The Wall Street Journal got us thinking this morning (did we just type that aloud?) about the often discussed interview outfit – what’s appropriate where, and the great continental divide between what you wear to a job interview in fashion, and what you wear everywhere else.
When first looking for a job, myriad people (all of whom do not work in fashion,) asked us if we owned a suit. A suit?!, we thought? We were told it looks “professional,” “sharp,” “put together.” But we knew in our heart of fashionista hearts that it was more like “ugly,” “tragic,” “geeky.”
There’s something about a suit (and we don’t even mean suits from Men’s Warehouse, we’re including designer threads in this), that screams, “Aren’t I so precocious?”
But we understand that most people don’t work in fashion, and that for those people, the suit is really the only option for work.
But we just have to ask all the fashionistas out there, the few who are not obligated to button a jacket every morning – would you wear a suit? And, if so, where?
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i would wear a suit if i could somehow pull it off like this..
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd183/hamiltonhamiltonhamilton/user1632_1153398249.jpg
Personally I would wear a suit if it was tailored very close to my body and if the jacket didn’t match but compliments the pants. To me the matchy matchy suit is so practical and pretentious, but I do understand not every one works in a fashion forward environment lol…those poor robot-people who don’t.
For some reason this post really irriatated me. Its just written in a very smug manner. Just because you fashoinistas can wear whatever you want to work, and make enough money to survive in this city, does not make you any better than those women who wear a suit to work everyday. Most people do not have the luxury of a casual dress code, and work within the business attire restrictions they are given.
And I think its fairly obvious that if you don’t work at a job that requires you to wear a suit, you wouldn’t own a one.
I’m a fashion reporter, and I have a lovely 3.1 Philip Lim skirt suit that I’ve worn on interviews, as well as at work on days when I know I’m meeting with a particularly conservative source. If the suit fits well and reflects your personal style, it can work.
laureintheafternoon.blogspot.com
i would wear a suit anywhere, interview, average workday, dinner, party. I think a well fitted and chic suit that is light can totally fit in anywhere. I’m thinking somewhere along the lines or well fitted pants (can either be skinny or wideleg) and a nice suit jacket, and depending on the event either a basic t-shirt or a nice blouse. everything has to be done right though – i feel that an average jane wearing the first suit she thought fit her in the store would look beyond hideous.
@ rachael- this post irked me too. can i ask one simple question… how is it “ugly,” “tragic,” or “geeky” to actually have a job where we make enough $$$ to actually afford to buy designer clothes– the majority of those types of jobs means you have to dress in business attire. unless you are an olsen twin, I guess.
If it’ s a le smoking, then oui!
Well this is going to sound silly, but here it is. I’m going to tell you about my mother, who’s actually pretty fashionable for being 50. She’s one of those moms who you would guess is in her early 40′s, but she doesn’t wear any of that teeny-bopper crap. She’s got really great, classic taste. She’s a judge for our county and is therefore required to wear “professional” attire, though she sometimes wears cute little frocks underneath her big, black robes. But she does own several suits that are well-made and closely tailored to her body. They actually make her look pretty slim (though she is already at a size 6) and not at all “unfashionable”. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say what Rachael said, the smugness of this post was a bit annoying.
Not everybody has such a fabulous life, but if in my future career, I needed to dress like my mother does now, I would be perfectly alright. She isn’t a “poor robot person” at all. I really do believe that some people need to pull their heads out; how, at 18, am I more open-minded than many of your older readers?
Fashion is fun and sometimes its fun to be a power dresser. And when 90% of your job is dealing with much much older men, you feel confident when you are wearing a nicely tailored suit. And you can throw in really small fashion statements under the radar of those just looking for a reason not to take you seriously.
I guess if I have to look “ugly, tragic, and geeky” to work in international development (even the streets of NY have people who don’t work in finance OR fashion) so be it. Even Angelina wears a suit to UN meetings.
Yes, whats the problem with it? Do you even work in NYC? Everyone wears suits…I work in a causal environment but I choose to come in looking professional sans my converse and ripped jeans. If you posted a “would you ever” about that then this would all make sense.
Not a pants suit, not ever. Skinny skirt, long jacket, will do.
i would wear a suit only if they were of the patti smith variety – such as the kris van assche suits for spring 2008.
