#dress shoes always clean and shiny; his dress shoes do not tend to have patterns on the front part either

[pressurebrew]

I know that espresso has suits made out of corduroy fabric-

[otheroutlandertales]

This story is a little different than what we usually write. We're starting a new series based on the time-traveling premise in Audrey Niffenegger's book The Time Traveler's Wife and we'll be expanding the story with various Outlander characters. This first installment features Jamie and a time-traveling Claire. 

The Time Traveler’s Family

by @abbydebeaupreposts

Strange the things you remember, the people, the places, the moments in time burned into the heart forever. Jamie Fraser has lived a life different from other men, for most men don’t have wives and children with temporal displacement disorder.

Part One: Chapter 1 - Lallybroch 1729

Jamie is 8, Claire is 27

The first time it happens after Craigh Na Dun, Claire is terrified. A bone-deep fear she hasn’t felt since she was five years old-- not since the very start of her temporal dissonance disorder. Since becoming a nurse, she has thought of her condition in clinical terms-- it makes her feel less of an oddity-- but no better prepared now than she was 22 years ago.

Her uncle Lamb had unceremoniously dropped her off at the boarding school he’d selected, handed her suitcase to the Matron, a starchy woman with an imposing bosom and shoes so well polished Claire could see the lights reflected in the tops of the toes. Then he’d patted her back and driven away. She’d followed the Matron to the long ward of beds that would be her new home. Claire didn’t want to live in this place with its screaming girls and unsmiling faces. She wanted her Daddy to rock her to sleep in the special chair by the fire, to feel her Mummy brush a kiss on her forehead and say “Night, night bug!” But they were gone and in that moment, her only thought was her own wish to be gone, too.

Claire’s next coherent thought was that it had all been a dream, a terrible awful dream. For here she was back in her bed, snug as a bug in a rug. She sighed deeply, only vaguely noticing that she was dressed in the same outfit she had been wearing in her nightmare about the boarding school. But Claire was too tired to slip on her nightie. As she rolled over she saw her own head on the pillow right next to her. She smiled thinking this was still part of her strange dream, closed her eyes and fell asleep again.

She was startled awake when the door of her room sprung open. She rolled out of the bed onto the thin strip of floor between the window and the bed frame. Claire looked back at the bed and saw that she hadn’t imagined it, there really was another Claire. She heard her Grandmere crying and noted the shocked expression on bed-Claire’s face, all of it felt far too familiar. Claire started screaming as if she could forestall her grandmother’s words. Yet, she knew them by heart.

“There’s been an accident, Julia and Henry are dead.”

The next thing she knew, Claire was back in the long ward, prostrate on the floor and unable to stop crying. She threw up all over Matron’s shiny shoes but even that didn’t end her hysteria. It only ended when Lamb came to get her and promised she can come stay with him.

Over the years, Claire has adapted to her rare condition. In fact, when she fell through the stones at Craigh Na Dun, she believed that it was just another time jump into her past.

Well, it certainly was that. Except this time, she didn’t just go back to her past, but The Past. A whole new century, as a matter of fact. But Claire was used to living in the impossible. The answers would come, as they always did, in time.

She’d spent two days riding now, in the company of these highlanders, and mile after mile, she kept waiting to snap back into her own time, certain at any moment she would awaken on the floor of Mrs Baird’s B & B, feeling nauseous, hungry and trying frantically to think up an excuse that Frank might accept.

Frank. Her heart squeezed when she thought of him and how frantic he would be. They’d married so quickly and spent so little time together during their marriage thus far, that it had never come up. She’d jumped a couple of times when with him, that was true, but in both cases she’d been missing from her own time only a few minutes. It had been easy to manage a plausible excuse on her return-- a bathroom visit, a forgotten item that had to be attended to in another room.

From previous jumps, Claire learned that time didn’t always move in a linear pattern in her present and past. Sometimes she’d discover that no matter how long she’d been in her past, upon her return to the present only five or ten minutes had elapsed. Other times, she’d come home to find the mail piled up for days.

Claire usually jumped to a familiar place-- her house, school, an archeological dig she’d been on with Uncle Lamb a few years ago.  On very rare occasions, Claire might find herself hundreds of miles away from anything recognizable. Up until the stones, those jumps were the scariest ones. For she knew no one, sometimes didn’t speak the language, had to be quick on her feet. She had three choices: blend in, flee or hide.  

