interview clothing- how important?

[Dr.LeoSpaceman]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Well, I was planning on buying a suit similar to the types that Steve Harvey wears. Not as ridiculously high up but same style. I figured that if I spend ~$300 on that bad boy, I'm gonna use it for more that just some interviews. Here's an example... same type of suit but just not buttoned up as high...

http://www.blackperspective.com/pages/mag_articles/sum01_bookstobottoms.html

As other people have made the comparison, this suit looks like you are about to get drafted into the NBA. I don't think you will find many doctors wearing similar suits.

 

[AlternateSome1]

The fact that a student told you your suit was wrong shows how apparent dressing badly can be.

Congratulations on your acceptance. Where else did you interview, and did you get any other acceptances?

Yes I think the little white thread "X" on my jacket was apparent, though I was too naive to know to remove it. To answer your question, I was accepted into both schools that I interviewed at. I guess my non-Armani suit didn't hurt me.

 

[flighterdoc]

Well, I was planning on buying a suit similar to the types that Steve Harvey wears. Not as ridiculously high up but same style. I figured that if I spend ~$300 on that bad boy, I'm gonna use it for more that just some interviews. Here's an example... same type of suit but just not buttoned up as high...

http://www.blackperspective.com/pages/mag_articles/sum01_bookstobottoms.html

Err, thats called a "double-breasted" suit. They're fine, but you have to wear the jacket buttoned up, you can't wear it open (looks sloppy). So, you might get warm.

BTW, you can find them most anyplace that sells suits.

 

[flighterdoc]

Yes I think the little white thread "X" on my jacket was apparent, though I was too naive to know to remove it. To answer your question, I was accepted into both schools that I interviewed at. I guess my non-Armani suit didn't hurt me.

Congrats.

On a separate note, I've found it good to NOT remove the stitching that holds the lower jacket pockets closed. That keeps me from putting stuff in them, which can ruin the look of the jacket (or actually damage it, if it's something heavy).

 

[flighterdoc]

As other people have made the comparison, this suit looks like you are about to get drafted into the NBA. I don't think you will find many doctors wearing similar suits.

"DB"'s are fine, that one is just cut way to high in the front. Unless you're REALLY tall, it looks bad cut that high in front.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I guess my non-Armani suit didn't hurt me.

Well I think the most you can justifiably say is that your suit didn't hurt you enough to cost you an acceptance. Which is just fine, but I'm going to have to suggest play it safe and buy some Armani. 👍

 

[YML]

I CANT believe this thread!
be clean and presentable and you should be fine!
Kahkis and a dress shirt will do the job.
$1000 for clothing? are you guys out of youre minds?
I really hope to never work with anyone as pretentious as the $1000 suite people.

good luck.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Are you really going to wear kahkis [sic] and a dress shirt to your interviews? How much is this application process and medical school going to cost? 220k? What's a decent suit's price tag compared to that figure? There are places one can be frugal and something as important as interview attire does not have to be one of them.

 

[YML]

i find the notion that a suit will be the deciding factor in my acceptance/rejection assanine.
furthermore, i feel like talking about spending $1000 on a suit is insensitive to those who dont have that type of cash.

as to your question,
i will wear kahkis and a shirt and dont plan on spending 220K on school

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I've seen quite a few groups of medical school interviewees around the hospital I volunteer at, and if I would say that all of them wore suits. I would honestly suggest you follow tradition. Also, not once has a 1000 dollar suit been suggested, I suggested 1000 as a budget for an entire outfit, and this includes watch, shirt, shoes, etc... which add up quickly.

 

[YML]

i didnt spend that kind of money on my car, and i will definantly get more milage out of my car than my suit (no pun intended).
you are making very light of $1000.

did mom pay for your clothing or did you work for it??


