The Ultimate Interview Outfit

As we progress through our years of college, our workplace wardrobe is constantly changing, from funky first year to self-assured senior. My clothing choices have certainly shifted since I arrived on campus four years ago. At that time I was fresh out of a job at The Children’s Museum of Maine. Read: Jeans, t-shirt, and a paint-splattered apron. Since then my style has matured as I’ve spent the past two summers in Manhattan interning at RealSimple.com. Read: Knee-length skirt, button-down shirt, and high heels.

It’s February and for many of college students, that means prime interview season. But what to wear? This question plagues job seekers and internship hopefuls alike. Any search on the web for interview attire will turn up countless articles on what to wear and what to steer clear of. I want to give you specific examples. You only make a good first impression once and much of what you choose to sport in your interview says scores about who you are and what kind of an employee you have the potential to become.

1. Button Up. Cleavage will get you noticed and will also get you thrown out. Think about what type of an image you want to portray to prospective employers: confident, sensible, and put together. In no way do these qualities come across when employers are too focused on how many buttons you chose to leave undone. This shirt is a great choice:

Banana Republic, $60

It’s stylish but also very tasteful and gives your outfit a blush of color. However, the color is not overpowering so the interviewer still focuses on your face, not your shirt.

2. Take a Seat. When buying a skirt to pair your shirt with, sit down in the dressing room to test out the length. If the skirt rides up anywhere near your mid-thigh, don’t buy. I don’t need to elaborate, do I? A tasteful skirt coming to your knee or just a smidge above is perfect. Try this chic skirt out:

Banana Republic, $80 

Grey and black skirts are staples to a great work wardrobe. Switch them in and out with colored tops and you have a week’s worth of options. High-waisted skirts are flattering as they begin on your natural waist, creating a slimming look.

3. Don’t Overdue It. This goes for many elements of your ultimate outfit. Don’t load up on jewelry; less is more in this case. Classic pearl earrings, or a delicate necklace are the perfect accessories to an interview outfit. You don’t want your interviewer too focused on your sparkly two carat diamond studs or the huge chain that keeps making a jingling sound on your neck. This also goes for shoes. Modest lower pumps are a must. If you can manage to walk into the office in four-inch heels without looking drunk or like a 10-year-old trying on her mom’s shoes, then by all means, pump it up! A confident walk, smile, and handshake say a lot about a candidate. Try these accessories to create a great, not good, first impression.

Heels: Bandolino Shelly, $40. Earrings: Ralph Lauren, $24.

Welcome to Senior Spring

Last month I threw out all of my notes from first year and sophomore year (along with my baby teeth that I hoarded from the tooth fairy). I’m a senior and I’m facing the inevitable — moving out of my childhood room in just a few months after I graduate. I can’t imagine I’ll ever need Astronomy 100 notes in a career in journalism. I’m having to make decisions, and for those who know me, that’s not easy.  

As I approach my final days in college, I still have so many things I have yet to learn, do, and document. As a senior at Wellesley College, I have never climbed the tower of Green Hall, danced at Dyke Ball, or attended Rhulman — other than for the food, of course. I have done my share of tunneling, jumping in the lake, and sledding. In the last semester of our undergraduate careers we will all be facing numerous lasts: dinners, all-nighters, and late night movie binges. This is our last time to rebel before leaving the college bubble. Senioritis comes with the package; we may try to drag this semester out as much as possible, but the truth is, our days are numbered.

This blog is about college students readying themselves for the world outside this comfort zone we call home. With all the amenities — a beautiful campus, late night free dining, deadlines that are often flexible, and some good education to top it off — college has created a great security blanket for us over the years.

As I gear up for interviews in a shaky economy, it’s worrisome to be graduating in an unsure job market. We have to look on the bright side, however: at least we didn’t graduate last year! Rents have come down. And for lucky Wellesley women, theWellesley card is worth more than ever with so many alumnae in the White House.

I’m ready to move on physically but whether or not the publishing industry is ready to accept me into its not-so-open arms is another question. Bankers are earning more than ever, oh, how I wish I had enjoyed Econ 101.

Having lived abroad in Spain, Manhattan, and at home inMaine, I invite you to come with me as I crawl as slowly as possible through my last semester. Hopefully everyone on campus can gain some insight or needed laughs, from my fellow 2010ers looking to land a job to fresh-eyed first years just starting their undergraduate journey.

While interning at Real Simple I learned scores of ways to organize a home office or cook a chicken breast, but only experience and friends can help upperclassmen get through the next few months of our senior spring. I hope that I can offer a tiny bit of advice about finances, fashion, and farewells to those who are going through what every college student has to face upon departure. I hope you look at this blog for a peek at what’s ahead, be it figuring out what to trash during senior week, or what to bring with you as you emerge from the college cocoon.