There was no rhyme or reason to when, where or for how long she’d need to endure until she could make her way back to her own life in the present. She’d never jumped so far in the past, though and, in any case, Claire had no way to judge whether time was moving the same in Frank’s world. She had always known that at some point she’d jump and be gone for long enough that there would be a reckoning. Claire was quite certain that this time, her absence had not gone unnoticed.

Claire tries in vain to remember where she’s been and what she has just been doing before coming to this meadow. Ah, she remembers. She’d just finished tending to Jamie MacTavish’s shoulder. She’d been sitting in his lap and crying about her husband who was, most certainly, not alive. The feel of Jamie’s hands coming around her body, stroking her back, soft Gaelic words whispered in her ear. The smell of wet wool fading from his rapidly drying kilt and her burning cheeks as their eyes met in the firelight. The smirk on his lips as she’d leapt to her feet at the realization of a growing hardness underneath her. He told her to get some rest and closed the heavy door behind him. She’d seen the cot in the corner, thinking to take Jamie’s advice when the dizziness pulled at her. Thank God! She’d thought as the candles of Mrs. Fitz’s spare room faded from her vision, she would be home, back to Frank and the 20th Century in no time.

But she’d come to in this meadow instead, lying on all fours, retching in the dirt. She is wearing her torn, mud-splattered white dress, she can see, looking down her body. Her sturdy walking shoes that mark her, more than the dress, as an outsider...a sassenach.

She always arrives when she jumps wearing what she had on the second before she goes. That gives her trouble occasionally. Like when she was wearing trousers, a new fashion for women in the UK borne of necessity in the war for certain tasks, and jumped back to her own childhood where even little girls still wore petticoats under skirts, or worse, when she is taking a bath and makes a jump arriving in her birthday suit. That only happened once, though.

Yet, despite the clothing she instinctively knows she isn’t in Inverness. That her choice of dress will become problematic shortly. For it is too quiet in this meadow, and the air smells crisp and clean in a way it never does in her time. Claire needs water and food and something appropriate to cover herself in.

“Are ye well, mistress?”

Claire’s head snaps to her left and she sees a young boy, bright red hair and cat-like blue eyes. The eyes are familiar.

“No, no I’m not.” She manages, trying her best to place the face.

“Do ye need help, shall I call for my Da?” His face is full of freckles and concern.

“Uhmm, perhaps not just yet,” she says with more strength.

“Yer English!” It sounds like an accusation.

“I am,” she admits, smiling at his shocked expression.

“How come ye to be here, if I might ask?”

“Jamie! Jamie, lad did ye get the milk?”

Claire hears a voice ringing with the authority of a mother, but it’s far too high pitched in register to actually belong to one. She looks at the boy once more and places him immediately.

“Are you Jamie MacTavish?” Claire asks, happy to know at least this much.

“Nay, mistress, I’ve not heard of any by that name. I am Jamie Fraser, well, James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, to be precise. At your service.” The boy executes a very impressive formal bow. Claire stares at him once more. Those eyes she’d know anywhere, having spent the better part of the last two days glued to the man on horseback and staring back over her shoulder at him as they talked for hours and hours to pass the time on the ride.

“Jamie, ye wee gomerel!” The voice again.

“Coming Janet!” he shouts back, then gives the woman a sad smile. “My sister,” he tells her. “Ever since Mam died she’s been bossing me sunup to sundown.” There is something in his tone, a catch that makes her realize his grief is still fresh

“I am sorry for your loss,” Claire tells him. “My mother died when I was just a bit younger than you.”

Jamie doesn’t know what to say to that and his ears start to go pink.

“Do ye hide in the barn, lass, I’ll find you a blanket and you’ll be hungry?” He guesses and at that, her stomach growls which makes him laugh.

Claire is now positive that James of the many names Fraser is indeed her Jamie MacTavish, for he has the exact same glint of humor in those cat eyes, the same ready grin and charm. Jamie waits until Claire is kneeling upright before he turns to go. He makes it five feet before he spins back around on his heels and faces her again

“Oh, but mistress, here I’ve gone and introduced myself to ye but yer still a stranger to me. I dinna even ken yer name.

“Jamie!” His sister’s voice is much closer now.

“Hurry, Jamie!” Claire implores, hoping not to get caught for she hasn’t even been in this century-long enough to know what year it is, let alone had time to concoct a plausible excuse for her being there.

“Yer name!” he insists, with what she will only later come to recognize as Fraser stubbornness.

“You can call me Sassenach,” she tells him, “I’ll fill you in when you come back to the barn with food and a blanket.” She sighs in relief when that satisfies him enough to run back and cut his sister off before she can spot the woman hiding in the high grass behind the barn. Too late, Claire realizes she should have asked Jamie what year it was. Claire turns to head to the barn, not more than twenty feet away, when she feels light-headed. She doesn’t fight it, hoping that she’ll wake in Inverness in 1945.

