http://www.what2wearwhere.com/blog/post/2009/09/28/Corporate-Interview.aspx

I also have long straight hair. It looks very harsh pulled back in a bun, and in fact our Career Services Office specifically warned against a bun/pony tail. For interviews last year I did a half up (a la Sarah Palin, say what you will about her politics, the woman has fabulous hair!), which still had the polish of wearing your hair down without the tendancy to get in your face.

Of couse, I had to pay extra attention not to play with it.

a) Is it safe to assume 3″ and under for heels OK for biglaw interviews anywhere (assume closed toe, able to walk in them normally, etc)?

b) As someone w/med-long straight hair… it seems that putting hair into a bun (as in the picture above) might look too severe and unflattering or and a ponytail might look sort of childish (esp on younger interviewees). Is it acceptable to leave longer hair down or part down, provided it’s blowdried/styled nicely and not played with? Or is it a clear don’t?

The shoes were the hardest part. Anything that draws attention to my feet, even conservative pumps, tends to emphasize the breadth of my hips – just a simple function of the way the line of vision moves. And I’ve never been comfortable with women’s dress shoes in any case; my heel is narrow, but my toes are wide, which means that most women’s dress shoes don’t fit me. I was unwilling to be in pain in order to do my job, so my solution was…. men’s dress shoes. I bought the most beautiful, expensive, conservative men’s dress shoes, if I could, ones with a slightly higher heel (yes, there are varying heights of heels, even in men’s shoes!). The shoes tended to blend in with my trousers, but if anyone’s eye lit on them, there was nothing objectionable.

In coming to law school, I am surprised at the increasingly thin line (pun absolutely intended) women are expected to walk: look just sexy enough, but not TOO sexy. Sheesh. I have no desire to look sexy at work. Can I drop out of this particular race, and be a well-dressed, size 24 lawyer wearing well-draped pantsuits, minimal makeup, tasteful accessories, and gorgeous men’s shoes? Or do I have to pretend I’m 25 years old (very difficult in my case), a size 6 (absolutely impossible!), tottering along that thin line in painful heels?

I am a male attorney and regularly interview 2 and 3Ls. I am middle-aged and liberal.

Men just do not button their suits. I have the reaction to those that do that they are overly formal or hicks. It is rare for a man to button his suit jacket unless it is double-breasted. I do not think women should button their suit jackets especially as part of a pant suit.

Pants suits v. skirt suits. It doesn’t really matter. But here are some tips from the male hiring perspective. Don’t even bother with a skirt suit if the skirt length is not stylish. A stylish up-to-date look is favored over the overly conservative long length skirt suit. Don’t conjure up images of the past with an image of a long length skirt suit reminds everyone of the days where women were just beginning to make in roads in the profession – think Sandra Day O’Conners horrible attire – the manual read ankle-length skirt, ruffled white silk blouse, and bun hair.

Your appearnce should reflect the times. Looking professional is being smartly dressed, but not overly sexual – avoid very low-cut tops.