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I agree it is worth having it straightened, just so you will have one less thing to worry about.
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Women's Interview Clothing #3!
Started by Geekchick921
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I agree it is worth having it straightened, just so you will have one less thing to worry about.
Tell me about it!! 😡 But what can you do at this point in the game except conform?
(Assuming I can get an II) I will be one of those in a pants suit. Mostly, so I have my ankle tattoo covered. 😳
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I would say more girls wore pant suits than skirts while I was on the interview trail, so don't fret about it 🙂
And I think a pretty much equal number of girls wore shells and button ups... If anyone wants to go for a colored shirt/shell, I say go for it. There was a girl at one of my interviews who wore a light yellow button-up shirt and I thought that it looked great. At another interview, 3 different guys wore purple shirts (two wore solid purple, one guy had white/purple stripes). Color is good.
Nah. I went with a plain scoop-neck shirt from Loft under my suit jacket. Looked really awesome. I tried with button up collared shirt but my jacket is pretty tight fitted and it looked all high-collar and ridiculous. I think as long as you have a nice suit you can get away with whatever underneath as long as it's clean and neat looking obviously. and Pants are awesome!!
Oh and one very important thing. My shirt covered my armpits! I would DEFINITELY go with some sort of sleeve, short sleeve, long sleeve, whatever, under your suit jacket because most of those shells are tanks and you will sweat onto your suit and stink it up. I didn't have to dry clean my suit at all between interviews because I could just toss my shirt into the wash and my jacket stayed fresh!!! 😀
I think they would be great but in black for max formalness.
YES. THIS. Rotated between buttoned up blouse and shells with sleeves. Didn't have to dry clean my suit once during interview season!
How much is your budget?
Definitely a no on the button up blouses with collars being necessary! I saw plenty of people with shells and nice blouses.
I keep hearing that skirts are more professional, but I saw about an equal number of skirt and pants people and don't know of anyone who ran into issues because they were wearing pants. 🙂
Do the keratin treatment only if you want it. Otherwise, putting your hair up should be simple and neat.
I second the petite sizes. Don't be afraid to mix and match too. I had a petite jacket for the shoulders and sleeves to fit but non-petite pants and skirt for length.
Shells are definitely ok. I rotated between a couple of shirts on my interview trail and none of them were button ups. If you do wear a no-sleeve shirt underneath, be prepared to NOT take off your jacket 🙂.
Power suits are considered a bit less "formal" than a skirt suit but by no means casual. It is an old-fashioned concept but I would say I saw more pants than skirts, even on the east coast which is generally considered more traditional.
To everyone in general, remember that you want to look sharp and professional in your suit, but YOU need to feel comfortable with what you're wearing. Confidence with your clothes will help with confidence during your interview too.
Short answer: NO
The 'No' is on two fronts.
First - the suede. It's NOT as professional as plain leather or patent. Plus, suede doesn't hold up well - though that may not be as much of an issue if you don't plan to wear the shoes often.
Second - the wedgies. They're just more casual than regular heels.
The right shoes will be attractive but not sexy. A low- to mid-heel pump with no open toes and no more than a hint of toe-cleavage.
Edit: If you're wearing a pants suit, then wedgies will be fine. Otherwise - NO
And yes, pantsuits are fine IF the jacket matches the pants. A contrasting jacket would be OK for a skirted suit, though less formal than a matched business suit. But for a pants suit, it's just a bit too casual.
For tops, the rules are fairly simple:
- The cut and style of the top should complement the style of the jacket. Basically, the necklines should not fight.
- No cleavage, especially if you have some. This is NOT the time for skin.
- Colors can be bright, but not to the point of 'neon' or 'acid'.
- While loud colors can work, loud patterns do not. Patterns that are "cute" or "girly" or "sexy" or "wild" are also wrong.