-signed HOSTILE

 

[Garuda]

I've seen quite a few groups of medical school interviews around the hospital I volunteer at, and if I would say that all of them wore suits. I would honestly suggest you follow tradition. Also, not once has a 1000 dollar suit been suggested, I suggested 1000 as a budget for an entire outfit, and this includes watch, shirt, shoes, etc... which add up quickly.

No one gives a **** if you're wearing a watch or not.

For $150-$200, you can get a perfectly good suit. Shirt: $25. Shoes: $50. Tie: $20. I'm just not seeing how that adds up to $1000. 😕

Maybe this guy spent more than he had to on an outfit, and now he's trying to justify the purchase by telling others they have to do the same.

 

[YML]

Thank GOD!!!!!
i was begining to lose faith in humanity

 

[MoosePilot]

i find the notion that a suit will be the deciding factor in my acceptance/rejection assanine.
furthermore, i feel like talking about spending $1000 on a suit is insensitive to those who dont have that type of cash.

as to your question,
i will wear kahkis and a shirt and dont plan on spending 220K on school

I don't think you have to spend $1K on an interview outfit either. I do suggest you wear a suit, though. Shop around, find the best deal, but don't underdress. A sub $1K suit won't make a bit of difference, but looking less motivated than everyone else might.

Thank goodness I'm not concerned with this. If I get an interview at USUHS, I'm pretty sure my service dress uniform will be appropriate. Accessories are even relatively cheap money-wise. My pilot wings and my air medal probably didn't cost $10 bucks between them. A little expensive time wise, but a good investment in my opinion 😀

 

[CaptainJack02]

A little expensive time wise, but a good investment in my opinion 😀

i doubt anyone can disagree with you there.

do you have lots of medals on your uniform? i'm sure that'd be like the most intimidating thing to other interviewees. a big scary lookin guy in a uniform with lots of shiny things on it.

good luck with usuhs.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

No one gives a **** if you're wearing a watch or not.

For $150-$200, you can get a perfectly good suit. Shirt: $25. Shoes: $50. Tie: $20. I'm just not seeing how that adds up to $1000. 😕

Maybe this guy spent more than he had to on an outfit, and now he's trying to justify the purchase by telling others they have to do the same.

Wow, you're speculating quite a bit there. But yes, you are absolutely right, I sleep better at night knowing I have gotten others to purchase expensive suits. 🙄 You are free to do what you want, and really, I don't care what you wear to your interviews. For your own benefit, I'm suggesting you pay attention to details for something as important as interviews.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

i didnt spend that kind of money on my car, and i will definantly get more milage out of my car than my suit (no pun intended).
you are making very light of $1000.

did mom pay for your clothing or did you work for it??


-signed HOSTILE

My interview suit will be paid for coming out of the money I earned during my internship. But if my parents wished to support me in my endeavors, I don't think you have a right to look down on me for that. After investing 900 dollars in primary AMCAS, and another 2000 for secondaries, and several thousand more flying out to interviews, I'm going to try my best to be at my best.

 

[MoosePilot]

i doubt anyone can disagree with you there.

do you have lots of medals on your uniform? i'm sure that'd be like the most intimidating thing to other interviewees. a big scary lookin guy in a uniform with lots of shiny things on it.

good luck with usuhs.

I've got plenty of ribbons. There's a slight distinction between the two, but nothing obvious that will show up on this particular uniform unless you know which ones are technically only ribbons and which ones are medals.

I think it will be intimidating. That's unfortunate, because I don't get any extra points for intimidating fellow interviewees. I'd just as soon they have a comfortable interview process. The plus is that the uniform is confidence boosting for me and can't hurt my chances.

I'm just glad all the trad students don't wear their GPAs on their chest. I might be intimidated 😀

 

[flighterdoc]

i find the notion that a suit will be the deciding factor in my acceptance/rejection assanine.
furthermore, i feel like talking about spending $1000 on a suit is insensitive to those who dont have that type of cash.

as to your question,
i will wear kahkis and a shirt and dont plan on spending 220K on school

Your suit won't get you your acceptance, but it sure as hell can keep it from you.

