Military Careers, Second Careers - Army Times

Women: Dress for success and still stand out

The interview suit may still be de rigueur in certain industries, but what is office — and interview — appropriate “has relaxed considerably over the past 10 years,” says Lucky fashion director Hope Greenberg. The suit reigned “at a time when women were trying so hard to be taken seriously. They didn’t want anything to detract from their level of purpose.” USA TODAY consulted image and fashion experts about how job-hunters can woo HR departments without looking like corporate clones.

The gig: Finance/law/commercial real estate

In much of the steel-and-glass-skyscraper sphere, you still need to suit up, concedes Wilson. If you’re after a job that involves doing business in Asia, sorry, but “there is no business casual in Asia,” warns Leah Ingram, author of “The Everything Etiquette Book: A Modern-Day Guide to Good Manners” (Adams Media Corp., 2005, $14.95). But how to wear a suit without, well, looking like one?

Inject some personality into the accompaniments: Opt for a cami or tank instead of a plain white oxford. Or a blouse with a “fun, bigger collar,” Wilson says. Adds Jane fashion director Kusum Lynn, “You can wear your bad brown pantsuit if you really want to, but add a printed top that’s current.” Also, skip the pearls and touch on a trend instead: jet-black beads, something “not too out there,” Wilson says. And even if chest cleavage is grounds for relegating a résumé to the circular file, a little toe cleavage is just fine.

The look: Crepe de chine ruffle Estella blouse, $195 at Oilily stores; multifaceted beaded necklace with ribbon, $7.80 at Forever21.com

The gig: Graphic design

“If you’re interviewing for a job in a creative industry, the last thing you want to project is a lack of creativity. And a matched suit is a mark of that,” Greenberg says. Wilson suggests starting with a solid skirt and short, fitted jacket and adding on the layers: Lucite jewelry, statement earrings, maybe a belt. And she cautions that creative doesn’t mean sloppy — no jeans and T-shirts, however chic. Save those for “after you get there.”

The look: Cotton flared Tilde skirt, $235 at Oilily stores; Yochi Design large Lucite bangle, $46 at Maxandchloe.com

The gig: Advertising/residential real estate

When you’re calling on clients, you don’t need something as uniform as a traditional suit, Wilson says. “You can be a lot more fun” — leopard print! — but structure is still required, in the form of, say, a tailored jacket or dress. “You want to be sophisticated, not cutesy.”

The look: Black and white jersey shirtdress, $39.99 at T.J. Maxx stores

The gig: Pharmaceuticals rep/luxury car dealer

To demonstrate you can peddle Levitra or Lexuses, you need to wear “something that’s memorable,” says Suzie Wilson, a Houston-based image consultant who has been putting women in interview clothes for 13 years. This is unabashedly a world of short skirts and high heels. Still, with all that leg showing, “you have everything else relatively covered up” and comparatively subdued: stilettos and a suit in subtle, conservative colors. “You look professional, but there’s an edge ... Everything has to look quality.”

The look: Patent leather Nathalee pump, $70 at Aldoshoes.com

The gig: Education

The goal is to be perceived as “approachable, flexible and cooperative,” Wilson says. She advocates one of two tacks: a fitted, printed blouse with pants or a skirt and twin set, both anchored by closed-toe flats. Color is key, and so is sound, which means when it comes to jewelry, “you could have some jangle there”: long necklaces, bangles, hoop earrings. Avoid, however, “voile print skirts with lots of flowers on them,” Wilson says. “Those are so ugly, so teacherly.”

The look: Mia violet ballet flat in patent leather, $49.95 at Endless.com