- Stay away from ruffles, lace and bows. Medical Schools don't want girls. (Women yes, girls no)
- And as has been said, sleeves will save you many expensive dry cleanings on your jacket, but do check how the fabric will look when wet. You will be nervous ;-)
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Are most of you wearing your hair up or down? Or half up?
I'm going with a skirt suit, but it is because I am very tall and trying to find long pants that look right is much more difficult than finding a skirt.
I'm going with a skirt suit, but it is because I am very tall and trying to find long pants that look right is much more difficult than finding a skirt.
What are your thoughts on suits like these? Obviously, some of them are outrageous, but some of the mild colors are actually nice looking and could help you stand out on interview day...
What are the thoughts about wearing non-black/grey/dark blue colored suits?
A light pink suit like this for example.
Or, for something more mild, a light creme suit like this.
Or perhaps even a white suit?
What are the thoughts about wearing non-black/grey/dark blue colored suits?
A light pink suit like this for example.
Or, for something more mild, a light creme suit like this.
Or perhaps even a white suit?
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Noooooooooooooooo!!
You want to look sharp, but you REALLY don't want the interviewer to not see anything other than your outfit. They won't get a chance to learn about you, they'll just be distracted by your suit color.
Plus many interviews will be in the winter, so those colors would not really be appropriate. And I bet they show a lot of dirt...
Also I think the crème one is too close to being white and the pink is just not formal enough.... My suit was lighter than most peoples and I really love it, but it was still decidedly grey and could not be argued that it was inappropriate or informal. 🙂
And I say no to white because think about it... you're interviewing for med school to get your white coat... you do not want to show up already in a white coat. 😛
yeah short sleeved is fine for shell since it is under your suit anyway...
The bag is nice but I don't think it matters a huge amount since there is almost always a place to leave your stuff and people have all kinds of bags and suitcases and things. Unless you realllyyy want to carry it around the entire interview process then I guess it becomes necessary to have a very nice looking bag like that. 🙂
I guess up is more formal but a lot of people keep it down. I just went with a low pony tail because I literally am not capable of styling my hair at all in any other way... kind of sad really. 😳
I totally get the reluctance to 'settle' for a boring navy, grey or black suit, but do consider the risk of being inappropriately-dressed. A suit can be inappropriate for a serious medical school interview if it is:
- Too feminine, pretty, dressy (think evening). Suites that are very light in color or made from silk or shiny fabrics run this risk. If you could wear it to cocktails after work, then it's probably wrong. If it's good for 'ladies who lunch' (think political wives) it's wrong.
- Too cute, frilly or fashionable. You are interviewing for a very serious, high-stakes profession. Look serious. They don't care whether you're pretty or look skinny or are in fashion or not; they do care if you're dressed professionally.
- Too fitted. If a female lawyer on TV wears it, it's 2 or 3 sizes too tight and probably a few inches too short. Do not call attention to your body.
- Too 'out there'. No studs, leather, rhinestones, skulls, wildly asymmetrical cuts. You're applying for medicine, not Madison Ave. Fashion creativity will backfire on you here.
For inspiration, look to female politicians. (Not political wives - too feminine.) Serious news anchors used to be good role models, but not anymore. Much as I disliked her politics, Sarah Palin absolutely nailed the dress code while campaigning for VP. Hillary Clinton also gets it right.
Want color? You can absolutely go red, emerald (or darker) green, any shade of blue darker than a Tiffany box, browns that are tan or darker, many plums or purples if the cut is conservative. And blouses offer a LOT of color options, particularly in solid colors.
If you absolutely need to do something original funky, wild and memorable, a scarf or pin is the way to do it.
The downside of being inappropriately dressed is so much greater than the downside of buying a suit you don't love.
- Too feminine, pretty, dressy (think evening). Suites that are very light in color or made from silk or shiny fabrics run this risk. If you could wear it to cocktails after work, then it's probably wrong. If it's good for 'ladies who lunch' (think political wives) it's wrong.
- Too cute, frilly or fashionable. You are interviewing for a very serious, high-stakes profession. Look serious. They don't care whether you're pretty or look skinny or are in fashion or not; they do care if you're dressed professionally.
