By Melvin Bogard
Style guideline to help you suit up for an interview-
Style choices are limitless these days and living in a pop culture world, where colorful jeans, funky tops, neon pastel lipstick, hair and eye colors are totally excepted, dressing for the business world comes with its own rules. When the time comes to suit-up for an interview, wearing the right gear can give you a leg-up over the competition. Andrew Bell, an Associate Manager at J. Crew in Georgetown says, “Before investing in any article of clothing for an interview, first research the company’s dres policy. Many companies are now opting for a more causal fit instead of the traditional standard wear. For the college students on a tight budget, the best clothing investment is a four-season wool black suit.”
Bell goes on further to say, “The basic black suit can be broken-up into separates and styled with other items of clothing, such as a cardigan to give you different looks from causal to office-ready, and by investing in a year-round wool fabric, you’ll save money until your finances increase.” For the ladies, Bell added, “Consider investing in a black suit with a skirt just above the knees instead of a pant. The skirt gives more options to add other pieces, like colorful tops and shoes with different heel heights to transition you from a day to night look.” For the brothers, “don’t be afraid of color. By adding pops of color in shirts and neckties with a pair of black pant, it can carry you from school to work and keep you on trend from looking dated or drab.” As far as “rocking the do,” myself being a hair stylist and a former educator for L’Oreal, I echo Bell’s advice to research the company’s dress policy to make sure you are within the style framework of the company. If you’re not sure, I recommend going with the “less is more” approach. For the budget minded guys, a simple hairline edge-up can make a two-week old hair cut look fresh again. For the sistas, if you’re sporting a textured bush or if going to the salon isn’t an option, a bun will always work in a pinch. Remember, when interviewing, the best style guide is keeping it fresh, clean and simple to make sure the focus is on your skills and not your look.
Trilogy Online 