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I have no idea what any of that means but thx
Men's Interview Clothing #3!
Started by Geekchick921
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I have no idea what any of that means but thx
Alright, this one is for you and the rest of you lurkers reading this:
The 'lapels' are the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat. They come in several different variations, the most common of which (and the one that you'll want for a med school interview) is the notch lapel.
The suit you posted had wide, peaked lapels. These are aggressive 'fashion forward', which means they have no place in a conservative, interview-type situation. In my opinion, the combination of a wide, peaked lapel and a slim-fitting suit (like the one you have pictured) looks silly, regardless of circumstance.
Suits also come in 'single-' or 'double-breasted' variants. A double-breasted jacket has overlapping lapels and two, parallel rows of buttons; these were more popular many years ago but have since resurged in some areas. The single-breasted jacket is the standard and the one which you should choose for an interview.
In terms of color: charcoal or navy. Not black. Lighter grays and blues can be acceptable if the rest of the outfit is not too radical, but a med school interview is not the place to showcase your sweet new MTM outfit. There will be plenty of other opportunities to do that. Stick to the basics:
- tailored (not necessarily expensive) dark suit
- black or dark brown (non-square toe) dress shoes
- socks matching your suit (avoids the 'pseudo-boot' look)
- belt matching your shoes
- white (or light blue) non-patterned shirt
- tie in an inoffensive pattern and conservative color
There you go. Easy.
I agree. However, if you are a larger person by build, slim lapels will look idiotic on you.
Larger men need larger lapels. but dont make it overbearing.
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Hey that was pretty easy. Great explanation.
Few questions since you seem to know quite a bit about this.
1. Would you advice going to a large corporate shop like men's warehouse or a small business suit shop?
2. Best color tie (I know red is a no no)?
3. Possible perceptions of candidates with bald heads (I have really short hair and I'm figuring out whether to try and grow it a bit or keep it close to bald for interviews)?
1. Men's Warehouse/Jos. A. Bank make poor quality suits that often fit badly. They're a last resort. Smaller shops, though, can be very expensive - my recommendation is to visit discount retailers like Nordstrom Rack or Saks Fifth Off and try to grab a suit on special. I managed to snag a relatively well-made and well-fitting Hugo Boss for under $200, and with under $100 in alterations it fits great.
2. I don't see why red is an automatic "no." If you're wearing a red, satin plaoncolor, then yea, it'll look bad, but a subtle patterned red? Fine by me. Otherwise, any darker color should be fine. Avoid brighter yellows or oranges unless you know what you're doing.
3. Short hair is fine. I rock a #2 buzzcut myself. Even baldness isn't an issue - as long as you're not self-conscious about it. It's longer-haired applicants that typically have trouble, actually. It becomes much easier to appear unkempt the longer your hair is.
You're one of my new favorite members. Thanks!
Do you guys recommend putting gel or wax in your hair? Not spiking it like crazy but still giving a look of having a product in your hair.
How about beard? If you got a goatee or anything other than full beard, should you just shave it off for the time being?
How about beard? If you got a goatee or anything other than full beard, should you just shave it off for the time being?
A clean shave simply doesn't look good to me. It reminds of politicians and when you think of politicians most of the time it's not about anything positive. But that is completely my personal opinion (not trying to start a debate or go full ****** here, just my preference). I think a nice stubble/trimmed beard is a more refreshing and confident look. And as far as professionalism goes, I have a trimmed beard as a nurse with no problems at all.
Like I stated above. I personally think a well trimmed beard is no problem. Not so sure about a goatee or something else other than beard/clean shaven though.
That is a very very strange association to make, especially when the great majority if adult males in all professions are clean shaven. Why your brain seems to single out one very specific profession is beyond me.
Just make sure your hair is neat. Get a haircut before you interview.
I would suggest that you shave regardless of how you normally wear your facial hair. You want to satisfy the most conservative person who might interview you- and there are some super conservative people in medicine.
I have a blue gingham slim fit shirt and an orange tie with the same color blue stripes. The clothier I bought it online from recommended the tie/shirt combo? Thoughts for a med school interiew with a charcoal-grey suit?
Oxymoron: 'Nice stubble'
At least as far as medical school interviews go.
Also, please watch the R word. Not cool. Not kind. Not professional...
Nice combination for high tea at the country club, NOT for a medical school interview.
The charcoal grey suit isn't the problem, the gingham shirt and orange tie are. Start over on the shirt and tie.
Gotcha, so something a little more conservative/professional. Just wanted to see if being a bit unique wouldn't hurt.
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That sounds like a great-looking combination, but - if your goal is conservative dress - then a gingham pattern is too casual for an interview. I love gingham, very happy it's popular right now, but, strictly speaking, med school interview outfits are not about being fashion forward.
Really, you should be sticking to whites or light blues for the shirt. You will stand out more (and in a better way) by having a well-tailored, somewhat generic outfit, than by having striking or loud shirt/tie/pocket square.
Having a nicely tailored navy or charcoal suit already makes you stand out in a good way from the crowd of black sack bags.
Only if you don't want to look like a bum.
I wasn't talking about stubble but a goatee that I am planning to shave for a real deal.
Goatees are pretty terrible as a general rule, so I'm not sure why you wouldn't immediately jump at the chance to shave it.
This is your call but remember what you may find to be acceptable someone else may find it to unprofessional. You may interacting with people who are two generations older than you. Why put extra hurdles for yourself?
