It’s the night before an interview and you’ve just finished your research on the company, what their values are, and who you’ll be meeting tomorrow when suddenly you remember - “What am I even going to wear?!”

Fear not, for I am here to tell you!

Like with many aspects of life, it is always better to be safe than sorry, and what I mean by that is: it is much better to overdress than to underdress.

There have been times when a job seeker has met with me, wearing casual streetwear clothes and I’ve wondered if they think I’m not worthy enough to impress; especially when I am corporately dressed. The safest rule when attending an interview is to think of formal wear. Not ball gowns or dinner suits, but something office appropriate.

For men , it is best to go with the standard suit and tie with slacks and oxford shoes. However, that doesn’t mean to say go crazy with the colours! Though you may think it will show your creative flair or own unique personality, as I said, it is much better to be safe than sorry, so stick to darker tones and colours.

For women , opt for a nice plain blouse (no plunging necklines!), a blazer, and black slacks or a pencil skirt. I would highly recommend also wearing closed-toe black heels – or if you’re not comfortable walking in high heels, wear small kitten heels with a sturdy thick heel. If you opt for the skirt, make sure it’s not too short, because when you sit it may be too short. Otherwise, a good ol’ pantsuit would be fine too!

The number one thing to remember; is that you want to put forward your best first impression, so wear the best kind of attire you can. You want the interviewer to primarily focus on what you have to offer, not on how you look – especially not on your cartoon character neck tie!