Interview attire

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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I went with a traditional loose pant, a more fitted jacket (both black), and a dark grey/white striped shirt.
My brother's job at Old Navy = 50% off at Banana Republic!! Little does he know we're going to be shopping a lot more often together in the future.
 
I think fit is important. It looks more polished, I think. Rarely do I see a looser jacket or blouse and think "conservative". Mostly I think "sloppy".😳 My suit is fairly fitted. Not tight by any stretch of the imagination, just nicely fitted. That said, like all of these issues, if you're not comfortable wearing something more fitted, go with what you're confident in.
 
turquoisewolves said:
I am obessing over my outfit again this year....
Do you think "fit" matters? It seems like I remember a lot of "fitted" suits last year. Do you think this comes across more manicured....
But then on the other hand does a looser blazer type coat make you look more "conservative" and professional.
I just can't decide.
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I just bought a fitted jacket, pencil skirt/pants (all black) at banana republic today. I'm pretty short so when I tried on the more un-fitted styles I looked like I was wearing a bag. A nice bag, made of lovely material, but still a bag.
 
wait, you mean we can't wear scrubs? ...

my closet = scrubs, flannel, and riding pants and a few pairs of jeans. i'm doomed.
 
Thanks guys for your input.
I think you have convinced me to try to get shopping before the interview to look for a jacket to go with my pants.
 
New York and Company is having a sale- 50% off EVERYTHING! They have some nice interview clothing. Just though I'd let ya'll know!
 
I think the whole interview process and vet school attire requirement will really be a change for me. Currently at work I wear jeans and a t-shirt with the clincs names on it, I have not worn a scrub shirt since the summer and have never worn scrub pants before. I am taking microbiology right now and cant stand wearing a lab coat either. I also have only worn a suit once in my life and my usual attire is gym clothes. I think I am in for a rude awakening.
 
jtom said:
I think the whole interview process and vet school attire requirement will really be a change for me. Currently at work I wear jeans and a t-shirt with the clincs names on it, I have not worn a scrub shirt since the summer and have never worn scrub pants before. I am taking microbiology right now and cant stand wearing a lab coat either. I also have only worn a suit once in my life and my usual attire is gym clothes. I think I am in for a rude awakening.
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it's really not that bad and this is coming from someone who worked on dairy farms (constantly covered in crap, wearing nothing fancier than muck boots, jeans, and old tshirts) and attending one of the CVMs with a dresscode.

at first i thought it was going to be awful, but it's not at all. AND only a few schools have a dresscode, so if u go to one that doesnt have one u dont have to worry about it. as far as the interview attire...how long do you have a suit on?! maybe a couple of hours/1 day? i was so excited to be interviewing that i could care less that i had a suit on for a short amount of time. you make it sound like a death sentence and it isn't at all.

ask anyone who didn't get an interview last year who is re-applying this year...i'm sure they'd LOVE to have that opportunity and could care less about the requirements.

yeah wearing a lab coat for long anatomy labs isn't awesome, but seriously...once you're in vet school you have a lot more important things to do/worry about rather than complaining about the dress code, wearing lab coats, etc.
 
Went to the mall last night, got really frustrated and nothing fit, nothing looked right. Went to Ross tonight, I am in love with that store. Got an amazingly cheap grey suit that actually fits my body without even needing to shorten the pants because it is petite.. got super lucky that they had it in that size. Excited, finally things are falling into place!
 
rileyroo said:
yeah wearing a lab coat for long anatomy labs isn't awesome, but seriously...once you're in vet school you have a lot more important things to do/worry about rather than complaining about the dress code, wearing lab coats, etc.
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👍 .. Yes to this. If wearing a lab coat was the worst part of anatomy (and/or vet school), life would be very, very good.
 
We're not required to wear lab coats. But - I usually do because it's so freaking cold in the anatomy room!

Dress code was something that had me worried too - we're supposed to wear nice shirts with well kept jeans (i.e. no holes or anything). I just wear nice looking plain t-shirts 😀 It's either that or a suit because I have nothing else in my wardrobe - and I absolutely detest shopping. I'm going to be one of those vets (hopefully) that is scrubs only!

