Oh boy here we go!!!
Womens Interview Attire
The first rule of deciding what to wear, is that if you have to ask if it is appropriate, its probably not. Honestly, no one wants to see any of your cracks. Sorry. But first Ill start with the foundation of what youll wear, the suit.
Ladies have two options, skirt suit or pants suit. I dont believe it makes a difference on which you choose, but some people believe if you are interviewing in a conservative atmosphere, you may want to go with a skit. Older members of admissions committees sometimes prefer to see women in suit skirts (or so Im told), but I think if they are so conservative they only want women in skirts, they probably dont think women should go into medicine. I believe it comes down to what are you more comfortable in. If you feel classy and fabulous in a skirt suit, do it. If you feel confident and chic in a pants suit, do it. Your interview depends a lot on how confident you are, so wear something that looks good and fits well. You dont want to be tugging on any parts, or pulling anything up, so if it doesnt fit quite right, get it tailored. Hemming and letting seams out isnt really expensive so just get it done if you need to. If you cant afford it pm me and Ill help you out. Its that important to be comfortable and confident. Seriously.
Now if you do pick the skirt suit, be modest! When you sit down the skirt shouldnt come more than 2 inches above the top of your knee. To do that, your skirt should probably hit the bottom of your knee when you are standing. This is really important. REALLY important. Your med school interview is not the time to show off how great your legs are. Wait until youre in and then host a pool party or something.
Now suit color. I would stick to black, brown, navy, gray, and those sort of dark colors. If you like color, pick a nice colored shirt. You can do pin stripes but they should be really thin. You dont want to look like you are in the mob. Lots of people say dont wear black because you look like youre going to a funeral. I wore black, but I spiced it up with a muted red blouse. Tons of people will wear black suits and some adcoms will comment on how everyone is wearing black, but honestly, sticking out because you have a crazy colored suit is NOT how you want to be remembered.
Blouse time. Personally, I wouldnt wear a white shirt. Guys can do this because they can have a tie to spice things up. Girls though should wear a muted color that enhances their skin tone. Dont wear bright colors, Id even be careful with pastels. As I said before I wore a muted red blouse, and almost every interviewer commented on it. The red worked with my skin (Im a very pink person) and it stood out against the black suit, but it was not overwhelming because hey, it was mostly covered by my jacket. And thats exactly why I believe you can get away with a fun color, the majority of it is covered. Also, because we are women, we can get away with wearing a blouse with no collar, but this is really not my favorite. A nice collared blouse looks best under a suit I believe. Also, since youre wearing a jacket, you can have a short sleeve or ¾ length sleeve. Men though should stick to long sleeve because a mens suit should have just a tiny peek of the shirt through the arm of the suit. But mens wear is a whole different thing. And much easier. Finally, no one should be able to see your cleavage. No one. It looks unprofessional. Seriously. Like I said before, no crack of any kind.
Pantyhose: USE THEM! I dont care how hot it is or how itchy they are, find a non-itchy kind, and wear them. Skirt or pant. Seriously. It looks terribly unprofessional if youre wearing a suit with no panty hose. If you have pants you can wear knee-highs, but whatever you do wear some sort of stocking. I do not care how nice your legs are, wear them. Especially interviewing in Texas. I am not particularly conservative, but Ive been to enough conferences to know what looks professional and what does not, and you need pantyhose for a professional outfit. Pack some clear nail polish too incase you get a run.
Shoes: Close toed, closed back pump or flat. No sling backs, no open toes. Professional is the word of the day. I think a slight heel is best, I had about ½ inch heel because Im tall, but up to 1 ½ inches is acceptable, even 2 inches is fine. No hooker heels though. 3 inches is too much. You can ONLY get away with this maybe perhaps you could still look bad, if you have long pants that hand down and cover almost all of the heel. I do understand some women are not as tall as I, and I understand the desire to wear tall heels, but be careful. And dont forget, when you interview youll be touring which equates to a ton of walking. So make sure they are comfy shoes. Bring bandaids, moleskin, anything to help them be more comfortable. Also, there are some really cool blister block bandaids that are amazing if you have had your heels rubbed away. Flats work too as long as they look nice.
Jewelry and Hair: If you play with your hair, wear it back. If you dont, and you like wearing it down, you can do so. Fidgeting with your hair is a sure way to look nervous, even if youre not. I really think at least half back hair looks the most professional though. Also, being from Texas, I know its usually the bigger the hair, the close to God but I wouldnt do this at your interview. Prep your hair for the weather conditions (i.e. its super humid in August in Houston and Galveston), but dont overdo the products. If your hair is curly, like mine, pull it half back. If you have great curls, you want to show them off, without letting them get in your face, or frizzing out. Jewelry should be modest. One earring, each ear. No visible body piercing. One ring each hand max. And I dont think it should matter if you wear an engagement ring, but it apparently gives interviewers free reign to pry into your love life so wear it if you want, but know they may ask. Your necklace should match your earrings and should also be modest. I prefer pearls, but diamond/CZ studs with a modest necklace is great too. Or some variation of modestly with your favorite gem.
Other Accessories: Most people say you dont need to bring a portfolio, but I did because it made me comfortable. I could review things I brought and I put my super important interview materials there for quick reference. All the Texas schools give you some sort of folder so its really not a necessity and doesnt matter either way. Bringing one does give you one more thing to lose though. And you can bring a professional bag/purse. I brought a red purse that matched my blouse, which was great because it was just enough spice to make me memorable. I got many compliments on my purse also. If you dont use your purse to pull out the color in your blouse, have it match your shoes, the way youve learned for ages.
I hope this helps. Other general interview stuff is makeup should look natural, dont chew gum, have some small mints for after lunch, and just be you! Youve got the smarts to get the interview, now wow them with your incredible personality and drive to serve others. Dont let your attire detract from the awesomeness that is you.
Also, if you disagree, that is ok too. This is my honest opinion though. I have no real fashion credentials, except I am in an organization that requires business casual attire twice a month, and I've been to several conferences where professional attire was required, and I've seen enough to know what looks bad.
