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Men's Interview Clothing Thread
Started by Handy388
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sleeves are too long
should show .25 to .5 inches of shirt sleeve when your arms are relacksed
should show .25 to .5 inches of shirt sleeve when your arms are relacksed
D
da8s0859q
I'd leave it alone, myself.
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I apologize for the blurriness, the camera woman's hand was shaking a little bit.
How does this look? Does it need tailoring? It's the stafford suit from JC Penny, 38 Long
Sleeves are too long. That alteration shouldn't take too long to do. For the purpose of interviews, that is the only thing I would change.
Are you sure that is the correct size? It looks to be that the shoulders are too wide which is something most tailors will not be able to alter well.
I was going to tell you to alter the shoulders, shorten the skirt, cut out portions of the quarters where the buttons are. But then I realized that it is possibly because the entire suit is too large. None of these alterations are easy and probably going down a size is the better option.
Without cuff showing, it always looks like a young man in his father's suit. Always show cuff. It shows you know the rules.
What about 38 regular instead of 38 long? That will get rid of the short sleeves and the long skirting problem. Otherwise, the suit is acceptable.
Showing cuff is difficult at times to achieve.
Sometimes with your arm down the sleeve is at perfect length, albeit with no cuff showing.
To get the cuff to show the sleeve would need to be brought up running the risk of your sleeve now being too short. Now when you raise your arm the sleeve slides up your arm and makes it look too short.
Showing cuff is not a hard and fast rule. Captainnerd, you seem to be pushing that strongly here. While I like the look of cuff showing, I also think it is up to each person's personal style. From looking at your pics you seem to like small suits, almost too small IMO. I'd prefer not to look like Pee-wee Herman if I can help it.
Sometimes with your arm down the sleeve is at perfect length, albeit with no cuff showing.
To get the cuff to show the sleeve would need to be brought up running the risk of your sleeve now being too short. Now when you raise your arm the sleeve slides up your arm and makes it look too short.
Showing cuff is not a hard and fast rule. Captainnerd, you seem to be pushing that strongly here. While I like the look of cuff showing, I also think it is up to each person's personal style. From looking at your pics you seem to like small suits, almost too small IMO. I'd prefer not to look like Pee-wee Herman if I can help it.
with 38 R the sleeves were a little too short, they were a little bit above my wrists. I can probably get the sleeves shortened for $20 or so.
What is a skirt? I'm not sure what part of the suit is the skirt, I'll look into if that's possible to be shortened, or if to just go down to 38 R
um... it's as much a hard and fast rule as there can be one in fashion
The skirt is the length of the coat down past your waist. The style of suit you get can make a big difference in the length of the skirt. Tailors can alter the length of it and bring it up a bit if you like. I had mine brought up 1.5 inches, but it's all about your personal style.
Debatable. Showing cuff can often make you look like Pee-wee herman when you raise your arm and your sleeve slides up to the middle of your forearm.
The length of one's suit should end just so that with arms at their side, you should be able to roll your fingers underneath the skirt. In your photo, it appears your fingers end at the end of the skirt. The skirt should end at about the first knuckle.
I called JC Penny and I will go in and exchange it for the 38 R, then I will take another picture tonight, with shoes on, and ask what you guys think again.
Thanks for your help 🙂 My first interview is next Friday, so I believe I'll still have time to get it tailored, if needed.
Thanks for your help 🙂 My first interview is next Friday, so I believe I'll still have time to get it tailored, if needed.
If no cuff is showing, then your suit jacket is too long or your shirt is too short, or both. The best thing to do is to get your shirt and your suit made by the same people.
Nobody should be judging you about your appearance with your arms raised. Why are you raising your arms all the time?
Your cuff should show when your arms are at their side.
Oh yes, my suits are too small. I better get that fixed.
Or maybe convince Americans their sack suits are too big.
I remember Pee Wee Herman. He never showed cuff even though his suit sleeves are ridiculously short. I think he wore short sleeve shirts because he was always running and jumping around. However, his suit's fit was impeccable in terms of the shoulders, the chest size, the skirt length, and he wore two vents (an American with double vents?). Even with the short cuff and pants, Pee Wee was better dressed than most Americans.
