Men's Interview Clothing Thread

Started by Handy388
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Btw, I am currently a first year optometry student and there's a motif that professors tell us about this new upcoming young generation. They can't stand us. They can't stand the way we talk, the way we dress, the way we can't read cursive, the way we type emails, our sense of entitlement, and our manners. It is my newfound opinion that acting like an old person may help you at interviews. Wear a conservative suit, brown shoes, brown belt, brown leather watch, blue tie, clean shaven or conservative facial hair and you'll be okay. And yes, I agree with the professors.

One of my favorite quotes when I see sentiments like this

What is happening to our young
people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They
ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions.
Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"
It sounds about right compared to what you said. I mean, it could have been written last week right?

You know who wrote that? Plato. Approximately two and a half *millennia* ago. Some things never change...
 
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I do find it a little surprising that an account set up over a year ago is only now being used. You are, I believe still within your first 10 posts. I would not be surprised if half of them were spent on this thread.

Again, this is so funny that I had to investigate. Like I said, I am an optometry student. Check out all my posts on this forum and you'll find them in the optometry or pre-optometry sections (except for the ones posted here).

I actually discovered this forum because the advice that was thrown on this thread/threak was so off the wall wrong that I signed up and decided I would help you guys out. And it so happen that I was applying for optometry school at the time.

Back to my investigation, it appears this TruthHurts guy's posts in only Pre-med. If you look at my history, my first few dozen posts was on this thread alone. Then I discovered the pre-optometry portion of the website.

I can assure you that I've been called over-zealous enough about this topic that I'm comfortable in my over-zealousness. Besides, does having two people argue a point make a point more valid? If that were the case, the earth would always be round and the true gods would be the Hindu gods.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have hell week to get back to.

Oh, and I checked. All my professors wear watches.

PS. Why did you instinctively think that TruthHurt was me? If your only defense against another person's argument online is to make an ad hominem attack that the person is just another screen name of the first person, then you're no longer debating the issues.
 
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Every resident/attending or our teaching professors in anatomy lab wear watches, but they almost all wear metal bands, understandably.
 
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To bring things back to the thread subject, what do you guys think of my current combination? I'm hoping to buck the white/pale blue shirt rule and stand out a bit (in a good way), but I'm wondering if this is a wise choice. The lighting kind of makes the shirt look gray, but in actuality it is a olive-ish green.

http://imgur.com/3wFbJ.jpg
http://imgur.com/5havA.jpg
http://imgur.com/QR5jT.jpg

BTW, spots are on my dirty mirror, not the suit :laugh:

You can all tell from the pictures, but ties are a weak point for me. I'm tying the half-windsor, but for the life of me I can never get the triangular shape, no matter how hard I pinch the bottom of the knot while tightening it. Any thoughts?
 
To bring things back to the thread subject, what do you guys think of my current combination? I'm hoping to buck the white/pale blue shirt rule and stand out a bit (in a good way), but I'm wondering if this is a wise choice. The lighting kind of makes the shirt look gray, but in actuality it is a olive-ish green.

http://imgur.com/3wFbJ.jpg
http://imgur.com/5havA.jpg
http://imgur.com/QR5jT.jpg

BTW, spots are on my dirty mirror, not the suit :laugh:

You can all tell from the pictures, but ties are a weak point for me. I'm tying the half-windsor, but for the life of me I can never get the triangular shape, no matter how hard I pinch the bottom of the knot while tightening it. Any thoughts?

Olive green is a no-no when done in a solid like that, regardless of whether it is for an interview or for any other reason. Solid shirts should remain white, light shades of blue, light shades of pink, and light shades of purple. I'm always perplexed as to who actually sells solid shirts in greens, oranges, browns, and yellows. But hey, where there is a market...

The key to getting a good tie shape is to tie the tie tightly throughout the entire process. What I mean by that is for every process, always tighten after you're done executing the process. You don't have to tighten all the way up to the neck, but just tighten the last knot that you made. Also, I really recommend keeping neck tie knots small. You can't beat the four-in-hand.