This kind of irks me too…I love my job, I do NOT feel like a robot, and I don’t work in fashion. I work with institutional investors in Europe, and when I travel there 3-6 times a year, yes, I wear suits. I buy pencil skirt or skinny pantsuits and have them tailored, and even though I never imagined this, I love that kind of dressing. Sometimes a super hot high-waisted pencil skirt and botton down with great heels feels so much hotter and more subversive than skinny jeans. And even though I can wear whatever I want to my office every day in NY, sometimes I like to dress up. You only look “ugly, tragic and geeky” if you are wearing cheap looking/ill fitting clothes, suits or no. What do you like to wear to your job?
Wow, this photo really needs to be resized properly — poor ol’ Nic’s looking very squat.
only with glitter eyeliner and barrettes.
I don’t have to wear suits where I work, but if I did I don’t think I’d collapse into a heap of sobs and despair. Sure, I’ve seen tragic suits, but I’ve also seen tragic dresses, tragic skirts, tragic jeans…let’s face it, there is a lot of tragic fashion out there. Perhaps, when people remark upon a suit as being “tragic”, they’re picturing something cheaply made and ill-fitting…that’s wherein the real tragedy lies. As long as the fit and fabric are quality, then I really don’t see what the problem is.
What is with all your readers being offended by almost every other post lately? Remember when Santino sang “lighten uuuup it’s just Fashion?” Come on.
At my office you’re required to either wear a full suit or a dress…I ALWAYS wear dresses now because I die a little inside when I but on the whole coporate thing
I think with suits, it’s all about the fit.
I’ve seen some really bad fitting suits that look boxy and drab. That can be true for both men and women.
A well tailored suit can work in any setting.
That electric Barbarella suit that Ms. Kidman is wearing is just not a good look for her, but that’s just my opinion.
would I? HELL YES. My dream is to someday have a ladytux made, as well as to rock a Jil Sander suit.
And I agree with most of the above commenters: it’s only “tragic and ugly” if it doesn’t fit, or is cheap fabric, which really goes for most clothing. Suits do not have to = corporate: just see The Sartorialist’s shots for proof!
http://bp2.blogger.com/_qjpwnPW4c1o/Rh20D6csErI/AAAAAAAAA4k/4T6gU_t1ybs/s1600-h/DiorHommeFemme.jpg
WOW.. i work in fashion in NYC- SOho to be exact! i actually am looking into INVESTING in a suit-
doesn’t have to be for an interview-
a well fitted suit can be extremely sexy and exude confidence.
When i met with Marc Jacobs and his people..no one in his office wore a traditional suit- a blazer and jacket suffice! think Tom Ford
i personally was not offended by this post..i was actually in kinda thought hmmmm what should i wear to the interview i have tomorrow….
perfect timing!! :-)
I have no problem with suits except for the one Nicole Kidman is wearing above…
She looks like an extra from Zenon Girl of the 21st Century.
-lisa
i have a fashion interview coming up, but not a fashion position (in IT) — i’m pretty fashionable and currently wear jeans to work everyday (but dressed up of course).
So what do I wear to this interview?? my well-fitted Ann Taylor black suit? or do I not match the jacket to the pants?? HELP!
I’ve been SO BLESSED to not ever have to wear a suit to work…. maybe I look for those types of jobs.
I think that suits would kind of smoosh down my personality on the job, and luckily, that’s why I have cool jobs… my employer is paying me for my unique point of view.
So for as long as I can (forever?), I’m going to avoid wearing any sort of suit…. unless someone can hook me up with a vintage Le Smoking!
I work in IT. I am geeky and proud. That aside, I work in a huge office filled with 40% IT people wearing jeans and casual clothing and 60% people wearing suits. And yes my floor is full of people with casual s but it gets me mad sometime, and I really want to rock those suits like the girls in other floors. However the moment I wear something like a fashionable skirt suit, people look at me like I am lost in the building. I hate it.
I think this post comes off a little stupid. Something that millions of people have to wear to work isn’t “precocious”.
Some fashionistas have interests and jobs outside of fashion… I don’t think that is “geeky” or tragic. I personally don’t love having to wear a suit every single day to work, but it’s what my job requires so I just try to find nice well made suits with cute details. There are some very cute suits from labels like Rebecca Taylor.
I wear suits- and I’m not in fashion, although I am an editor.
I’ll either rock one with the typical tailored button up shirt, or I’ll throw on a fitted tee (usually beaten up and emblazoned with my college mascot), a vest and some bright stilettos. It sounds weird, but it works. In a quirky way.
