To think that a suit isn't necessary

[Bellabooboo]

I am due to go for a job interview next week for a mid level HR role at a school in the south west. I haven't had an interview in 6 years.

I am considering wearing perhaps a shirt dress with smart heels or a shirt and patterned skirt rather than a stuffy black suit with a white shirt.

AIBU?

Sounds fine

Both outfits you've suggested could look good or terribly casual depending on what they actually are made of! And a suit doesn't have to be worn with a white shirt or look stuffy. Schools are quite into stuff though, generally:

A dress would be fine but a shirt dress sounds a bit too casual. Skirt and shirt could work but they would need to be very dressy.

Personally I would wear some sort of jacket maybe with a dress?

I agree, depending on the company suits can look stuffy at an interview. Smart trousers and a nice top or an appropriate dress can look just as smart and a lot more stylish

I haven't owned a complete suit for 20 years and have got plenty of (office) jobs. Suit trousers or skirt and a smart top are sufficient, with smart court shoes (pumps?). I think an entire suit is a bit weird and try-hard.

Is it a secondary academy as they might have quite a strict dress code - whereas a LEA Infants might be more relaxed.

I recruit in my school and would be disappointed not to see a jacket. Dress, trousers, skirt whatever, but arrive in a jacket.

I will definitely wear a jacket. I was thinking something like this.

www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/womens-new-in/dresses/ww193-blu/womens-solstice-blue-tile-heart-posy-shirt-dress

Where to find a jacket though in the middle of July?

Its an indépendant senior school.

You need to wear a suit. Or formal skirt and jacket.

I work at an independent school. No one expects suits - just 'smart' so I'd go with second choice.

Dress how you'd dress if you got the job. Personally I'd never wear a suit, for an interview or otherwise - if I'm not the right person for the job because of that, then so be it.

I really wouldn't go without a jacket. You can wear something that's not a white shirt underneath, you know

Shirt dress sounds too casual for an interview.

That dress isn't n smart enough for an interview IMO.

You need something tailored. It doesn't have to be a suit or black but it has to look like you are taking the interview seriously.

*I would be disappointed not to see a jacket."

Life must be a series of disappointments. Why do you need to see a jacket? What if it's really, really hot.

" I think an entire suit is a bit weird and try-hard."

Surely N0ne you are supposed to be "trying hard" in an interview? There's nothing at all weird about suits.

However I don't think a dress on it's own is necessarily a bad idea - you just need it to be an awesome dress.

The "stuffy suit" would be a better option than the frumpy dress.

I work in a relatively formal office and I never see other women wearing suits.

But that dress isn't formal enough, I would go for something more tailored.

That dress is not smart enough. A jacket is the easiest way to look smart

I work in a school. Last interview I had in July I wore a shirt dress much like that one, no jacket (it was about 30° and I'd have passed out!). I was successful.

If you're in the UK at the moment in this heat you'll boil in a jacket. Turning up hot and sweaty would look far worse than wearing a light but smart top.

That dress is one I consider casual. A jacket with a dress/skirt suit is perfect.

@cheeseofhearts -would expect the people I interview to have common sense enough to take it off until they get to the office, if there's a heatwave.

I wouldn't care what you wore but then again I recently conducted interviews whilst wearing a Wonder Woman tshirt so what do I know?

Schools will look for smart though and I would wear a smart skirt or trousers with a blouse type top. Jacket is not compulsory imo but most places look for smart tailored skirt/trousers and blouse/shirt combo.

You can never be too smart for an interview but you can ruin your chances by being too casual.

Oh, you can be too smart at an interview - or the wrong sort of smart.

No idea if this is the case with the OP, but sadly people judge for all sorts of silly reasons, and if you wear a suit to a non-suit-wearing place, some idiots will notice and care.