How to look successful before you've even got the job? Be polished, appropriate, pulled-together—and still be yourself. Four women in career transitions show their winning interview style. Below, the experts weigh in.
  • Overall polish is what Jennifer Bruch, human resources director at a major investment bank, notices first. That means well-tailored clothes you're comfortable in.

  • If you're planning on wearing your trustworthy "interview" suit, try it on in advance to make sure it still fits and doesn't seem dated, says Ann Taylor president Christine Beauchamp.

  • Unique accessories help interviewers remember you. Tasteful self-expression pays off even with conservative employers, Bruch says.

  • Dress up, not down—both Beauchamp and Bruch say that more formality indicates seriousness and dedication.


  • Inappropriate choices demonstrate poor judgment. Michelle Hucks, human resources director for Hearst Corporation, says she has encountered stained clothing, flip-flops, brazen cleavage, short skirts, strong perfume—not the surest way to make a good impression. 

    Get ideas for what you should wear to your next interview
    • Photo: Alex Beauchesne
    From the April 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

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