August’s Theme: Clothing and Closets

It’s the start of another month at Ruly and this month we are continuing our organizational progress by focusing on clothing and closets. The closet is an organizing challenge for many people. The simple act of getting dressed is a challenge for many people!

Clothing is an expression of who we are and whether we like it or not, our clothes tell people volumes about us before we utter a single word. Fashion is both a celebration of individual style and a sad commentary on how superficial and judgmental society can be. This month at Ruly, we are not just going to focus on the simple aspects of tossing old clothes and sorting sweaters into piles but also the reasoning behind the organization. What clothes are in your closet now? What clothes should be in your closet? What do you need to know to scrutinize your own closet and use your clothing as a tool to influence your own success?

We will start off the month looking at one of the critical clothing situations–how your clothes can make you money! Your closet as a money maker? You bet! We are talking about the all-critical job interview clothing situation. In the job interview, your clothing matters immensely. The right outfit can land you the job and the wrong outfit takes you out of the running.

How much time is a hiring manager really going to spend looking at your appearance over your credentials and experience? Sadly, a lot! In a Newsweek survey of 202 corporate hiring managers, 57% of hiring managers expressed doubt as to whether an unattractive but qualified candidate would be hired for a position. Looks were the third most important attribute to the hiring managers, just behind experience and confidence.

What is considered unattractive to an employer? Unfortunately, two of the biggest negatives are things that are hard to change. Looking much older than your potential co-workers was a negative factor for 84% of the hiring managers. Being overweight was a negative for two-thirds of the hiring managers. Is this discriminatory? Yes! Is this reality? Unfortunately, yes.

The “beauty premium” as it has been named by economists indicates that attractive people have advantages throughout their lives. They get more attention as children and young adults and earn more money throughout their lives.

The New York Times reported on a study that showed that beautiful people are more self-confident and that their confidence seems to show up both in person and over the telephone. The study suggests that confidence is what is most attractive to employers.

So, when you are going in for a job interview, your primary goals (after showing your experience and qualifications of course) are to look attractive and be confident. What does it mean to look attractive for a job interview? There is obviously going to be a lot of variation from one person to the next but there are a surprising number of fashion don’ts out there.

The following list of fashion items (compiled from numerous job interviewing sites and my own experience) are offensive to at least some hiring managers. I don’t necessarily agree with every item on this list but if I was going into a job interview situation in today’s competitive market, I would avoid as many of these items as I could. And yes, ladies, our list is naturally twice as long as the mens!

Clothing items that offend some hiring managers:

Men
turtlenecks
pink, lavender or any feminine colors
bow ties
ties with identifiable prints or logos
black suits
light colored suits
leather jackets
tight pants
jeans
shorts
white socks
scuffed briefcases
scuffed shoes
slip-on shoes (especially those with tassels)
face jewelry (nose ring, lip ring, eyebrow ring, etc.)
earrings
any jewelry other than a watch or class ring
tattoos
cologne
long hair
facial hair of any kind
ignoring instructions to dress in business casual clothes
too much black worn near the face

Women
short skirts
shorts (including shorts suits)
dresses that are clingy or have plunging necklines
pants of any description, including jeans, leggings and capri pants
black suits
light colored suits
cleavage revealing tops
strapless tops
tops with spaghetti straps
leather jackets
perfume
jewelry that makes noise
oversized jewelry
ankle bracelets
face jewelry (nose ring, lip ring, eyebrow ring, etc.)
more than one earring in each ear
hair longer than shoulder length worn down
tattoos
“No one wants to see your feet.” (sandals, open-toed shoes, backless shoes, flip flops)
heels higher than 2 1/2 inches
wild nail polish (i.e. any color other than “nude” or beige”)
wild lipstick (i.e. any color other than a natural pink)
brightly colored or printed purses
oversized handbags
ignoring instructions to dress in business casual clothes
too much black worn near the face

Sources:

• “Dress for success on your next job interview,” Laura T. Coffey, The Today Show, March 10, 2010.
• “Exposed: Women’s Dress Code Secrets,” Jennifer Swift, The Hill, April 20, 2010.
• “Big Blunders Job Hunters Make,” Sarah E. Needleman, The Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2010
• “The New Power Suit for Summer,” Christina Binkley, The Wall Street Journal, June 30, 2010.
• “Business Attire,” Penn State Erie: The Behrend College.

So what is left to wear? Men have two standard “uniforms”:

Suggested male interview attire

Formal dress: dark navy or dark gray suit with a white collared shirt and a tie with an understated pattern; black leather lace-up shoes and black leather belt

Casual dress: khaki dress pants, white or blue collared shirt with a white undershirt, leather belt and leather lace-up shoes in dark brown or black

As one Wall Street Journal reader put it:

“The best way to dress for the office is to dress like you’re going to a funeral, but then put on a more conservative tie.”

–Commenter Brian McNeill on “The New Power Suit for Summer” by Christina Binkley, The Wall Street Journal, June 30, 2010

Women, how about us? As in all women’s fashion, this is a little tricky. While there are some female equivalent “uniforms,” described below, you have to be careful that you pick something that is also attractive on you. If you look terrible in gray or navy, it might be just as risky to wear an unattractive color as to wear the slightly more controversial black suit. Women also have to strike a very delicate balance to look powerful but not masculine and attractive but not sexy in order not to offend most hiring managers.

Suggested female interview attire

Formal attire: Dark navy or dark gray, knee-length skirted suit. The tough part: a fashion-appropriate shirt underneath in a neutral color. Some say a collared shirt but this can be hard for many women to pull off. Some women I have seen wear more of a shell blouse. Choose something that frames your face well. Nude colored pantyhose and black leather shoes that don’t show your feet and make your legs look their best. For most women a heeled shoe is the most attractive. Some interview sites caution that you should be careful wearing heels if you are tall. If you look terrible in flats, though, I would risk a small heel. Subtle jewelry like a simple necklace or pair of earrings (in gold, silver or pearl) can give polish.

Casual attire: If casual, it gets even more challenging for women! You could try for a feminine version of the male look: a khaki knee-length skirt with collared white or blue shirt, white tank, hose and heels. A sweater set with a skirt or dress and sweater would also work. You might also be able to get away with khaki dress slacks depending on your figure and how conservative your potential employer is. Subtle jewelry like a simple necklace or pair of earrings (in gold, silver or pearl) can give polish.

So, now that you know what a hiring manager wants you to wear to a job interview, it is time for a Ruly Challenge:

The Challenge: Review your closet and determine whether you have at least one outfit appropriate for a job interview, in both a formal and casual dress style. If not, make a list of what you need to purchase and make plans to acquire the items in the near future. You might go shopping, add them to your wishlist, etc.

Even if you think you will never need to interview in your life (lucky you!) these dressing guidelines apply to any situation where you are aiming to impress a wide variety of people. You are not dressing for fashion here but to please the median taste.

Fortunately, once you get the job, you can add a little more personality into your clothing choices. I think we would all go crazy dressing “interview appropriate” every single day.

Please share in the comments your favorite interview attire as well as any mistakes we should all avoid. Is your closet interview ready?