Btw, pants should be short enough to show almost no break.
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Okay, you win.
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I finally decided on an outfit and I want to know what you guys think?
If I remember right, this was approximately the length of 38 R on me, I think to get this nice of a fit I'd have to do 36 or 37 R, but 38 is the smallest size so I'll just have to make do with a 38 R.
I can adjust that with a belt. I was lazy and the camera woman was impatient, so I didn't bother putting on a belt. The pant length should be fine I think.
I don't think you get it. 99.9% of people going for a medical school interview are not going to be having their suit and shirts 'made.' It's a waste of money. Your interviewer most likely isn't going to notice or care if your fit doesn't exactly match.
I have all my stuff tailored because nothing fits me off the rack. Some people fit well into shirts off the rack.
My suggestion to everybody reading this thread. Find the nearest Banana Republic factory store. Buy a suit from there (should run you about $150 on sale). You are getting a $500 suit that is incredibly nice. Buy one that fits your shoulders perfectly. Have the jacket tailored if the rest of it is too big. Buy a nice, solid dress shirt with a point collar and barrell cuffs and have it taken it if you are slender. Pick out a tasteful tie and shoes to go with it. You shouldn't have to spend more than $300 to do this.
Or you could follow this guys advice and spend $2000 on custom suit and shirt tailoring that you most likely will outgrow as you get old and fat and never wear again. Your choice.
The other option I think worth noting is to hit up eBay and pick up a used Zegna suit, lorenzini shirt, and bruno magli shoes for about $500. Don't forget the fake gold rolex while you're at it.
Aw, boys in suits are so handsome....
Ok, sorry for the useless post...
Ok, sorry for the useless post...
I think I suggested the $49.99 Target Merona suit (get the wool one, not the Rayon one).
As long as it is tailored. Then get a shirt and get that tailored too.
But if you're asking about the proper length of cuff, then I will stress that it is best to get it both made by a single house.
I think it is clear that we're dealing with intelligent people who know not to go out and buy $2,000 suits for interviews. I've always said the most important thing is fit, and cuff length is very important. It can be done well by buying OTR and getting it tailored.
But when people begin to debate cuff length with arms over their heads, and the proper length of skirt, it is only fair to also bring that up.
When someone asks to critique a suit, I give him the short answer and the long answer (go back and read all my posts). The short answer is always "interview specific" and then there are questions that are not limited to interviews and are more about general rules of suiting attire. I don't think people reading this are not intelligent enough to know 90% of what is suitable for interviews. They're just trying to get the remaining 10% such as proper length of cuff, whether french cuffs are acceptable, and what shape of shoe.
But to further stress, a bring your suit and your shirt to the same tailor and they'll get the fit right so that cuff is showing. The only test you should do is to put your arms to your side.
Btw, once you reach a certain age, you stop growing. And if you're getting fat, you have other issues to worry about than clothes.
Always show cuff. Always. It shows you know the rules and that you took the time to learn the rules. And yes, your suit will only be worn for interviews. Because in America, respected doctors wear t-shirts and jeans.
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I'm pissed that the tailor didn't mention the cuff showing thing when I got my suit tailored. I have been wanting to bring it somewhere else and get the arm length corrected to show some cuff, but I have been flying around for the past couple of weeks and am continuing to do so for the next couple. So my cuffs are going to just have to be a no-show for the next few interviews. Thanks SDN for something else to be neurotic about during this stressful process. 😎 But in the end I would rather know that I look like a fool than not.
Other occasions a dark charcoal suit is required:
1) funerals
2) job interview
3) internship/residency interview
4) dates with girls after things get serious
5) weekend with your gf and her family on her vacation home on Martha's Vineyard
6) expensive restaurants where jacket is required
7) going to court or providing a deposition
8) closing a contract on a home
9) meeting important people
10) assassinations. Assassins always wear suits.
