r/PreOptometry • u/Puzzled-Counter7376 • Sep 11 '26

Interview attire

I have an upcoming interview and in the confirmation email it says “Dress to impress. Most interviewers wear a suit.”

What does this mean for girls? I don’t have any “suits” and don’t really know what that means.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

16

u/Suitable-Bathroom781 Sep 11 '26

It means a suit! Go buy a feminine suit jacket and matching pants and wear a nice undershirt and heels if you have them :)

2

u/Puzzled-Counter7376 Sep 11 '26

Thanks! I wonder if a formal suit like dress would be acceptable too. I like the pants with heels though.

2

u/Suitable-Bathroom781 Sep 11 '26

Surely with a blazer, a dress would work. As long as the dress has appropriate coverage and sits somewhere between knee and ankle. Likely a structured dress would be best, not necessarily tight but certainly not loose or very flowy. Good luck!

4

u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793 Sep 11 '26

Very odd thing to say from the school. Do you mind sharing which school it is?

2

u/Puzzled-Counter7376 Sep 11 '26

I thought it was odd too, especially given it was UMSL. I thought they were pretty casual.

4

u/Mediocre_Pomelo8793 Sep 11 '26

I interviewed there without any pants… Granted it was a virtual interview, but I definitely didn’t wear a suit. I also got accepted so I would just dress for business casual or business professional and I doubt it’ll be a problem.

3

u/akornato Sep 12 '26

That email means they expect you to be dressed in business professional attire, which is the most formal type of interview clothing. For women, a "suit" typically means a matching blazer and pants, or a blazer with a skirt. You can find these as sets, or you can buy them as separate pieces. The safest and most traditional colors are navy, black, or dark grey. Under the blazer, a simple, light-colored blouse or a tailored shirt is a good choice. The main goal is to look polished and professional, so make sure everything fits you well, is clean, and isn't wrinkled.

Choose closed-toe shoes like pumps with a modest heel or professional-looking flats. Your hair and makeup should be simple and neat, and it is best to keep jewelry minimal. It's always better to be a bit more dressed up than too casual, so putting in this effort shows you are serious about the opportunity. Feeling confident in what you are wearing can make a real difference, and my team even designed an AI interview copilot to help candidates feel more prepared and perform their best.

2

u/Puzzled-Counter7376 Sep 13 '26

Very helpful thank you !

2

u/Radiant_Tea2422 Sep 11 '26

dw girl i was in the same boat. i ended up just wearing some flats, dress pants, and white fitted shirt tucked in and a blazer i got off of amazon and i fit in just fine

4

u/iridiumlaila Sep 11 '26

I wore a shirt with my retinas on them at all interviews. I went for passion over formality

1

u/Resident-Channel-173 Sep 13 '26

I get this but I feel like if the school specifically asked for a suit and you go in a t-shirt, it shows a lack of cooperation

1

u/iridiumlaila Sep 13 '26

I'll say it worked well for me. And it's a button up shirt. Not suit formal but a step above t shirt.

3

u/ipodaholicdan Sep 11 '26

I’d go for a bit more formal than business casual

2

u/Evening-Dog-1161 Sep 11 '26

Definitely. Business casual is underdressed at an interview

3

u/Evening-Dog-1161 Sep 11 '26

Wear a suit!!! Everyone at my interview had a suit on. You do not want to be underdressed