I can't believe the number of half and full windsors here at optometry school. I might be the only person sporting the four in hand. The problem with the four in hand is that at a place like med school or optometry school, people think the four in hand is too simple of a knot for someone as smart as a med student. It is unfortunate because the four in hand really is the best knot.

EDIT: The suit is dark, the tie is dark, the shirt is dark. Try a white shirt and retake photos. Then see how much better it will look.
 
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A Question. Is trouser required for interview? If not, is it recommended? Also, do you guys recommend carrying a business card to give to the interviewers?.. So that they'll remember us better?
 
i'm broke and also lazy.

i've been wearing a light, blue ted baker dress shirt, a dark blue dkny tie, some macy's black coat, some $10 black dress pants, white socks, and dark burgundy dress shoes. sometimes i forget to take out my earring during interviews and i have a 3 week old faux hawk. 😎 👍 :laugh: :xf:
 
A Question. Is trouser required for interview? If not, is it recommended?

I'm not sure I understand your question...yes, you should wear pants to your interview.

Also, do you guys recommend carrying a business card to give to the interviewers?.. So that they'll remember us better?

Definitely not. If you happen to be a non-trad and have a business card from your job, you could consider bringing some to your interview day, but I still think it would be unnecessary.
 
To bring things back to the thread subject, what do you guys think of my current combination? I'm hoping to buck the white/pale blue shirt rule and stand out a bit (in a good way), but I'm wondering if this is a wise choice. The lighting kind of makes the shirt look gray, but in actuality it is a olive-ish green.

http://imgur.com/3wFbJ.jpg
http://imgur.com/5havA.jpg
http://imgur.com/QR5jT.jpg

BTW, spots are on my dirty mirror, not the suit :laugh:

You can all tell from the pictures, but ties are a weak point for me. I'm tying the half-windsor, but for the life of me I can never get the triangular shape, no matter how hard I pinch the bottom of the knot while tightening it. Any thoughts?

The tie does need to be a little tighter but I think that you look fine for a med school interview.
 
Note for the skinny guys (including me):

Don't get a suit with giant shoulder pads. It looks awkward and disproportional.

Buy a suit jacket with little to no padding that is a tighter fit and get a skinny
tie to go with it.

👍
 
Note for the skinny guys (including me):

Don't get a suit with giant shoulder pads. It looks awkward and disproportional.

Buy a suit jacket with little to no padding that is a tighter fit and get a skinny
tie to go with it.

👍

Hey, I'm skinny too.. like 29.5 lol

So do you know of any good online places that carry those?
 
Hey, I'm skinny too.. like 29.5 lol

So do you know of any good online places that carry those?

I could not find a suit that would fit me at Men's Warehouse, Macy's, etc...

I ended up going to JC Penney and they had one designer which carried a 34S which fit me perfectly.

J. Ferrar - It is super cheap and mine had light pin stripes so it wasn't exactly like this but it fit me perfect and did not look awkwardly oversized like every other suit I've tried on before.
 
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Though I care not to delve into the finer points of interview fashion at this given moment, I do have one concern.

What does one do if their hair is out of control? I always look like a hot mess and any attempt to tame via hair products looks fairly horrendous. I don't know how exactly to describe my hair but it tends to defy gravity in its dishevelment. On a day-to-day basis I would say I am rather fortunate with my locks but in any kind of professional setting I question anyone's ability to take me entirely seriously.
 
Alright, I have an interview at my undergrad's med school this week, and I've narrowed it down to two tie options. I'm a pretty huge fan of our school's athletics programs, and as such one of my favorite ties sports my school's colors (purple and gold, totally awesome!) in tasteful alternating diagonal stripes. My standard interview tie is either a gold w/ light blue (more of a diagonal pattern), or a similarly striped black & blue that I put up for comparison.

Would wearing a tie bearing your undergrad's school colors to an interview at your undergrad's med school be considered a harmless display of school pride (what I'm going for), or tacky & desperate?