For my interview I wore a black skirt suit with a white shirt underneath. I'm not much of a heels person, so my shoes were dressy but flat. The only jewelry I had was a ring on my right hand that I wear pretty much all the time.
 
A suggestion to all you folks traveling on airplanes to your various interviews, who may not yet be experienced with the evil ways of the airlines.

Under no circumstances check your bag that has your "interview attire" in it. This coming from a man who had to shop for underwear in Istanbul while his bag was visiting the queen in London.

Carry on is the only way to go. Trust nobody. Now back to your regular programming.
 
AuRevoirFinance said:
A suggestion to all you folks traveling on airplanes to your various interviews, who may not yet be experienced with the evil ways of the airlines.

Under no circumstances check your bag that has your "interview attire" in it. This coming from a man who had to shop for underwear in Istanbul while his bag was visiting the queen in London.

Carry on is the only way to go. Trust nobody. Now back to your regular programming.
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Very good point!!
 
Definitely never check the bag!

I did a roll a board and my laptop bag and had room to spare. My rollaboard wasn't even the max size either!

My method: have suit in suit bag/ plastic dry cleaner bag. Lay it on bottom of suitcase and the excess is along the inside of the cover of the suitcase. Place rolled up jeans/ pjs/ tshirts on top of the suit. Position shoes in between rolls with socks and undies inside them. Add whatever other clothing items you need, in rolls. Generally works best with big rolls on the bottom, smaller on the top and in the corners. Flip the rest of the suit over the top of all the other items. Toiletries go in the front zippered compartment for easy security access. This way you avoid major wrinkles and creases in your beautiful suit! If you pack efficiently it's amazing what will fit- I went on a twelve day vacation with this system, although I had a full size carry on for that trip ( and three pairs of shoes, as well as winter cloths!)

(does this make sense? It's hard to describe!) I saw people interviewing with HUGE suitcases and I just don't get it. None of them were staying for more than 2-3 days either. Don't be that person! Haha
 
cowgirla said:
Definitely never check the bag!

I did a roll a board and my laptop bag and had room to spare. My rollaboard wasn't even the max size either!

My method: have suit in suit bag/ plastic dry cleaner bag. Lay it on bottom of suitcase and the excess is along the inside of the cover of the suitcase. Place rolled up jeans/ pjs/ tshirts on top of the suit. Position shoes in between rolls with socks and undies inside them. Add whatever other clothing items you need, in rolls. Generally works best with big rolls on the bottom, smaller on the top and in the corners. Flip the rest of the suit over the top of all the other items. Toiletries go in the front zippered compartment for easy security access. This way you avoid major wrinkles and creases in your beautiful suit! If you pack efficiently it's amazing what will fit- I went on a twelve day vacation with this system, although I had a full size carry on for that trip ( and three pairs of shoes, as well as winter cloths!)

(does this make sense? It's hard to describe!) I saw people interviewing with HUGE suitcases and I just don't get it. None of them were staying for more than 2-3 days either. Don't be that person! Haha
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I have always rolled my clothes (well, since I've packed my own suitcase), but have never had a reason to take a suit with me and won't in the near future. If I ever have to, it sounds like the perfect solution!
 
Silly question regarding what to wear under your suit jacket: I have a 3 button-suit jacket that buttons midway on the sternum. What is recommended to wear under a high-buttoning jacket such as this? A collared shirt or a high scoop-necked top? Thanks!
 
Someone posted the best advice last year regarding packing a suit.

For my first interview my garmet bag was being used so i had to pack my suit in my carryon.

For those of you who have to pack a suit, put tissue paper everywhere you fold it. This will reduce the creases. Also, you can steam it when you get to the hotel by hanging it in the bathroom and running the shower on the highest heat and placing a towel at the door so the steam remains in the bathroom.

I did this for my first interview and my suit looked really nice!
 