;)
funny timing. i just bought a suit and i definitely don’t work in an industry that requires them (video game industry – hell, shoes aren’t even required)
i bought the suit cuz it looks fab on me, has great details, and was an awesome detail. oddly enough, because of work, i’m not comfortable wearing the pieces together. i’m currently wearing the high waisted mini on its own…and plan on wearing the fitted jacket w/ a pair of wide leg jeans.
it seems like the author meant to say “pretentious” rather than precocious. i agree with jac above-how can something that is practically a uniform for millions of professionals be precocious? i probably should wear a suit to work but i don’t. luckily i have that choice, but it’s fun to dress up on occasion and feel proud of our jobs that we can wear suits in if we want
not a drab suit…maybe a nice tweed coat (chanel?) with a pencil skirt or something
I wouldn’t wear one in a million years, and I have purposely avoided jobs that would require dressing “office-y”. I live in the UK, and work in publishing at the moment. Most people here wear jeans every day, but I tend to wear skirts and dresses, albeit quite casually. Suits are the work of the devil in my opinion- they’re the complete antithesis of my style.
@ astralgirl02 5.46pm – I am a corporate lawyer at a big national law firm, and I love wearing suits. I think my job is pretty cool, and my employer is also paying me for my creativity, unique point of view and independent thought (plus those mad skillz that come from 3 years of law school!).
One person’s fashion victim is another person’s style icon, I guess.
But I don’t link my sense of self so closely to what I wear, and so whilst I feel powerful and sexy and corporate in my suits, they are not what make me powerful and sexy. Though they do help with the corporate thing.
So I guess you guys did not see the video of Carine Roitfeld’s day at the office of French vogue in which she rocks a little suit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbvXQc1mlgo
Um, didn’t you guys post an entry last week talking about the incredibly glamorous woman you saw on the street wearing a suit and wingtips?
dear god, nicole kidman’s silver suit is repulsive. i was thinking of getting silver trousers made, and that’s put me right off. she looks oddly lizard-like.
i’ve been working towards putting a suit together for ages, though i’d never wear it to work… i wouldn’t buy one off the hanger because i want it to fit perfectly, so i’ve got a tux jacket that i had altered, and recently replaced my skinny black trousers with some stunning man-tailored ones. once i get the jacket re-altered to a skinnier fit, i’m there. no shirt though – a very well-fitting, low-cut black knitted waistcoat is more effective. i wear it to certain gigs/parties, it feels rakish and like much-needed relief from dresses.
the problem with a lot of suits is they’ve lost what’s beautiful about a suit – i love three-piece dressing, and many suits for women are just a cheap attempt at a fitted jacket and woefully baggy trousers. thus the frumpy reputation. avoid that, and why not wear one?
i reckon the sartorialist certainly wouldn’t turn his nose up at a woman in a heroically tailored suit.
Well, this post seems immature and a bit pretentious. I have two suits: one a skirt/jacket suit from J. Crew (which I get tons of stares from and compliments on) and a vintage boys suit (think boy’s hickey freeman).
I don’t necessarily always have to wear them to work, but when I put one on I get a surge and boost in confidence. It’s like the clothes version of putting on my game face. I look very young for my age, and our older clients may feel more at ease seeing me professionally dressed. I never look drab, dour, or fat. I feel and look smart, professional, and (I think) a little sexy.
I’d say the majority of people do not work in your field. A large amount of that majority should have one good suit (or at least one that they can afford to buy and have tailored). A black, 4-season wool can get you far: mtgs, funerals, weddings (w/ fab access), or dates (v. hot w/ no blouse/T underneath). So there.
There’s nothing like a well-tailored suit. Years ago I bought a Demeulemeester suit and it will always look great. Often putting on a suit gives you that Superman-in-the-phone-booth feeling. And I know so many men who find women in suits sexy.
I really like suits. There is something about wearing one well that is very fashionable. And it’s also a classic look, so it will always be fashionable. You just have to wear it the right way. Such as instead of a boring button up under the jacket, the typical look, you wear a vintage cami. Maybe the jacket is even tigher, and you dont’ wear it buttoned, and lots of jewelery to go along with it. It’s just a matter of how you wear something, not just how you wear it!
I’d wear the right Chanel suit to brunch, but other than that I’d wear blazers, or suit pants, never both. Something about forcibly matching my top to my bottom makes me feel like a three year old.
I was really irritated at this post too. Where I work in a more formal office and I wear a suit to work probably 4 days out of the week. I really love it. Usually I rock Theory suits with Marc by Marc tops. I sort of feel if you don’t know how to accessorize a suit you’re not a real fashionista.