11) knocking up the governor's daughter and then realizing you'll now have to appear on national tv besides her while she insists you hold hands but you don't want to because you only liked her for her mammaries and labial parts and now that she is preggers, you wish you were back home playing hockey. And the haircut now makes you look like a ghey.
Had this guy gotten that girl pregnant and then appeared in a $2,000 bespoke suit with French cuffs, spread collar, brown shows, and proper pants break, I would have thought "good for her." But he looked like his dad gave him the suit.
These rules probably don't pertain to certain regions of the country.
I once saw Mikhail Gorbachev shopping for chocolates on valentine's day at Stanford Mall and he was in full suit and fur russian hat. That guy has style.
1) funerals
2) job interview
3) internship/residency interview
4) dates with girls after things get serious
5) weekend with your gf and her family on her vacation home on Martha's Vineyard
6) expensive restaurants where jacket is required
7) going to court or providing a deposition
8) closing a contract on a home
9) meeting important people
10) assassinations. Assassins always wear suits.
11) knocking up the governor's daughter and then realizing you'll now have to appear on national tv besides her while she insists you hold hands but you don't want to because you only liked her for her mammaries and labial parts and now that she is preggers, you wish you were back home playing hockey. And the haircut now makes you look like a ghey.
Had this guy gotten that girl pregnant and then appeared in a $2,000 bespoke suit with French cuffs, spread collar, brown shows, and proper pants break, I would have thought "good for her." But he looked like his dad gave him the suit.
These rules probably don't pertain to certain regions of the country.
I once saw Mikhail Gorbachev shopping for chocolates on valentine's day at Stanford Mall and he was in full suit and fur russian hat. That guy has style.
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Have you thought about making fake cuffs? At one point in history, cuffs were detachable because they were always the first part of a shirt to be ruined. This was before contraptions were made that allowed mass production. People detached the cuff, threw it away, and got new ones for their shirts.
Just cut off the sleeve cuffs, and sew it to the inside of your suit. Wear a short sleeve shirt with a collar and kapow, you look like you're wearing a long sleeved dress shirt.
EDIT: sorry, I shouldn't joke like that. Apparently, some people on these threads are not good at deciphering the practicality of advice from complete strangers. Also, don't jump off bridges and do not drink poison.
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That is an interesting idea. Detachable cuffs should be brought back! Of course I can't sew for **** and I don't want to ruin my fancy suit.
Cut the sleeve somewhere in the middle, then get safety pins and attach the two parts again, allowing for the correct distance required to lengthen the sleeve to show cuff.
Who says this thread is useless?
Okay, you win.
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I finally decided on an outfit and I want to know what you guys think?
Ow OW. You guys really should listen to captainnerd... I think his goal is not to awe the interviewers with his style, but to distract the female interviewees with picking their jaws up off the ground to the point that they will fumble their own interviews, thus decreasing the competition.
In addition, it is an odd thing that the "Male Interview Clothing Thread" has been more successful than the "Female Interview Clothing Thread."
In addition, it is an odd thing that the "Male Interview Clothing Thread" has been more successful than the "Female Interview Clothing Thread."
Males are more clueless. And we have arcane rules.
How many of you will not be getting new suits this year due to the financial meltdown? I bought 3 last year and 2 the year before. This year: 0.
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I bought two, but only because I didn't own one and I needed them for interviews.
I stopped by Mens wearhouse today and checked out the suits there, just because it was closer to me than JC Penney, and I found a nice charcoal gray suit for $200. They don't have my size at the store so they are going to order it for me and I should have it on Thursday. I'll take a pic on Thursday and ask you guys about the fit again for advice, but I believe it won't need any tailoring. Here's the link to the suit, it doesn't have a vent so I guess that's the only possible negative.
http://www.menswearhouse.com/checko...older_id=1408474395560565&bmUID=1222136316901
http://www.menswearhouse.com/checko...older_id=1408474395560565&bmUID=1222136316901
link was a link to your shopping cart not your suit, so all it will say for us is cart is empty...
this should work now, my bad.
http://www.menswearhouse.com/menswe...owsePath=1408474395560565&bmUID=1222137821534
http://www.menswearhouse.com/menswe...owsePath=1408474395560565&bmUID=1222137821534
looks nice to me, but i'm no captainnerd. What is a vent on a suit? Are they those flaps on the back of the jacket?
