Interview attire! Is it ok not to wear a suit?

[llamasinpyjamas]

I have an interview in a couple of weeks for an office-based consultant role. I'm familiar with the environment already as a friend works for this company, and she reckons the usual everyday outfit for women is plain trousers or skirt with a pretty blouse, tunic or plain-ish sweater, while most of the men wear smart jeans.

I never ever wear suits (would have to buy one especially) and tend to prefer darker trousers or skirts with monotone or single colour tops - I have bug hips, a slim tummy and big bust so don't tend to go for patterned tops! Would a smart top and black or navy trousers with heels be ok or does it absolutely have to be a suit for interviews? (It's about 8 years since I had my last formal interview!) I know I'd feel uncomfortable in a suit and that puts me off wearing one!

Thanks in advance!

Thanks everyone for the advice. As I am a size 18 on the bust and 16-18 hips but much thinner around the waist, and have quite chunky calves, I feel incredibly self-conscious in a dress, however well-tailored it is, as it draws attention to my worst parts and I feel ridiculous!

So unfortunately I really can't go down the dress route, but have taken the advice onboard about a blazer. I tend to find any jacket/blazer that fits on the bust has baggy shoulders and arms that are too long (as I have quite narrow shoulders, short arms but am a 40/42 DD/E on the bust. Does anyone have any appropriate jacket recommendations?

Thanks!

Paperberry @ Bravissimo do great blazers under 'coats'. I have this one and wore it with a red dress and heels to my last interview. I am a size 16/18 38FF bust and I have a size 16 curvy/really curvy.

I don't know if you'd have time before this interview, but I think it's always worth having a well fitting jacket in the wardrobe for dressing uo trousers, skirts and dresses.

I have odd proportions generally, and my weight around my middle/bum/hips can fluctuate over the years too.

But I have 2 nice jackets - 1 larger size, 1 smaller size - that I got altered to fit my short arms well.

I often get trousers and dresses altered as well - it is a little extra cost but can make a WORLD of difference to an outfit. And something that is "nice but not great" turns into something I wear over and over again.

I am in the same dilemma, sort of, as the OP as I have an interview next week. I tried on my stuff last night - and my "interview suit" is currently too tight (I could get away with it, if I leave the jacket unbuttoned, but I wouldn't be comfortable). So I am going with a nice sleeveless black dress that is comfortable, smart and fits well at the moment, and I have a jacket I can put over it if I need to (I am often very warm at work these days, so going sleeveless a lot, and my arms are ok for that - but it is an interview so I will probably put the jacket on going in at least).

I tend to wear a lot of
nice black/navy/brown trousers with plain poloneck jumpers and a statement necklace
trousers with plain tops, necklace and a plain jacket to match either trs or top (or I have a couple of patterned ones to go over a plain black top/trs combo)
a couple of skirts to wear with different jumper/ top & jacket combos
various dresses suited to the office environment (I'm wearing dresses a lot more frequently recently)

I have a handful of suits in the wardrobe, but have only been wearing those quite infrequently in the past couple of years. As long as it is smart and suited to the office, there is a certain element of more relaxed dressing in the last little while - still very corporate, but not as uptight.

Smart casual dress code here too but for interviews I expect formal office wear - a dress with sleeves is ideal if you really can't wear a jacket. Trousers and a smart top will also be ok as long as the shoes, hair and bag are all very smart.

Jackets do not have to have collars if that's putting you off getting one - I have one that is collarless and looks great for interviews as well as for formal occasions such as weddings.

Navy or grey (or even colours such as red or blue) are better than black as it will get more wear if you are not a formal person.

That's just reminded me @NeitherHereOrThere - my most versatile jacket is a collarless grey one from Phase Eight. It goes with everything! I got it off ebay: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Phase-Eight-woman-s-classy-smart-grey-jacket-size-10-occasional-/131395037816?pt=UK_Women_s_Coats_Jackets&hash=item1e97c12a78

wildflowers many thanks for that tip, I will go to Bravissimo as the PepperBerry stuff looks fab! and I'd never heard of it before.

Biddy I don't think I'll have time to get stuff altered (and I really CANT wear a dress - if for no other reason than I never do so would just feel so weird in one!) but I take your point about jackets and neither thanks for the tips about different colours etc. Will go shopping in the next couple of days taking all these useful pieces of advice with me!

llamas I wasn't trying to persuade you to get a dress - I totally understand your feelings on that one (it took me years to get up the confidence to look at different shapes that would suit me, luckily fashions have changed too and I now have some choice) - but more that if you get a jacket that suits you MOSTLY (so fits around the bust, and is nicely shaped etc)), you can then get it altered to be perfect (sleeves shortened, buttons moved slightly in or out to fasten nicely etc).

I'm jumping back in. I have a choice of two black dresses. Do I then wear black opaques? Is it not all a bit black?

I'd vote for opaques yes - somewhere between 60 - 100 denier.

Black shoes, black dress, black tights. I'd better find something to add interest. I have a nice ponyskin belt, so will try that.

I agree with one notch smarter than what you would wear day to day to do the job.
I work in the public sector where pretty much anything goes... jeans, trainers, sweatshirts etc...
It is a personal goal of mine to never ever wear a suit... my own little rage against the machine!
I have an interview on Friday. Going to wear a dress, opaques, heels and a skinny fit blazer.

Did you find anything? After ordering £££ of jackets I've decided they don't sit right and make me look lumpy rather than pulled together. Plus the forecast is awful tomorrow so I'm going to wear a knee-length wool coat instead.

A lack of jacket won't be the reason I don't get offered the job...

I did order this for a more casual assessment centre next week, and love it.

www.whitestuff.com/womens/coats-jackets/natural-caspian-stripe-blazer/

Good luck primal! I trawled round yesterday trying every jacket that looked vaguely suitable in Bravissimo, Debenhams and House of Fraser. They all looked dreadful! None of them fitted on the bust if they fitted on the shoulders/sleeves and I felt hideously uncomfortable in all of them, even the collarless ones! I can't imagine I would come across well dressed like that either!

So will have to pass on the jacket/blazer. It will be a smart top and trousers or skirt instead and hope for the nest. I did manage to find a lovely new bag though!