- Too fitted. If a female lawyer on TV wears it, it's 2 or 3 sizes too tight and probably a few inches too short. Do not call attention to your body.
- Too 'out there'. No studs, leather, rhinestones, skulls, wildly asymmetrical cuts. You're applying for medicine, not Madison Ave. Fashion creativity will backfire on you here.
For inspiration, look to female politicians. (Not political wives - too feminine.) Serious news anchors used to be good role models, but not anymore. Much as I disliked her politics, Sarah Palin absolutely nailed the dress code while campaigning for VP. Hillary Clinton also gets it right.
Want color? You can absolutely go red, emerald (or darker) green, any shade of blue darker than a Tiffany box, browns that are tan or darker, many plums or purples if the cut is conservative. And blouses offer a LOT of color options, particularly in solid colors.
If you absolutely need to do something original funky, wild and memorable, a scarf or pin is the way to do it.
The downside of being inappropriately dressed is so much greater than the downside of buying a suit you don't love.
excellent advice!
okay so I get hot really easily and am so worried about sweating throughout the interview day. Anybody have any suggestions for this. I know I will wear my hair up in some way to keep it off my neck but besides that I don't know what to do to keep cool.
Wow, sometimes you don't realize how many girls are on SDN. I'm happy you all are here! I should be posting on the men's blog but in this case I think I will get a better answer here. My friend interviewed last cycle and he told me at a certain school an interviewer (she seemed to dress hipster like- wore trendy glasses, was a young woman and wore that skirt that goes from waist to knees) and when he went to comment to get improvements the first thing she said was that your suit looked like you were attending a wedding rather than an interview. He was wearing a beige colored shirt and khakis with a belt and dress shoes. Do any of you girls know why this may be lmao or was this women just cray? Avoid the beige shirt?
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I'm a big fan of longchamp bags and think they'll look fine with an interview suit. I liked carrying around a change of shoes for the tour so I always brought a purse big enough to fit a pair.
Short sleeves are fine.
Whatever you're more comfortable with. I thought down looked too casual on me, but I don't know how to put it up other than a pony tail (which makes me look like a kid), so I settled for half up half down with a simple clip.
Just make sure to try on your skirt SITTING DOWN. I thought my petite skirt was fine until after my first interview. It kept riding up when I sat down so I exchanged it for a regular size one that was a little longer in length and wasn't as indecent when I sat.. Which you will be doing during the interview.
Don't go with light colored suits. They're too casual and inappropriate for winter.
Try finding a light, breathable fabric. Stay away from synthetics. Wool probably breathes better but is going to be more expensive than cotton. And deodorant, if that wasn't obvious.
If he only wore a dress shirt with khakis and didn't have a tie or a suit jacket, he was too casual. Plus, stay away from light colored suits.
The creme colored suit is too light. If you really want to go with a light colored suit (that is not gray), go with beige. I saw only one girl at an interview who wore a dark khaki/beige colored skirt-suit (and this was in the winter). If you're totally fine with the high probability of being the only person in your interview group wearing that color suit, then go for it. It's a neutral color and as long as the jacket and the skirt are perfectly color-matched, then it would still be considered formal. I really doubt there are many (if any) interviewers who will really care.
If you know what material works well for you, then I would try looking for a suit made of that material.
Just be aware that most suits that are easily available now are made of polyester. I know Ann Taylor has a tropical wool blend (a wool/polyester blend) and a summer suit style that's a cotton/polyester blend. The Ann Taylor website only shows light colors for the summer suits though... 🙁 they might have black in stores?
There's only one time that I saw a rayon suit at Macy's (maybe...).
