Interview attire for women

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Aislin

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Go professional, I know. But do you think we must wear skirts or is it aceptable to wear pants? Skirts are not practical, especially if you have a lot of traveling to do. And what about heels?
 
Pants are fine. I wore the same suit I did for my med school interviews. Just look professional. Mine was black, but I saw many other colors out there. (I had red and purple turtlenecks that I alternated as I crammed my interviews into a short time.)

I went to DSW and found a pair of heels that had a big square heel with good support. I never wear heels, but I'm barely 5' tall, and my suit had been tailored to about 2" heels, so I didn't have a choice unless I wanted to have the pants altered.

If you don't want to wear heels, weat flats. If you don't want to wear a skirt, wear pants. Just look professional and don't worry about it. Just remember that you're going to be traipsing all over these huge medical centers, and shoes you can stand in for several hours are important.

Just my 2c,
Danielle
 
Thanks for the feed back.
 
I totally agree with dchristmi. I'm going to wear pants as well because I am much more comfortable that way. I'm going with flats for shoes because of comfort and I'm already 5'11".
 
I brought both skirt and pants for places where I thought, weather permitting, I might wear a skirt.

I never did.

Mind those stairwells and puddles, by the way.

[Addendum]Contrary to the advice dispensed in Iserson's, I wore black. Since starting residency I acquired a (hand-washable) grey suit and do highly recommend grey - neither dark nor light lint shows!
 
The vast majority of women I saw wore pants. I was one of the few in a skirt. And most wore black (I didn't). Any "professional" suit is fine. I didn't wear heels either (I'm tall enough without them), but most women did.
 
Just a couple of pieces of advise regarding interview attire . . .

I actually found it helpful to have two interview suits. I had so many back-to-back interviews that it was worth the investment not to worry about the dry cleaners losing my suit and having to scramble before an interview to find something to wear (which actually happened for my med school interviews!). I purchased one of my suits through J.Crew and was able to get both the skirt and pants so that I could alternate depending on the weather.

I noticed that a lot of females spent time and effort in selecting a suit but didn't pay attention to little details that detracted from their overall appearance. Having clean, well-polished shoes is more important than the heel height. Above all else, do NOT wear sandals with pantyhose in December when it is snowing outside! Another element of looking professional is having a bag or purse that coordinates with your outfit. If you plan on carrying a backpack, at least remove any buttons/stickers on it that refer to your favorite band, political cause, etc.

In terms of where to find suits that are reasonably priced, I've found good luck through smartbargains.com, Ann Taylor, and J.Crew.
 
Sorry ladies, but I think you really should wear heels, even if you're tall. When I used to interview people (outside of medicine) I always knocked off points for girls not wearing heels (just like guys not shaving the morning of). Whatever you do, don't wear sneakers and change into heels in the lobby. I even had a few who changed into heels and asked my secretary to hold their empty bag with their change of shoes. It was a deal breaker.
 
I don't think I'd want to match into a program where whether I wore heels or not to the interview made a difference.
 
fedor said:
Sorry ladies, but I think you really should wear heels, even if you're tall. When I used to interview people (outside of medicine) I always knocked off points for girls not wearing heels (just like guys not shaving the morning of). Whatever you do, don't wear sneakers and change into heels in the lobby. I even had a few who changed into heels and asked my secretary to hold their empty bag with their change of shoes. It was a deal breaker.
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Are you joking? Some people can't wear heels because of foot problems. Heels can be very uncomfortable even painful for some people. You should be a little more open-minded.
 
fedor said:
Sorry ladies, but I think you really should wear heels, even if you're tall. When I used to interview people (outside of medicine) I always knocked off points for girls not wearing heels (just like guys not shaving the morning of). Whatever you do, don't wear sneakers and change into heels in the lobby. I even had a few who changed into heels and asked my secretary to hold their empty bag with their change of shoes. It was a deal breaker.
Click to expand...

Heels make me 6'2. Flats are perfectly professional.
 
shorrin said:
Are you joking? Some people can't wear heels because of foot problems. Heels can be very uncomfortable even painful for some people. You should be a little more open-minded.
Click to expand...