Claire is jolted back to consciousness by the unmistakable voice of Mrs. Fitz.

“Up, up! The MacKenzie will be wanting a word wi’ ye. There is no time to waste!”

She recoils as Mrs. Fitz flings the bed coverings aside, flooding the room with daylight. Claire groans and falls back against the pillows as realization dawns. She is back at Leoch and lost in time.

[maritzaerwin]

What to Wear to an Interview: Quick Dressing Guide for Men and Women

Knowing exactly what to wear for an interview can be a real conundrum, especially when the company you are applying to has a mix of formal and informal dress codes. A front-of-house role may require wearing a more formal suit to work each day, so an interviewer may expect to see this reflected in your choice of an interview outfit.

But what if the position you are applying for will see you buried deep in the back office of the IT department? Smart but casual may be better for an interview of this sort. 

Ultimately, you have three styles to decide between:

Business formal

Business casual

Smart casual 

The tips below should help you make the right call! 

What to Wear to an Interview: 5 Quick Tips to Help You Decide

Do Your Research First 

As the popular lore tells, you should always dress for your job interview as if you already have the job. Thus, it can be helpful to do a bit of research before your interview on the company dress code. 

First of all, the type of organization that you are applying to will already tell you a lot about the likely dress code. For instance, you’d be better off wearing corporate classic attire (formal suite, neutral shirt, tie) if you are applying to a law firm. Or if you are interviewing at a creative advertising agency, wearing business casual or a fully casual creative outfit will be more appropriate. 

To get a better sense of what may work, browse staff pictures on social media or corporate website. These days many workplaces have relaxed dress codes where everyone is seen wearing shorts and t-shirts to work. This can often make an interviewee feel uncomfortable when they wear a smart suit for an interview, but find that the employer is dressed far more casually. You want to create a good first impression, but you also want to project the image that you would fit in well with the workplace culture and be seen as ‘one of the guys’.

Alternatively, can go past the employer building at the beginning or end of the day as the workers arrive or leave. This will give you an idea about what is acceptable and then aiming a little bit higher for your interview outfit.

Assess the Role You are After

The higher you aim – the more “dressed” you should be. Most senior-level positions will assume a higher degree of formality. On the other hand, coming overdressed for a lower-level position can also create the wrong impression. 

As one HRs recounts, a man applying for a position as a meat slicer at a deli came to the interview wearing a three-piece suit, a new tie, and a snazzy pair of shoes. The deli owner immediately contacted the recruiter saying that “he did not think this person was willing to get his hands dirty in the job.”

When In Doubt, Go With a Suite 

A suit is the most universal business professional attire that’s almost always appropriate. In fact, a recent survey by Randstad US states that even though most workplaces now have casual dress codes, 65% of employees still think it’s important to suit up for the job interview. HRs agree too with 33% saying that candidates should always wear a business formal suit to a job interview. 

But 37% also strengthened that the interview outfit choice should correlate with the position/department the person is applying to, plus the industry they work in. For instance, formal suits are preferred by 44% of HRs in finance, insurance, and real estate industries. However, only 23% of managers expect retail candidates to show up in one. All of this brings us to point one – always do your research!

Work from Backwards: What Not to Wear to an Interview

While most offices today are pretty lax and informal, allowing the folks to dress the way they like, there are still some big universal no-nos when it comes to your interview attire. The same Randstad survey indicates:

76% of respondents name ripped jeans inappropriate as workwear.

56% think the same about leggings.

55% name high heels (over three inches high) as unprofessional.

40% have the same feeling about open-toed shoes of any type. 

In addition to that, you should avoid:

Flashy jewelry and designer logos unless you want the interviewer to involuntary to obsess over these. 

Loud, busy prints. Just as logos, big patterns can steal the spotlight from you. 

Non-seasonal clothing – a fluffy sweater in mid-summer makes the other person question your choices. 

Poorly fitted clothes that are either too tight or too loose since these make you look sloppier and unprofessional.

Anything wrinkled for the same reason as above. 

Anything revealing as this will likely make the opposite party feel uncomfortable, plus send the wrong message about you. 

Ask About The Dress Code In Advance 

Lastly, if you cannot find enough information to guide you then it wouldn’t seem impolite to ask. You will need to confirm your invitation for the interview anyway, so add a quick note about the attire. Your question can go like this: 

Hello [Name],

Just wanted to confirm the interview on Thursday, February 9th at 1:00 pm. I’d be promptly on time, waiting for you in the lobby as you’ve previously noted. 