 

[flighterdoc]

I don't think you have to spend $1K on an interview outfit either. I do suggest you wear a suit, though. Shop around, find the best deal, but don't underdress. A sub $1K suit won't make a bit of difference, but looking less motivated than everyone else might.

Thank goodness I'm not concerned with this. If I get an interview at USUHS, I'm pretty sure my service dress uniform will be appropriate. Accessories are even relatively cheap money-wise. My pilot wings and my air medal probably didn't cost $10 bucks between them. A little expensive time wise, but a good investment in my opinion 😀

Mine did 🙂 Last year I bought a full mess kit, my medals cost more than the entirety of everything else. Those are expensive little buggers. Fortunately I already had bullion wings and badges.

 

[MoosePilot]

Mine did 🙂 Last year I bought a full mess kit, my medals cost more than the entirety of everything else. Those are expensive little buggers. Fortunately I already had bullion wings and badges.

Wow. I've only worn my mess dress once, I think it was during UPT grad dinner, and I didn't have any medals back then.

 

[nicholasblonde]

goto www.overstock.com or www.smartbargains.com> You can get a Claiborne, CK, DKNY, or even D&G suit for like $200.00....and wear black w/ no pinstripes...don't wear grey or navy unless you have to...some people say it's o.k. to wear non-black, some people say you should only wear black...logic has led me to just get a black suit b/c no one will question the appropriateness of a plain black suit...

 

[TRUE]

goto www.overstock.com or www.smartbargains.com> You can get a Claiborne, CK, DKNY, or even D&G suit for like $200.00....and wear black w/ no pinstripes...don't wear grey or navy unless you have to...some people say it's o.k. to wear non-black, some people say you should only wear black...logic has led me to just get a black suit b/c no one will question the appropriateness of a plain black suit...

I wore a greyish suit WITH pin stripes to every one of my interviews. I didn't have any problems. I think anything within the normal and plain range of suits is just fine.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I've heard black is more wedding/funeral than business.

 

[samurai_lincoln]

I've heard black is more wedding/funeral than business.

Exactly... I rarely encounter people sporting black suits at work. Charcoal, navy, gray, olive seem to predominate, with the former two being more "traditional" and interview-oriented. Not sure where the poster above got the idea that black is the cat's meow.

 

[flighterdoc]

goto www.overstock.com or www.smartbargains.com> You can get a Claiborne, CK, DKNY, or even D&G suit for like $200.00....and wear black w/ no pinstripes...don't wear grey or navy unless you have to...some people say it's o.k. to wear non-black, some people say you should only wear black...logic has led me to just get a black suit b/c no one will question the appropriateness of a plain black suit...

I'm questioning it. Why look like an undertaker? Or his work product?

If you have to wear a black suit, get one that has pinstripes.

There is nothing controversial with a dark gray or navy suit, with or without small pinstripes.

 

[flighterdoc]

Exactly... I rarely encounter people sporting black suits at work. Charcoal, navy, gray, olive seem to predominate, with the former two being more "traditional" and interview-oriented. Not sure where the poster above got the idea that black is the cat's meow.

Last fall there was a big "black suit only" thread on SDN. And, he's probably been looking in fashion magazines.

 

[flighterdoc]

Wow. I've only worn my mess dress once, I think it was during UPT grad dinner, and I didn't have any medals back then.

I wear it two-three times a year at various AFA or Civil Air Patrol (I'm a volunteer with them) functions. The mini medals add up, especially when you screw one up trying to get it on the holding bar, and have to replace it.

 

[georgebush43]

a phil jackson suit would work well for the blokes.

go to www.gettyimages.com and do a search for phil jackson to find some examples.



good luck

 

[Cerbernator]

I got a nice custom tailored Charcoal suit, I need shoes though.

 

[Cerbernator]

The lady I talked to at the suit shop said not to wear a black suit to interviews. She said Charcoal is best because it is conservative but not too conservative.