Basically, the choice is between this :

da85a4c2195c4381848d95ec7c6bcf02


and this

76eae29e1e4b4d7fa1f2b23218d2a636
 
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Would wearing a tie bearing your undergrad's school colors to an interview at your undergrad's med school be considered a harmless display of school pride (what I'm going for), or tacky & desperate?

Basically, the choice is between this :

da85a4c2195c4381848d95ec7c6bcf02


and this

76eae29e1e4b4d7fa1f2b23218d2a636

I would say wearing your school's colors is tacky desperate. Plus, those colors are awful for a tie. If you went to a school where the color was yellow and brown, would you wear a yellow and brown tie? The second tie has so many different widths in so many different colors in so many different textures that it is just ugly. Try something more simpler like this:

http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties/products/neat-woven-tie-navy-purple-and-pink

or try a knit tie in orange:
http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties/products/silk-knit-burnt-orange
 
I think I might start posting in this thread as long as you guys aren't cut throat about it.

I just want to throw it out there that I am a fan of not giving blanket advice as different people look good in different things. I don't believe that Black suits are a no-no either. I don't think it matters if you wear a watch (and if you do almost any is fine as long as it's not a 6 year old cloth band that is stained and frayed).

I'm not at all a fashion expert (ask Army, I think I've sought his advice more than once) but I am kind of interested in it because I think people get a lot of bad advice. Now hopefully I remember to come back to this thread. I can post what I wore to my interviews so far and how much it cost in a bit if that is interesting to anyone.
 
I would say wearing your school's colors is tacky desperate. Plus, those colors are awful for a tie. If you went to a school where the color was yellow and brown, would you wear a yellow and brown tie? The second tie has so many different widths in so many different colors in so many different textures that it is just ugly. Try something more simpler like this:

http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties/products/neat-woven-tie-navy-purple-and-pink

or try a knit tie in orange:
http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties/products/silk-knit-burnt-orange


A green and yellow tie would look alot better with that suit! Alot better. Just some sound advice on color coordinating. Do it, wear the green and yellow tie. You will be admitted. Good luck.
 
I think I might start posting in this thread as long as you guys aren't cut throat about it.

I just want to throw it out there that I am a fan of not giving blanket advice as different people look good in different things. I don't believe that Black suits are a no-no either. I don't think it matters if you wear a watch (and if you do almost any is fine as long as it's not a 6 year old cloth band that is stained and frayed).

I'm not at all a fashion expert (ask Army, I think I've sought his advice more than once) but I am kind of interested in it because I think people get a lot of bad advice. Now hopefully I remember to come back to this thread. I can post what I wore to my interviews so far and how much it cost in a bit if that is interesting to anyone.

Double agree. I wore black. I wanted a grey suit but I am a small size so I could only find a black suit (unless I wanted to insanely tailor a grey one).

I also think a watch is fine. Who cares. It looks nice (considering it is professional).

It depends on your body type for what works. For me, it is skinny suit and skinny ties since I'm...well, skinny (5"6 -115/120 lbs)
 
I wore this to my first one:

iphoneoctober20057.jpg


And the second:


photo2copy.jpg


Suit is the same in both. J. Ferrar Black with a subtle black striping. It was on sale for like 150 or something awesome at JC Penney. It is "modern fit" or "slim fit" I forget which they call it, but since I am tiny we went with that. I used to work at the store so I had quite a bit of GOOD help picking one out. I can't stress enough that you should ask knowledgebale retailers (whether in custom shops or major retail) for their opinions. Many have been around awhile and know what they are talking about, the ones that haven't typically just won't give advice.

My first interview was when it was still warm out so I went with light blue and blue striped tie. The second was cold so I went with autumn colors. A burnt orange with a Gold/orange/black tie that I apparently had for forever.

I used to have to wear shirts and ties to work so I had those stockpiled. I like Stafford if you are on a budget or Polo by Ralph Lauren if you aren't. I don't plan on wearing this suit often enough to justify spending tons on any part of it. If you take care of the shirt and tie it won't matter what brand it is for as long as you wear it. I didn't wear a belt (they looked odd I thought because I am so skinny and didn't need it) and I wore a flat toed black shoe. I went with comfort over price so they only cost like 30 and were the steal of the century so far.
 
