As I’ve shared before, I’m in the field of getting back into the work field. The saying that finding a job is a job is all too true. In my quest, of course, I’m striving for fashion and anything within its reaches. With this, I’ve been faced with the opportunity/dread of interviews. I haven’t been on an interview since 2013, so to say that I’m a bit rusty is an understatement. My problem isn’t even the interview itself, not the talking and all, it’s the what to wear?!

My personal style, I’d describe it as casual cool. Emphasis on casual. Even when going out, I usually incorporate a plain white tee or jacket of some sort. The thought of dressing in a business casual form, blazer and trousers kind of freaks me out. Soooo not me! I’ve found myself struggling between being myself and fitting the “norm”. (Another motivation to succeed in styling on my own) However, I am a fashionista and I can never be burdened by what I love. In an effort to keep the interview looks, age appropriate and fresh, I curated three different looks that mix style and professionalism.

Look 1

The first look is a pair of trousers, tapered at the ankle. This style can work for small to plus size frames, as long as the fit is proper. It’s best to avoid a fit that is too tight in the thigh. It’s not a bad thing to go up a size to fit the legs first, even if that makes the pants too big in the waist. That is an easy tailored fix. The jade green top gives a sophisticated pop of color, while the sleeveless style is good to wear under a jacket. Especially if the nerves take over and those armpits start to sweat a bit...hey, I’m not the only one. The jacket choice has a twist on the regular blazer style. This long length would need to be shortened for my petite ladies, as to not drown the frame. However, us taller ladies or those with longer torsos could pull it off. Gold accessories to tie in the gold of the jacket and a smart heel. Note the chunky style, both trendy and sensible, top it all off.

Look 2

For my second and third looks, I went for dresses. To maintain that professional appearance, it’s important for dresses to have the proper fit and length, not too form fitting, and somewhere at or below the knee. A long length wrap dress is a girl’s best friend, in that it works for All body types. I learned this from Ms. Furstenberg. Instead of the jersey knit material that they are usually made from, we would want to go for a heavier fabric to stray away from too much cling. The beautiful ruffle on the chosen dress and defined waist with a thin belt gives the look of smart and stylish. A nude shoe with that same sensible heel for the finish.

Look 3

The final dress, I paired with a sweater that could be worn underneath with a belt for the waist. The sweater could also be worn over the top half of the dress and belted for the look of a top and bottom. The color palette of navy, green, black, and royal blue is unexpected from the traditional blacks and grays associated with business looks. However, the colors are still neutral and don’t necessarily match, but go, in that they pair well together. This change on the “norm” would be great for any creative job types.

When wearing any of these looks, I would assume that it’s a given, but as my grandma still asks me today, “are you wearing stockings with that”? The answer is yes, some type of nude or black pantyhose would serve well as opposed to bare legs, in an interview setting. So good luck out there!

#working #fashion #topshop #youngprofessional #businesscasual #interview #workwear