 

[Garuda]

Talking about wristwatches on this thread actually made me want to go out an buy one. I got a Skagen Titanium watch during my lunch break today.

 

[nicko18]

True enough, it just gives you a place to carry things like a copy of your CV, the directions to the interview, the stuff they give you, etc. And, if it has a note pad it gives you a place to take notes.

Do you need to bring a CV with you for American interviews? In Australia we were explicitly told NOT to bring any of those sorts of things.

 

[flighterdoc]

The lady I talked to at the suit shop said not to wear a black suit to interviews. She said Charcoal is best because it is conservative but not too conservative.

She was right. Black, lace up shoes, shined! Black, calf-high socks (no leg showing, even if you cross your leg). Get a couple of ties that go with the suit, and take them with you. I might even carry a spare shirt in the car, just in case.

 

[flighterdoc]

Do you need to bring a CV with you for American interviews? In Australia we were explicitly told NOT to bring any of those sorts of things.

Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. Why do they say not to bring it in Aus?

 

[azzarah]

Mine cost 160 and I made sure it fit me perfectly. I went for a very traditional style (nothing trendy) dress suite (is that what you call those things....skirt and a suite).
Mine was black...I got my shoes from payless. I also used one of those leather folder things. I did not have a purse. I wore a pearl ring, silver watch, and gold hoopy earrings.
I think the most important thing is to go for something that's not too trendy. You want to look sharp and professional.

 

[azzarah]

There was a girl at my interview wearing a pink skirt with a white shirt...she totally stood out...not in a good way though, IMHO.

 

[flighterdoc]

Mine cost 160 and I made sure it fit me perfectly. I went for a very traditional style (nothing trendy) dress suite (is that what you call those things....skirt and a suite).
Mine was black...I got my shoes from payless. I also used one of those leather folder things. I did not have a purse. I wore a pearl ring, silver watch, and gold hoopy earrings.
I think the most important thing is to go for something that's not too trendy. You want to look sharp and professional.

👍 👍 👍

I've interviewes probably 100 or more different people, for a variet of professional jobs. First impressions do make a difference. I had a guy working for me who's idea of casual friday dress were black silk chinese pajamas (he was asian), that was absolutely fine with me, he was worth it (and he didn't work with clients on fridays). Had he shown up wearing that, I wouldn't have taken a chance with him. It's easy to hire people, and very, very difficult to get rid of them when necessary.

The interview is NOT the time to take a risk - unless you really want to take a risk, or your stats are just stellar for the position (school). A 3.9 BCPM and 40M+ MCAT at a DO school, for instance.

I'm really amazed by those who have posted here that think "poor chic" is good enough. I don't know why they feel that way but I wish them luck. If they think that wearing dockers and a dress shirt (not a suit) is good enough to get them accepted at their schools, I'd wonder about the school, and where they might have applied where they could get accepted wearing a suit.

 

[bearpaw]

any suit that retails less than a thousand is a piece of ****. the lapels don't roll, they are structured with glued fabric, they don't fit well and they look cheap. look up online the difference between a good suit and a bad one, and you'll never go back. i have an $700 calvin klein suit, that is made like a cheap suit and if it weren't for the cut would be nothing but trash. I got it on sale though for a party, otherwise forget it.

either go cheap or all out. a 500 dollar chaps suit is no better than a 200 buck perry ellis one from mens warehouse.

if you buy polyester, no one can tell until you're close up, but it just feels like crap. if you like sweaty balls, by all means indulge. sometimes newer fabrics have a little poly in them for effects, like streching or shinyness, thats ok becuase those are more stylized pieces.

i suggest finding something good on ebay and tailoring it if you can't just get it from the store. saks outlet usually has nice ones for 500 bucks. i dunno, brooks brothers is good priced and their suits look ok. anything tailored is good, because they can't cut too many corners. don't buy a straight black one so you can wear it elsewhere, since its probably safe to assume you don't have any other suits.

i know a lot of about suits and clothes, so please don't brush off what i'm saying. try on a canali/cornelliani/brioni/hickeyfreeman/armani/zegna and compare it to anything at macy's or men's warehouse and tell me you don't feel different. a decent tailor usually can make a nice suit for less than a thousand, but thats if you stay away from super 140's and special kinds of wool. clothes shouldn't make you more confident and look better, but they do, so if you wanna shine, try it out.

