Brown? Appropriate for interviews?

[Shoe City Thinker]

I work in IT for small companies and innovative start-ups. I saw a Burberry 2B side vent suit in brown that I fell in love with this weekend. I'm rather pale from too many hours in the dark, cavernous data center. I really liked what the brown did for my skin tone. However, I'm not sure if brown is an appropriate color for interviews.

It's not a chocolate brown, more like a nice toasty medium brown.

 

[btinl]

I think brown is a little too casual for interviews.

 

[MrG]

Generally speaking navy and charcoal are preferred for interviews. I know IT is less traditional/more casual than a lot of fields, so maybe the rule isn't as hard and fast there, but navy and charcoal are always the safest bets.

 

[Michael Ay329]

I would not wear brown it to an interview...since Charcoal and Navy blue are more acceptable colors throughout the United States

Ronald Reagan made brown a more acceptable color to wear...I dare anyone to locate a picture of an internationally recognizable gentleman who wore brown before 1980...please post pic

 

[emmanuel]

If you must wear brown make it a dark brown, definately not medium. I prefer grey over anything.

 

[Xiaogou]

I prefer to avoid brown in the workplace altogether, but that is just me. I don't like the message that it sends.

 

[babygreenspots]

At the end of the day, if you are well put together and wearing a brown suit, you will still look better than 90% of the men in navy and charcoal suits.

 

[Xiaogou]

^ Assume in an interview those wearing charcoal and navy are well put together as well.

 

[babygreenspots]

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

^ Assume in an interview those wearing charcoal and navy are well put together as well.
Given the people I've seen come in for interviews at the high-end consulting firm at which I worked, I'm assuming they wouldn't be. Wearing dark brown will probably not make a difference except in law and finance and then probably only in the northeast.

 

[mr monty]

A must for UPS interviews

 

[warmpi]

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

I prefer to avoid brown in the workplace altogether, but that is just me. I don't like the message that it sends.

what message does it send...?

I love brown. earth tones, like brown, generally complement my skin tone.
I do agree, it's a bit casual. but it works for me.

I think the IT industry is one of the few industries that you can pull it off.

 

[Xiaogou]

^ I read a well laid out article before liking wearing brown to the Nazi uniform. I know it sound crazy but the article has always stuck with me. If I recall; brown gives the impression that you are a follower and not a leader...just a number in the crowd. The article was from about 15 years ago in an issue of GQ.

 

[Shoe City Thinker]

Originally Posted by babygreenspots

Wearing dark brown will probably not make a difference except in law and finance and then probably only in the northeast.

I live and work in the Boston area.

 

[tiecollector]

If you are working in 1973, then go for it, otherwise I don't really dig brown that much.

 

[babygreenspots]

If it is a corduroy suit, it could be quite nice. And in IT, why not?