Double agree. I wore black. I wanted a grey suit but I am a small size so I could only find a black suit (unless I wanted to insanely tailor a grey one).

I also think a watch is fine. Who cares. It looks nice (considering it is professional).

It depends on your body type for what works. For me, it is skinny suit and skinny ties since I'm...well, skinny (5"6 -115/120 lbs)
I thought I looked best in black. I have dark hair and light eyes, so the black + blue como looks best on me. Black was also super versitile. With the shirts and ties I already have I had like 9 or 10 different combinations all ready to go.

Odd bit of info: while picking out ties I realized I only own striped ones. My brother on the other hand loved solid ties on solid shirts so he has many solid ones. I don't care for solid ties, especially under a suit and I also haven't found a striped shirt that I like under my suit (probably because of the subtle striping).
 
I just like solid everything. Solid shirts and solid ties. I think it just looks classier but it is all opinion. This thread is a bit crazy as it doesn't matter as much as people make it out to (to a certain extant). Look professional and presentable... and make sure your clothes fit your body.

Other than that... wear what you like and feel confident in.

Caesar: I bought the same one from JC Penney (J. Ferrar) ha. I didn't take pics but I just wore a sky blue shirt underneath with a black skinny tie. It was MUCH cheaper than I thought I would have to spend!
 
I would say wearing your school's colors is tacky desperate. Plus, those colors are awful for a tie. If you went to a school where the color was yellow and brown, would you wear a yellow and brown tie? The second tie has so many different widths in so many different colors in so many different textures that it is just ugly. Try something more simpler like this:

http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties/products/neat-woven-tie-navy-purple-and-pink

or try a knit tie in orange:
http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties/products/silk-knit-burnt-orange


Funny story, my high school's colors WERE brown and gold. And yes, we did, on occasion, wear brown and gold ties. And for that very reason, I see your point.

Plus, those colors are awful for a tie

You hold your tongue! Those colors are AWESOME, for ANY article of clothing!
...joking, I guess I can see how they're not for everybody...

Also, based on those tie suggestions, I can definitely see how fashion is a matter of opinion and personal style, rather than something hard-and-fast. Don't think I could pull off either of those...

Oh well, guess I'm going with my mainstay patterned gold/blue. Hasn't let me down yet...
 
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I just like solid everything. Solid shirts and solid ties. I think it just looks classier but it is all opinion. This thread is a bit crazy as it doesn't matter as much as people make it out to (to a certain extant). Look professional and presentable... and make sure your clothes fit your body.

Other than that... wear what you like and feel confident in.

Caesar: I bought the same one from JC Penney (J. Ferrar) ha. I didn't take pics but I just wore a sky blue shirt underneath with a black skinny tie. It was MUCH cheaper than I thought I would have to spend!
I concur, most of it is preference. I don't know why I hate solids, I think they just don't look good on me in my opinion.

Oh and people who haven't worn a suit before: Wear it a bit before interview day. They can feel weird at first. Not a huge deal but the more comfortable you are the better. You certainly don't want something as trivial as your suit on your mind on interview day.

Oh and the "rules" that I follow but others I have seen dont:
1. Keep the bottom button undone.
2. Unbutton the jacket when you sit.
 
Oh and the "rules" that I follow but others I have seen dont:
1. Keep the bottom button undone.
2. Unbutton the jacket when you sit.

I'm not much of a stickler for fashion 'rules' but those two should be followed rigorously, especially the first one.
 
I wore this to my first one:

iphoneoctober20057.jpg


And the second:


photo2copy.jpg

Burn the red shirt. Never wear a red shirt. Do you think the President of any European country or of the US would ever be caught wearing that red shirt?

I think that's the simplest rule I can give. Similar to "What would Kant do?" when it comes to formal clothing (ie, suit and tie), I think you should ask yourself "what would Sarkozy wear?"