 

[flighterdoc]

any suit that retails less than a thousand is a piece of ****. the lapels don't roll, they are structured with glued fabric, they don't fit well and they look cheap. look up online the difference between a good suit and a bad one, and you'll never go back. i have an $700 calvin klein suit, that is made like a cheap suit and if it weren't for the cut would be nothing but trash. I got it on sale though for a party, otherwise forget it.

either go cheap or all out. a 500 dollar chaps suit is no better than a 200 buck perry ellis one from mens warehouse.

if you buy polyester, no one can tell until you're close up, but it just feels like crap. if you like sweaty balls, by all means indulge. sometimes newer fabrics have a little poly in them for effects, like streching or shinyness, thats ok becuase those are more stylized pieces.

i suggest finding something good on ebay and tailoring it if you can't just get it from the store. saks outlet usually has nice ones for 500 bucks. i dunno, brooks brothers is good priced and their suits look ok. anything tailored is good, because they can't cut too many corners. don't buy a straight black one so you can wear it elsewhere, since its probably safe to assume you don't have any other suits.

i know a lot of about suits and clothes, so please don't brush off what i'm saying. try on a canali/cornelliani/brioni/hickeyfreeman/armani/zegna and compare it to anything at macy's or men's warehouse and tell me you don't feel different. a decent tailor usually can make a nice suit for less than a thousand, but thats if you stay away from super 140's and special kinds of wool. clothes shouldn't make you more confident and look better, but they do, so if you wanna shine, try it out.

I wear Hickey Freeman, Oxxford and Hart/Shaftner/Marx suits. The oxxford was over $2000 (off the rack, on sale), and is terrific. The others were (each) under $400, and look and fit almost as well as the Oxxford. No fused lapels, hand set collars, full lining, etc. It's all in knowing what you're getting, getting the right size, and then getting it tailored to fit you.

I have a 14" drop (difference between chest and waist), and tailoring is absolutely critical for me. One of the HF's cost me (at a closeout sale) $200, and I spent another $200 on tailoring. It's my favorite suit, it fits me as if it were bespoke.

The important thing in buying a suit is fit. I agree that polyester and suit are not words that should be used together (speaking as the survivor of the disco/leisure suit era). You also shouldn't buy a suit because of a brand name - italian, new york, or anything else. But it is possible to buy a suit for well under a grand.

And, since a mans suit essentially doesn't go out of style, buying a $400 dollar suit once is better than buying a $150 suit three times.

If you live in a smaller city and need to buy clothes, you might consider a trip to New York, Los Angeles, maybe Chicago for a weekend. Buy your suits and accessories, then take them home and have them tailored, by a REAL tailor. Unless you're living in Mayberry, you can find someone who can do a good job: But they are almost never at the dry cleaners, or named Aunt Bea.

Accessories (shoes, belts, etc) are worth spending money on, since they can last quite a long time. I have a couple of pair of Johnston & Murphy shoes (black, brown), that I've had for more than 10 years. When they need soles, they go back to J&M, get cleaned up (for far less than replacing them), and I get shoes back that are essentially brand new, but already broken in.

You only have to buy quality once. You have to replace cheap all the time.

 

[nicko18]

Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. Why do they say not to bring it in Aus?

We were told that CV's and mentioning GPA scores and the like was very inappropriate. You are right, bring it if it makes you feel comfortable.. you might need it for your interviews but as i say, for our interviews it is generally frowned upon if you elude to how smart or experienced you are. Just don't unleash it unless you are specifically asked to do so.