Could you also please advise me on the appropriate dress code at your company? 

Thank you very much in advance.

What to Wear to an Interview: Men Edition 

Once you’ve decided whether you want to go business formal, business casual, or smart casual, your further choice boils down to the details. 

Suit: For the guys, it is more traditional to go for dark and sober shades such as black, navy blue, or dark grey. While suits never really go out of fashion, it would help to choose a smart suit in a muted shade. Rock stars and celebrities may be able to get away with wearing shiny suits made from a material that could coat a frying pan, but you certainly should never wear one for a job interview!

Cotton material is preferable as linen tends to crease too easily leading you to look overly crumpled for your interview. During colder weather, opt for a wool/tweed suit and wear a formal coat over it or a warmer neutral colored sweater beneath. 

Shirt and tie: Again, opt for neutral colors – white, blue, beige, brown – that complement your complexion well. If your sense of fashion is limited, choose a plain shirt or one with small, non-busy patterns. 

The same goes for the tie. Your tie should complement your whole outfit, not stand out from it. So try to avoid distracting the interviewer by wearing a garish, bright tie. Also, if you are going with business casual, it’s OK to drop a tie unless you are aiming at the highest degree of formality. 

Shoes: Yours should be dark, plain, and polished. Nothing creates a bad impression like a scuffed and tatty looking pair of shoes – no matter how smart your suit is!

Belt and socks: Match it to the color of your shoes. Same for socks – avoid flashy colorful patterns unless they are an integral part of your creative smart casual outfit. But remember: not everyone can successfully pull off a Justin Trudeau!

What to Wear to an Interview: Women Edition 

Gals have more options! First, of all, you have a choice of wearing a skirt or trousers for a job formal interview. As a general rule, the skirt hemline shouldn’t be too short. Most skirt suits you can buy off the peg tend to have the skirt cut to about 2 inches above the knee, but you can buy suits with longer skirt lengths too.

Trousers should be well-fitted, but not too tight. Also, choose your pantyhose and lingerie carefully to avoid any awkward lines. 

Suit or Jacket. If you want to get dressed in business formal style, opt for a conservative suit/jacket in dark colors – black, grey, navy, or dark brown. Depending on the season, it is perfectly acceptable to wear a lighter shade of suit, especially during the spring or summer. 

Avoid cheap synthetic materials as these typically don’t fit well, plus have an awkward shine. Cotton, wool, and tweed mixes typically work best.

For formal interviews, it is wise to keep suits plain, but you can add a dash of interest with a patterned scarf or elegant jewelry piece. 

If you opt for a business casual or smart casual look, you can replace the jacket with a cardigan, paired with a skirt, pants, or a business dress. Again, opt for something neutrally colored without many adornments. Also avoid wearing those huge, wooly, and fluffy cardigans even if the weather’s chilly. 

Shirt or top. For formal interviews, choose a neutral colored button-up that doesn’t reveal any cleavage. Silk blouses will certainly look more elegant, but they wrinkle a lot, so make sure yours is freshly pressed. Otherwise, opt for a standard cotton shirt or top. 

Turtlenecks and pullover sweaters in neutral colors are a good alternative for colder weather. Again, make sure that you choose a well-fitted garment without any bright patterns or “pills”.

Shoes should also be kept at a sensible heel height and be quite regular in design. Avoid stacked heels and bejeweled toes – leave those for a night out with the girls. Flats are alight for a business casual/smart casual outfit. 

Accessories. Opt for dainty jewelry, instead of bling pieces. Consider removing ring/bracelet stacks unless they are part of your ‘signature’ creative style that works well with the rest of your outfit.

Bring a professional leather purse or briefcase to stack all the tidbits you need to bring for the job interview. Ideally, it’s best to avoid anything with flash logos unless you are certain that your statement bag will convey an extra ‘power’ message to the recruiter. 

To Conclude 

Plan your interview outfit the day ahead and make sure that all your items are clean, well-ironed, and looking good together. 

If you are still in doubt after giving your interview outfit that final check, take it one step further on the formal side. It’s always best to appear one notch above the people you are interviewing with than a tad underdressed for the occasion!

This article has been originally published on September 28, 2016 and has been extensively revised and updated on January 7, 2021.

The post What to Wear to an Interview: Quick Dressing Guide for Men and Women appeared first on Freesumes.com.

