Have to buy a suit for interviews... advice? Forum

[ToTransferOrNot]

[strike]whats so bad about wearing a chic fashion forward suit??? I think people think too much about this.[/strike][strike]be yourself[/strike] Dress appropriately for the profession you are trying to enter and look sharp. hopefully you have a great resume...

hth

[fixer]

Wear what you are comfortable with. Your level of comfort and the elimination of akwardness should be first priority. If you are changing the way you dress because you think it is what others are looking for, you are selling others short and misrepresenting. Anyone who says you can't wear black is full of shit. If you like black and look good in black by all means wear it. I don't like the way I look in blue and I would feel uncomfortable wearing it. Charcoal is fine but if you dont like it-don't wear it.

Buy a suit off the rack or even buy separates, (custom will always be best is can be very affordable in comparison to some high end department stores) but always have it tailored to fit after the purchase-and take it to a real tailor not the dude at the department store (if possible, and unless it is a nice place like Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom, Macy's is probably ok) and not the drycleaner at the end of the block.

If you are worried about what others will think, or if you are uncomfortable wearing a suit, dumb it down to the lowest common denominator and do what you think they want, but, have a legitimate reason for the way you dress and be confident in that reason.

Don't wear your suit for the first time when you interview. Always dryclean the pants and the jacket together. Don't wear your jacket while driving a car and if you have to take off the jacket, fold it over the top of a chair-back rather than hanging it on the back of a chair. When you are standing or walking, button the jacket. when you are seated, unbutton it. Don't wear striped ties with striped shirts. Remember to cut the pockets before you wear it-they are often sewn shut. Shine your shoes and for wear leather soles not rubber.

For more info I think there is a good article about men's suits and fashion on artofmanliness.com

[bigben]

If you dress like most of the people here suggest, you'll look like them too, and that ain't good.

Worst. Advice. Ever.

I was talking with a young, fashion-sensible LRW prof who was in biglaw until this year, and we were discussing dress. Not only did he agree that law is far more conservative than business in general, but he had an anecdote: after several years as an associate, he wore a nice, expensive, not-too-bold, pale green shirt to work. One partner offered to send him to court to argue a motion, but the supervising partner said, "In that shirt? I think not."

Absolutely NOTHING good can come from dressing in a memorable way for a legal interview. The only thing you want the interviewer to notice about your suit is that you know how to wear one.

I think going to court is completely different than just being in a law firm or going for an interview though. Court is more formal I think - white shirts, and even black suits.

[bigben]

I vote for Brooks Brothers with the Lexis 15% corporate discount that they announced a few weeks ago.

Optimally, Brooks Brothers during one of their sales where all suits are 50% off (like 900-->450).

These sales happen every year in the summer and maybe once in the winter too. Not sure.

[kinch]

Don't wear striped ties with striped shirts.

I've already made my point on black suits, so I won't talk abut that. But the rule is if you want to wear a striped tie with a striped shirt, they have to be differently sized stripes.

Not that it matters for an interview, for which you should wear a solid white/light blue shirt and a conservative repp tie.

[joshlyman]

go to men's wearhouse.
youre gonna like the way you look. i guarantee it.

[Cunning Lynguist]

--ImageRemoved--

FTW

[scionb4]

Don't wear pinstripes, if you're interviewing you haven't earned it yet. That's the attitude an older interviewer will have, anyway.

[nax425]

[strike]whats so bad about wearing a chic fashion forward suit??? I think people think too much about this.[/strike][strike]be yourself[/strike] Dress appropriately for the profession you are trying to enter and look sharp. hopefully you have a great resume...

hth

there is a way to do both. I guess I should say if you don't have any fashion sense then you should just stick with the basics.

[Big Shrimpin]

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