Can i wear blazer to interview

I'll outline three strategies you can use below. If you've made it to the interview stage, you're probably in touch with someone at the company who is handling logistics.

That could be an external recruiter, in-house HR, or a hiring manager. Regardless, definitely feel free to ask them what you should wear to your interview — it's a totally normal question that they should be happy to answer. I am very excited to come in and meet the team on [Interview Date]. I did have one quick question for you — what should I plan to wear to the interview? I want to make sure I'm showing up the right way and I always feel like it's better to ask than assume.

If hoodies and sneakers are cool at your office but their dress code is a bit more formal, things can get awkward. Making sure the expectations are set early is the best way to go here! In today's world, almost every company is highly active on social media where they're sharing product releases, major events, and their company culture. This usually means plenty of pictures of employees at work that you can use as a reference point. For example, Teachable — a startup that helps people create online courses — posted a picture of their team out to lunch and mentioned they were hiring:.

Many companies are leveraging their offices to nab headlines at awesome publications and get more eyeballs on their brand. Those articles typically have a photoshoot taken during a regular workday, which means you get unsuspecting employees giving us a glimpse into their everyday wardrobes. From that photo, it looks like smart casual is the attire of choice which means you might want to opt for business casual one notch up if you were interviewing at LinkedIn.

Looks like everyone there is business casual at a minimum, but most people are rocking business formal I see a lot of suit jackets and sport coats. Additionally, places like The Muse are doing company profiles where they show up at an office, take a bunch of pictures, and actually interview current employees about what it's like to work there.

The goal is to give job seekers a better sense of the company and its culture, but we can also use it to see what people are wearing to work every day. Check out this image from Proof , an eComm-focused startup:.

Looks pretty casual to me! I'd probably be going in some sort of smart casual dress code to that interview. The bottom line? Finding creative ways to get some eyeballs inside your interviewer's office is a great way to see how people show up to work every day. With your goal of being one notch higher on our three-tiered scale of dress code, that will give you a great idea of what to wear to your interview. Now you know you need to be dressed at least one notch above the people you're interviewing with, but where does that fall on the scale of flip flops to fancy formal?

Smart Casual: This dress style is fun and light while still being professional. Choices should be neutral and fit well, but don't need to be overly formal. While people at the company maybe dressed more casually, this is the bare minimum for any interview. Business Casual: We're not breaking out the full suit here, but we are definitely on the more formal side compared to Smart Casual. For guys this usually means a sport coat, slacks, and leather shoes.

For women, this is a neutral blouse with a blazer or sweater if needed , tailored dress pants, and fancy flats or pumps. Business Formal: This is your traditional, conservative business look. Think bankers, lawyers, consultants, etc. We're talking full suit and dress shoes for both genders. That said, just because it's formal doesn't mean it can't show a bit of your personality!

Again, these examples are just high level overviews to help you quantify the different levels of interview dress code. Many times it's hard to figure out exactly what current employees are wearing to help you set your barometer. I want to share a few strategies to help you determine exactly what you should to wear to your interview:. How many times have we all said that — especially before a big event like an interview?

For must of us, I bet it's way too many times to count. My goal is to simplify things for you. Interviews are stressful enough. Smart Casual is a pretty ambiguous style, so it can be tough to know how to draw the line between too casual or too formal. While many outfits can fall into both categories, there are differences between the two. For instance, business casual tends to require a more conservative style of dress while smart casual can be more fashion-forward.

Overall, Smart Casual is great because it lets you show off some of your personality during the interview. Just make sure to err on the side of professional. If you're wondering if something is too informal, then it probably is.

Let's run through some outfit ideas to help you look perfectly smart and casual:. Top: Button down. You definitely don't have to tuck it in all the way for Smart Casual. Bottom: Chinos navy, olive, khaki. I love ankle cropped pants here, since they give a more relaxed look.

Shoes: Ballet flats. If your outfit is neutral, you can safely wear shoes with a color or mild pattern. But if you already have some patterns going on in your top, opt for more simple shoes.

Accessories: Less is more. How easy was that? I bet you could put something like this together without having to buy anything new. Now let's try a slightly different variation of Smart Casual. Accessories: Again, keep it simple.

Go for small earrings with a basic gold or silver necklace. With Smart Casual, aim to express yourself, but stick to simple and conservative clothes. You should look relaxed, yet polished. If you could wear this outfit to work in the morning, the interview in the afternoon, and then to a dinner with your parents, you know you hit the jackpot. Business Casual is a super popular interview style.

It's typically a safe bet too. This look strikes an even balance between casual and corporate, so you can walk into most offices and feel like you fit in. Your Business Casual outfits should be elevated from your Smart Casual look. You definitely still have room to show your personality here, but there are some staples you should stick to in order to make sure you nail this dress code.

A tailored blazer is the easiest way to class this look up. It doesn't have to be a formal suit blazer — there are tons of other options out there that look a bit more stylish. My other tip for Business Casual is to avoid denim all together obviously no blue jeans, but I wouldn't do black either. Women's Outfit Example 1. If your blazer is black or blue, you can opt for a blouse with a soft pattern.