What to Wear to an Interview: Quick Dressing Guide for Men and Women published first on https://skillsireweb.tumblr.com/

[kadobeclothing]

A Guide To Men’s Shoe Colour Combinations

If it’s true that a man’s outfit is assessed from his shoes up, then it’s their shade that first colours someone’s judgement. Footwear, like everything else in menswear, has grown less rigid recently — these days you can wear Oxfords with jeans and trainers with a suit. But the key to pulling either off is in colour-matching; get the shade wrong, and you can look like a car salesman on a night out or like you’ve changed into your comfy shoes for your commute.And as with everything else in your wardrobe, nailing colour is at once the simplest and the hardest thing about getting dressed in the morning. It’s easy to stick to tonal combinations — black shoes with black trousers, brown shoes with tan chinos — and never put a foot wrong. But it’s a path that can swiftly lead to sartorial tedium as well as financial ruin. Unless you intend to only ever wear a couple of colours of trousers, you’d need a rainbow of footwear to give you enough options.“A black pair of shoes would be the smartest colour, in my opinion, because it’s an absolute must-have in every man’s wardrobe,” says Andrew Nicholas Vieira, senior director of men’s product development at Aldo. “Everyone needs a clean, simple black leather lace-up.“Your next colour in line would be tan. That’s where I’d recommend opting for a style with more detailing, like toe cap or brogue. Overall, I don’t believe there’s a least-smart colour, but the true miss would be not exploring your options. My recommendation would be to have fun with your decorated silhouettes and keep your black pairs classic.”For the shoe colour novice, there are some basic rules to guide your choice each morning.Block colours are always smarter than anything multicoloured.Generally, darker tones are smarter than lighter. They’re more versatile, too.Smartness is dictated by decoration as well as shade: black Derbies are smarter than tan, but chocolate Oxfords can be more refined than both.Trainers and smart shoes obey different rules: white Oxfords are slightly weird, but white trainers will work with anything in your wardrobe.It doesn’t matter what colour your shoes are if they’re scuffed. Find a polish that matches, or a neutral polish if you’ve gone for something wilder, and keep them in good nick. They’ll last longer, too.If you’re wearing something bright on your feet, then anchor them with neutrals elsewhere. Bold shoes are easier to pull off if you’re not also wearing a Hawaiian shirt.Black ShoesIn almost every circumstance, black shoes are the smartest version in any category.“A pair of black Oxfords is probably the most dressed-up shoe you can have in your wardrobe,” says Luke McDonald, stylist at men’s online styling service Thread. “And that limits what other clothes you can wear them with.” You can think of them a little like a black blazer; they look great dressed up, but try them with jeans and you begin to look like a street magician.To start from the top down, black should be your go-to for black tailoring, whether you need something for black tie or just a formal work shoe. “They also team well with grey or charcoal tailoring, particularly in more formal offices,” says McDonald. Despite what some folks think, wearing black with blue won’t bruise your sartorial ego, although stick to darker shades of navy rather than something more celebratory, like royal blue.Casual trousers are trickier. If you’re going to wear black shoes with chinos in the brown spectrum, then stick to less formal styles. “A derby looks better than an Oxford as it’s a bit chunkier and more relaxed,” says McDonald. The same goes with jeans. “Oxfords would only ever work with very slim black jeans, and even then you’re going to look like a forgotten member of the Libertines.” If you insist on black shoes with your dark denim, then it’s best to go for something like Chelsea boots or Dr. Martens.If you’re the kind of guy who likes his chinos colourful, then the sudden shift to black shoes can feel a bit severe. You can lessen the impact by cuffing the hems and even losing the socks, and making your shoe style as dressed-down as possible — loafers are preferable to anything with laces.Finally, you should probably avoid shorts and black shoes once you’re out of school uniform.Brown ShoesBrown is the most forgiving shade of smart shoes. The breadth of browns available means that there’s a tone for almost any situation, bar the very smartest offices; even a pair of bespoke chocolate John Lobbs will have you blackballed in some investment banks. But with anything other than a black suit or tuxedo, brown shoes add personality and feel a touch less stuffy.“The lighter the shade, the more relaxed the look,” says McDonald, “particularly if you add detail, too.” A pair of brown brogues are less formal than the same shade Oxfords, for example.Away from tailoring, brown should be your go-to for chinos of any colour, although be careful not to match too closely; like with double denim, you want at least two shades of difference between your trousers and your shoes, lest you look like you’re wearing the bottom half of a onesie.Darker browns look great with indigo denim but can work just as well with more washed out shades. Just make sure that you step down into a less formal style — suede Chelsea boots are perfect, as are chunky brown worker boots.Black jeans and brown shoes is a minefield of differing opinion and one not worth marching into if you’ve any personal doubts. But if you’re confident, then it’s a look that can work, so long as you stick to shoes in a shade that’s nearer black than tan. Although again, boots are