shirt of course, and navy or black socks depending on suit color. Don't do baby powder. It'll puff out of your shoes and look silly. They have fairly cheap insoles from odor eaters at Wal-Mart if you feel like you'll sweat too much. The biggest advice I can give is that while your outfit is important, grooming is equally so. Before you go in make sure your hair is combed (wind is a pain and to someone picky it makes a world of difference in their first impression of you). If you have a beard, spend a few dollars on getting it trimmed the day before by a professional. If not, make sure that you're clean shaven when you go in. And while this may seem like common sense, shower before going to your interview. Wake up an hour earlier and just do it... don't be tempted to the night before and skip it in the morning. You will probably feel more confident and alert as opposed to rolling out of bed into your interview clothes. 🙂
 
Why would Men's Wearhouse be bad? Just buy something within your budget. You're not gonna be interviewed by fashion specialists.

Yeah, if you're looking for an expensive, quality suit then you shouldn't shop at MW. But you're not and you don't need to.
 
Check stores for sales, as well. A cursory search of JCPenney.com just found me a gray jacket for $95 instead of $190 and pants for $44.99 instead of $90. Not the fanciest material, and still not "cheap", but would be decent and match.

Also, I don't know much about their mens selection-- I'm a girl-- but I've had great success finding dress clothes on ridiculous sales at Nordstrom Rack.
 
cryhavoc said:
So, I've spent the last hour pouring over interview clothing threads and I'm having a lot of questions.

-So Men's Wearhouse is bad? I'm really poor. Like Ramen noodle eating, I'm still not sure how I paid for those secondaries, hitch-hiking to interviews poor (joke). But everyone who recommends Men's Wearhouse still says "pre" under their avi, so any people get in with Men's Wearhouse?

-So black is a no go? I would like to get black because then I could use it when my grandparents start dying. Is charcoal grey appropriate for interviews/funerals?

-Tie color. What are your thoughts on navy blue, forest green, light grey, and black with a charcoal grey suit? With a black suit? I really like green, it is my favorite color, but what if they think it is my favorite color because I like money?

-So are black dress socks cool? I'll probably sweat a lot because I'm wearing way too much clothing so I will probably put a ton of baby powder on my feet and I'm worried it will show through the black socks.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


google combatgent. reviews for it are decent for the price


or do what i did
i went to saks outlet
http://www.saksoff5th.com/mens-apparel-suits?prefn1=Fit&srule=Price Low - High&prefv1=Slim&sz=60&start=0

sign up for their emailing list and you get a discount coupon. i think it was like $25. i bought 2x suits at $200 each which came out to 165 each with the coupon (not including tax). not sure what your price range is. the 2 brands i bought were english laundry and saks black (saks' lowest tier of suits)

i was impressed by the quality of the suit but then again i'm not exactly a fashion blogger. i wear basketball shorts and shirts given to me by vendors trying to sell stuff at my institute lol. i call it "lab chic"
 
ortnakas said:
Check stores for sales, as well. A cursory search of JCPenney.com just found me a gray jacket for $95 instead of $190 and pants for $44.99 instead of $90. Not the fanciest material, and still not "cheap", but would be decent and match.

Also, I don't know much about their mens selection-- I'm a girl-- but I've had great success finding dress clothes on ridiculous sales at Nordstrom Rack.
Click to expand...

Any men confirm Nordstrom is good?

I seriously was on the "a suit I can afford is fine" group until I poured through the threads and grew nervous and when I'm nervous I joke. :angelic:
 
cryhavoc said:
Any men confirm Nordstrom is good?

I seriously was on the "a suit I can afford is fine" group until I poured through the threads and grew nervous and when I'm nervous I joke. :angelic:
Click to expand...
did you read my post above? see if there's a saks outlet store near you. nordstrom rack should also be good but i've only been there a few times. i feel like saks would be cheaper
 
A cheap suit looks just fine if properly tailored. You can get deals at places like some TJ maxx/Marshalls or whatever. You can find deals on ebay too, if you know your size well, and get it tailored for $30-40.
Discount tie and clean shirt for $40, nice shoes, have to be clean. For under $150 you can be everything you need to be.
 
I think as long as you blend in with everyone else and dont look like a clown, they wont care about your suit. They care about what you say.
 
