to think looking attractive will help me get the job?

[moustachio]

interview tomorrow and DP thinks I should wear my black primark suit. It's ill fitting but I don't have much money and was the best i could afford. My other option is this dress www.amychildsofficial.co.uk/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=94&product_id=298 . DP says that it's better to play it safe in white shirt & black suit rather than feel stupid.

I think looking good in the dress is much better than the frumpy suit! His office is full of techy people. I don't think he understands women do wear more fashionable things to offices nowdays. Any opinions? I know it's not right, but I do think that flattering my figure and looking 'pretty' will help with my confidence if nothing else!

i agree its the boob bit that makes it inappropriate, have you tired it on>

if your buying some thing why not get some proper fitting trousher and blouse?

You'll look awesome.

I think it would be much more appropriate for you to be wearing clothes that fit you and that you feel comfortable and confident in, than an ill fitting primark suit. I think some of the pearl clutchers on this thread are being a little bit well pearl clutchy, the dress really isn't at all inappropriate for office wear, and there are some really good tips on this thread about how you can style it to create a workplace professional look from it.

On the whole, unless you are planning to wear something completely off the wall people generally take more notice of how people wear their clothes than what they are wearing (within reason of course, don't turn up in a night clubbing outfit to test the theory ). Also whilst we'd all love it if we were only judged on our brains and our abilities the truth is that people are generally quite shallow and looking good is equated with success.

MrsL not you mention it pearls would look awesome!

*now

I've had enough snotty comments from women in my office to know that frumpy ill-fitting suits are not acceptable. I wore a couple nice dresses, (similar to that one) and got a lot of "you look smart" comments. That dress is fairly conservative compared to what I've seen some people wear! Go in what you feel most confident in!

I now know that Amy Childs was on TOWIE.

And that Paul Hollywood is a baker not the permatanned dancer I've been confusing him with.

Today has been an informative day.

Good luck with your interview!

Don't wear the suit you have. You want to feel 'polished' and well put together. Either wear that frock and pare it down as others' have suggested, or go into DP's or M&S. I bought two really nice fitted dresses with 'illusion panels' (I think they're called that!) for Court recently, which would have worked a treat for an interview. I was surprised to get something so stylish and reasonably priced from M&S (The dresses were £45 each)

I would go for the dress personally as long as boobs are not remotely on show, not even a hint of cleavage is acceptable for an interview unless it is for FHM IMO but by your accounts your boobs will not be so no problem. I was looking at very polished women in a posh lunch venue today where all of the men were in suits and most of the women dresses. I was surprised and decided there and then I need to review my professional look. They looked great. I was also visiting a consultant today I've had a busy day where the consultant had a trouser suit on and the registrar a dress and I totally concluded that the dress looked better in hindsight.

My initial reaction was no - but after you updated I think go for the dress. I'd wear it with a jacket or something too though, it's too informal as just a dress.

Please don't wear a scarf, you'll look like an air hostess

Oh, and YABU to think "will lookin attractive get me the job". It's not the 50s.

The neckline on that dress is totally inappropriate for an interview. Although the dress isn't particularly low cut, the neckline is shaped in a way to draw attention to the decolletage, which is not what you need for an interview at all, unless the job is one where your looks are more important than your capabilities. Your DP is right.

If in doubt, leave it out .

If as you say that dress isn't showing an eyeful of boob a la Ms Child, then go for it - for what it's worth, in my City lawyer office things have really changed over the last decade - hardly any of my colleagues wear skirt suits these days, it's all dresses and matching/contrasting jackets. Much better to feel confident than feel dowdy in something you hate.

the cleavage issue is key, but I am inclined to say go for the dress.
What industry is in the interview in?
Do you have a jacket you can wear with the dress to business it up a bit?

Maybe wear the dress with a nice scarf tied in such a way that there is not quite so much skin showing?

Pearl clutchers ? Do me a favour. Of course it depends on the job, but I have also been on many interview panels and a "booby" dress like this would not make a good impression. High fashion has no place in an interview, unless it's for that type of job.

IMO.

FWIW, I don't veto all dresses for an interview, just the type of ones that Amy Childs wears.

That dress might look better without the stupid push-up bra, but for an academic job interview you can't ever go wrong with a suit.

What Fellatio said.

It isn't about the amount of cleavage shown. It is about the fact that the dress is deliberately designed to draw the onlooker's eyes onto one particular spot.

If it's an academic interview, then surely you want people to focus on your head, you know, the bit where you keep your brains. A smart business dress is just right because it doesn't draw attention away from that. This dress does.

To me it speaks of insecurity: I don't expect to get in on brains or qualifications alone.

I wear similar dresses - depends how cleavagey it looks tbh. I wouldn't wear something low cut, but I would wear a fitted pencil skirted dress like that. I am flat chested anyway so never look booby in anything really unless I want it to.

I think also the fabric - does it look decent on that dress? Some dresses look fine but some can look cheap and nasty in their shininess.

Also styling - it would be an evening dress if you wore it bare legged with those revolting platform shoes that youngsters wear (call me nan), but with tights and sensible shoes (you know what I mean, just plain courts or something and not clodhoppers/sandals) it could be oK. Mind you looking at it again the neckline is very low indeed. And you cant wear a cardigan or something with it. Perhaps it is too dressy.

Is your suit really that revolting? It may be the better bet after all. Especially when you need to look as if you can get stuck in.

I know that if you wore that for an interview at my place, you would be talked about for the wrong reasons. So no dont wear this.

I don't wear similar dresses. I wear fitted ones though.

But that neckline I think is too low.

Don't wear the suit if you don't like it! In my experience if you feel uncomfortable you come across as being uncomfortable, if you feel confident and comfortable in what you're wearing then you come across as relaxed but confident.....which is surely the impression you want to give in a job interview, particularly one for the position/industry you've described??! It ain't rocket science...!

Anyway chuck a matching jacket over the top and it IS a suit, surely?? Nice scarf if you're booby, nice shoes.....you'll look great.

Having said that I work in an environment where people are largely very scruffy/frumpy. Lots of socks with sandals etc. If someone comes in wearing a suit it gets commented on...!

I think the Amy Childs link is (understandably) putting people off that dress. But I think it's fine and not too revealing, I presume you wouldn't be bright orange and wearing a pushup bra? Pair it with a blazer and it would be really lovely and quite modest.

I am thankful every day that I don't work in a 'black trouser suit' environment.