easier to pull off, here, particularly Chelseas, which give you the air of someone who’s just left One Direction to find a direction of their own.Oxblood ShoesThough technically a colour, oxblood can act almost as a neutral. They tend to work in almost exactly the same way as brown, although because they’re a touch bolder. They tend to lend whatever you’re wearing an ounce or two more of personality. “Making a statement with smart shoes shouldn’t mean going too far out of your comfort zone,” says Vieira. “Instead of opting for an extravagant style, it could be as simple as integrating new colourways in silhouettes you already wear on a daily basis.”That said, it’s still easier to pull off oxblood if you dress them down a touch; Derbies are a more versatile choice than Oxfords because, while they won’t work with your smartest suits, you can wear them with everything from navy tailoring to jeans and chinos. That said, if you live in suits, a pair of burnished, oxblood Oxfords, with a Berluti-style patina, can be a distinctive way to make them feel more varied. They’re particularly good for making your workwear wedding-ready.Casual styles offer much more leeway. The oxblood penny loafer is a classic and can be your summer go-to with anything from light-wash denim to tan, navy and even colourful chinos. Ditch the socks and cuff the hems for a Dickie-Greenleaf-on-the-Riviera feel.Tan ShoesTan is brown’s most casual tone. “It’s best on more relaxed styles like brogue derbies or boots,” says McDonald. “Tan suede shoes can also look good, but you need to wear them with fairly informal outfits.” In smarter styles, tan is a good way to personalise an outfit — the kind of look-at-me tailoring that pervades Pitti Uomo is often accessorised by a tan loafer or brogue. It’s a particularly good anchor for brighter shades of blue or to take the stuffiness out of patterns like pinstripes.Tan works well with jeans of all shades and chinos of any colour, especially in summer when they serve to lighten your look up a bit. You can even get away with wearing tan shoes with shorts, particularly if you go with something laceless like a penny loafer or something with texture, like suede.Blue ShoesBlue can be an uncomfortable colour for smart shoes — though it’s a staple neutral everywhere else in your wardrobe, shiny blue leather tends to look a little try-hard. Once you step into more casual styles, however, blue is a perfect way to add some personality to looks. Textured leathers like nubuck work well in navy, says Vieira, and can even be worn as a pop of unexpected colour in black casual outfits.Like nubuck, suede is an Elvis-approved way to pull off blue shoes; the raised nap adds a depth that you don’t get with leather, which makes blue shoes seem considered rather than flashy. So long as you don’t try to dress them up too far, blue suede brogues work well with any colour of suit (so long as it’s not black) and the same for chinos, particularly with an ankle-flashing roll.More casual still, navy is perfect for desert and chukka boots, especially since it’s dark enough not to show rainspots if you do get caught in a shower. “Both styles look great with jeans,” says McDonald. “They’re rugged, but still smart enough for a nice restaurant or bar.” But again, try not to match your shoes and trouser shades too closely. If in doubt, use a brighter sock in a complementary shade, like red, to break things up a little bit.White TrainersWhen Common Projects launched its Achilles Low almost 15 years ago, the Italian-American shoe brand helped cement a new category in menswear: the sneaker that acted like a smart shoe. Though all-white tennis shoes weren’t new — Adidas was already pumping out Stan Smiths, although not quite in the numbers they do post-Common Projects — they weren’t something that you could wear as easily with a suit as you could with denim shorts.But now, so long as you get a completely clean pair, free from logos and crafted in premium leather, white minimalist trainers can be worn with just about anything (in the right context, of course; they’re probably not the best thing to pair with tailoring for partnership interviews at your law firm).They’ll work with any suit, even black — although you’re best swapping the shirt and tie for something like a roll neck or long-sleeved polo — and look great with any pair of jeans, from premium Japanese selvedge to shredded stonewash. Same for chinos, for shorts, for parachute pants; whatever trousers you’ve got, white trainers will work.In fact, the only tricky thing about white trainers is keeping them that way. “Box-fresh versions work with a suit,” says McDonald. “Battered, stained sneakers don’t. To keep them pristine, prep them with Crep Protect spray, and then keep some babywipes in your bag or desk drawer for touch-ups during the day.”Colourful TrainersWhere white trainers led, its brighter plumaged brethren followed. Time was that bold-hued sneakers were only for exercise. Now, they’ve crept from the streets into offices, an eye-catching way to show your affinity for the latest hype brand and Nike drop. “But all those colours make them much less versatile,” says McDonald. “In fact, they only really work with neutrals, unless you’re able to pull off some very advanced colour-matching.” Even then, you’re liable to leave onlookers with a migraine.Because colourful trainers are so casual, you’re wisest sticking to jeans (anything from white to washed to black is fine), joggers (think grey, black or navy) or chinos (tan and navy are safest). ”You should let your shoes do the talking,” says McDonald. “If they’re the brightest thing in your outfit, then they’ll draw the eye. If you have too many other bright colours, people won’t know where to look.” Source link