I know what you mean and thanks for the advice. I will certainly shave it for the interview but for a mock MMI interview I really don't feel like shaving. I kind of have a baby face and haven't shaved for several years. I am just hoping that having a goatee at a mock interview will not impact me negatively on a real one.
Is this grey too light???
The color is great.
I wonder what kind of shirt people would think is the best style to wear to the interview. Do you go with a pinpoint oxford with a forward point collar? I would think a button down collar might be too casual. And wouldn't a nice light pink or yellow oxford shirt with a very conservative blue tie say "professional?"
Just trying to gauge what constitutes standing out and what's gaudy
Just trying to gauge what constitutes standing out and what's gaudy
I would say stick with a color that is safe. White or light blue.
Part of the professional interview is to determine if someone is so introverted, or sheltered, or disconnected that they can't dress and behave within expected social norms.
Think about that when you're waxing your handlebar moustache and ironing your pink gingham shirt with matching pocket square.
Think about that when you're waxing your handlebar moustache and ironing your pink gingham shirt with matching pocket square.
Button down collars make me wince, especially when people don't button the tabs.
Pink anything is not very "professional" in the conservative sense.
I'd just stick with a nicely pressed white or light blue dress shirt with a spread collar.
Navy suit. Light blue shirt. Any good tie suggestions?
I'd go for a nice yellow dot print; a soft red repp stripe would look nice also.
i wore navy/light blue/ navy tie with light blue pindots. Match everything!
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A solid color like grey or blue or something not too eye distracting. Keep it simple.
I wouldn't say you need to match everything. A little bit of contrast works wonders.
You guys shouldn't be afraid to show some color. I showed up in a purple tie on more than one occassion
You don't need to show up in a boring slab of attire. Just don't go overboard.
I personally like grenadine ties. Navy or even royal purple.
I was thinking of wearing a navy pindot tie, but thought the blue on blue on blue scheme would be a bit drab.
I'll look into some of these suggestions. Where do you all like to shop for your ties?
I'll look into some of these suggestions. Where do you all like to shop for your ties?
Occasionally you can find good deals on Ralph Lauren ties at department stores. Brooks brothers outlets are also choice
I feel like the overall advice being given is solid, as everyone keeps on saying conservative conservative. But I think people reading/posting should keep in mind that this advice is really more for people that have no clue where the line is drawn between fashionista and professional. You don't want to look like you should be on the cover of GQ, but you don't have to look super drab either. If you are looking to play it as safe as possible, and really do not know how to dress in a suit then yeah match all the colors and keep it to no patterns and drab. But keep in mind, that this can be just as forgettable. I don't see anything wrong with this:
or this:
Feel free to omit the pocket square. Thing about pre-meds - you tell them one thing and it's got to be freaking gung ho in that direction or it doesn't make sense.
or this:
Feel free to omit the pocket square. Thing about pre-meds - you tell them one thing and it's got to be freaking gung ho in that direction or it doesn't make sense.
I don't like the peaked lapels in the first picture.
The suit in the second picture is black. Also has peaked lapels. Do not like.
Now you cannot wear a black suit? Black is fine, you just need to use the proper tie and shirt to not make it look so somber. Overall I was putting those pictures because I think the color scheme is nice which is what I was trying to say, not because every last minutia is just what you need.
Yeah, "black is fine" in the sense that it is a worse, though not deal-breaking, option. If all you have is a black suit and aren't in a position to buy a new one, then yes, it's "fine". But why would you post one (with peaked lapels no less) as an example for others to wear, while telling others to give conservative advice? The conservative route would be to avoid black in a business setting.
+1 for Tie Bar. Same or better quality than most department store ties for considerably less ($15!). Probably made by kids overseas, but I'll be damned if they don't help me look nice on the cheap.
1. The jacket appears to be the same.
or this:
Feel free to omit the pocket square.
2. The pocket square makes the fairly boring black jacket pop.
3. The thought of Gabe as a big style icon gave me great LOLs.
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I was actually trying to say that although I think if you had to boil it down conservative if the safest route, for those that actually know how to dress themselves I think you can walk the line between conservative and looking sharp so as to give yourself that extra edge. Which is why I said you don't have to make everything so drab and plain.... I don't think the peaked lapels are that big of a deal to be honest, but at the same time when I got the images I didn't pay attention to if they were or weren't peaked. So perhaps the picture choice wasn't completely ideal hows this as a better example of what I was trying to illustrate.
Notice in the second one the shirt isn't plain, it's got light stripes.
I don't understand the correlation between "drab and plain" and conservative.
You can be sharp and still be in CBD.
There are different levels of conservative. There is drab and plain i.e. - what your wearing says nothing, and it looks like your never going to get laid. Then there is looking sharp conservative. Nothing about what you are wearing screams fashion, and yet everything seems to work well with each other, and it's got a little pop to it.
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I see what you mean. I wasn't trying to call you out or anything. But I'm confused as to why dressing conservative and looking sharp is an either/or proposition to you.
I dont think anyone is going into med school interviews trying to get laid.
Forget it.
I don't think it's an either or proposition. I actually think they can go hand in hand well, but it just seemed toward the end there that the advice was straying towards dressing more and more plain which is what prompted me to chime in and say while that is the safest advice to give to someone whom you know nothing else about, there are perhaps other better options that are still conservative yet show you put some thought behind your outfit.
