Before the interview
The clothing guide
You do not need a $500 suit. A plain outfit that fits, under $250, reads as professional. Every piece and store below opens a live search so you can price it today. These are what the pieces usually cost, and you can come in under them in a thrift store or on a sale rack.
The outfit, piece by piece
Six pieces each way, and between them they cover every interview you will sit.
Men's kit
Six pieces, about $150 to $250 in total, and they cover every interview you will sit.
White or light-blue dress shirt
$18 – $35Plain, no pocket flap, sleeves long enough to show a half inch of cuff. Buy two so one is always pressed.
Navy or charcoal blazer
$45 – $85The one piece that lifts everything else. Check the shoulders sit on your shoulders, not past them.
Flat-front trousers
$25 – $45Navy, charcoal or black, no cargo pockets, hemmed to skim the top of the shoe, not stack on it.
Plain oxfords or loafers
$35 – $65Black or dark brown, closed toe, no visible logo. Faux leather at this price looks fine when it is clean.
Belt matched to the shoes
$12 – $25Same colour family as the shoes. A mismatched belt is the easiest thing for an interviewer to notice.
Solid dark tie
$10 – $20Only if the company expects one. Navy, burgundy or grey, plain or a quiet stripe. Skip it for a casual workplace.
Women's kit
Six pieces, about $140 to $240 in total, and they work for in-person and video interviews alike.
Plain blouse
$18 – $35White, cream or soft blue, opaque, and high enough that you are not adjusting it when you sit down.
Structured blazer or fine-knit cardigan
$35 – $75A blazer reads as the dressiest. A simple cardigan in navy or grey is a fair stand-in for a casual workplace.
Tailored trousers or knee-length skirt
$25 – $45Straight leg, dark, and long enough to sit in without riding up. A pencil skirt should let you climb stairs.
Closed-toe low block heels or clean flats
$30 – $60A low block heel is steady and professional. Whatever you pick, walk in it for an hour before the interview.
Simple structured bag or tote
$20 – $40Holds a folder and a pen, sits up on its own, no logos. A backpack reads as a student, not a candidate.
Minimal jewelry, plus plain hosiery with a skirt
$10 – $20Small studs, one thin necklace at most. Nothing that moves, rattles or catches the light while you talk.
Where to buy it, cheap
Men's and women's interview clothing on a budget, from new basics to second-hand finds worth the trip.
Where to buy it cheap — men
Every link opens a live search or the store itself in a new tab.
- Amazon
One order covers a plain shirt, dark trousers and shoes, and returns are easy if the fit is off.
- Walmart
The cheapest new dress shirts and flat-front trousers we have priced, in store and online.
- Target
Good plain basics: light shirts, dark trousers and simple closed-toe shoes.
- Old Navy
Well-priced chinos, blazers and shirts in the plain colours interviewers expect.
- eBay
Second-hand navy blazers and real leather shoes for a fraction of the retail price.
- Nordstrom Rack
Outlet prices on better labels, and the tailoring counter is worth the trip.
- Goodwill & consignment
Best value of all if you dig. Look for navy or charcoal, check the seams, then have it dry cleaned.
Where to buy it cheap — women
Every link opens a live search or the store itself in a new tab.
- Amazon
One order covers a plain blouse, dark trousers and shoes, and returns are easy if the fit is off.
- Walmart
The cheapest new blouses and tailored trousers we have priced, in store and online.
- Target
Good plain basics: simple blouses, dark trousers and low closed-toe shoes.
- Old Navy
Well-priced blazers, trousers and knit cardigans in navy, grey and black.
- eBay
Second-hand blazers and barely-worn work shoes for a fraction of the retail price.
- Nordstrom Rack
Outlet prices on better labels, and the tailoring counter is worth the trip.
- Goodwill & consignment
Best value of all if you dig. Look for navy, grey or black, check the seams, then have it cleaned.
Business formal and business casual, priced piece by piece
If the invitation names a dress code, start with the matching collection and buy only what you are missing.
Business formal
About $120–$200 new, far less second-handSuit, dress shirt, tie and polished closed-toe shoes. Wear this when the invitation says business formal: banks, law, corporate finance and senior roles.
Business casual
About $70–$120 new, less second-handPressed trousers or chinos, a collared or knit top, a layer and clean shoes. Right for most office, admin, retail management and tech interviews.
Men's pieces
Women's pieces
More budget categories
Shop by the single piece you need rather than a whole outfit.
Shoes under $60
Dark, closed-toe and clean. Buy plain over shiny, and break them in before the day.
Blazers & tailoring
One navy or charcoal jacket lifts a plain outfit into interview territory.
Shirts & blouses
Plain white, light blue or cream, with no logos or busy prints.
Trousers, skirts & dresses
Dark, hemmed and not tight. Knee-length or longer is the safe choice.
Belts, bags & small extras
Match the belt to the shoes, and carry something that closes.
Plus, tall & petite sizes
Fit beats the size on the label. Buy the cut made for your shape, then have it taken in.
The do's and don'ts
Do wear
- Buy for fit first: have trousers hemmed and sleeves shortened, about $10 to $15 at any dry cleaner.
- Keep it to three colours: navy, charcoal, grey or black, white or cream, and one quiet accent.
- Press or steam everything the night before, and lint-roll it just before you walk in.
- Match your belt to your shoes, and your metals to each other.
- Stay closed-toe, clean and polished, and keep the heel and sole intact.
- Dress one notch above what the company wears on an ordinary day.
- Check yourself seated, standing and on camera, because that is the view the employer gets.
Do not wear
- No logos, slogans, sports teams or graphics of any kind.
- No shorts, flip-flops, athletic wear or worn-out sneakers with your interview outfit.
- Nothing tight, baggy or low-cut, and nothing you have to keep pulling into place.
- No heavy cologne or perfume, and no loud or jangling jewelry.
- No wrinkles, stains, fading, pilling, missing buttons or broken zips.
- No hat, sunglasses or headphones in the room, even on a video call.
- Do not wear shoes you have never worn — break new ones in first.
- Do not borrow an outfit you have not tried on. Check it in a mirror and on camera beforehand.
Five pointers on how you come across
The outfit gets you to the interview. These five are what carry the first impression once you are in the room.
- 1
Fit beats price, every time
A $30 shirt that fits your shoulders and a $25 pair of trousers hemmed to your leg will out-read a designer suit off the rack. Budget for the dry cleaner before you budget for the brand.
- 2
Comfort is part of looking calm
If you are tugging a collar or guarding a waistband, it shows in your voice. Practise an answer out loud in the full outfit before interview day.
- 3
Grooming finishes the outfit
Tidy hair, trimmed nails, fresh breath, one light touch of scent at most. Clean and plain beats fancy and fussy.
- 4
Build one outfit you can trust
Settle on a single look that works, then repeat it. Interviewers remember your answers, not your variation, and a settled outfit removes one more decision on a nervous morning.
- 5
Do the dry run the day before
Lay the outfit out, put it on, sit, stand, walk and check it on camera. If something is wrong you still have a day to fix it instead of finding out in the parking lot.
Try it on camera before the real thing
Put the outfit on, open a mock interview with Roger or Raechel, and turn the camera on. They read your attire and tell you what to fix, then interview you in it so you are practised in what you are wearing.
Practise with the camera on