source https://www.kadobeclothing.store/a-guide-to-mens-shoe-colour-combinations/

[maritzaerwin]

What to Wear to an Interview: Quick Dressing Guide for Men and Women

Knowing exactly what to wear for an interview can be a real conundrum, especially when the company you are applying to has a mix of formal and informal dress codes. A front-of-house role may require wearing a more formal suit to work each day, so an interviewer may expect to see this reflected in your choice of an interview outfit.

But what if the position you are applying for will see you buried deep in the back office of the IT department? Smart but casual may be better for an interview of this sort. 

Ultimately, you have three styles to decide between:

Business formal

Business casual

Smart casual 

The tips below should help you make the right call! 

What to Wear to an Interview: 5 Quick Tips to Help You Decide

Do Your Research First 

As the popular lore tells, you should always dress for your job interview as if you already have the job. Thus, it can be helpful to do a bit of research before your interview on the company dress code. 

First of all, the type of organization that you are applying to will already tell you a lot about the likely dress code. For instance, you’d be better off wearing corporate classic attire (formal suite, neutral shirt, tie) if you are applying to a law firm. Or if you are interviewing at a creative advertising agency, wearing business casual or a fully casual creative outfit will be more appropriate. 

To get a better sense of what may work, browse staff pictures on social media or corporate website. These days many workplaces have relaxed dress codes where everyone is seen wearing shorts and t-shirts to work. This can often make an interviewee feel uncomfortable when they wear a smart suit for an interview, but find that the employer is dressed far more casually. You want to create a good first impression, but you also want to project the image that you would fit in well with the workplace culture and be seen as ‘one of the guys’.

Alternatively, can go past the employer building at the beginning or end of the day as the workers arrive or leave. This will give you an idea about what is acceptable and then aiming a little bit higher for your interview outfit.

Assess the Role You are After

The higher you aim – the more “dressed” you should be. Most senior-level positions will assume a higher degree of formality. On the other hand, coming overdressed for a lower-level position can also create the wrong impression. 

As one HRs recounts, a man applying for a position as a meat slicer at a deli came to the interview wearing a three-piece suit, a new tie, and a snazzy pair of shoes. The deli owner immediately contacted the recruiter saying that “he did not think this person was willing to get his hands dirty in the job.”

When In Doubt, Go With a Suite 

A suit is the most universal business professional attire that’s almost always appropriate. In fact, a recent survey by Randstad US states that even though most workplaces now have casual dress codes, 65% of employees still think it’s important to suit up for the job interview. HRs agree too with 33% saying that candidates should always wear a business formal suit to a job interview. 

But 37% also strengthened that the interview outfit choice should correlate with the position/department the person is applying to, plus the industry they work in. For instance, formal suits are preferred by 44% of HRs in finance, insurance, and real estate industries. However, only 23% of managers expect retail candidates to show up in one. All of this brings us to point one – always do your research!

Work from Backwards: What Not to Wear to an Interview

While most offices today are pretty lax and informal, allowing the folks to dress the way they like, there are still some big universal no-nos when it comes to your interview attire. The same Randstad survey indicates:

76% of respondents name ripped jeans inappropriate as workwear.

56% think the same about leggings.

55% name high heels (over three inches high) as unprofessional.

40% have the same feeling about open-toed shoes of any type. 

In addition to that, you should avoid:

Flashy jewelry and designer logos unless you want the interviewer to involuntary to obsess over these. 

Loud, busy prints. Just as logos, big patterns can steal the spotlight from you. 

Non-seasonal clothing – a fluffy sweater in mid-summer makes the other person question your choices. 

Poorly fitted clothes that are either too tight or too loose since these make you look sloppier and unprofessional.

Anything wrinkled for the same reason as above. 

Anything revealing as this will likely make the opposite party feel uncomfortable, plus send the wrong message about you. 

