i too am interested in hearing some thoughts on this. I have an upcoming interview in an academic library, and the summer weather is not making a traditional suit look too desirable!

Should I go ahead and wear the suit anyway? What appropriate alternatives have you seen during interviews?

I have a black suit (pants and jacket) for winter, and I have a very classy blouse/skirt outfit for summer. It is just like a suit but comfortable in 90 degrees, and it falls under the dreadful classification of "coordinates." Yes, it is worth paying a week's salary for interview clothes. And shoes, also. Painful, but ultimately necessary.

Another 2 cents here: When I have interviewed, I always dress as if I'm going to represent the organization and I want those I'm talking with to see me that way. I agree that dressing well/professionally/in suits is necessary, but it should be something you are comfortable with, because you want to let your interviewers know you are comfortable as a professional--that it's who you are.

And I want to add that when I first interviewed for a less professional position in the organization, I came wearing a skirt, jacket and low-heeled, but nice, professional looking shoes. It was a job in Youth Services.

One of the people interviewing me was wearing what can be best described as a sweat suit--a nice sweat suit, with embroidery, but a sweat suit!

There is a psuedo-linen that doesn't wrinkle so much. Personally, I think any well-cut, properly fitting clothes are fine, as long as they are in colors you look good in (i.e. healthy) and are comfortable in. This obsession with linen seems as if it should have died in about 1950---but that is truly a personal comment.

I have two pants suits I wear just for interviews: one is a black pinstripe suit I wear with a pink blouse and black accessories (belt, shoes, folio) and the other is a navy pinstripe suit I wear with a grayish blue lace blouse and dark brown accessories (shoes, folio). For both suits, I have silver earrings and a stainless steel/goldplate wristwatch; for the black suit, I wear a colorful scarf (which has pink, black, and white in it) and I have a blue pearl choker for the navy suit. I look like a million buck in both outfits! I'm hoping these are professional enough but would show my "down to earth" side as well. One big worry at the moment is the fact that I can't afford to have my nails done before my interviews now but I'm trying not to worry about that.

I've never had my nails done in my life, but seem to have turned out OK nonetheless :).

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Rachel Singer Gordon / rachel@lisjobs.com
Find a library job: http://www.lisjobs.com
The Liminal Librarian: http://www.lisjobs.com/blog

One of the best books on the subject is Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constatine's "What Not to Wear for Every Occasion". They're the hosts of the BBC version of the "What Not to Wear" TV show, and even though some of their suggestions are a bit dated four years on, the basic premise of what you should wear for any occasion is still really helpful. They suggest that if you're going to do a suit, stay away from skirts, keep your accessories subtle (but stylish and well-coordinated), and don't be afraid to wear colour. They also suggest that what you wear should be dictated by your age, your experience, and the job you're applying for. For example, if you're interviewing for a children's librarian position, you might not want to wear a stuffy, prissy black suit. If the suit is black, make it modern with fun, colourful, but age-appropriate accessories, and by all means, make it up to date. If you've had the suit for more than 10 years, chuck it. :)

Some suggestions for those of us on the "bountiful" edge of the sizing scale:

- Wrap dresses, in every colour. In the winter, I go with a black, 3/4 sleeve wrap dress over smart boots with just enough heel, and a smart black bag. I usually wear handmade jewelry from local artisans, so I make sure the pieces have some colour, are interesting and eye-catching, but they don't detract from the overall effect. For the warmer months, I wear a short-sleeved wrap dress with a large graphic pattern (black and white or black and ecru work well), open-toed pumps that aren't too strappy or precarious, (the rule about no open-toed shoes at a job interview has fallen out of fashion in recent years), and no pantyhose. I also take care to make sure that any skin that shows on my arms, legs, or chest is well-moisturized and recently exfoliated. :) Kiyonna.com has great wrap dresses, and so does igigi.com. Lane Bryant has some mock wrap-dresses available, too. If you're, shall we say, "fuller" on top, wear a camisole underneath the dress, but make sure it's a nice one. You can do lace if you must, but personally, I'd just wear a nice spaghetti-strapped cami with satin detailing around the neckline. The satin detailing gives it a bit of shimmer and is dressier than a plain cotton cami.

- Separates instead of a suit. Because some of us can be so wildly inconsistent in sizing (I'm almost 2 sizes smaller on top!) finding a suit that looks good, isn't too matronly, and within your budget can be hard. In the winter consider wearing a long coat or cardigan over wide-leg trousers (and wear those pants with a heel!). In the summer, you can do a similar variation, but I'd stay away from linen because of the wrinkling factor. I'd go with something like tencel or bamboo instead. Just as cool, but retains it's crisp shape. Jessica Svoboda has some really great separates at svobodastyle.com. but I've been finding nice stuff by INC and Jones New York (if you're older) at places like Nordstrom (in the states) or the Bay (if you're Canadian, like me).