Dressing for an Interview
March 26, 2026
Dress Shirts – You may unbutton your top button (provided you are not wearing a tie). If you want to unbutton your collar and are wearing a tie, take the tie off. A suit or dress shirt without a tie, in most scenarios, is considered totally acceptable. If you are wearing a jacket, your shirt sleeves should show anywhere from 1/4″ to 1/2″ beyond the jacket sleeve.
Pants – Pants should be long enough to nearly touch the ground with shoes on. Pants should be worn on your natural waist-line, just a few inches below the navel. Cuffs should be between 1″ and 1 1/2″ – there is not a de-facto standard of when to cuff / when not to. The decisions is yours.
Suits – Some people think that one is enough, but no single suit can cover all bases. Navy blue, grey, and black are the three standards. A real, high-quality suit will be made of wool or cotton. Walk right past anything in a synthetic fiber. The general rule of thumb for buttoning suit coats is, “Always middle, sometimes top, never bottom.”
Shoes – Leather. Always leather. Shoes should match your belt; and the general rule of thumb is the dressier the occasion, the shinier the shoes / belt should be.
Miscellaneous Tips – Your tie should reach at least your belt. As far as accessories are concerned, less is more. 1 or 2 accessories to an outfit absolute max. No white socks – ever.