Does anyone have any suggestions for hiding a nose piercing besides just getting rid of it? I know about the acrylic plugs, but the only ones I've seen have been pretty large and probably more noticeable than what I have in there now.
 
twelvetigers said:
Does anyone have any suggestions for hiding a nose piercing besides just getting rid of it? I know about the acrylic plugs, but the only ones I've seen have been pretty large and probably more noticeable than what I have in there now.
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I'm thinking one of those red clown noses might just do it. It can double as a christmas tree ornament.
 
twelvetigers said:
Does anyone have any suggestions for hiding a nose piercing besides just getting rid of it? I know about the acrylic plugs, but the only ones I've seen have been pretty large and probably more noticeable than what I have in there now.
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I had to cover mine at work all the time. What i did was i bought one of the cheaper studs that had the little "diamond" stone on it and removed the stone which left a little dip. I put it in my nose and then applied a little foundation to it and it blended right in.
 
twelvetigers said:
Does anyone have any suggestions for hiding a nose piercing besides just getting rid of it? I know about the acrylic plugs, but the only ones I've seen have been pretty large and probably more noticeable than what I have in there now.
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I gave up my cartilage piercing, industrial bar piercing, and 2 gauge plugs in anticipation of getting interviews (and they all closed up pretty fast)... good luck covering your nose piercing up, I'm starting to miss all my ear metal. 🙁
 
bonaparte said:
I gave up my cartilage piercing, industrial bar piercing, and 2 gauge plugs in anticipation of getting interviews (and they all closed up pretty fast)... good luck covering your nose piercing up, I'm starting to miss all my ear metal. 🙁
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You gave up your cartilage piercing? I wasn't planning on doing so but this makes me wonder...I didn't really think of my cartilage piercing as that "extreme" I guess. It's a typical 14G piercing that I got done at a tattoo shop. I also have three piercings in my right earlobe and two in my left earlobe that I got done a long time ago, so they are okay to leave without jewelery in them. I was planning on just wearing my tiny diamond studs in the first holes and leaving the other three open, and just getting a plain silver hoop to put in my cartilage. I have three tattoos, all of which are covered up by business clothes so I'm not worried about them.

Do you think a conservative silver hoop in my cartilage is too "much?"
 
EllieGirl89 said:
You gave up your cartilage piercing? I wasn't planning on doing so but this makes me wonder...I didn't really think of my cartilage piercing as that "extreme" I guess. It's a typical 14G piercing that I got done at a tattoo shop. I also have three piercings in my right earlobe and two in my left earlobe that I got done a long time ago, so they are okay to leave without jewelery in them. I was planning on just wearing my tiny diamond studs in the first holes and leaving the other three open, and just getting a plain silver hoop to put in my cartilage. I have three tattoos, all of which are covered up by business clothes so I'm not worried about them.

Do you think a conservative silver hoop in my cartilage is too "much?"
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I imagine that's fine, honestly. I think part of me wanted to start out fresh, which is why I went ahead and took everything out (obviously, I was most worried about that industrial bar, since the cartilage ring alone is pretty tame). If you wanted to be "safe" you could even take out the ring during the interview and put it back in afterwards?
 
Ahh good call. I'll definitely consider that. Hah, I wonder what it looks like without jewelery in it. I honestly have taken it out a total of like 5 times since I got the piercing 3 years ago. If it doesn't look like a big gaping hole when I take it out that's probably the way I'll go.
 
Does anyone (cough, TT, cough), have any quick links to previous interview attire threads and/or posts that specifically discuss what guys should wear? I found one male-specific discussion, but then it got hijacked by a bunch of comments about suit "fit" and heels or no heels.

I'm mostly trying to figure out whether a suit is absolutely necessary...I was previously under the impression that I'll need to whip out my one and only suit, but my dad was saying he thought I'd be overdressed in a black suit, and that I should go with my grey slacks/navy sports jacket. Do I even absolutely need the sports jacket?

Also, is there any truth in the thought that some schools may be more formal than others when it comes to interview wear? Tufts (the only school I applied to) just seemed so low key and laid back when I visited, and their interviews seem much more casual than other schools, and I kind of hoping that I can get away with a white or striped button down and khakis.

So I guess, most specifically, I'm hoping any guys who interviewed at Tufts last year will chime in.
 
Does anyone have tips on the non-suit items of the interview apparel? I bought an awesome suit, and have a blouse, but should the blouse be a collared shirt (mine is not), colorful vs. not (teal in my case), etc.

Do you take a purse into the interview, or do you leave it outside? I don't have a professional-looking purse and I'm not sure whether or not to invest in one (my suit cost a bundle already!).