I think you might be a troll... but on the off chance you are really confused about this... Men's interview dress is extremely simple. Black, Navy, or Dark Grey suit, White dress shirt, solid black or navy tie, black belt, black dress shoes (not scuffed), and dress socks (anything you want literally could have an interesting or colorful patter). I suggest if you are on a budget that you go for H&M (at least for the tie because you can get a skinny tie cheap). Nordstrom is good. Check out Topman suits... modern fit and inexpensive. If you are ramen noodle broke then go to a thrift store and do your best to replicate this formula. Get your suit tailored so that it fits you correctly. You dont want to look like you are wearing your dad's suit. That's about it.
 
cryhavoc said:
So, I've spent the last hour pouring over interview clothing threads and I'm having a lot of questions.

-So Men's Wearhouse is bad? I'm really poor. Like Ramen noodle eating, I'm still not sure how I paid for those secondaries, hitch-hiking to interviews poor (joke). But everyone who recommends Men's Wearhouse still says "pre" under their avi, so any people get in with Men's Wearhouse?

-So black is a no go? I would like to get black because then I could use it when my grandparents start dying. Is charcoal grey appropriate for interviews/funerals?

-Tie color. What are your thoughts on navy blue, forest green, light grey, and black with a charcoal grey suit? With a black suit? I really like green, it is my favorite color, but what if they think it is my favorite color because I like money?

-So are black dress socks cool? I'll probably sweat a lot because I'm wearing way too much clothing so I will probably put a ton of baby powder on my feet and I'm worried it will show through the black socks.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
An inexpensive or cheap suit can look good if you get it tailored well. Fit matters so much more than who the make is of. They'll be plenty of people with expensive suits, yet they'll have 3 or 4 breaks in their pants lol. Point is, just pay good money for a good tailor. I've never bought a super inexpensive suit so I'm not sure about the diminishing returns with such a transaction-- cheap suit to good tailor. However, when I applied my mindset was on an inexpensive suit to use just for the interview. YMMV.

Get charcoal or navy.

I would error on the side of conservative appearance for your interview. Just get a simple tie with a simple pattern.

Your dress socks should match your suit pant color, a la navy with navy black with black, etc. Some people like to get fancy with their socks (i.e. me) but I still didn't do this on interviews.
 
TUVIX said:
I think you might be a troll... but on the off chance you are really confused about this... Men's interview dress is extremely simple. Black, Navy, or Dark Grey suit, White dress shirt, solid black or navy tie, black belt, black dress shoes (not scuffed), and dress socks (anything you want literally could have an interesting or colorful patter). I suggest if you are on a budget that you go for H&M (at least for the tie because you can get a skinny tie cheap). Nordstrom is good. Check out Topman suits... modern fit and inexpensive. If you are ramen noodle broke then go to a thrift store and do your best to replicate this formula. Get your suit tailored so that it fits you correctly. You dont want to look like you are wearing your dad's suit. That's about it.
Click to expand...
No. You don't wear black. You aren't paying your respects.
 
ChiTownBHawks said:
An inexpensive or cheap suit can look good if you get it tailored well. Fit matters so much more than who the make is of. They'll be plenty of people with expensive suits, yet they'll have 3 or 4 breaks in their pants lol. Point is, just pay good money for a good tailor. I've never bought a super inexpensive suit so I'm not sure about the diminishing returns with such a transaction-- cheap suit to good tailor. However, when I applied my mindset was on an inexpensive suit to use just for the interview. YMMV.

Get charcoal or navy.

I would error on the side of conservative appearance for your interview. Just get a simple tie with a simple pattern.

Your dress socks should match your suit pant color, a la navy with navy black with black, etc. Some people like to get fancy with their socks (i.e. me) but I still didn't do this on interviews.
Click to expand...
what do you mean by breaks
 
ChiTownBHawks said:
No. You don't wear black. You aren't paying your respects.
Click to expand...

Black is totally fine. Though it may not be your best option (navy and grey are better) it is 100% not a problem. I went to graduate school at a top medical school and watched hoards of black suit wearing people walking by me on interviews every week.
 
