When you have been invited for an interview, does your head scream “What do I wear?”  It should.  Dressing for an interview is as important as the interview itself.

• To achieve your look, be it Professional or Business Casual, you must be prepared.  Do you have a budget and are you ready invest in a new outfit?  Plan, budget and shop are the first 3 guidelines. 
• If you don’t have the budget to buy something new and all of your outfits are older than 3 years, ask yourself how you feel in those clothes.  Do they make you feel like a million dollars?  Do they make you feel like you could ‘win’ the job?
• Do your research on the Company.  Find out what others are wearing, think ahead and think about what you should be wearing in your ideal role in that Company in 5 years time.  Don’t just think about what you should be wearing now.

Tips, tricks and mistakes often made:

• Ensure your work wardrobe contains a few necessary staples; a well fitting skirt and / or pant suit, a shirt or elegant blouse, stockings or pantyhose and smart leather court shoes (polished, no scuffs).  You should also have a leather handbag, a nice pen and a leather folder (to carry your CV and References).
• Wear make up.  Research suggests that women who wear make up earn 23% more than those who don’t!
• Make an effort with your hair.  Please ensure that you allow yourself enough time to wash and blow dry it.  Never, ever turn up to an interview with wet hair tied up in a ponytail (in fact, you should never show up to work like this either), it gives the impression that you are not ready and you are unfinished in your approach.  It’s really important to get your hair right, if it’s not, you will never feel good.  Over 40?  You don’t need to follow the rules and go short, but if you do have long hair an elegant up sweep that is kept up with pins. 
• If you wear glasses, make sure they are clean!  Your interviewer will be looking into your eyes, smeared and smudged lenses don’t give a good first impression.
• Unless it’s over 35 Degrees outside, always wear stockings or pantyhose.  Always.  Bear legs look cheap.
• Never ever show too much cleavage, deep plunging necklines are out.  Showing to much flesh in any area (this includes skirts being too short) is a big no-no.  Your skirt should be no shorter than 2 fingers above the knee.  Never have a bare midriff or bare shoulders.  Shoes should be enclosed unless they are a small peep-toe.
• When was the last time you had a manicure?  Chipped nail polish looks cheap and unkempt.  If you do your own nails, take the time out the evening before to ensure they look their best.  Nice hands that are looked after don’t go un-noticed. 
• How is your personal hygiene?  Ensure that your breath is fresh, you are not showing any signs of body odour and that you have no sweat marks on your clothing.  Bad personal hygiene says a lot more than your CV will.
• When accessorising less is more.  Think of Coco Chanel and some of her famous quotes:

“When accessorising, always take the last thing off”

“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman”

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different”

“The best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you”

“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future”  (just don’t drown yourself in it!)

Good luck and remember, “Elegance does not consist of putting on a new dress”

Susan