Job interview attire. Can someone help me?

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

I’m getting ahead of myself, but I applied for a job yesterday for the first time in 18 years! I should get an interview as I think I’m well suited to the job and have the right skills and experience for it.

But I have no idea what I would wear for an interview. I’ve been a self-employed freelancer, mostly home-based, balanced with being a SAHM for the past 7 years so have no work attire, let alone interview attire.

What is good interview wear? I work in media/publishing and most offices I’ve worked in have been fairly casual but I would obviously want to make a good first impression. I’m 41, tall, medium build and a size 12 if that helps. Links would be really helpful!

I interview people quite a bit (professional role, senior position), so see a lot of interview "outfits."

Most women go for a knee length work-type dress, with tights and neutral-ish shoes (either plain heels or flats). Patterned dresses are fine, as are plain navy/black/dark colours. You're looking for a dress that is comfortable, not too low cut (I spent one interview trying to ignore the fact that the candidate had her full bra on show due to a very low wrap dress, which was distracting) and formal-ish, without looking like you're going to either a wedding or a funeral! Always choose a jacket instead of a cardigan if you want something over the dress.

Either that, or the chinos, white shirt and flats look, with simple jewellery, are the "outfits" I see most often.

Women don't tend to ever wear suits for interviews any more - at least not in my experience. You want to look smart, but not uncomfortable, and not overdressed (killer heels are bad, polished and clean low heels good).

Really helpful, thanks so much! I like to look smart but I have a bit of a fear of looking overdressed so unless I find a dress that look ‘spot on’, I’d probably be more inclined to go for the smart trousers and shirt option. So would nice flats be better shoe wise rather than heels do you think?

I had this dilemma recently and booked a John Lewis personal shopper. Before I went to the appointment I'd had a look around myself and picked a few pieces and took them with me. I also took what I had at home that I thought may be suitable.
The sales right now are a good time to buy a decent outfit without spending loads, especially if something that formal won't be needed in your role.
The personal shopper gave some really good advice on how to put different outfits together and suggested a few different things. It really helped my confidence because I've been in leggings and tunics/pyjamas for a lot longer than I care to admit!

I think decent flats often look more polished and put-together, when teamed with well-cut trousers and a crisp shirt, than heels do. I've got some shiny Kurt Geiger loafers that fit the bill well. And because they're comfortable, I'm more comfortable in my own skin when wearing them. Which would be v important in an interview scenario!