Additionally, my coat is geared towards warmth and comfort; not fashion. Since interviewees tour around the campus, is it worth it to buy a fancy coat? Is there anyway to get a cheap one that looks good?
 
PendantWorld said:
Does anyone have tips on the non-suit items of the interview apparel? I bought an awesome suit, and have a blouse, but should the blouse be a collared shirt (mine is not), colorful vs. not (teal in my case), etc.
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I wore a silk teal collar-less shirt 🙂 Worked wonders for me, haha.
 
Girls.. where are you finding colored, collared blouses.. I went to Macy's, Dillards, and New York & Company and no such luck.??


Also.. my suit pants are a little snug in the waist region.. but its pretty hidden by my suit coat.. do you think thats okay?
 
LoveMyDobies said:
Girls.. where are you finding colored, collared blouses.. I went to Macy's, Dillards, and New York & Company and no such luck.??


Also.. my suit pants are a little snug in the waist region.. but its pretty hidden by my suit coat.. do you think thats okay?
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I know Express has some of those shirts. I also think I've been told that Old Navy has them too.

If your pants are noticeably tight I'd get another size. What if you take off your jacket during your interview day because you get warm? You don't want to be uncomfortable because your pants don't fit properly.

I still need to buy a new suit and shirt and everything, so you're ahead of me!
 
As long as the snug-ness doesn't make you feel uncomfortable and it isn't to the point where it might tear (that'd be embarrassing! :laugh: ) it's not that big of a deal, probably.

I think it's super important that you feel as comfortable as possible in whatever you decide to wear while still maintaining a professional look. I am by NO MEANS a suit-wearer, but finding some black suit pants that fit properly and a shirt that felt comfortable made all the difference to me, I think.

I waffled a bit between a dark bright purple blouse and a white sheer one with a really cool tie-neck over a bright camisole and ended up going with the latter, because shirts that fit me well in the chest and torso and waist generally had sleeves that were a little tight around my hockey-and-weightlifting-induced GUNS :meanie:, and these ones fit better under the suit jacket when unbuttoned than the former. So it ended up coming down to which was more comfortable to me, rather than the style, and I think it made a lot of difference.

Just my opinion. 🙂
 
I just don't want to buy a whole new suit b/c i gained a few lbs haha.. my suit is a dark grey and they don't sell it anymore so I can't buy a larger pant size. And I don't really think its noticeable (but I'll have to ask my parents to see what they think). I just think I'm slightly uncomfortable.. maybe if I wear the pants around the house they will stretch out.. I've never worn them before.

I guess I'll go to the mall and check out another suit just in case.. thanks for the advice!
 
LoveMyDobies said:
I just don't want to buy a whole new suit b/c i gained a few lbs haha.. my suit is a dark grey and they don't sell it anymore so I can't buy a larger pant size. And I don't really think its noticeable (but I'll have to ask my parents to see what they think). I just think I'm slightly uncomfortable.. maybe if I wear the pants around the house they will stretch out.. I've never worn them before.

I guess I'll go to the mall and check out another suit just in case.. thanks for the advice!
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One word...spanx. If the suit isn't THAT much tighter they can make a world of difference-they did for me! Also helps to remind me to sit up straight and have poise. As for the colored, collared blouses, I found a plethora of them at Macy's. Mine is light pink =D
 
LoveMyDobies said:
Girls.. where are you finding colored, collared blouses.. I went to Macy's, Dillards, and New York & Company and no such luck.??


Also.. my suit pants are a little snug in the waist region.. but its pretty hidden by my suit coat.. do you think thats okay?
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I got a striped (dark grey/white) blouse at The Limited. They seemed to have a lot different styles/colors etc.
 
laitmanvet said:
I got a striped (dark grey/white) blouse at The Limited. They seemed to have a lot different styles/colors etc.
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I got my blouse at The Limited as well! They are a bit pricey, but they have an enormous selection.
 
