Suit Opinions

[JohnnyOU]

Hi all,

I'm about to purchase a new suit for my interviews and wondered how people feel about a regular suit vs. a double-breasted suit.

Which do you prefer for medical school interviews and why?

Thank you for any feedback,
Johnny

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[LizzyM]

Either is appropriate but it takes a tall, slim figure to be able to pull off a double breasted suit, IMHO.

Whatever looks great on you is fine. Just one request from me, buy something other than black. On most days the waiting area for med school interviews looks like a funeral -- there are so many people (men and women) in black suits it makes me tremble. 😱

 

[akanene]

i bought a lighter gray suit, that has a pattern type knit into it... i plan on wearing it with a brighter shirt... also have a light blue dress suit if i actually get any interviews for cali... i wanted to go more unconventional, but had a friend convince me this was as far as i should go... think these are appropriate??

 

[Kazema]

I don't think it matters too much. The most important thing is that it fits you well. Nothing kills your look like an ill-fitting suit.

Well besides like white socks with a suit or something. Or mismatched jacket/pants. Or penny loafers. Okay so a lot of things can kill your look. But wearing a single vs a double breasted suit isn't one of them.

And I have seen all of the above-mentioned fashion faux pax on the interview trail.

 

[Cheerfulgrrl]

Definitely make sure it fits you well, and be aware that a double breasted suit (IMO) can sometimes not look right when the jacket is worn open, and wearing your jacket buttoned all the time looks a little tense. From interviewing last year, I'd say go with the single breasted suit. I also would mention that many of your interviewers will be older, and trendier looks can just look odd to them. Lastly, I'd comment that although there were lots of posts last year about wanting to be sure you expressed your individuality by your clothes, come on - do you really want your interviewer to remember you by your outfit? Your application should express who you are as an individual.

 

[AStudent]

I'd go with the leisure suit, it'll make you stand out.

 

[CTG]

i bought a lighter gray suit, that has a pattern type knit into it... i plan on wearing it with a brighter shirt... also have a light blue dress suit if i actually get any interviews for cali... i wanted to go more unconventional, but had a friend convince me this was as far as i should go... think these are appropriate??

I understand about wanting to go unconventional...I fought the classic pant suit for a long time and finally just settled on one...I hear that for med school interviews, it's always better to err on the more conservative side...just go w/ it, you have the next four years to make a statement 🙂

 

[Avenue Q]

I find very very very few people can pull off a double breasted suit. Most of the time they look slimy.

 

[doc05]

there's nothing wrong with a double-breasted suit. except that it's not really popular these days.

you should wear a single-breasted, 2-button suit in gray, black, or navy. shirts should be white. (light blue is ok, but anything else should be avoided.)

 

[Sweet Tea]

Who cares? As long as it's hunter green, you'll be fine. 😀 😉






do a search.

 

[LizzyM]

I don't think it matters too much. The most important thing is that it fits you well. Nothing kills your look like an ill-fitting suit.

Absolutely! Fit is everything. Too tight is particularly bad.

There was a time (10 yrs ago) when guys wore navy blazers and gray flannel trousers (or khaki colored trousers if the weather was very warm) and penny loafers for interviews. The alumni wore the exact same outfits for reunion weekend. One day I looked up & thought, when did the applicants get so old?

Lately it's all black suits all the time. Delight the interviewers and stand out (in a very good way) by wearing anything but black.

 

[cpowell21]

Buy this book...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...102-8158404-9539339?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

It has been the best 20 dollar investment I have ever made (as far as clothes go). It explains how to dress and how to buy stuff that can serve multiple purposes. Great Great Great book!

 

[AnotherDork]

Double breasted suits should only be worn if you're planning on having the following conversation:

You (in double-breasted suit): How dare you insult my honor, sir! <slaps person with glove> I challenge you to a duel!
Other person (wearing pantaloons and eyepatch): Arrr, I accept, matey!

Seriously, single-breasted conservative color is the way to go.

Overstock.com has a good selection of suits at low prices. I was a little wary of buying a suit online without trying it on first, but I ended up getting a really nice Dolce & Gabbana one for like 1/3 of what it would have cost, and it fits perfectly!

 

[2tall]

This really helped me tremendously when bought my first suit (all by myself).

Why buy a $20 book when this site is free...

So You Wanna Buy A Men's Suit.

 

[zhaf86]

double-breasted suits emit an 'old-man' vibe don't you think?

i'd go single-breasted. if you're tall and trim, go with a 3-button suit (that's me). if you're stocky, broad and not-so-tall try a 2-button suit?

as for suit colour, you might consider coordinating it with hair colour.
eg:
dark brown/black hair - darker suits
blonde hair - light/medium brown suits
personally i feel grey makes most 20-somethings look incongruous, grey (especially lighter shades) epitomize age (in a bad way). if you like grey go for a more intense and darker shade of grey. grey definitely projects seriousness though, good for conservative schools perhaps?
browns tend to give off a more relaxed vibe, perhaps for a semi-trad/modernized school?

haha i really do wonder how much suit colour figures in the interview. regardless of suit colour, being an effervescent and lucid conversationalist would do us good, no?

 

[ShyRem]

I think just as important than single or double-breasted is the jacket back vent. PLEASE have someone look at your backside and make sure the vent works for you! Very few people can pull off the "french-cut" which has no vent whatsoever. And almost half of all men look bad in the "american-cut" which has one vent only (you need to have a really flat butt to pull it off). The "european-cut" which is more difficult to find, has two vents which flatters everyone.

If a double-breasted suit looks good on you (bring a very honest friend along and don't be afraid to ask strangers in the store), then buy it. Also, don't be afraid to go to a tailor-shop and try on both. A good tailor will tell you what looks good on you and what doesn't. Wish there was a tailor's shop for women. *sigh*.

 

[jllander]

Wish there was a tailor's shop for women. *sigh*.

I actually went to a Macy's that had Macy's by Appointment. It's a really awsome and FREE service where you give them your sizes and the event you are attending (whether it's a med school interview or a wedding) and when you arrive for your appointment, they have multiple different outfits ready for you to try on. When I got there, they had maybe 15 pant suits and 10 skirt suits all in different colors. In addition, they had sweaters to match every suit if I wanted to wear something under the jacket and also had maybe 5 pairs of shoes that would match all the outfits. The best part: I wasn't obligated to buy anything (I ended up buying two suits from them) It is an amazing service. But Macy's isn't everywhere so this may not apply to most people. Anyway, my two cents.

 

[indo]

You're gonna wanna get the suit that you feel best in. Then, save up some cash or borrow some of mom's and get some shoes with the butter soft leather. They'll make you feel like a million bucks.

 

[xxbruinxx]

so i'm in los angeles...where's a good place to buy?

where have you had a good experience, and they're affordable?

 

[gerido]

Hi all,

I'm about to purchase a new suit for my interviews and wondered how people feel about a regular suit vs. a double-breasted suit.

Which do you prefer for medical school interviews and why?

Thank you for any feedback,
Johnny

The adcom is not really going to give a **** unless you wear something stupid. I bought a $15 suit from another country and I still got in 😳 .

 

[doc05]

browns tend to give off a more relaxed vibe, perhaps for a semi-trad/modernized school?

stay away from brown in your interview suits. brown is a weak color and will do you no good.