Ladies Interview Shoes

[ShyRem]

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I was very pleasantly surprised by the number of high quality long wool coats at places like Salvation Army, Goodwill, and other second hand stores. I got a very nice long royal blue wool coat for $9.00. Yes, $9.00. Not a thing wrong with it and it was freshly dry cleaned when I bought it.

There were several London Fog coats when I went shopping a couple of years ago at the second hand stores, but none in my size. Someday I may be able to afford a new one of my own.

 

[deleted311769]

There were several London Fog coats when I went shopping a couple of years ago at the second hand stores, but none in my size. Someday I may be able to afford a new one of my own.

I already have a beautiful Anne Klein long black wool/cashmere blend coat (thanks mom!), but there are lots of great wool coats on overstock.com from London Fog, Anne Klein, Kenneth Cole, and other good brands. They are all under $100. Great deals! (although not $9!). The red ones are so pretty. I wish I weren't spending so much money traveling. I'd get one in a heartbeat.


Really? No bag comments yet this year? Would love to see what others are brining. I'm really at a loss after a pretty extensive search. I've pretty much settled with a bag that is otherwise perfect, but is too big for my needs. It's 15x11x5 inches.

 

[babel]

Really? No bag comments yet this year? Would love to see what others are brining. I'm really at a loss after a pretty extensive search. I've pretty much settled with a bag that is otherwise perfect, but is too big for my needs. It's 15x11x5 inches.

I am taking my bag from med school interviews (haven't used it since) - black leather, rectangular (and stiff - holds the shape), just slightly larger than a sheet of paper (maybe 9"x12"), ~1.5" deep. I like it because it is so simple and small, just big enough to hold a folder or two, plus keys/phone/chapstick etc. I looked around at a few websites and haven't seen anything similar out there right now - wish I had a current suggestion for you. 😕

So, I think I know the answer to this one, but I'll go ahead and ask. Is this too light of a suit (I got the New Taupe Melange)?:

http://www.thelimited.com/detail/plainweave-notch-lapel-jacket/2519020

The other one I got (and both fit great - yay The Limited - delivered in 48h for free!) is a dark charcoal gray, but I'd like to have 2. I guess I could return this one for black if need be.

 

[deleted311769]

I am taking my bag from med school interviews (haven't used it since) - black leather, rectangular (and stiff - holds the shape), just slightly larger than a sheet of paper (maybe 9"x12"), ~1.5" deep. I like it because it is so simple and small, just big enough to hold a folder or two, plus keys/phone/chapstick etc. I looked around at a few websites and haven't seen anything similar out there right now - wish I had a current suggestion for you. 😕

So, I think I know the answer to this one, but I'll go ahead and ask. Is this too light of a suit (I got the New Taupe Melange)?:

http://www.thelimited.com/detail/plainweave-notch-lapel-jacket/2519020

The other one I got (and both fit great - yay The Limited - delivered in 48h for free!) is a dark charcoal gray, but I'd like to have 2. I guess I could return this one for black if need be.

I don't think it's too light. Maybe it's just the way it's coming through on my screen, but it looks darker than I typically think of for a taupe. the one problem I would imagine with that suit is that you really would need to wear a dark brown shoe, and so if you were doing multiple interviews in one trip, it would mean brining an extra pair of shoes around with you too.

 

[rachmoninov3]

Do we have to have [should I buy] a briefcase/tote purse for interviews? I was just thinking of using on the many purses I never use (thanks mommy-in-law) and having a small note book in it along with keys, wallet etc. I'll take my big 3 ring binder that has all my travel reservations and thoughts on the different programs, but thought it would be best to leave that in the car. I don't want places to know where else I'm applying, or what little secrets I write in said three ring binder.

 

[deleted311769]

Do we have to have [should I buy] a briefcase/tote purse for interviews? I was just thinking of using on the many purses I never use (thanks mommy-in-law) and having a small note book in it along with keys, wallet etc. I'll take my big 3 ring binder that has all my travel reservations and thoughts on the different programs, but thought it would be best to leave that in the car. I don't want places to know where else I'm applying, or what little secrets I write in said three ring binder.

Unfortunately, my stash of purses doesn't include a black leather one that fits a folder - pretty much my one size requirement. If i already had one, there is no way I would be shelling out money to buy something new.

I figure I'll put a folder with my travel and program info for that trip, notebook, small items (keys, wallet, phone, meds, glasses for if my contacts fail me), my ipad since I don't really feel comfortable leaving that at the hotel, and then room for maybe a small umbrella, and anything else the programs hand me (I'm told a number of programs I'm applying to give you trinkets).

