STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

First thing, Congrats!!!

Second, I would think business casual would be a good way to go. A pencil skirt, a shirt, some simple jewelery and a pair of office pumps would make you look professional. I figure that it's better to be the "well dressed one" for any sort of interview. Hopefully it'll help make you stand out from the crowd.

I really like 2 and 3

I vote for #1.  With the competition I've seen for getting into healthcare education programs these days at community colleges, I would aim for the safer end of the spectrum.  Congratulations on getting a call-back!

I like #1

Elle wrote:

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I don't love the button down look in general, at least not in work-wear.  It's just so ... expected?  Masculine?  I want to look nice and appropriate, but I don't want to blend in with the masses.  The only thing I would hesitate about for a second is the bare legs, but it seems to be a non-issue in most places now, save for very formal offices? 

I find it totally perplexing that there wouldn't be a single person wearing a skirt in a group so large, relrel!  Was it a predominantly female group?  Academichic just did a round-table discussion post about menswear predominating in the workplace, and how more feminine (but equally appropriate) dress  is generally viewed as less professional.  It was a thought-provoking discussion, and is in part responsible for these skirt outfits .  I don't want to try to man-up for this interview, but I also don't want to alienate the advisors/program staff by looking overy fussy ...

I got a black shell today and am going to keep an eye out for another grey top to swap out for that tee - I've got a deep teal cardi that I'm going to try and maybe I'll put a pic of a button-down outfit in, just for you relrel.  More pics to come.

 

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I also actually dislike the button-down in general too, but I often find myself in a situation where I might just want to class the joint up a little, ya know? What I do usually is to pair the button-down with a cardi, but to roll up the sleeves and shove the cardi sleeves up so that the button-down rolled-up sleeves actually come out below the cardi. Does that make any sense at all?

Seriously, I'm thinking back over all the thesis proposals and defenses and that first adviser meeting and even our graduation dinner and things like alumni dinners at conferences post-graduation. I'm thinking there was maybe five or so skirts the entire time. And the field in general is female dominated, but out of the entire class, I would guess maybe twenty guys.

I'm wondering if this is a health-career related thing, because I'm also trying to think about all the docs and NPs and basically everybody that doesn't have to wear scrubs and in day-to-day work, there aren't skirts much of anywhere. If there is a skirt, it's paired with a nice jacket.

Lord, but now that I'm really thinking about it, I think that I wore a dress to both of my interviews with the boss I have now. Take that with a grain of salt!

Anyway, I think you should wear what you would wear on a job interview. I only applied to one master's program, and I wore the standard dress pants/button down to the times I spent at the school pre-enrollment.

Dude...that was a really long-winded post. Maybe I'm just super excited for you? :)

 

relrel, I guess I wouldn't mind a button down if it was funked up a bit with the sleeves rolled.  I'll try it, but I only saved one button down from my office-days, and it's ruched and pinstriped so I doubt I'd look terribly plain in it!

Thank you for the excitement!  I'm displacing my anxiety over these interviews/essays into my outfit choices, personally.  And now analyzing the state of feminine dress in academia.

I'm heading out to two more stores today in search of top options, and it's supposed to be sunny today, so I'll post some more outfit options this afternoon. 

Good luck! My advice would be to tone it down A LOT. One colored item, no red shoes. You are looking quirky cute and fashionable but it will only play as a distraction for the scenario you are describing.