Khakis are too casual - there is absolutely no reason to be wearing khaki pants at a med school interview. Don't forget that these interviews are more-or-less at the highest level of formal. You want to wear a suit (with pants and jacket matching in color) and if you want to be creative, your creativity should be in the color of your shirt (preferably a solid color) or your tie (but don't go too crazy here). If you're only aiming to be only a little different from the bunch, then go for a blue shirt which is less common than white. There was one interview I had (in February) where three guys showed up in purple shirts (with black suits) - all three of them looked fine, I thought. Actually, I recommend wearing a colored shirt - you won't look like a penguin 🙂
If you feel an amazingly strong compulsion to wear a non-black suit, go for gray, (dark) navy, or, and I don't really recommend this, a beige colored suit (jacket and pants have to be the exact same color). Just remember, if you go the non-black suit route, there is a good possibility that you may be the only person in your interview group not wearing black.
The Longchamp bags are great. And no one's going to see the shell unless you take the jacket off, so whatever you want.
Regarding hair - I felt that most of the girls I saw wore their hair down. The rest (including myself) basically all had ponytails.
yeah breathable fabric for sure and find opportunities to lose the jacket or at least unbutton such as when you know you will just be sitting around a waiting room for a while, or eating lunch in an informal setting (no adcoms around) etc. 🙂
For breathability, you want natural fibers. So your best bet for a suit or dress will be wool. Cotton may work for a summer suit, but not well in winter and the fabric may not have the right 'business' feel. Many cottons are either too casual, or if polished, too dressy. Rayon, while 'sorta natural' tends to wrinkle in 'hot & moist' conditions (like if you sweat) and is a PITA to dry clean. Rayon also tends to go shiny. While wool sounds hot, there are many lightweight wool fabrics that are designed for 'tropics' and that can easily go three seasons if not four. For a top, cotton or silk. Polyesters can work, but you'll sweat...
Guys - Don't do purple unless it's a very light lavender or a very subtle purple on white pin stripe. (Even then it's not the best choice.) You're not looking for a fashion award. You're trying to be professional, and a shirt that could go clubbing later is not professional.
Black suits run that same risk -- especially if paired with a purple shirt! Unless "looking ghetto" is part of your back story (kid from poor background makes good) don't dress that part. It shows poor judgement. A black suit in general is not the best choice, though it's a choice many young men make. Navy or grey suit. Not khakis. Not tan. Wear a navy or grey suit. Period.
Simple, tailored handbags in black (if you're wearing a mid-to-dark color) or the color of your shoes are the way to go if you're going to carry a purse. Longchamps, Kate Spade, etc. are good. AVOID the blingy rhinestone and buckle-bedecked bags that are popular now and the shapeless, slouchy or ruffled bags. This is also not the right place for brightly colored handbags. A canvas tote bag, if new and clean and not unprofessional in color or logo, is also very acceptable and budget friendly. If your bag can't be described as "simple and tailored" it's wrong.
Wow thank you guys for all of your replies. I was planning on getting a lighter suit but my body doesn't sweat (yes I wear deodorant haha), it is my nose that sweats, and my forehead some. I think being more worried about and not having a plan will cause me to sweat more.
I work as a waitress and I have noticed that when a guest says something that makes me extremely uncomfortable, I tend to get hot in the face. I feel like this will happen in interviews fairly often.
I work as a waitress and I have noticed that when a guest says something that makes me extremely uncomfortable, I tend to get hot in the face. I feel like this will happen in interviews fairly often.
What are your thoughts on make-up and jewelry?
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I wear light makeup (just foundation and light mascara) so I probably won't change it for interviews. I rarely wear jewelry so I don't think I'll overdo is there. Maybe just an understated bracelet and necklace. Definitely nothing flashy or attention-drawing.
Two questions... I want to get the longchamp bag in black for interview day, but I'm not sure the size I should go for. I was hoping to get one big enough to fit a leather folder (in case I want to leave the bag with my coat and just bring the binder), but I'm worried that might be too big?
Also, my hair is ombre/dip-dyed (brown on top, dark blonde on the bottom). I am definitely going to wear my hair up on interview day, but I am starting to think I should dye it all one color just to be safe? It's not like it is really outrageous or anything, so they probably wouldn't even notice the color difference if it were in a bun at the nape of my neck. Thoughts?