Heels aren't important per se. What is important is the candidate who suffers and goes the extra mile to be presentable. If a candidate is sloppy or unwilling to sacrifice comfort for a 30 minute interview, what is the likelyhood that they'll sacrifice for 80 hours a week?

You can complain all you want that it's not fair, but I guarantee you some people will knock off points if you don't wear heels.
 
fedor said:
Heels aren't important per se. What is important is the candidate who suffers and goes the extra mile to be presentable. If a candidate is sloppy or unwilling to sacrifice comfort for a 30 minute interview, what is the likelyhood that they'll sacrifice for 80 hours a week?

You can complain all you want that it's not fair, but I guarantee you some people will knock off points if you don't wear heels.
Click to expand...

30 minute interview? try 5-6 hour interview day hiking around a medical center (outside, also, possibly). I think you're extrapolating a little much, especially for medicine residencies (where as much time is spent in sneakers or clogs as dress clothes). Presentable and professional, yes. Uncomfortable and miserable, not necessary.
 
Okay, accessory question. I have a navy blue suit left over from med school interviews and it still fits (I can't believe it!). I have great, comfortable navy shoes that match well, but don't know what sort of bag I can carry. Somehow I thought your bag was supposed to match your shoes, so does it have to be navy? That just sounds wrong to me. I was thinking about brown, but that seems wrong as well. Help. I don't know these rules.
 
GeneGoddess said:
Heels make me 6'2. Flats are perfectly professional.
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Why do females have a problem with being tall? I've always wondered this.
 
toofache32 said:
Why do females have a problem with being tall? I've always wondered this.
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i'm short, but I've from multiple female friends that males are often uncomfy with them being shorter than the female. When you have people like mr. heels here who will mark you down for your choice of footwear, who knows who's ego will be rubbed the wrong way and mark you down for being taller already and then going ahead and wearing heels?
 
toofache32 said:
Why do females have a problem with being tall? I've always wondered this.
Click to expand...
I LOVE being tall. And my spouse, who is shorter than me, adores tall women (lucky me!). And I love wearing heels that make me tower over everyone. However, I also know that many people (usually men) are uncomfortable and intimidated by women who are taller than they are. Even I feel a bit weird in a room where everyone is 6'4 or more. It's not a slight, just an observation. And since the average man is 5'8 to 5'9 (depending on which survery you believe), and I'm taller than that in stocking feet, towering over them is not always in my best interest. Flats are not unprofessional. We're not talking bedroom slippers here, but the same style of shoe that you call "heels" that just don't have one.

FWIW, I saw men wearing sneakers (albeit dark leather ones) and women wearing clogs (which I hate).
 
OK, so here's another interview attire question:

I've heard repeatedly that black is the way to go. I wanted to wear navy, but was strongly discouraged by some residents who have been through this process already. What have you all heard about this? I hate to be generic, but it seems that I don't want to risk it! 😕
 
futureped said:
OK, so here's another interview attire question:

I've heard repeatedly that black is the way to go. I wanted to wear navy, but was strongly discouraged by some residents who have been through this process already. What have you all heard about this? I hate to be generic, but it seems that I don't want to risk it! 😕
Click to expand...

Based on your name, I'd guess you're interested in peds. Being a peds intern currently, I think I speak with experience when I say that people interviewed in black, gray, blue/navy, dark purple, brown/tan suits, and I strongly doubt that it hurt their chances at any program.

As for a bag to carry with a navy suit, I would think that a brown or navy bag would be ideal, but if you already have a black one, use it. People on the interview trail are not straight on the runway -- if you make an effort to look nice and professional, no one is going to fault you for not spending hundreds of dollars for interview clothes on top of everything else.
 
fedor said:
Sorry ladies, but I think you really should wear heels, even if you're tall. When I used to interview people (outside of medicine) I always knocked off points for girls not wearing heels (just like guys not shaving the morning of). Whatever you do, don't wear sneakers and change into heels in the lobby. I even had a few who changed into heels and asked my secretary to hold their empty bag with their change of shoes. It was a deal breaker.
Click to expand...

I matched at my first choice program and never wore heels to a single interview. I did wear professional looking flats in good condition though. If I'm discriminated against for not wearing heels (which aren't exactly healthy) then that makes me wary of the institution in general.

