Mistakes to Avoid When Dressing for a Job Interview

So, you have an important job interview scheduled and now you're faced with the task of trying to decide what to wear. As the saying goes, you only get one change to make a good first impression, so you'll want to think carefully about the clothes you wear. To help you get started on the right track, you should avoid the following fashion mistakes when dressing for a job interview.

Wearing a Bold Color or Print Suit

There's a time and place for sporting a bold suit, but a job interview isn't one of them. You want to present yourself in a professional, reserved manner, in which case it's best to stick with traditional colors and styles. Wearing a checkered suit, for instance, will make you stick out like a sore thumb, which could subsequently hurt your efforts to score the job.

Mismatching Pants and Jackets

Don't make the mistake of wearing trousers in a different color than your suit jacket. If you're going to wear a standard black suit jacket, stick with a similar pair of black trousers. Or if you're going to wear a pinstripe jacket to the job interview, choose a pair of pinstripe trousers -- you get the idea. Maintaining cohesion between your suit jacket and trousers is essential to creating an attractive, professional-looking appearance.

Wearing a Wrinkled Suit

I think we've all been guilty of wearing wrinkled clothes at some point or another. Normally, you can get by with wearing a wrinkled outfit on occasion, but this is something you'll want to avoid when attending a job interview. Wrinkled garments create an unkempt, messy appearance that reflects upon your character. If you wear a wrinkled suit to a job interview, the employer may assume you are untidy and not a good fit for the job. To present yourself in the best manner possible, have your suit dry cleaned beforehand.

Don't Forget the Shoes!

You can sport a matching, well-tailored suit that's been professionally cleaned and pressed, but it's not going to do much good unless you pair it with the right footwear. Wearing your everyday sneakers to a job interview is a recipe for disaster. A better approach is to wear a pair of black or brown (depending on the color of your suit) oxfords. Oxford shoes offer a timeless, classic appearance that's sure to have a positive impact on your appearance.