What do I wear for a job interview?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

I was made redundant last September after 22 years and I'm going to have to start looking for a job soon. The last interview I had was for that job so I have no idea what to wear if I get one! I don't have any work clothes as my last job was smart casual so I wore jeans and trainers.

I'm 49, 5'6", size 18, blonde hair and generally wear a lot of pink, black and navy. Wide leg trousers don't suit me and anything skinny makes me look like a parsnip. Shoes will have to be flat as I have a problem with my foot and even if I didn't I would probably go arse over tit in heels (the foot injury was caused by me falling over thin air)! I'm looking at reception or admin type jobs, nothing managerial.

Budget is around £150 for the whole outfit - I know it's low but I'll need to buy a whole new wardrobe when I get a job!

Thanks in advance for any help!

How do you feel about dresses? Roman have a lot for reasonable prices, Spot Print Jersey Stretch Dress in Navy - Roman Originals UK for example. You could pair that one with a navy blazer (Navy Cropped Sleeve Blazer | New Look for example), and then some navy ballet flats.

I would wear some black tapered trousers, loafers, a colourful blouse and a blazer

That must be tough - it’s good you’re being so positive.

I don’t know if you’d find this helpful but are you aware of

https://www.smartworks.org.uk

They may well be able to offer you some support - moral or practical.

Otherwise, I would suggest you look at

Uniqlo

as they have everything necessary in terms of clothes for a new work wardrobe.

Have you considered using eBay and vinted or charity shops? If you wanted new clothes Matalan is reasonable. Also worth considering is Smartworks as they can fix women up with an interview outfit and if you get the job they can help you with a capsule wardrobe.

I have just had a look on Vinted and you could get a blazer for around a fiver, you could also look on there for blouses and tops. With your budget I feel sure you could actually buy a fair amount of clothes .I use charity shops a lot and you would be able to buy a lot of clothes with £150. All the best with getting a collection together. Best of luck with getting employment as well.

Here’s a better Smart Works link, in case it’s helpful to anyone:

https://www.smartworks.org.uk/what-we-do/our-service

They help with free clothes and interview support.

This. It's calm, practical, professional and quite neutral.

Reception jobs usually expect professional dress because you are the 'front of house' for a company. You could get this outfit in any price range

For my recent interview I wore a pair of grey 'tweedy' trousers with a fine maroon thread, a white cotton blouse and blazer, with black loafers. It worked 😊

Thanks everyone, I was ready to leave but it was a bit of a shock when it happened. I was lucky to get a reasonable redundancy package which has meant that I could take some time off as the stress of the job had really got to me and my confidence was at rock bottom.

I like the sound of the tapered trousers and blazer as I can change the top if I get a second interview. I quite like this top from Next - no buttons to worry about!

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su406919/e91620#e91620

Would this blazer work?

https://www.next.co.uk/style/st661976/t60002#t6000

I'll also look on Vinted and Ebay although I'd prefer to be able to send things back if they don't fit.

My go to work outfit is black tapered trousers (marks autograph £69?) they say dry clean, I wash mine in woolite. I've being buying these for ten years.
Silk top, usually off ebay.
Blazer.
I wear ballet flats. I'm a size 16/18. I tend to wear a bright jacket because Im tall and work in beauty.. Neutrals look nice too. Camel or sand.

If you want your clothes to be as versatile as possible I would stick to neutral colours and shapes. No bright pink, no ruching or other embellishment. That way no one will notice how often you’ve worn anything, And you’ll look more up to date.

Both of those look good OP and a key thing is that you feel confident. I feel more confident in this kind of blazer style as I like them to have buttons:

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su263064/n79177#n79177

I like that blazer! You’re right about feeling confident, I need to feel confident and comfortable. Once I get an interview it’s going to be nerve wracking enough without worrying about my clothes!

I’ve applied for the job so I’ve now just got to wait and see. We’re away at the moment but when we’re home I’m going to buy at least one outfit that I can wear to an interview so I don’t have to worry about it.

Yes, you don't want to be uncomfortable during an interview. I use index/revision cards to to help me remember the key points of what I want to say so I can practice beforehand. Also, I've interviewed a lot of people and when your answering remember to give a clear example of any skills you have in practice

E.g I am very organised, in past roles I have set up various systems to ensure key tasks are well prepared for. This has included using Microsoft Outlook functions to my advantage aswell as using the planner option in teams to meet key deadlines and stay on top of projects. Etc etc

I've found some of my favourite blazers in charity shops. Picked up M&S ones - great places to shop for workwear! Enjoy your holiday OP

It really would be a good idea to browse lots of shops / brands that are popular for their workwear.

If, while you’re away, you spend some time with the sites listed below (the best High St plus size shops) you’ll get a good idea of what looks contemporary and what doesn’t - then you’ll know what to look for at any price:

https://www.lauraadlington.com/plus-size-directory

Thank you for the interview tips @Hayley1256.

I'm now in a panic as I have a video interview on Friday! All I have with me that's not a t shirt is a black and white blouse that I usually wear with jeans and Scamp and Dude leopard print dress! There are no clothes shops in town and very little nearby.

https://www.roman.co.uk/floral-print-roll-sleeve-shirt-10014208

https://scampanddude.com/collections/bestsellers/products/button-midi-dress-grey-with-rainbow-shadow-leopard-print

Do you think the top will be ok?

I prefer plain colours myself, in Black or white/neutral, I feel smarter then just make sure hair is well groomed and natural but radiant makeup and some nice earrings.

Well done for getting back on your feet.
Try Vinted for tops, then you have a variety to wear with black trousers of your choice plus a jacket or cardigan

Yes, your black and white top is absolutely fine for a video interview, good luck!

(I really like your pink top suggestion too and would have that lined up for a 2nd interview!).

If it’s all you have …

Does anyone you’re away with have a plain white shirt or plain knitted top that you could borrow?

Do you have or could you borrow a jacket for the video interview?

If you're buying and you normally wear navy I would get navy. It's lovely with blonde hair and less harsh than black.

GOOD LUCK! Make sure you have your space set up to be private and comfortable so you can concentrate.

And do the power pose beforehand - it really works!

Black and white top is a great choice for a video interview (high contrast!) - many or most first interviews are video these days so if budget is limited concentrate on your top half!

@NewishBroom there isn’t a single thing in the photograph you show that would be considered decent office wear anywhere I’ve worked. They all look dragged out of someone’s attic, from the 1970s.

Why are people being so disingenuous? The OP will be competing for a job - against people half her age. Clothes are admittedly less memorable on screen, but for face to face interviews she’s going to need to look sharp, bright and 21st century. It’s just cruel to be encouraging her to buy and wear ugly tat.

Thanks again. If I can't find anything between now and Friday I'll go with the black and white top and dark jeans - I know no one will see them but in case I had to move for any reason they would pass for dark trousers!

It's only DH and I so no one I can borrow anything from. To be honest I wasn't even looking for a job but this one came up on Indeed and it was local and I have most of the skills they are asking for so I thought why not?

I wouldn't be wearing the jeans if anyone could see them but it's a video interview. I wouldn't turn up to a face to face interview in jeans. I'm on holiday so making the best of what I have with me which is the black and white top which is perfectly smart, especially as it's 'hardly Wall Street' 🙄