TUVIX said:
Black is totally fine. Though it may not be your best option (navy and grey are better) it is 100% not a problem. I went to graduate school at a top medical school and watched hoards of black suit wearing people walking by me on interviews every week.
Click to expand...
If you wanna look horrible then sure.

Lol, who cares where you went. Totally irrelevant.
 
Gandy741 said:
What? I thought black was like the default color for med school interviews?
Click to expand...
No. You were black to funerals or if you have to wear a tux. For professional school (assuming a conservative environment, which medicine is) you were charcoal or navy blue. Maybe a lighter grey.
 
ChiTownBHawks said:
If you wanna look horrible then sure.

Lol, who cares where you went. Totally irrelevant.
Click to expand...

My point was not where I went, my point was that it is not uncommon. You are not going to lose points at your interview for wearing a black suit. Anyway, I agreed with you the navy and grey are better anyway.
 
TUVIX said:
My point was not where I went, my point was that it is not uncommon. You are not going to lose points at your interview for wearing a black suit. Anyway, I agreed with you the navy and grey are better anyway.
Click to expand...
That's a fair point and I agree.
 
I really dont think wearing black is as bad as you say. In fact, next week is my 1st interview. I'll let you know what everyone is wearing.
 
I saw the same thing regarding black suits being bad. I have worn navy at my interviews but there has been a good number of guys wearing black and charcoal as well. I really don't think it matters as long as it fits well and doesn't stand out to much.
 
Gandy741 said:
I really dont think wearing black is as bad as you say. In fact, next week is my 1st interview. I'll let you know what everyone is wearing.
Click to expand...
That has literally no bearing on what I've been saying. You should also report back how many people can't tie a proper knot, or are wearing white socks, or wear their jacket buttoned when they sit down, etc. As those will be just as relevant.
 
ChiTownBHawks said:
That has literally no bearing on what I've been saying. You should also report back how many people can't tie a proper knot, or are wearing white socks, or wear their jacket buttoned when they sit down, etc. As those will be just as relevant.
Click to expand...
I haven't seen white socks or a bad knot but I have seen plenty of suit jackets still buttoned when we're sitting down....awful.
 
Wait, are suits supposed to be un-buttoned when you sit down? I literally did not know that.

When I get in the room and go to sit down, or get asked to sit, do I just casually unbutton it as I sit or something?
 
cryhavoc said:
Wait, are suits supposed to be un-buttoned when you sit down? I literally did not know that.

When I get in the room and go to sit down, or get asked to sit, do I just casually unbutton it as I sit or something?
Click to expand...

You do it as you sit down. No three button suits either, get a two button
 
ChiTownBHawks said:
That has literally no bearing on what I've been saying. You should also report back how many people can't tie a proper knot, or are wearing white socks, or wear their jacket buttoned when they sit down, etc. As those will be just as relevant.
Click to expand...

Actually in this context it kind of does. If many people wear black to a medical school Interview, will they all be deemed as bad relative to those who wear gray and charcoal? Your strong opinion on how black has to be worn for funerals only makes it seem that it is this way.

Thats all I'm saying
 
You're not going to lose a spot because your suit is black. However, as said above, it is a poor fashion choice. That's basic professional men's fashion 101.
 
Guys... comon...

"I would like to get black because then I could use it when my grandparents start dying"

"I really like green, it is my favorite color, but what if they think it is my favorite color because I like money"

"put a ton of baby powder on my feet and I'm worried it will show through the black socks"

TROLL.

I've highlighted the parts which I believe were supposed to be comical.

Guys.



TROLL.
 
You caught me :claps:, although I honestly was inquiring about the color, the majority of my post was meant as a joke to produce a light-hearted chuckle.

I bet you're fun at parties . . .
 
cryhavoc said:
You caught me :claps:, although I honestly was inquiring about the color, the majority of my post was meant as a joke to produce a light-hearted chuckle.

I bet you're fun at parties . . .
Click to expand...
I thought that was understood. I laughed my ass off!
 
cryhavoc said:
You caught me :claps:, although I honestly was inquiring about the color, the majority of my post was meant as a joke to produce a light-hearted chuckle.

I bet you're fun at parties . . .
Click to expand...
And here I was wholeheartedly taking notes. Nervously eyes wardrobe*
 
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