What to Wear to a Job Interview: A Men's Suit Guide

What to wear to a job interview is one of the few clothing questions where the stakes are clear and the goal is simple. Your clothes should make you look prepared, competent and respectful of the people you are meeting, then get out of the way so the conversation is about you. For most interviews that means a well-fitted dark suit. For others, it means something a step down. The rule that decides which: dress one level above what the company's staff wear on an ordinary day.

Should you wear a suit to an interview?

Yes, for most interviews. In law, finance, consulting, sales, government, hospitality management and most corporate roles, a suit and tie is still the expected standard, and arriving without one is a risk you don't need to take. In industries where nobody wears a suit, the rule changes: dress one level above the company's everyday norm. That shows you took the meeting seriously without suggesting you misread the culture.

If you are unsure what the norm is, find out. Ask the recruiter or the person arranging the interview; it is a normal question and the answer is useful. Look at photos of staff on the company's website and social media. If the information is still unclear, wear a suit: you can leave the tie off in the parking lot or the lobby if you see you are overdressed.

What to wear by interview type

Interviews fall into four broad types. The table gives the outfit for each; the sections below explain the reasoning.

What color suit is best for an interview?

Navy or charcoal. Both are conservative, flattering on almost everyone and appropriate in every industry. Navy reads slightly warmer and more approachable; charcoal slightly more serious. Mid-gray is a good third choice, especially for daytime interviews. Plain is safest; a faint pinstripe or a fine herringbone is fine in corporate settings. Our guide to suit colors explains which to buy first.

A black suit is acceptable but not ideal. It is associated with evening events and funerals, and in daylight it can look severe; navy and charcoal do the same job better. Avoid light colors such as tan and light gray, bold checks, strong pinstripes and fabrics with a high shine. They draw attention to the suit.

Fit matters more than price

Interviewers do not know what your suit cost, but they notice at once whether it fits. A modest suit that has been altered to fit you looks better than an expensive one that hasn't. The points that show most are the shoulders, the sleeves and the trouser length.

Sleeves and trouser hems are quick, inexpensive alterations. Shoulders are not: if the shoulders do not fit in the shop, choose another suit. Our guide to how a suit should fit covers every point in detail.

Should you wear a tie to an interview?

For corporate interviews, yes. For business casual companies, a tie is optional: wear one or carry one, and decide in the lobby. For creative and tech companies, usually not; a suit without a tie, or a jacket with an open-collared shirt, is the stronger choice, and a full suit and tie can suggest you have not understood the culture. Whatever you choose, do it with confidence. Fiddling with a tie in the interview is worse than either choice.

Choose a silk tie in a dark, conservative color: navy, burgundy, dark green or gray, plain or with a small, regular pattern such as a fine dot or a narrow stripe. Width should suit your lapels, usually about 2¾ to 3½ inches (7 to 9 cm) at the widest point. Tie it in a four-in-hand or half Windsor so the tip reaches the middle of your belt buckle. See tie width and how to match a tie to your shirt and suit.

Shirt, shoes and accessories

• Shirt: white or light blue, plain or a very fine stripe, freshly ironed. A spread or point collar; button-down collars are more casual. Long sleeves, even in summer.
• Shoes: black oxfords are the most formal choice, and dark brown oxfords or derbies are fine with navy or gray. Polish them the night before. See shoes with a suit.
• Belt: leather, matching the shoes, with a plain buckle. Or braces, if your trousers are cut for them.
• Socks: dark, matching the trousers or the shoes, and long enough that no shin shows when you sit.
• Watch and jewelry: a simple watch on a leather strap or metal bracelet; keep jewelry minimal.
• Bag: a plain leather or nylon bag or folder for your papers. Leave the gym bag at home.
• Coat: a plain dark overcoat or raincoat in bad weather, taken off before you are shown in.

What to wear to a business casual interview

For a business casual interview, wear the top of the business casual range: a navy blazer with mid-gray wool trousers, a white or light blue shirt and leather shoes, or a suit worn without a tie. Bring a tie in your bag. Avoid jeans, polo shirts and sneakers even if employees wear them; an interview is not an ordinary day. Our business casual guide explains the code, and the rule still applies: one level above the everyday norm.

Creative and tech interviews

In companies where employees wear T-shirts and sneakers, a full suit and tie can look like you have not done your homework. Go one level up instead: chinos or well-cut dark trousers, a collared shirt or a fine knit, clean leather shoes and, if you like, an unstructured jacket. In some studios, dark jeans with a shirt and jacket is the right pitch. The aim is to look like the most put-together version of someone who already works there. Fit and condition matter as much here as in a bank.

What should men wear to a video interview?

Wear exactly what you would wear in person, from head to toe. Dressing fully helps you feel prepared, and you may need to stand. On camera, solid colors work best: plain navy, gray or charcoal jackets and plain white or light blue shirts. Very fine stripes, small checks and herringbones can shimmer on camera, and bright white can glare under strong light, so a pale blue shirt is often the better choice. Test your outfit on a call with a friend the day before, with the same light and camera.

Interviews in hot weather

Heat does not change what you wear to a corporate interview, but it changes how you get there. Choose a suit in a lighter worsted around 7 to 9 oz (220 to 280 g), ideally half-lined, in navy or mid-gray. Carry the jacket on the way and put it on before you enter the building. A thin cotton undershirt under the dress shirt keeps sweat from showing. Arrive ten minutes early so you have time to cool down. Our guide to staying cool in a suit has more.

Second interviews and assessment days

For a second interview, wearing the same suit is fine; nobody expects a new one. Change the shirt and tie so the outfit looks fresh. For a full assessment day or a day of back-to-back meetings, choose a suit that you can sit in comfortably for hours, and keep a spare shirt in your bag if the day is long or hot. If the company told you at the first interview that the dress code is relaxed, you can follow their lead, but stay at the smart end.

Grooming

Grooming is part of the outfit. Get a haircut a few days before, not the morning of, so it has time to settle. Trim or shave your beard as you normally keep it, cleanly. Clean and trim your nails. Use deodorant and, if you wear fragrance, one light application. None of this is about fashion; it is about showing the same care you would bring to the job.

What not to wear to a job interview

• Novelty ties, bold patterns or anything designed to start a conversation.
• Black shirts, dark shirts with dark suits, or short-sleeved shirts with a tie.
• Scuffed, worn-down or unpolished shoes; sneakers in any corporate setting.
• Strong fragrance; if you wear any, one light application.
• Ill-fitting clothes borrowed for the day, especially with sleeves covering the hands.
• Visible logos on any garment.
• Anything new and untested; wear new shoes around the house first.

The day-before checklist

The tailor's view: buying a suit for interviews

If you are buying a suit for interviews, buy the suit you will wear most afterward: a plain navy or charcoal suit in a year-round worsted wool of about 9 to 11 oz (280 to 340 g), single-breasted with two buttons and notch lapels, and flat-front or single-pleat trousers. It will serve for interviews, offices, weddings and funerals. Our guide to year-round suit fabric explains the weight.

Leave time for alterations: at least a week, and two if you can. Most tailors can shorten sleeves and hem trousers within days, but busy periods vary. Ask for sleeves showing a little shirt cuff and trousers with a slight break or none. Do not have a new suit altered to be very tight; you will sit, gesture and shake hands, and the suit has to move with you. Our guide to what a tailor can alter explains what is quick and what is not.

Then forget about it. The best interview outfit is one you stop thinking about once you have put it on, so all your attention goes to the conversation.

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