Help! Have a job interview and am totally useless with dressing appropriately

[kirroyal]

I seem to have managed to get to 40yo and a good career and yet have missed all the memos about dress rules and codes! I have no appropriateness radar at all and even the most basic things, like the difference between work shoes and going out shoes, I just don't get. So I tend to just hide behind a plain dress, cardigan and boots and that seems ok most of the time.

I now have a job interview, for a managerial/marketing role in a big company. Googling tells me I should aim for business casual, and that this is a jacket with either trousers/dress or skirt+blouse.

Ok, but what is a jacket? Is that half a suit? Do I buy them together or separately - are they supposed to match? And then, what about a coat, do you wear that on top of the jacket or no coat in that case?

I have bulgy thighs and jackets tend to make that look worse because they stop just above. Is there a solution to that?

Please help me! I don't want to be worrying about not wearing the right stuff or feel uncomfortable in over-formal clothes that are really not me.

Oh yes, and last question: I never, ever wear makeup. Is that ok?

[figureofspeech]

Congratulations on securing a second interview. Time for another outfit? It might be useful to book a free stylist session at a large department store like John Lewis, Jaeger, Debenhams etc. They will give you tips on styles that suit your shape, colouring etc. You don't have to buy what they suggest but it will give you ideas to work with.

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/our-services/fashion-advice-service#page_loaded