*I echo the sentiments of having more than one interview suit. I alternated 3 (but I did all but one of my interviews in pairs so I had 1 suit for each and an emergency option). All of my suits had skirts and I had no problems interviewing even in the winter in the northeast and midwest. But then I think I'm more of skirts person and a professional looking pants suit isn't a detriment.
 
I wore a black suit (with pants) to all of my interviews, along with shoes with an ~ 2" heel. The other females I interviewed with wore all different colored suits - black, brown, pinstriped...one even wore a black skirt with a gray blazer. I think as long as you look professional you will be fine, as long as you wear something resembling a suit. As for pants vs. skirts, I think only one female I saw when I was interviewing wore a skirt. Pants are so much more comfortable, especially with a long interview day.
 
GeneGoddess said:
Flats are not unprofessional. We're not talking bedroom slippers here, but the same style of shoe that you call "heels" that just don't have one.
Click to expand...
I guess this would be a bad time for my "woman barefoot in the kitchen" joke, huh?
 
Wednesday said:
Okay, accessory question. I have a navy blue suit left over from med school interviews and it still fits (I can't believe it!). I have great, comfortable navy shoes that match well, but don't know what sort of bag I can carry. Somehow I thought your bag was supposed to match your shoes, so does it have to be navy? That just sounds wrong to me. I was thinking about brown, but that seems wrong as well. Help. I don't know these rules.
Click to expand...
Black 🙂 And you will use it forever.

To my amazement I managed to find a black shoulder bag without the usual silver spangles/buckles/zippers/accoutrements.

Iserson's says to not carry a purse, but my passport/wallet had to go somewhere on my person.

You're probably thinking brown because of jeans.
 
totalbodypain said:
Forget heels, a good fitting bikini will always get you through the door!!! 😉
Click to expand...
...and then out the door the next morning. 😱
 
Ladies, what kind of a bag is appropriate (size, style) for interviews ... if anyone has a picture or website display the "right type" of bag I'd be very very grateful.
I'm going for a pantsuit just like I did for med school interviews with flats ... and I really want to know the name of the program(s) that expects its candidates to go through pain and misery to indicate "extra effort" ... cause I'm certainly not wasting my time and travel money on them.
 
And speaking of interview practices; What ever happened to the wet t-shirt contest. Hands down the most important information that a potential PD could evaluate (and the fellow residents).
 
Not to force my idea of dress on everyone, but I found myself something like this, though slightly more structured (i.e. rectangular)

purse.jpg


And you can use it post-interviews.
 
totalbodypain said:
Forget heels, a good fitting bikini will always get you through the door!!! 😉
Click to expand...

I'll be conducting interviews in the call room this year.
 
dchristismi said:
(I had red and purple turtlenecks that I alternated as I crammed my interviews into a short time.)
Click to expand...

I'm very "not in tune" with fashion, so I apologize for my elementary question.

I have a question regarding appropriate female blouses under the suit...What kind of turtlenecks would be appropriate in terms of style...what is considered "professional" in terms of interviewing...

Thanks for your help.
 
I used a black suit w/ both pants and a skirt. I started off wearing the skirt, but by the end was just wearing the pants. If they cared, I didn't. I alternated non-wrinkle button down shirts in pink and blue from Brooks Brothers. Last thing I wanted to do on the trail was iron. Best money I have ever spent on clothes, aside from my Dansko's. I like pink, and I think being brave enough to wear a little color did me good (matched at a program where I wore the pink shirt). So, don't be afraid to let a little (but not too much) personality show.

As for shoes, I wore nice Dansko Professionals in Black with the pants and was complimented on them just about everywhere (I wouldn't feel comfy wearing those w/ a skirt, but if you do, go for it). Some wore heels for the interviews and changed into other more comfortable shoes for tours, etc. I did that when I wore a skirt.
 
i showed up at hopkins without a suitcoat. that was pretty sweet. i'm a guy though
 
Strength&Speed said:
i showed up at hopkins without a suitcoat. that was pretty sweet. i'm a guy though
Click to expand...
No pants either, huh?
 
totalbodypain said:
And speaking of interview practices; What ever happened to the wet t-shirt contest. Hands down the most important information that a potential PD could evaluate (and the fellow residents).
Click to expand...

