Dressing up well is a non-negotiable for an interview. Remember, even before you even get a chance to discuss your skills and experience, you are already being judged on your appearance and clothing. Besides, dressing well makes you feel confident and forms a favorable impression in the mind of the interviewer.

At the same time, a lot of us are clueless about how to dress up well for an interview. What if I am overdressed and the company culture is casual? Do I need to wear a tie or not? Etc.

In our two-part blog series, we are going to give you some tips on how to dress well for an interview. In this blog, we mention the five dressing disasters you can make while attending an interview. Here’s the list:

1. Wearing casual, sports shoes, or chappals – Wearing casual or sports shoes, especially over formal clothes looks unprofessional and out of place. You might think the interviewer might not notice, but interviewers are trained to observe applicant’s body language and appearance, so there’s a high chance they will.
2. Floral shirts – Floral shirts, shirts with big prints, or even check shirts are not formal. Stick to solid colors, lines or small checks for your big day. The same goes for women’s formal dresses. Men should only wear full sleeves shirts.
3. Bad fitting clothes – Wearing ill-fitted clothes is as bad as wearing casual clothes for your interview. If your clothes are too tight, they attract attention. At the same time, if they are too loose, they make you look untidy and casual. Make sure you alter your clothes before an interview to ensure they are well-fitted.
4. Buttons – This is one of the most ignored components of dressing up. Make sure your shirt is buttoned up till the top button for boys (especially if you are wearing a tie) and till the second button for girls respectively. Additionally, avoid bright buttons, as they attract attention.
5. Too many accessories – Accessories are distracting. It’s okay to wear minimal accessories like a simple ring, earrings or watch, but avoid going over the top with it. Boys should avoid wearing studs at all. Remember the best accessories are your smile and confidence, and that’s where the focus should be!

Now that you know the don’ts of how to dress up for an interview, you can refer to our second blog for the Do’s. Click here to read about how you can dress up to win over your interviewer.