Men: Dress For Your Interview The Right Way

Make a Lasting Impression

Do you own a properly fitted suit?
Or do you need to buy one?

As the saying goes, you should dress for interview like it's the job you want.

This means going above and beyond dressing for the job you applied for. Do you have ambition and see yourself moving up the ladder at work? If so, dress for interview as if it is the top job. This usually means a suit and tie.

If you don't own a suit and have never bought one, you need to know a few things. Unlike buying jeans or t-shirts, buying a suit is not a matter of choosing one off the rack and taking it home.

Make sure you choose a good retailer. Not all stores are created equal. Look for one that offers personal service and on-site fittings. Dress for interview the right way.

Do not shop at Wal-Mart for your suit.

A good suit will last years, so the investment of both time and money is a wise one. Like any investment, you need to understand what you are buying.

Buying the right suit is a matter of:

• Fit
• Fabric
• Color

Fit

Suits have two major components - the jacket and the pants. Both should be properly fitted and appropriate for your body type.

Jacket

Jackets are fitted differently according to the type of look you are going for. This is something to discuss with your salesperson when you go for a fitting.

Your jacket needs to fit properly. A proper fit means no gathering or stretching of fabric when you wear it. And the length should be enough to cover your buttocks when you are standing. The areas to look at for proper fit are the neck, shoulders, lapels, sleeves and waist.

The collar of the jacket should sit against the back of your neck in a smooth fit, no wrinkles. Your shirt collar should extend above the jacket collar by about one-half inch.

In the shoulders, the fabric should lie smoothly across your shoulders and back. The seams should not hang down your arms or the jacket is too large. If you have shoulder pads in the jacket, they should not be obvious, as they are only for maintaining its shape.

Your lapels should lie flat against your chest and not fold upward or wrinkle. This provides a cleaner look, much more professional.

Sleeves should reach to the wrist, just where it meets your hand. Your shirt cuffs should extend past the jacket sleeve by at least one-half inch. You want the sleeves to be fitted so that you have freedom of movement and can bring your arms together in front of you without stretching the fabric tight across your back.

Finally, the jacket should be large enough to button comfortably without pulling. If you cannot button the jacket without obvious strain on the buttons and button holes, it is too small.

An experience suit salesperson will be able to pull this all together for you so that it both fits right and looks good.

Pants

Suit pants have fewer details to worry about than with suit jackets. Primarily, fit and style.

The pants should fit comfortably, allowing at least two fingers of space between the waistband and your abdomen. Whether you are bending, sitting or standing, you should not feel restricted or pinched by your suit pants.

Style is a matter of your body type. If you are tall, go for pants with a cuff at the bottom. Cuffs should be in the 3/4 to 1.5 inch range. More is too much and less is too little.

However, if you are average height or short, you can forgo the cuff altogether, as it will emphasize your height. Lack of a cuff will make you seem taller.

If you are a large man, consider buying pleated suit pants. The pleats will disguise your stomach, making you appear slimmer. On a slender man, though, pleats will make you look even smaller. Thinner men should opt for flat-fronted pants.

Now we move on to....

Fabric

Choosing the right fabric for a suit is almost as important as the right fit. Which fabric you choose depends on the climate and time of year where you live.

If you live in a sub-tropical, warm climate, or the suit is for spring and summer wear, light-weight fabrics make more sense than heavier ones like wool. In this case, you might choose linen or cotton blends.

But if you live where it is not so warm or if the suit is for fall and winter, wools and other heavy fabrics make the most sense.

Try to stay away from synthetic fabrics. Natural fabrics allow your skin to breathe better, which makes them more comfortable.

Color

For suit jackets and pants, neutral colors are the best bet. The joy of neutrals is that they go with everything. You can wear any color shirt and tie with suits in neutral colors.

Neutrals include:

• Navy
• Black
• Gray
• Khaki
• White

What about matching shirts and ties? It's easier than you think. Just remember that you want the tie and shirt to complement each other. For example, a subtly striped shirt can be worn with a matching boldly striped tie. If your tie and shirt both have bold stripes, it overwhelms the eye. Two subtle patterns fade into one another.

Buying a suit is an investment in your future. Wear it for job interviews. Wear it on the job, if appropriate. And know that making right choices when you buy will set you on the right path for interview success. Dress for your success!