Hey girls, I have some questions, some responses, and a bargain heads-up...
Questions:
1) Is it OK to wear a no-sleeve shell under your suit? What if I get too warm, is it a total faux pas to take off your suit jacket and be wearing essentially a tank top under it? I am wondering if I should play it safe and get a long-sleeved collared shirt, but then I am almost guaranteed to overheat
Also most of the shells I have are open below the sterno-manubrial junction (no boobage obviously, but still), that seems like it could be bad.
2) Question for California girls. I am an East Coaster interviewing at some Cali programs. I felt like showing up in a black suit would a) make me overheat like crazy, and b) ping me for the stuffy East-Coaster that I am among the Birkenstock-clad hordes at, e.g., UCSD. So I bought a light gray-green suit. (It's very subtle, I swear.) Then I read all these responses on here saying light-colored suits are bad. Is that true? I can return it but am I still going to feel weird wearing a dark suit in SoCal? And can I get away with open-toed shoes in SD/LA? I know, I know. Pleeeeze?
Answers:
1) Color-match: For everyone who asked "can I wear tan/brown shoes with a gray/navy suit?" my vote is absolutely not. Cool-toned clothes need cool-toned shoes IMHO. I'd go for black, gray, or navy shoes. You can't go wrong if you match the suit.
2) Jewelry: I vote don't wear a necklace, it's distracting. Just stick with earrings.
3) Boots: I vote boots OK with pants, not with a skirt
4) Colored shells under suits (pink, maroon, whatever): Go for it!
Bargain Alert:
For anyone in NYC, Filene's Basement is having a "misses' suit sale." Brand-name suits, 2 for $179!! They are really nice too. I got an Anne Klein and an Arthur Tahari. I was considering returning one of them but it was only $50 more to get both and I have some two-day interviews so...