Interview Wear Critique and Advice

[donutstotheresq]

hello!

So I'd like to get your guys' expert opinion my outfit for an interview: (civil engineering, meeting with all levels of engineers and supervisors. Job itself would be working out in the field if that matters.

Suit: Napoli Navy
Shirt: white button. French cuffs seems too much?
Tie: I wanted to go with Navy and Red Stripes but kind of lost on this one. Burgundy polka dot seems nice too.
Shoes: Haven't decided fully, but leaning towards either black Allen Edmonds Park Ave or Fifth - not really sure which one is the better fit, but dark brown also seems kind of sweet too.
Accessories: Thinking about getting a messenger bag to match with the shoes.

Appreciate your critique and advice!!

 

[Maljunulo]

I wouldn't wear french cuffs, and I'd probably pick the burgundy tie, if the poky dots aren't very big.

 

[breakaway01]

Navy suit/white shirt/black captoe shoes sounds great. Either of the ties you listed should be fine. I wouldn't wear french cuffs either but I don't think that would be a deal breaker.

 

[TheLondoner]

Just curious: what is a Napoli Navy? Napoli is a city in Italy (that's where Naples, FL gets its name from), and, AFAIK, not renowned for any specific kind of navy colour. Just because someone decides to call a shade of red "Paris Red" or "Tokyo brown" doesn't make the colour particularly more identifiable! I'm not having a go at you, but at companies that come up with silly names.

I think ties with stripes give a very old look, but these things are subjective.

Cufflinks depend a lot on where you are. in the UK they are not as formal as they can be in other countries; for example. I wouldn't mind wearing cufflinks for your kind of interview in the UK, but I most definitely wouldn't wear them in France, Spain or the UK. A decent clue is how ubiquitous, or not, cufflinks are in ordinary, not high-end stores; eg in the UK you find all kinds of cullinks anywhere, including cufflinks shaped as Vespas, as bottles of wine, as dice, etc.

Same for the shoes: most Brits still frown upon brown shoes (no brown in town), a rule I don't personally much approve of.

 

[maxalex]

If you’re worried about French cuffs looking like you’re trying too hard, wear them with simple silk-knot links, which look less flashy than those made of precious metals and gemstones (or facsimiles thereof, as the case may be).