Also, my hair is ombre/dip-dyed (brown on top, dark blonde on the bottom). I am definitely going to wear my hair up on interview day, but I am starting to think I should dye it all one color just to be safe? It's not like it is really outrageous or anything, so they probably wouldn't even notice the color difference if it were in a bun at the nape of my neck. Thoughts?
What stores did you try? Department store wise, Macy's, JCPenney, and Dillard's all have a section for women's suiting. Other stores commonly found in a mall that also sell women's suits include Express, Banana Republic, J Crew, New York & Company, and The Limited.
Wow, where's the mall that you went to? I'm really surprised none of those stores had suits, because they definitely do where I am. Express, BR, and The Limited usually have a section set aside just for wear-to-work clothing.
Subtle and conservative on the makeup and jewelry, Think about the female doctors you've seen. They look 'clean' and 'natural' right? So keep your makeup to the 'clean and natural' rather than trying to 'look your best' -- yeah, really. Light foundation if you need it, a hint of blush maybe, minor mascara. Go easy on the eyeliner, colored eye-shadows and dark lips or nails. (DON'T do blue, green, black or glittery fingernails, nail designs, long nails, etc.) ADCOMs should be able to visualize you 'scrubbing in' or dissecting something. You want to look 'together' but LOW MAINTENANCE. Not unkempt, but someone they could see dashing out of the on-call room to tend a coding patient without needing 5 minutes to primp.
For jewelry, also consider the scrub-in angle. Small stud, hoop or button earrings (no large dangles), simple neck chain, pendant or pearls, small ring is OK. No bling. Follow the Coco Chanel advice to dress, then take off one piece.
The scale of the purses should be proportionate to the scale of the person. If you're little, keep your purse on the small side. A tote bag is fine so long as it's structured and won't flop over and spill when you set it on the floor during your interview.
And the men's thread has 36 pages. Don't worry. It's okay to be a little metro if you're raking in the big bucks 👍
As far as nails go, do you think acrylic french tips are okay?
36 PAGES!?!? What has this world come to :cry:...
The white ones? They look nice, lol.
If I could have some input on clothing I think these are great:
For interview
For anything else
2 cents from a guy 👍
And for god's sakes, please don't color your ring finger's nails a different shade than the rest. I don't know where that trend came from, but it looks awful...and everyone notices, trust me.
I would love to wear a shift dress like that, but some people will think that is too feminine and not interview appropriate.
The plain colored shift (not the floral) with a contrasting jacket would be very appropriate for a warm-weather interview.
What about wearing a collared shirt underneath a v-neck shift dress in a plain color?
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=56434284
Something like this..
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Anyone have suggestions for a store that sells black totes that are affordable, stylish, and can fit a 15" Macbook Pro laptop inside?
I know I am asking for a lot, but after perusing totes online and going in many stores today at a mall I have come to the conclusion that business/business-like totes are hundreds of dollars generally--and as I'll be making an investment buying one, I would like to get one that will also be good for carrying my laptop to med school classes (along with a bunch of other things) or for other things down the road.
Calvin Klein's outlet store had a lot of nice ones that I saw in person today, but the biggest ones had their logo printed all over and I'd just like a plain black tote if possible. Samsonite had functionally great totes but they were all fairly ugly/too briefcase-like looking. A lot of other stores had totes that were either nice-looking or functional but not both (I especially despaired at all the stylish ones that didn't have a sturdy bottom or weren't wide enough for a laptop 🙁).
Any suggestions??