We had 6 areas that we knew beforehand would be asked about. Teamwork, empathy, decision making, communication skills, roles of alternative medicines/health and some other thing that escapes me currently.

Oh, and the first question is inevitably "So why do you think you'd make a good doctor" or "Why do you want to become a doctor", so its good to be brushed up with that one, makes the rest of the interview so much easier if you nailed the first one.

BTW for my 2c, you have to look neat and professional. Some guy came dressed in jeans and a collared shirt incidentally he didnt make it. If you dont look professional it appears you are not taking the whole thing seriously, and your answers subconsciously lack the credibility as far as the interviewers are concerned.

 

[bearpaw]

damn, a 14 inch drop? you must be a body builder or some ****. i'm a 40r, so life's a cakewalk. getting a hickey freeman for 200 dollars is a steal, they are like 1200 i thought. i agree that oxxford is the best, but i never tried one on or anything...its not like i have a job or wear a suit for anything more than a date or whatever.

for the OP, i'm sure you can get away with any suit that fits for an interview though, but if you can shop around and be smart, you might find something that is really worth getting.

I wear Hickey Freeman, Oxxford and Hart/Shaftner/Marx suits. The oxxford was over $2000 (off the rack, on sale), and is terrific. The others were (each) under $400, and look and fit almost as well as the Oxxford. No fused lapels, hand set collars, full lining, etc. It's all in knowing what you're getting, getting the right size, and then getting it tailored to fit you.

I have a 14" drop (difference between chest and waist), and tailoring is absolutely critical for me. One of the HF's cost me (at a closeout sale) $200, and I spent another $200 on tailoring. It's my favorite suit, it fits me as if it were bespoke.

The important thing in buying a suit is fit. I agree that polyester and suit are not words that should be used together (speaking as the survivor of the disco/leisure suit era). You also shouldn't buy a suit because of a brand name - italian, new york, or anything else. But it is possible to buy a suit for well under a grand.

And, since a mans suit essentially doesn't go out of style, buying a $400 dollar suit once is better than buying a $150 suit three times.

If you live in a smaller city and need to buy clothes, you might consider a trip to New York, Los Angeles, maybe Chicago for a weekend. Buy your suits and accessories, then take them home and have them tailored, by a REAL tailor. Unless you're living in Mayberry, you can find someone who can do a good job: But they are almost never at the dry cleaners, or named Aunt Bea.

Accessories (shoes, belts, etc) are worth spending money on, since they can last quite a long time. I have a couple of pair of Johnston & Murphy shoes (black, brown), that I've had for more than 10 years. When they need soles, they go back to J&M, get cleaned up (for far less than replacing them), and I get shoes back that are essentially brand new, but already broken in.

You only have to buy quality once. You have to replace cheap all the time.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

any suit that retails less than a thousand is a piece of ****. the lapels don't roll, they are structured with glued fabric, they don't fit well and they look cheap. look up online the difference between a good suit and a bad one, and you'll never go back. i have an $700 calvin klein suit, that is made like a cheap suit and if it weren't for the cut would be nothing but trash. I got it on sale though for a party, otherwise forget it.

TNL and Garupa are going to accuse you of extreme insensitivity for talking about anything that expensive. You better tow their line of 25 dollar shirts and 150 dollar suits.

 

[flighterdoc]

damn, a 14 inch drop? you must be a body builder or some ****. i'm a 40r, so life's a cakewalk. getting a hickey freeman for 200 dollars is a steal, they are like 1200 i thought. i agree that oxxford is the best, but i never tried one on or anything...its not like i have a job or wear a suit for anything more than a date or whatever.

for the OP, i'm sure you can get away with any suit that fits for an interview though, but if you can shop around and be smart, you might find something that is really worth getting.

