Interview dressing

[PoochSmooch]

Wonder if you lovely style gurus could help me please?

I've got an interview for a senior-ish job at a big 4 consultancy coming up. I'm not sure how I should play my outfit - for some reason I think that fully suited is not the way to go any more?

I'm 1m82, (just under 6'), mid 40s, broadshouldered, size 12-14, apple shaped, good legs, not too busty, not much waist. I have to wear sleeves at least to mid-forearm (this isn't optional, due to a skin thing I could not go into an interview without sleeves). Happy in skirts or trousers with a heel up to about 2 inches. For formal wear I almost always have to go to Long Tall Sally- as well as being tall, I'm also very long waisted and fitted clothes from "normal" shops almost never do Cos can be OK, as can Phase 8, but Whistles/Karen Millen etc are out. I'll be shopping in London, so access to pretty much anywhere there. I've been out of UK for years, and out of this type of corporate role for a while so I don't even know where people buy workwear from any more!

Budget up to about 250 ish? (is this doable?) Any ideas - where should I look, and what sort of look should I go for? Blazer and slim trousers? Dress and fitted jacket? Smart blouse and skirt?

Thank you

LTS have a sale on online!!

I'd with gonwith a suit (blue) and a brighter top - or a bright dress and darker jacket

Black suit and white shirt are rather dull and won't make you stand out against the other black suits

Which do you feel more comfortable in? Trousers or dress?

Ah, the bummer is that I won't be in the UK to get online orders shipped to me - I'm coming over from furrin parts for the interview, so it needs to be physical shopping. Thanks, though - I do ordinarily love a sale!

Equally happy in trousers or skirt. No preference.

I interviewed last week (with a senior partner) for a senior role at one of the Big 4 consultancies.

I'm 5'8 and mid-40s. I wore a black jersey dress (skimmed the body rather than fitted) bought online from Jaeger and a black fitted jacket also from Jaeger (actually bought secondhand off Ebay!). I wore low heeled black court shoes from Tracey Neuls (quite a funky shoe designer - buy online or I go to the shop in Shoreditch) and dressed the look up with a black Anya Hindmarch handbag and a double-stranded pearl necklace and pearl earrings.

I can't have looked too bad as the partner wants me back for the next round.

Good luck for your interview OP. Hope this helps.

Definitely check out Hobbs. I work in professional services and you can't go far wrong with a nice Hobbs dress and jacket. My 6"1 colleague wears them, so I know the length will be good for you. There's lots of London branches.

The Big 4 are probably some of the few really formal places left, along with law firms, so I'd go really smart. But a good dress and matching jacket is as good as a suit.

Yep, I was going to say a Hobbs dress & jacket too.

thank you - I really don't know Hobbs at all, but if it's good for tall types I will check it out!

That's good to know that big 4 are still quite formal. I just want to hit the right note, as I'm feelings a bit out of my depth with all of it, and the right outfit is crucial!

If anyone has any more suggestions for places to look, that would be fab too.

I have that level role in one of them there firms.

Dress and jacket/suit (either trouser or skirt)/trousers and blazer all would be fine. All the female partners I work with wear variations of this on smart days and two have personal shoppers in Hobbs ;)

Once you get the job we are the smarter end of smart casual (i.e. The boys don't always wear a tie, the girls are pencil skirts/dresses/tailored trousers but with jersey blazers or cardis) so as someone says above, still
Pretty smart. Until dress down day when my partner came in looking like he had a plumbing job to get to.

Thank you Phyllis. Hmmm, wondering if it might be worth me getting a personal shopper to help...

And thank you for this sentence- "once you get the job" - fingers crossed!