"When dressing for a successful interview, you can never go wrong with a classic suit." This was the advice that Dillard's gave students who attended the "Dress for Success" workshop. This workshop was designed to help students learn the differences between business attire and business casual attire and how to apply this knowledge in different business situations.
When it comes to picking a suit, basic black is always a conservative and safe choice when meeting executives for Showcase or an interview. Dillards emphasized the importance of matching the shades of black and not to mix a solid jacket with a striped pant or vice versa. However, tan and navy suits are also very acceptable in a business environment. Tan suits look great with pops of color like pink or blue. Navy suits are impressive with red and white accents.
The business casual look can be used for casual Fridays and daytime workshops. The best advice for dressing is to mimic those who are already performing your job. If they dress in suits, it is recommended that you dress in a suit as well. Dillards demonstrated examples of business casual: dress pants with a conservative blouse for ladies, and pressed khakis with a long-sleeve button-up shirt for men. They cautioned participants to remember that in a business casual setting, it is still business, and clothes must be clean and pressed.
The main idea in dressing for success is to make sure your clothing does not detract from your strengths as a candidate. If you choose to wear wild, distracting clothing, your interviewer could focus on that more than you. Even the strongest candidates can't afford that. So dress smartly, interview with confidence.