As for the idea that it is all a matter of personal preference? Hogwash. You'd never meet the Queen of England wearing jeans and tee shirt. There are rules. Follow them.

If you were interviewing to a bank that was 500 years old and everyone who worked at the bank wore white/pale blue/pale pink and conservative ties, what do you think the interviewer will think of you when you show up in an orange shirt? Are you going to rouse the rabble? The bank was built on 500 years of formality and conservative planning. Do they really want someone to come in and shake things up?

The very theme of the suit is one of conformity. It is not your own personal taste that should dictate what you wear. It is the taste of the institution you are requesting access to that should dictate what you wear.

To an interview, for shirts, wear white, pale blue, and if you are feeling adventurous, maybe pale pink. Solid. For ties, blue for white shirt, gray for blue and pink shirts. Shirts should be pale to contrast with suit. Ties should be simple. Keep striping to two colors and two widths for ties. Or better yet, go simple by wearing as solid tie. Simplicity is best at interviews.

Never buy dark colored shirts. Never match ties with shirts. Never match shirt with suit. The only thing that should match in color are your suitings and your socks.

If you don't think there are rules, you'll end up looking stupid.
 
Burn the red shirt. Never wear a red shirt. Do you think the President of any European country or of the US would ever be caught wearing that red shirt?

I think that's the simplest rule I can give. Similar to "What would Kant do?" when it comes to formal clothing (ie, suit and tie), I think you should ask yourself "what would Sarkozy wear?"

As for the idea that it is all a matter of personal preference? Hogwash. You'd never meet the Queen of England wearing jeans and tee shirt. There are rules. Follow them.

If you were interviewing to a bank that was 500 years old and everyone who worked at the bank wore white/pale blue/pale pink and conservative ties, what do you think the interviewer will think of you when you show up in an orange shirt? Are you going to rouse the rabble? The bank was built on 500 years of formality and conservative planning. Do they really want someone to come in and shake things up?

The very theme of the suit is one of conformity. It is not your own personal taste that should dictate what you wear. It is the taste of the institution you are requesting access to that should dictate what you wear.

To an interview, for shirts, wear white, pale blue, and if you are feeling adventurous, maybe pale pink. Solid. For ties, blue for white shirt, gray for blue and pink shirts. Shirts should be pale to contrast with suit. Ties should be simple. Keep striping to two colors and two widths for ties. Or better yet, go simple by wearing as solid tie. Simplicity is best at interviews.

Never buy dark colored shirts. Never match ties with shirts. Never match shirt with suit. The only thing that should match in color are your suitings and your socks.

If you don't think there are rules, you'll end up looking stupid.
Aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine? :eyeroll:

PS. I admire your keen observational skills, but you might want to note that "most" does not equal "all", and the shirt isn't red. Most of it is preference. You are interviewing with Doctors and PhDs and Med students. Not Versace. Dressing nice is fine, pretending that it matters significantly whether one wears a "matching" tie or not is just annoying.

You do NOT need to dress like Sarkozy. He is the President of France. We are undergraduates applying to medical schools. Most of us are broke and in debt seeking more debt.

I might have looked "stupid", but I got in.
 
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Aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine? :eyeroll:

PS. I admire your keen observational skills, but you might want to note that "most" does not equal "all", and the shirt isn't red. Most of it is preference. You are interviewing with Doctors and PhDs and Med students. Not Versace. Dressing nice is fine, pretending that it matters significantly whether one wears a "matching" tie or not is just annoying.

You do NOT need to dress like Sarkozy. He is the President of France. We are undergraduates applying to medical schools. Most of us are broke and in debt seeking more debt.

I might have looked "stupid", but I got in.

Do you really think a white shirt is going to cost more than a red shirt? For what? The extra red dye you don't have to use?

Plus, red shirts = communist.

Congratulations. To what school were you accepted?
 
We give opposite advice. Not really a big deal. I doubt your fashion cred or mine is very extensive in the first place. I'm just saying this is an interview for med school, not a J crew fashion show.

