I do wonder about the jobs people work in, who are so categorical that the dress would be entirely inappropriate.
First of all, I suspect many of those posters did not look carefully at the context. Context is really important and there isn’t a correct answer outfit that applies to every single role. This was for a fairly senior role in children’s nursing. Those in clinical roles just aren’t power-dressing suit wearers who are always in navy or black. There is cope for more flexibility and this dress with its pattern and colour is both smart and if worn with the right accessories is professional. Many many women in highly paid positions would wear a dress like this at work with a cardigan or plain jacket. Many in HR interviewing might wear similar.
A plain navy or black suit is fine. It can look good and professional, but you’d be surprised by how many people can wear such an outfit and not look good. Body shapes don’t all lend themselves to it, and sometimes a cheap plain suit doesn’t look great. So it is about dressing yourself and knowing what is appropriate for the environment you are going into.
Perhaps it’s actually those interviewing occasionally or those interviewing for lower paid roles who have more staid and less progressive and modernised views about work clothing...who are so influenced by a bit of colour or pattern and have a very rigid view of appropriate. Those in positions of real power can often be seen in high quality dresses which include colour and pattern. They wouldn’t dream of going to an interview in a drab black pencil skirt and boring old blouse, especially if it didn’t suit their body shape.
So glad op came back to say she got the job. Am sure lots are still sure she did the wrong thing or took a terrible risk though. I really don’t think she did. You want to look capable, confident and professional for most jobs.
Perhaps some jobs don’t actually want someone to be confident or professional or even that capable and feel threatened by someone wearing clothes or suggesting they have those attributes. Some employers certainly just want a skivvy without a mind of their own, and perhaps it those kind of places which have a very narrow and limited idea of what is appropriate. I find it pretty odd that so many were so immediately and conclusively against the idea of a dress in colour or pattern.