And if you have to go out and buy that blazer, there are tons of reasonably priced options out there that are super cute. Women's Outfit Example 2. With Business Casual, your main goal should be to keep things professional and relaxed. And don't be afraid to show some personality! Just balance any patterns or color with neutrals and you will be good to go.

This is admittedly my least favorite category. Let's be honest — it takes a lot more effort and it's not as easy to stick to my comfort rule in formal attire. But it's possible. I promise! Thanks to evolving fashion trends, women have much better Business Formal options than we used to. If you need to stand and walk to greet someone, try and fasten your jacket button if possible.

No, not unless requested or some activity requires it. Most important is to find a shirt that fits properly. If it simply has the size of small, medium or large, run away from it. Shirts come in different types of fit.

The choice depends on occasion and body type. For interview attire for men, I recommend a well-fitted but not too fitted shirt. Regardless of if a dress shirt or more casual, make sure the shirt has a collar. For an interview, I normally recommend a collared dress shirt, although organizational culture can dictate otherwise. Unless you are wearing other really bold colors and patterns for example with your tie , avoid white. For an interview, I recommend a more neutral color with no or light patterns.

Keep the patterns and boldness for the tie. When helping select interview attire for men, I always advise them to get undershirts for a few reasons:. There are two types of undershirts — crew neck and v-neck. If you have a tan or darker skin, the differences in color might show through a v-neck. You never want the undershirt to show. Always wash them before you wear them for an interview. I go with the rule that if you wear a tie, then your shoes should have laces.

The exception is monk strap shoes. These shoes are incredibly versatile and can be worn with suits, blazers and casually. Keep your shoes shaped by stuffing them with your socks and underwear before throwing them in your suitcase. Ideally, also put them in shoe wraps. This is always a huge debate in deciding interview attire for men. Most just wear black shoes. I have two pairs of black shoes — one for my black funeral suit and one for my black tuxedo.

The lighter the color of suit or blazer, the lighter you can go with the browns or gray. The most important thing to keep in mind with shoe color is that it matches your belt. Brown is not just brown. Blue is not just blue. There are many different tones. Your belt does not need to match exactly, but it should appear the same color from a relatively close distance.

When in doubt, take a picture and look. They are socks — have fun with them! If you are interviewing in a conservative environment, keep the socks solid or a light pattern that generally matches the color of your pants. Otherwise, have fun with them! Believe it or not, when you cross your legs, they can be a real conversation starter. Functionally, make sure the socks stretch to about mid-calf and make sure the elastic holds.

Your interview attire depends on the type of job you're applying for. However, no matter what the position, and even if there's no dress code , you should always look neat, tidy, and well dressed. If you're a woman who needs some inspiration for your interview attire, check out some ideas of what to wear to an interview. For men, take a look at these interview attire options to make the best impression. These blazer and blouse combinations are great business interview outfits that consist of three pieces that are simple, yet extremely versatile.

A navy blue blazer is a great addition to your interview wardrobe. Not only can you wear a blazer on numerous occasions, but it also works well with many different outfits—over a button-down, with a blouse, and even with a dress, for example. The gray collarless jacket with three-quarter-length sleeves is a less formal look. A navy blue blazer also looks great paired with a simple blouse or button-down shirt.

It's a staple combination that you can wear with khaki pants, a khaki skirt, and even dark-wash jeans in a casual workplace or to a casual interview.

A matching skirt or slacks, or a khaki skirt or dress pants, round out the outfit. A khaki skirt is a good addition to your working wardrobe because it can be worn with many different tops. Like the blazer, it can also be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. Guess what? Button-downs don't have to be boring!

And you don't have to limit yourself to the basic white, blue, or pink version. You can experiment with fabrics, like the sheer silk chiffon here, which works well layered over a camisole. Try being creative with color, too. This shirt's color works well, as it's more interesting than the usual colors but still tasteful and professional.

When you're shopping for a button-down, remember that the neckline should be modest. Make sure your bra is covered, and avoid showing cleavage. It's also a good idea to keep your button-down tucked in unless it's a style that is designed to be worn not tucked in.

A blouse like the one shown here with a bow makes for an elegant look, which can be completed with either a skirt or slacks. Add a skinny waist belt for a touch of detail that makes the top pop. A skirt made of an interesting fabric or a simple black pencil skirt is a great way to make a business look your own.

Depending on where you're being interviewed, you can add a jacket to dress up the look. A menswear-inspired khaki blazer is an extremely versatile piece to have in your wardrobe. Wear it with a button-down shirt or blouse. It looks great with a matching skirt, dark-wash jeans for a startup casual interview , or navy blue bottoms for a dressier look.

The button-down here might be a basic top, but the pink makes the look pop. With a shirt that has an interesting collar detail, you could choose to button it up to the top, eliminating the need for a necklace. Another option for a unique collar detail is a rounded Peter Pan collar. Finally, a navy blue skirt is a stylish alternative to the traditional black pencil skirt. It's a bit more easygoing than the typical black skirt, but it's still professional, creating a look that is relaxed and also refined.

AA tasteful "little black dress" is the hallmark of a simple yet refined business wardrobe.