Now that some belt-tightening is the "in" thing despite the odd cheery optimism, its a must once more to present a good image on first impression. The necessity all the more heightens and intensifies when we talk about going for the all-critical job interview. Regardless of the dress code of the company you are visiting, the one who gets hired uses elegance to send the signal of reliability and responsibility. The rule of thumb here is to err on the side of conservatism when in doubt how to style yourself for an interview.



Businessweek ups the ante by saying that it isn't 100% valid anymore to arrive in mens suits. It argues that most companies are not particular about that tie, or the Louis Vuitton purse, but about how you fit and moreover, how you help to improve the corporate culture and look the part. By all means, there is no harm in going all out in spending if playing and acting the part of the company means showing fashion sense. For others, just looking good-on your target company's terms-means you may be looking at a good job offer.

So let's talk about the meat, as it were, of the matter: a two-piece matched suit is hands-down the prudent choice. A suit jacket is never paired with pants that don't match; to do so would throw suspicion on how unpredictable your personality is.

Wearing black mens suits to the power meeting is the subject of many a long-winded debate nowadays. Take a good look at your personality and built to determine if you can handle the alleged "severity" of a white shirt with a black mens suit. There is a possible danger in looking a little overdressed in black and white; but then again it may be all in your mind, and instead you simply look better dressed than the rest.

Now, about your choices for your inside shirt. If you're set on something aside from being automatic on white, your next best bet is on a very light shade of your eye color-how about a tannish off-white if your eye color is brown? Personally, the riskiest it can get in terms of color gambling is combining pink with the already risky black suit.

So back to mens suits. If we can have our way over those betting on black suits, navy blue and dark gray are the most conservative for men. Other color trends are simply fancies and whims, so skip them. The fabrics which you will want to be in your mens suits will consist of wool, wool blends, or very high quality blends with natural fiber.

You are definitely not obliged to be able to spend on clothing that the CEO wears. But what is expected is that Do invest in quality that will look appropriate during your first two or three years on the job. One good quality suit is sufficient for a job search if that is all your budget allows. You can vary your shirt and tie.