Ask About The Dress Code In Advance 

Lastly, if you cannot find enough information to guide you then it wouldn’t seem impolite to ask. You will need to confirm your invitation for the interview anyway, so add a quick note about the attire. Your question can go like this: 

Hello [Name],

Just wanted to confirm the interview on Thursday, February 9th at 1:00 pm. I’d be promptly on time, waiting for you in the lobby as you’ve previously noted. 

Could you also please advise me on the appropriate dress code at your company? 

Thank you very much in advance.

What to Wear to an Interview: Men Edition 

Once you’ve decided whether you want to go business formal, business casual, or smart casual, your further choice boils down to the details. 

Suit: For the guys, it is more traditional to go for dark and sober shades such as black, navy blue, or dark grey. While suits never really go out of fashion, it would help to choose a smart suit in a muted shade. Rock stars and celebrities may be able to get away with wearing shiny suits made from a material that could coat a frying pan, but you certainly should never wear one for a job interview!

Cotton material is preferable as linen tends to crease too easily leading you to look overly crumpled for your interview. During colder weather, opt for a wool/tweed suit and wear a formal coat over it or a warmer neutral colored sweater beneath. 

Shirt and tie: Again, opt for neutral colors – white, blue, beige, brown – that complement your complexion well. If your sense of fashion is limited, choose a plain shirt or one with small, non-busy patterns. 

The same goes for the tie. Your tie should complement your whole outfit, not stand out from it. So try to avoid distracting the interviewer by wearing a garish, bright tie. Also, if you are going with business casual, it’s OK to drop a tie unless you are aiming at the highest degree of formality. 

Shoes: Yours should be dark, plain, and polished. Nothing creates a bad impression like a scuffed and tatty looking pair of shoes – no matter how smart your suit is!

Belt and socks: Match it to the color of your shoes. Same for socks – avoid flashy colorful patterns unless they are an integral part of your creative smart casual outfit. But remember: not everyone can successfully pull off a Justin Trudeau!

What to Wear to an Interview: Women Edition 

Gals have more options! First, of all, you have a choice of wearing a skirt or trousers for a job formal interview. As a general rule, the skirt hemline shouldn’t be too short. Most skirt suits you can buy off the peg tend to have the skirt cut to about 2 inches above the knee, but you can buy suits with longer skirt lengths too.

Trousers should be well-fitted, but not too tight. Also, choose your pantyhose and lingerie carefully to avoid any awkward lines. 

Suit or Jacket. If you want to get dressed in business formal style, opt for a conservative suit/jacket in dark colors – black, grey, navy, or dark brown. Depending on the season, it is perfectly acceptable to wear a lighter shade of suit, especially during the spring or summer. 

Avoid cheap synthetic materials as these typically don’t fit well, plus have an awkward shine. Cotton, wool, and tweed mixes typically work best.

For formal interviews, it is wise to keep suits plain, but you can add a dash of interest with a patterned scarf or elegant jewelry piece. 

If you opt for a business casual or smart casual look, you can replace the jacket with a cardigan, paired with a skirt, pants, or a business dress. Again, opt for something neutrally colored without many adornments. Also avoid wearing those huge, wooly, and fluffy cardigans even if the weather’s chilly. 

Shirt or top. For formal interviews, choose a neutral colored button-up that doesn’t reveal any cleavage. Silk blouses will certainly look more elegant, but they wrinkle a lot, so make sure yours is freshly pressed. Otherwise, opt for a standard cotton shirt or top. 

Turtlenecks and pullover sweaters in neutral colors are a good alternative for colder weather. Again, make sure that you choose a well-fitted garment without any bright patterns or “pills”.

Shoes should also be kept at a sensible heel height and be quite regular in design. Avoid stacked heels and bejeweled toes – leave those for a night out with the girls. Flats are alight for a business casual/smart casual outfit. 

Accessories. Opt for dainty jewelry, instead of bling pieces. Consider removing ring/bracelet stacks unless they are part of your ‘signature’ creative style that works well with the rest of your outfit.

Bring a professional leather purse or briefcase to stack all the tidbits you need to bring for the job interview. Ideally, it’s best to avoid anything with flash logos unless you are certain that your statement bag will convey an extra ‘power’ message to the recruiter. 

To Conclude 

Plan your interview outfit the day ahead and make sure that all your items are clean, well-ironed, and looking good together. 

If you are still in doubt after giving your interview outfit that final check, take it one step further on the formal side. It’s always best to appear one notch above the people you are interviewing with than a tad underdressed for the occasion!

This article has been originally published on September 28, 2016 and has been extensively revised and updated on January 7, 2021.

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