I used to be. Plus, I'm tall but all in my torso so a 52L suit has trousers that are kind of too high in the rise. It's my burden, and I try not to burden others with it.

 

[flighterdoc]

TNL and Garupa are going to accuse you of extreme insensitivity for talking about anything that expensive. You better tow their line of 25 dollar shirts and 150 dollar suits.

Or the future physician thats going to wear just a shirt and tie with his dockers. Something tells me that "wash and wear" will be good enough, too.

 

[superunknown]

As the dad of "Superunknown" who wears suits, yes, anyone who wears suits can tell an inexpensive suit. Got to be $200 on sell or better to pull the trick off. Wool or wool blend only. Grey plain, no stripe. It makes it easier to match with a variety of light colored dress shirts (jet black for evening outings, light blue for business flair, pink for ..., green for dashing style, white when you mean business, brown for relaxed). Tailoring, as has been said is critical. Don't let the salesman sell you something that does not fit right without alterations, first. Basically you want the length of the pants tailored. The rest should pretty much already be there, if you are a well developed specimen like me. Curled fingers should should just cup the bottom of the jacket, cuffs just below the break of the wrist with a 1/4 inch of shirt cuff showing. Pants with a slight break above the ankle. pant cuffs are in but I like no cuff. Forget the stlye crap- conventional, conventional.
The tie and how you wear it will make you or break you, but pick your style- flashy or conservative. Ties should reflect you and your event, not your taste. If your shirt collar is lose or too tight and your tie knot sucks, throw your suit away and go bare... Shirt collar not snug or right on but just a LITTLE itty bitty relaxed, not droopy. No tight collars. Conventional collar only. No buttons or snaps. Professionally cleaned with LIGHT starch to wear for the interview. Two shirts in case you spill your jam. No french cuff- you ain't rich yet, are you??? Learn to tie the PERFECT knot at the perfect length!! At attention the tie should barely end JUST below your belt. Lean forward and look in the mirror to get the tie to hang straight as you twist it where it leaves the knot. Nondescript tie tac or bar, none if it sits right and you're rowdy.

 

[meany8888]

I like the kiton suits, borelli is nice too.. but I think the point is to not outdress your interviewer. I'd purposefully wear something mroe low key.

 

[exgatr]

DO NOT wear an expensive suit. My outift for the first interview season originally cost over 1000, but I only paid around 300. Didn't get in, and I'm sure the way I was dressed didn't help.

Second time around:
Coat and pants from Marshall's--$95
Shirt--$60
Watch--$1 from Walgreen's
Tie--$20

Accepted to Tulane.

Btw my favorite suit brand is Burberry. You can get them at the Neiman Marcus outlet for $500 and they're worth every penny.

If you guys want great shoes, try Bruno Magli. They last forever and they are more comfortable than any other pair of shoes I have, even more comfortable than sneakers.

 

[RaistlinMajere]

Do you think that a $300 suit is so much better than a $100-$200 one that I should go out and buy one?

Also, what about colors for suits? Black and navy blue only? What about patterned suits?

I don't think it matters regarding the price. A $100-200 suit probably won't last more than a year, but it will get you by for the interview. If you have the $$$, then buy a good suit because you could save in the long run.

I would go with a conservative navy blue suit. But that may just be my style. As long as you look professional, you should pass the test.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

So you think your clothing was a deciding factor in your reapplication?

DO NOT wear an expensive suit. My outift for the first interview season originally cost over 1000, but I only paid around 300. Didn't get in, and I'm sure the way I was dressed didn't help.

Second time around:
Coat and pants from Marshall's--$95
Shirt--$60
Watch--$1 from Walgreen's
Tie--$20

Accepted to Tulane.

Btw my favorite suit brand is Burberry. You can get them at the Neiman Marcus outlet for $500 and they're worth every penny.

If you guys want great shoes, try Bruno Magli. They last forever and they are more comfortable than any other pair of shoes I have, even more comfortable than sneakers.