Yea. I believe vents help hide your butt better basically. My butt is about normal, not warren sapp sized, and not male model sized, so I kinda would rather want a vent, but it's not a huge deal for me, the fit was quite nice so I liked that, and I can get a 37 regular if I wanted, but sleeves would have to be altered. The 38 Long versini brand has fairly short sleeves actually and I will be able to show cuff, so I won't have to tailor the sleeves. Pending approval from captainnerd of course 🙂
apologies to buccs fans. I'm a long time favre fan, and when I think of a male with a huge butt, I think of warren sapp right away 🙁
Also, we are totally dominating the women with regards to the # of posts and the amount of time spent on the top page 🙂
Also, we are totally dominating the women with regards to the # of posts and the amount of time spent on the top page 🙂
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Vents aren't a huge deal in the US. They also allow you to put both hands in your pocket without lifting your jacket. They also allow easy access to pockets. Or allow a young lady to do things to you from behind in public without others noticing of which this forum is not an appropriate place to speak of...
EDIT: Only kidding. The dry cleaning bill would be huge. Or your business would be rejected. In my case, I'd have to make a trip back to my tailors; the trousers would be ruined and bits of it would have to be recovered by a salvage team.
Press conference from salvage team:
Govt investigator: "we were only able to recover the zipper and buttons since it was the only durable components of the trouser."
Reporter: "can you describe the recovery scene?"
Govt investigator: "well, we have our team flying to the 3 states now. This is an ongoing recovery effort. Our condolences go out to the families of the three innocent people killed in each of the three states."
Reporter: "can you describe what happened?"
Govt investigator: "the suspect was standing at a cross walk when he was met by a young female, believed to be his girlfriend. She gave him a hug from behind. He began to describe to her all the potential uses for double vents on a suit. Well, things got out of hand... well, not exactly out of hand, more like... in hand... so to speak, and disaster struck."
Reporter: "where is the suspect?"
Govt investigator: "he's currently in a hospital and being treated for dehydration."
I feel odd wearing a suit while typing this.
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^ so vents are slits in the side of the coat? Or flaps in back?
QFT, and I'll add that your overall ensemble probably isn't going to make or break your chances. First impressions count, but not as much as the rest of your interview. As long as you look presentable, i.e. you've showered, shaved, your suit fits, etc, you're good to go. Of the three interviewers I've had so far, two were wearing slacks and a sweater, and the other was wearing jeans and a collared shirt, so all this talk about how "appropriate" a particular watch is is pretty silly.
D
da8s0859q
Yep. I think it's ridiculous, but at least interesting since I kind of like watches myself.
Skagen, actually. Thin = better since I absolutely despise clunky watches.
OK, got it all set. Hope I won't need tailoring, if I do, it's gonna have to be for after my first interview (assuming I get more than the 1).
It's a very dark charcoal gray 38Long, it looks almost black to me.
Looks good for interview purposes.
I wasn't going to say anything because I know how much this thread is about suits for interviews instead of a thread about men's style. But for all future purchases, 2 buttons is better than 3. Even Morgan Freeman's character makes a joke about 3 button suits in The Dark Knight.
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What's the fashion for tying ties nowadays? Windsor knot or Half Windsor? Four in hand? Pratt Knot? I'm planning on going with the smaller half windsor because I've heard that larger knots look dated.
I dunno what the fashion is, but I have been using half windsor during interviews, i like the look with the collar of my shirt
I like Four in Hand regardless of collar. I like a spread collar and although the "rules" lean towards a larger knot with the collar, I still like the FIH.
Robert Downey Jr. wears a FIH with spread collar in Iron Man. So does Jon Stewart.
Full-Windsor is usually for wider or spread collar shirts. I prefer the half-Windsor myself just because I hate the fact that the 4 in hand is non-symmetrical.
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