This advice is primarily intended for a man, because that’s what I am, but many of the principles will apply equally to women. So why should you take advice from me? Over the course of a 20-year career in corporate law spent at what are probably too many firms, I have been interviewed (mostly successfully) many times and have interviewed a multitude of applicants. As a result, I have been asked the question of what to wear to an interview more often than I can count. This advice is primarily intended for someone interviewing for a job in a relatively formal environment such as a law firm, bank, or private equity fund, but again, many of the same principles would apply to a less formal setting.

The paramount rule in dressing for an interview is that your clothes should not distract from your message and from who you are. Keep them simple and sober. The interviewer’s eye should take in your clothes for only a moment, to confirm your quiet professionalism and attention to detail, and thereafter should remain fixed on your face.  I am not going to tell you what not to wear – deviate from any of my advice at your own risk. If you want a mental picture of the look you should be going for, you could do worse than to think of Sean Connery in the early Bond flicks.

Let’s get down to specifics. Wear a solid navy, single-breasted, notch lapel, two-button suit. Solid dark grey is fine but navy is better. The fabric should be light to mid-weight; no flannel, even in winter. The suit should be of obviously decent quality. Makers such as Ralph Lauren or Brooks Brothers make good quality suits for a thousand dollars or less.  At around $400, J. Crew makes a pretty good suit. Stay away from places like Suit Supply. In a future article, perhaps I’ll discuss what distinguishes a good suit from a bad one (e.g. full canvassing = good), but you can find plenty of discussion of the finer points of tailoring on menswear blogs and in other posts of mine (to come). Nothing fancy or embellished or tacky such as stitching in contrasting colors.

Once you have a decent navy suit, you need to bring it to a really good tailor to make sure it fits properly. Don’t rely on in-store tailors. Ask around to figure out who the good tailors are in your town and don’t try to cut corners by saving money on the alterations.

As a general rule, the fit of your suit should be neither to tight nor too loose – you should feel comfortable in all positions. Trousers should not sag around your ankles, so cut them with little to no break. They should fall cleanly to the shoe with no major wrinkles, bunching, or excess fabric. Sleeves should show about a half inch of shirt cuff, and the sleeves should not feel tight when you raise your forearm towards your bicep. Shoulder seams should sit at the end of your natural shoulder, without much padding. The jacket should button without pulling. The suit collar should hug the back of your neck with no gaping. Oh, and you should get your trousers cut with a one and half inch to two inch cuff. Keep one word in mind – the fit should be “clean,” meaning no pulling, bunching, or excess fabric.

Make sure your suit is properly pressed but that there are no shiny patches from a cheap cleaner’s iron (so have your tailor press your suit). Keep your jacket buttoned at all times except when you’re seated.

Your belt should be black and slim, with a buckle that is not too shiny. Bonus point if your trousers have no belt loops and are held up by side adjusters only. Suspenders are simply too advanced for 99% of people (and in addition to being old-fashioned and uncomfortable, can interfere with the line of a well-cut jacket).

Wear a perfectly clean, white, 100% cotton shirt with a simple spread collar – no point collars or cutaways. You should wear barrel cuffs, unless you’re interviewing for a relatively senior position, in which case French cuffs with simple navy silk knots are acceptable. Again, show about half an inch of shirt cuff. Your shirt should fit as well as your suit – the same principles apply.

Can you wear a pocket handkerchief? As in the case of French cuffs, only if interviewing for a relatively senior position, and if you do wear one, it must be white and 100% linen.  You can either fold it into a square (no need to iron it), or just grab it by the four corners, fold it in half, and stuff it in. The latter approach has the advantage of suggesting you don’t take yourself too seriously.

Your tie should be 100% silk, no more than 8 cm at the widest point, in a jacquard weave (look it up) in a very small and discreet pattern. No prints, and definitely no animals (sorry, Hermes and Ferragamo). Nothing too shiny. The color should be a variation of bluish grey that has some (but not too much) contrast with your navy jacket – think gunmetal. You can also go with a black silk knit, but that’s riskier and should be left to the experts or more creative professions like advertising.

On your feet: black, well-polished (but not mirror-shined) lace-ups, in good condition with little adornment (perforated cap-toes are OK). No wing tips. Oxfords rather than bluchers (again, look it up). If you’re in doubt about the condition of your favorite black lace-ups, bring them in to a good shoe repair shop for a tune-up. Socks should be navy blue or some slightly lighter shade of blue. They should obviously be “dress socks” – in a very thin knit, and either solid and ribbed or in a discreet pattern such as herringbone.

A note about grooming. Be clean shaven. You should have had your hair cut fairly recently, in a businessman’s style – e.g. the “high and tight,” fairly short on the sides and a little longer on top, parted on the side and combed away from your forehead. A little product to hold things in place is fine, but don’t overdo it. The usual principle applies – your hair and grooming should not distract but, at a glance, confirm that you are a professional and take things seriously.

In a future article, I will discuss other aspects of your visual presentation such as overcoat, scarf, or briefcase, but again, the same principles apply – a quiet discretion, nothing flashy, and attention to detail.

Good luck!