 

[snowball1]

I think the taupe is a good color. The only hesitation I could think of would be how it went with your skin tone.

For a bag I have this guy in black:
http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/bags/leatherbags/PRDOVR~29495/29495.jsp
BUT, uglyish, too big, is ALREADY falling apart... Though I don't remember paying so much for it (minus ~10% for the student discount)! I guess I did in some sort of stupor. Hmm. I haven't had much success with a replacement though, sadly, so this may stay.

As for coat, I think I meant wool coat when I said peacoat? Hmm. What I could also do is just borrow one of my roommates MANY MANY coats or just wear my grey one. My other coats are far too casual for this (faux leather motorcycle jacket and forever21fests) but enough in quantity that I just don't want to buy another. I just really love the weird purple one, but I guess there is a time and a place. I've had wool coats in the past (I went to a VERY cold undergrad) and for some reason I just can't do it again (esp since purpley is warmer than any of them ever were).

As for casual, I love my leggings. But, oh well.
I don't usually go the jeans route unless I'm running errands because they don't flatter my body, but it'll be a good simple option since I have lots of sweaters and I can just put some boots over the jeans. (Part of my adversion is my short stubby legs... the boots should hopefully elongate a little).

What about casual dresses? I have some and picked up a few more that work with black tights and boots (and a cardi of some sort). Is that a good route (for me) or is that too bold (and too short)? And, they are short. Not crazy short, but short.
An example of a recent purchase (less bold in person, but is totally "me", its a touch longer on me than the model but not by a large amount):
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urba...&popId=WOMENS&prepushId=&selectedProductSize= )

Haha, or am I just nuts and should just stick to the basics? (I'm applying to psychiatry, if it matters).

 

[snowball1]

http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=14421&vid=1&pid=772631&scid=772631002
Its far too similar to the jcrewbag, but that in 'pewter'....?
Today if you use code "BROCT30" you get 30% off and free shipping. Hmm!

 

[babel]

Haha, or am I just nuts and should just stick to the basics? (I'm applying to psychiatry, if it matters).

I was planning on applying to psych for most of 3rd year and talked to our residents and PD and their experiences with applicants. In short, psychiatrists really don't like to be taken less seriously than the rest of medicine. That's a sure fire way to get yourself knocked off their rank list. For the interview process you still have to be very conservative in your appearance. Remove all extraneous piercings, shave/trim (for men), neat hair cut/style etc. Once you're in, there may be more flexibility - the psych residents were definitely the most flamboyantly dressed in the hospital, as a group (fringed red velvet knee high boots, bohemian tops, shortish skirts etc) - but you gotta at least show that you're serious up front.

On that note - definitely "no" to that dress. Trust me, this process is painful for me, too - I'm buying a whole new (preppie) outfit for the night before gatherings, given that the only things that I have in my closet are hospital clothes vs. casual jeans/t shirts/flip flops. If you get a dress, I would think it should be mostly a solid color, and should come to least just above your knee. This isn't about showing off your personality through your clothes - we all gotta take it up a notch.

Coats: Why do you hate wool coats so much? Are they just unflattering? I have a few wool coats that I bought when I came to med school out east, but as I am mostly interviewing on the west coast I am planning on buying something more light weight, like this: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/produ...TRA_PARAMETER=BAG&PseudoCat=ba-xx-xx-xx.index

I think you definitely need something more understated than the purple or fur lined options, so I'd borrow something from your roomie.

 

[deleted311769]

I'd say a big no to that dress too. You really want to not stand out. My guess is that there is hardly anything at urban outfitters that would be appropriate. It's not the most grown-up looking collection of clothing. you don't need to wear jeans. if you feel more comfortable in work type clothes, then go for it! nothing wrong with black pants.

i found a purse! macy's had a sale, and I finally found something in a size i liked! i tried to find a picture, but for some reason I can't find it. oh well.

by the way, ebags.com is also having a sale this weekend - 30% off, free shipping.

 

[Salsa Girl]

I don't usually go the jeans route unless I'm running errands because they don't flatter my body, but it'll be a good simple option since I have lots of sweaters and I can just put some boots over the jeans. (Part of my adversion is my short stubby legs... the boots should hopefully elongate a little).

What about casual dresses? I have some and picked up a few more that work with black tights and boots (and a cardi of some sort). Is that a good route (for me) or is that too bold (and too short)? And, they are short. Not crazy short, but short.
An example of a recent purchase (less bold in person, but is totally "me", its a touch longer on me than the model but not by a large amount):
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urba...&popId=WOMENS&prepushId=&selectedProductSize= )

Haha, or am I just nuts and should just stick to the basics? (I'm applying to psychiatry, if it matters).