Oh, I'm sorry. I had no idea med schools wanted autumn colors. I guess that makes sense. They probably want students who are capable of making logical matches. If a school was located next to a sewage processing facility, I think it would make logical sense to show up with poop stains on your suit. Or wear lots of brown.

Is that what we're discussing? Fashion? Because fashion generally comes and goes with the seasons. Like wearing autumn colors when it is autumn. Class and proper clothing lasts year round. You can wear a white shirt year round. Or a pale blue one. You can wear a gray suit in 11 oz worsted tropical wool year round if the suit is quarter lined and the canvas is floating (all my suits are quarter lined and floating canvassed). Try that with black and with a glued canvas. You should never wear fashion to an interview. What's the current fashion for formal wear? Skinny lapels and skinny ties? Diagonal checks for shirts? I'll pass on that crap.

If that's the definition of fashion, then yes, my fashion cred is complete crap.

Just stick to the basics.
 
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I just want to throw it out there that I am a fan of not giving blanket advice as different people look good in different things.

Not true. There are certain things that all people look good in and some things all people look horrible in.

All men look good in a tuxedo. All people look awful wearing homeless clothes.

Try to wear something like this guy. I believe he may be the President of France:
View attachment 13757
 
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A green and yellow tie would look alot better with that suit! Alot better. Just some sound advice on color coordinating. Do it, wear the green and yellow tie. You will be admitted. Good luck.

Oh yes! Lemon Yellow and pea-soup green! Or maybe flat grey and hunter with gaudy yellow accents! Or. How about a random off-color one could euphemistically dub "baby-sh$t green", on NEON yellow. In the words of an announcer who called a Ducks game recently: "That receiver isn't running from the defense, he's running from those uniforms! Who dresses these guys???"

You know what? Now I'm going to wear the d&mn tie, out of spite. :meanie:
 
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That suit looks decent, Caesar, but for goodness sake please burn that orange shirt and both ties.

Believe it or not, there are rules to be followed, as captainnerd said. It may not matter with some interviewers, but I had an extended chat with my faculty interviewers at Columbia and Sinai (not instigated by me, I assure you) about the poor dress of the interviewees.
 
That suit looks decent, Caesar, but for goodness sake please burn that orange shirt and both ties.

Believe it or not, there are rules to be followed, as captainnerd said. It may not matter with some interviewers, but I had an extended chat with my faculty interviewers at Columbia and Sinai (not instigated by me, I assure you) about the poor dress of the interviewees.
what would you recommend then?
 
That suit looks decent, Caesar, but for goodness sake please burn that orange shirt and both ties.

Believe it or not, there are rules to be followed, as captainnerd said. It may not matter with some interviewers, but I had an extended chat with my faculty interviewers at Columbia and Sinai (not instigated by me, I assure you) about the poor dress of the interviewees.

One of the students on the admissions advisory board who volunteers by being the student panelist on the admissions team is huge on clothes here on my campus. I was curious and asked him how important it was and he told me that our campus takes it very seriously because our campus has a history of taking clothing seriously.

Also, while in clinic, the professors will make fun of what we wear. It is actually quite fun to hold my tongue while I'm being berated by a professor who is wearing a square toe pair of shoes.
 
I have interview coming up next week.. I'm planning to wear this conservative suit and tie.. what you guys think?
 

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I have interview coming up next week.. I'm planning to wear this conservative suit and tie.. what you guys think?

Personally, I think it looks like you're going to a funeral. You could use a bit of color in there. Also, don't forget to remove the label from the sleeve of your suit.
 
Personally, I think it looks like you're going to a funeral. You could use a bit of color in there. Also, don't forget to remove the label from the sleeve of your suit.

lol, yea def the first thing i thought, that would be pretty awkward (well maybe not really, but it would be weird). he probably took the picture initially after purchase though
 
wait you're supposed to remove those?? Damn, I've already worn that suit to like four interviews.. not medical tho.. I'm taking a year off and so wore that suit to those job interviews.. even got two offers and working at one of those hospitals right now..
 
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