Have you ever wondered where Blake Lively shops? Or how you can copy Michelle Obama's chic style for less? Joe Berean, In Style's Fashion director, is here to help with your fashion dilemmas. Each week Joe will answer one question submitted from MSN Lifestyle readers. Submit your question now and check each week to see if it's been answered.
Q: I've been out of the work force for a while. What should I wear on a job interview?
A: Interview dressing basics haven't changed much. Rule one: You only have one chance to make a first impression. And your clothes, makeup and hair are what a potential employer notices first. But exactly how do you pull off a look that is modern, confident and competent? For starters, wear something you're comfortable in, because if you don't "people will sense your insecurity," says J.Crew design director Tom Mora.
Whether you are interviewing at an art gallery or a hedge fund, one fundamental rule applies -- it is better to be overdressed than under dressed. A modern, tailored blazer with fitted trousers or a knee-length skirt is always a smart option. The trick is to put a subtle, stylish, personal stamp on the look.
"A lot of women think that wearing a really bright color top under a dark suit livens it up, but more often than not, especially with a black suit, it can look cheap," says Mora, who recommends wearing a more muted colored top -- such as melon or blue-gray -- with fashiony details for a modern, personal-style touch. "A top with a beautiful detail [like draping] at the neck or down the front can give a serious suit a more feminine look."
About Joe Berean:
As fashion director of InStyle.com, Joe Berean has worked to position the In Style brand as the online authority in shopping, celebrity style and designer fashion. He oversees all aspects of the site's fashion and style coverage and most recently launched InStyle.com's Designer Central, a feature that showcases Hollywood's favorite fashion designers on the runway and the red carpet. "It's important for a woman to understand who she is and how she wants to be perceived and dress for that role," says Berean. "I love helping women discover a style that complements their personality and a wardrobe that works with their body and lifestyle." Berean is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Fashion Institute of Technology, and resides in New York City.