I agree, stick to the basics.

Another No to the dress, to short and solid colors would work better. I also would advise against jeans and knee boots for pre interview dinner, to casual and more hang out- ish.

With your body type I would wear black pants that are lined and straight through the hip and leg. These would enlogate your legs and make them slimmer appearing. Wear a nice colorful top or sweater on top and maybe a blazer and belted cardigan to create a waist and give a more polished look.

Even though psyc is more laid back, I would still present a professional, clean image during interview season.

Good luck and hope this helped.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Add another voice to the no to the Urban Outfitters dress and the idea of wearing jeans tucked into boots. Again, too casual. If you want to wear boots with jeans, please wear the boots under the jeans.

Now, you don't have to wear jeans or pants to the dinner the night before, if you would prefer a dress. But the dress should be solid, at the knee or slightly below, and be something with sleeves that you can wear a bra with.

This is a peacoat; they may be (and usually are) wool. Not all wool coats are peacoats. I think the London Fog (type) trench coat is a wonderful idea...they are waterproof, so good for rain, stylish, professional and mine keeps me very warm with the liner in. As ShyRem notes, you might be able to get one used or perhaps off of EBay.

As others have noted, psychiatry residents and faculty may be a bit <ahem> creative when it comes to their wardrobe *once they are in*. You have to be more conservative.

 

[Buzz Me]

Ha ha...don't worry I have lots of that stuff too (except Brooks Brothers...a little too staid for me and I have trouble with J Crew tops - tend to be made for the less than girlish figure 😉 ). And don't forget Neiman's and Barneys.

Ah yes, stuff for rich people. 🙂

Mine are mostly colored, pin striped, and I wear a lot of jackets with trousers and dresses.

Of course they are. Gotta be stylish!

 

[mom2doc]

First of all, I'm 60+ and conservative in dress, so take this for what it's worth...

I'm not directly involved with interviews at my shop, but see the folks parading through. Plus, one of my own kids was on the interview trail last year (very successfully!) and I was called on to do some fashion consulting.

Please ladies, make sure you know the difference between how dress slacks and casual slacks are supposed to fit. I see problems with this frequently. There was one girl last year, dutifully wearing a dark, pinstripe pants suit, clean and neat, hair great, looking so hopeful and expectant...and her pants were tight, tight, tight around the hips and thighs...short jacket, too. Not good. The mother in me wanted to run down the hall and pass her a note for future interviews, but it would have thrown her off too much. It broke my heart.

 

[sendwich]

http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=14421&vid=1&pid=772631&scid=772631002
Its far too similar to the jcrewbag, but that in 'pewter'....?
Today if you use code "BROCT30" you get 30% off and free shipping. Hmm!

I have something similar to above, in darker/brown-ish metallic. Yeah, a standard black bag would be ideal, but I dont have the funds right now to buy a nice black bag. Is this okay or chuck the bag and get something cheap to hold my stuff for the day?

 

[Aphasic]

At what temp is it appropriate to wear a pea coat (i.e. bust out the winter wear)?

Background:
1. I'm Californian
2. I'm a petite female
3. I'm going into a male-dominated field
4. I don't want to look like a wuss
5. I'm always cold (<80) but rather get frostbite than be accused of being "a girl"

 

[babel]

Going into surgery of some sort, I guess? You may want WingedScapula to answer this one for you then, but in my opinion - wear whatever you need to be comfortable! I'm from CA myself (and also always run cold - I hate hate hate the winter!) and bought my first wool coat for med school interviews, and then ended up out east.

A couple words of advice - first, a scarf and gloves can be just as important as a coat - it took me a year out here to figure that out. Second, they keep things really warm inside here during the winter, so you're only going to need the coat for getting to/from airport/interview.

So long as you're not whining throughout the day about the cold, I can't imagine anyone faulting you for being well prepared! In terms of actual temperatures, I don't think you'll need a wool coat until the highs get down to at least the 40's - even then you might get overheated if you're walking a long distance in a suit. Once it gets into the 30's I would guess that most people (including the surgery dudes) will be wearing a coat.

 

[VenusLux]

To Aphasic: better to wear a coat and be warm than shiver like a sissy. Especially if your cold tolerance is that low! Don't worry about whether or not to wear a coat.

To anyone who can help!
I'm wondering what kind of shirt or sweater you are wearing under your suits? Collared shirts look really weird on me and right now all of the blouses/knits at the mall appear to be really frilly or too low cut. I can't seem to find a simple shell or sweater that won't inadvertently reveal the goods.