In all seriousness, I did attend a "resident selection committee meeting" where they put up kodachromes of potentials, dranks tons of alcohol and threw empty beer cans at the ones they didnt like....obviously had watched Animal House one too many times, was naively shocked by how random all this crap is. But I remember one they did like was this woman in a tight top, so clothing can be clutch.
 
What should you wear at the informal dinners?
 
The dinners are largely informal unless you are told otherwise. I would say think business casual. Khakis and a dress shirt or sweater for men, nice pants and a blouse or sweater for women. Definitely don't wear a suit. No t-shirts or jeans
 
DiaHuq said:
What should you wear at the informal dinners?
Click to expand...

Remember, nothing impresses PD more than your ability to woo the ladies at the informal dinners.

Thus, I suggest something along these lines:

bush-black-vote.jpg
 
another silly question, I know, but I'm not really a handbag/purse person, have a habit of misplacing them. I have a dark brown pant suit what color shoes and handbag should I have? doesn't all brown look to monochromatically boring? And what style handbag? i'm guessing something in leather, should i wear plain pumps with the suit? nothing strappy right? This dressing conservative thing is driving me crazy as i'm normally very into boho/funky and mismatch things alot (cowboy boots with chiffon dress sort) and doc martens and converse allstars (how i wish i could wear those to the interview!!!)

i really need help on this interview getup thing😱 🙁
 
sz said:
Ladies, what kind of a bag is appropriate (size, style) for interviews ... if anyone has a picture or website display the "right type" of bag I'd be very very grateful.
Click to expand...

The perfect bag-- I think you can get them at finer department stores throughout the country.
 
lol, don't tempt me, i might do it just to see the response
 
futureped said:
OK, so here's another interview attire question:

I've heard repeatedly that black is the way to go. I wanted to wear navy, but was strongly discouraged by some residents who have been through this process already. What have you all heard about this? I hate to be generic, but it seems that I don't want to risk it! 😕
Click to expand...


Everyone should own a black suit, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a navy, dark brown, or dark gray suit. I wore a dark navy suit with light pinstripes to many of my interviews last season. During one of my interview days, a program director made a comment about everyone having on black suits. He made it sound like it was monotonous and boring, although he didn't use the exact words, and it is the "safe" thing to do. Of course, this was just one person, but I highly doubt any points will be docked for choosing one of the other colors I mentioned.
 
sz said:
Ladies, what kind of a bag is appropriate (size, style) for interviews ... if anyone has a picture or website display the "right type" of bag I'd be very very grateful.
I'm going for a pantsuit just like I did for med school interviews with flats ... and I really want to know the name of the program(s) that expects its candidates to go through pain and misery to indicate "extra effort" ... cause I'm certainly not wasting my time and travel money on them.
Click to expand...

There are many different types of handbags that would be appropriate. The important thing is that it's leather (IMO) and color coordinated. Also a medium size is best--not too big because you will have to lug that thing around with you all day. 😛 Here are a few I was able to find online quickly:

http://wil.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pG01-1593091v130a.jpg

http://wil.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pWIL-1593608p275w.jpg

http://wil.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pWIL-1593512v130a.jpg

http://wil.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pG01-2087807v130a.jpg
 
Okay, now what about people that are interviewing in places where it is extremely hot, and or humid? I just wonder if it will look ridiculous to show up in a black or even a dark grey suit when it is 90 degrees outside. Even in November the temps can be this high in Hawaii, Southern Cal and the Southwest. Do you think it would look out of place to wear say a light tan suit, or some other lighter color?
 
Why doesn't anyone call it a "purse" anymore? Am I that old-fashioned? To me, a "bag" is what you put your groceries in.
 
toofache32 said:
Why doesn't anyone call it a "purse" anymore? Am I that old-fashioned? To me, a "bag" is what you put your groceries in.
Click to expand...

it's cuz we all is ho's here. 😉

but i still call it a "purse." the only bags i plan on carrying around come interviews will be the ones under my eyes.


addendum: i do own this tote bag which i vaguely considered using for my psych interviews.
 
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