Here are some examples of bags that I like but am hesitant to purchase online:
http://www.careerbags.com/laptop-ba...e-milano-notebook-case-15-4-17-mac-black.html
http://www.careerbags.com/laptop-ba...ignature-tote-16-17-mac-black-microfiber.html
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/...-20?ID=754940&CategoryID=25547&LinkType=PDPZ1 (but I wish it were plain/didn't have the logo all over it :/ )
http://www.ebags.com/product/kennet...age/a-majority-tote/258593?productid=10257088
http://www.overstock.com/Luggage-Ba...fccid=TDVAPRZFGUQL4QKDKKNFEBKNHY&searchidx=45
I know I am asking for a lot, but after perusing totes online and going in many stores today at a mall I have come to the conclusion that business/business-like totes are hundreds of dollars generally--and as I'll be making an investment buying one, I would like to get one that will also be good for carrying my laptop to med school classes (along with a bunch of other things) or for other things down the road.
Calvin Klein's outlet store had a lot of nice ones that I saw in person today, but the biggest ones had their logo printed all over and I'd just like a plain black tote if possible. Samsonite had functionally great totes but they were all fairly ugly/too briefcase-like looking. A lot of other stores had totes that were either nice-looking or functional but not both (I especially despaired at all the stylish ones that didn't have a sturdy bottom or weren't wide enough for a laptop 🙁).
Any suggestions??
Here are some examples of bags that I like but am hesitant to purchase online:
http://www.careerbags.com/laptop-ba...e-milano-notebook-case-15-4-17-mac-black.html
http://www.careerbags.com/laptop-ba...ignature-tote-16-17-mac-black-microfiber.html
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/...-20?ID=754940&CategoryID=25547&LinkType=PDPZ1 (but I wish it were plain/didn't have the logo all over it :/ )
http://www.ebags.com/product/kennet...age/a-majority-tote/258593?productid=10257088
http://www.overstock.com/Luggage-Ba...fccid=TDVAPRZFGUQL4QKDKKNFEBKNHY&searchidx=45
It was my (totally unfounded and probably incorrect) impression that wearing a dress and jacket instead of a three piece suit was a no-no. I mean, I guess there's no way they would be able to distinguish it from a skirt suit if you never took the jacket off.
I really like the simplicity of that first one.
This may be obvious to most people, but what exactly do you need to bring to the interview that necessitates a bag or briefcase? This will be my first interview so I don't really know what to expect. Are you supposed to bring a copy of your application materials, or documentation proving things like jobs, volunteer hours, or research? I'm also wondering what you'd need a laptop for? Even if I don't end up bringing much to the interview, I'll probably get a nice bag just to look professional, lol.
I really like the simplicity of that first one.
This may be obvious to most people, but what exactly do you need to bring to the interview that necessitates a bag or briefcase? This will be my first interview so I don't really know what to expect. Are you supposed to bring a copy of your application materials, or documentation proving things like jobs, volunteer hours, or research? I'm also wondering what you'd need a laptop for? Even if I don't end up bringing much to the interview, I'll probably get a nice bag just to look professional, lol.
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I actually did; I was so surprised! I tried a bunch of suits on at Macys and a black Calvin Klein suit (pants were $60, suit top was $80) fit perfectly other than the pants being a tad too long (I'm having them hemmed; I'm not 5'10" by any means 😛).
Try a different mall, maybe? The Macys I went to had a small-ish suit section but it still had probably 8 or so suits I found in my size (I am by no means model-sized) and that were black, grey, or navy.
I also was shopping for totes today and saw nice suits in Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, etc.
I have no idea with regards to the dress & jacket thing; I just know I'm going to wear a pantsuit and that's that, lol.
I'm planning on bringing a copy of my primary + secondary apps, plus my resume (to remind me of short/to the point bullets about my activities), in terms of app materials. They're for my reference only--I don't think the interviewers will need to see another copy of them, haha.
I want a tote because then I can also put my flats in there (to change into after the interview and/or for the campus tour); I don't plan on bringing a laptop to the interview but totes are expensive and I'd like to use it for other things (such as classes or something) after interviews are done.
But I might end up just getting a tote that's not big enough to fit a laptop; it's been hard to find one that I like and fits what I need, haha.