Also...is something like a sweater dress or dress that can be taken as casual/business casual okay for dinners? What about with fun tights and flats/boots? I'm applying for radiology...if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance!

 

[VenusLux]

Thanks..funny thing is when I was writing my post above I almost wrote "and not those pretty but expensive cashmere sweaters." haha. I found some made of cotton that might serve as an alternative. will let you ladies know how it is if i decide to order it.

 

[babel]

I also dislike collared shirts, and had difficulty finding basic shells, so I am going with some satin tops with a little collar/neckline detail, like this (should be coming in the mail tomorrow):

http://www.thelimited.com/detail/scoop-neck-detail-top/4262471

I think the shine helps to make the suit a little less boring, and I don't mind a little frill.

 

[rachmoninov3]

to dispell a few myths: JEANS ARE A NO-NO

Big time myth! At least at family medicine interviews in the mountain west. The 3 I've attended have been held at residents' homes and I felt bad wearing boats and not running shoes, so very casual and not "dress casual".

Of course everyone wears monkey suits to the actual interview, and personally I think I'm way over dressed (compared to the interviewers) but about par for the other applicants.

 

[babel]

to dispell a few myths: JEANS ARE A NO-NO

Big time myth! At least at family medicine interviews in the mountain west. The 3 I've attended have been held at residents' homes and I felt bad wearing boats and not running shoes, so very casual and not "dress casual".

Of course everyone wears monkey suits to the actual interview, and personally I think I'm way over dressed (compared to the interviewers) but about par for the other applicants.

Yeah, I think there are definitely situations where jeans are gonna be ok for the dinners. By specialty - FM makes sense, and I would think that maybe peds, EM, psych, neuro would fit into this category as well, while surgery et al/derm/rads probably not. Of course, the setting is important, too - resident's home vs. semi-fancy restaurant. And then there's the type of jeans - I have those 3-4 yo "favorite pair" with frayed edges, which I wouldn't ever wear, but I am open to wearing some of my darker washed, trouser type jeans. And, short of wearing a suit to the dinners, I don't think it will hurt you to be a little over-dressed. It's just hard because in the end it's a guessing game - I myself would rather err on the cautious side.

 

[mamagir]

Been through this thread and I can't say I heard any mention of flats. are these a no no? I am 5 9'' and I never wear heels, so is it okay to wear flats and which kind are appropriate. do those with pleated vamps/ bow/ knots work? or just plain like this
http://http://www.zappos.com/product/7761807/color/72

Thanks.

 

[quietude]

Been through this thread and I can't say I heard any mention of flats. are these a no no? I am 5 9'' and I never wear heels, so is it okay to wear flats and which kind are appropriate. do those with pleated vamps/ bow/ knots work? or just plain like this
http://http://www.zappos.com/product/7761807/color/72

Thanks.

For the record, I have seen plenty of women on the interview trail wearing flats, runs to about 10-20%. Lots of those Tory Burch flats, which I hear are comfortable. I have seen pretty much everything. I don't think you have to go super-plain if you don't want to.

If you are wearing a pant suit, it's less obvious, but I think flats look bad with a skirt suit and wouldn't recommend them unless you have a foot problem (and don't they recommend a slight heel in those cases?). I have a few female friends who are your height or taller and while they hate heels they gave in and wore them after trying flats with the skirt. It's not terrible to be the tallest woman in the group as it makes it easy for them to remember you.

A LOT of people are wearing those Cole Haan and Ann Taylor 1.5" heel round-toe pumps. Did they have a sale on those that I missed in the summer?

You will see everything on the interview trail. I'm interviewing in radiology so I've noticed the footwear and clothing trends conservatively but at the prelim interviews I really enjoy looking at the other candidates. Future neurologists in particular wear very fun-looking shoes.

Someone mentioned coats upthread so I thought I'd mention that if you are from the South or California and are planning on interviewing anywhere in the north, it's going to be freezing. A thigh-length coat, a good scarf and some warm gloves are really going to be your friend when you hit Boston in January. I saw some poor woman wearing a thin, hip-length pea coat with a skirt suit when it was 25 last week and really felt bad for her. Down coats may not look as elegant but I've been surprised at how many tours involve LONG walks outside.

And one last comment on blouses vs shells: I think everyone must hate button-downs as much as me because I've seen very few women wearing them. I'd say about 40% went for plain, silky shells, 40% went for cashmere/wool type shells, and 20% went for a ruffle or some fancy collar. In retrospect I wouldn't have stressed about it as much as I did. I think the only danger with a shell is that you don't want jersey: too casual.