Does anyone have any tips on changing clothes for tours? I have an interview at OSU on Monday and it's supposed to be snowing the whole time, and they recommended bringing umbrellas for inclement weather which leads me to believe we WILL be outside.. Maybe I'll just bring a change and ask my mom to carry around my big tote bag?? haha I don't know what to do! Thank goodness I have a morning interview and won't have to worry about carrying my suit around in the garment bag
 
I'm interviewing at Ohio too, and am not too excited about the weather lol. Since my interview is late in the day, I think I'm going to dress casual for the tour and change into my suit before the interview. Is that what everyone else is doing? Brrr it's going to be cold, 20 F!
 
ariann0412 said:
Does anyone have any tips on changing clothes for tours? I have an interview at OSU on Monday and it's supposed to be snowing the whole time, and they recommended bringing umbrellas for inclement weather which leads me to believe we WILL be outside.. Maybe I'll just bring a change and ask my mom to carry around my big tote bag?? haha I don't know what to do! Thank goodness I have a morning interview and won't have to worry about carrying my suit around in the garment bag
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I think that sounds like an excellent idea, ariann. I have a morning interview too. I'll be changing right after it and putting the dress clothes back in the car.
 
I didn't apply this cycle but, Im gonna go to the open house to check things out, that way Ill have an idea on what to wear. Im assuming starched blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a button down shirt with WRANGLER written on it probably wont be appropriate :\
 
So I went out looking for an outfit today, and while at Express I observed they have a deal going on, buy one, get one 50% off for their fitted shirts. Which, being about $40 usually makes it easier to get a second shirt. Happy enough with that, I came home and opened my Cosmo (December) and there was a $25 off your $50 purchase or $50 off a $150 coupon thru the end of the month. Still not cheap, but better than full-price if you love Express like I do.
 
I actually wore a dog costume to my interview. I figured that it would get the point across that I was dedicated to animals.
It didn't work....
 
So I got my suits my Victoria's Secret online. They have alot of different pants fits with all kinds of lengths, which is great because I'm tall. They also have a great blouse selection. I have a red, light blue, green, white and purple blouse, but I'm just not sure which one to with. I think the red is too aggressive, so I'll most likely go with the white or purple!
 
hahatoofunny22 said:
I think the red is too aggressive, so I'll most likely go with the white or purple!
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I don't know how *red* it is, but the officers tend to make fun of PD applicants in bright red shirts. Say it looks more like clubbing shirt than interview attire. This could, of course be entirely non-applicable to your shirt, and I am in no way saying color is bad. If I could find a cute shirt in bold teal or something, I'd wear it in a minute.
 
hahatoofunny22 said:
So I got my suits my Victoria's Secret online. They have alot of different pants fits with all kinds of lengths, which is great because I'm tall. They also have a great blouse selection. I have a red, light blue, green, white and purple blouse, but I'm just not sure which one to with. I think the red is too aggressive, so I'll most likely go with the white or purple!
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I'd go with purple. I dislike white blouses and black suits. It's just too...plain. I wouldn't discount the red either. If I could find a nice red blouse, I'd absolutely wear it. But that's just personal preference.
 
I also just discovered suits from victoria's secret. They're having a "suit up" sale- you can get a jacket and a skirt/pants for $99. I think that's what I'm going to do.. now to decide between skirt and pants and to pick a color :idea:
 
Is it sad that I refuse to try on my suit to see if it still fits as expected until I actually have some sort of interview to wear it to? It seems like bad juju, otherwise. My weight keeps on going up and down, so I have to try on jeans to see what pair might fit me for the week... kinda worries me.

I wore a peach colored 'drop-neck' shirt last year... the kinda that sorta hangs in folds? I think it looked nice, but I would not have taken my jacket off. And I probably will need a new shirt this year anyway - don't want to wear the same one twice to the same place... if...

Yeah, okay, I'm stopping now.
 
So, My mom got me the suit I wanted for Christmas. I have the shirt picked out, and intend to buy over new years along with shoes. I got a purse. And then this morning I had a thought- should I wear my glasses to my interview?

People have always told me they make me look older/ like a sexy librarian/ smart. I think they're right, but I'm not in love with the way they make me look down a little bit, and they're older. New glasses for interview is not going to happen though (too crazy). Wearing my contacts gives me that 20-something not 30-something look, avoids prejudice if there is any and would allow for sunglasses if tour is outside (say no to snow-blindness!) but I'm not sure, anyone have experience with this problem?
 
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