I'm about 6ft, 145lbs, Broad enough at the shoulders that I require a medium shirt, and a 30in waist....

Find a nice charcoal grey, lightweight worsted wool, it will wear well, won't wrinkle as much. Good wool fabric will last for a long time, get traditional tailoring, single vent back and have the alterations done by a decent tailor, cuffed pants, break at the top of the shoe, cotton oxford button down shirt, starched and nice conservative tie.

Have to suit buttoned when you are standing and unbuttoned when you sit. Oh, and throw some polish on the shoes, black shoes, not penny loafers.

Good luck, hope the interview goes well.

Get your shirt in neck size and sleeve length, not medium or large. Not critical but shows better quality shirt and usually not more expensive. I find it's nice to have a half inch of shirt cuff showing out the jacket sleeve.

Neck size and sleeve length work for me because it's hard to find shirts that fit properly when you are 17 X 36, like me. Sort of guerrilla fit. Perhaps I'm being too picky but that's the way i like my shirts.

You really need a suit?

If you showed up wearing a classic Navy blue blazer, gray or tan pants (all wool), white shirt, conservative tie and black shoes and socks, wouldn't that be perfectly acceptable?

I went to Macy's on Thurs. before Black Friday (same sale prices on that day), spent twenty five minutes with a competent salesman and bought a blazer, two pair of pants, two shirts and two ties (I'd thrown all mine away years ago - except for my one Jerry Garcia). Saved a lot of money (cost me $310 total)...and I can wear the blazer with Levi's and sneakers if I want to - which I probably will.

You really need a suit?

Pharm School? How about a Navy Blue Blazer, Grey or Tan Flannel Pants, White Shirt and a Bow Tie? If you have hornrim glasses wear them...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291652591.jpg

And once your in, you can move over to a Harris Tweed...


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291652635.jpg

When I got my first 'real' job a lot of us were in the same boat, we needed nicer work clothes.
My friend was in a department store and asked for a 28" pant. The salesman said in a deep southern drawl "Boy, we only sell MENS sizes here" :D

Hey, great minds think alike!

I dunno WTF happened in this case. :eek:

;)

Bow ties, except black ones worn at formal and semi-formal events, have always struck me as kinda goofy looking.

But then again, I strike some people as kinda goofy looking - mebbe I just don't wanna press my luck.

Look at the pic above with the blue blazer. It's all in the shirt. So many people have too loose a collar or too short a sleeve. Need to show some sleeve when standing. Spend some time getting a couple of good dress shirts and most any suit will look better.

Re: suits. Really expensive suits stand out and cost big bucks. You don't go there. Really cheap suits stand out. You don't go there. That leaves a lot to choose from. Spend a little time getting it right and so you're comfortable. Any suit should be very comfortable to the point that you forget you have in on.

That's the point.

If the salesman and tailor con't make you feel right real soon, back out and go somewhere else.

One more thing. If your necktie doesn't look this good when you're finished, have someone tie it for you, loosen it to the point you can get it over your head and don't untie it. I hate seeing a tie that is off center either in the knot or on the collar.

http://www.ties-necktie.com/blog/upl...nerNecktie.jpg

Look in a mirror discreetly often to make sure.

If you're concerned about durability, and have the time, you might consider buying some high quality stainless steel wool and having your local medieval armor maker custom knit you a suit.

It might be a bit flashy, but a fine quality chain mail, (especially if knitted by an effeminate armor maker if you can find one) has a really nice drape.

That would be your strong suit.

The top pic posted by Lube is "laugh at me" attire in an interview context. Navy blazer and dark gray pants are okay for officewear, but light pants are too summer-cocktail-party looking, plus light pants are a pain to keep clean and show every wrinkle. Other thing is, a blazer/slacks combo suggests that you don't own a suit.

The bottom pic is an academia/professor look. Tweeds are not really mainstream professional officewear, unless you're the oldest guy in the office.

Showing 1/2" of shirt cuff is ideal. 6' and 145 lb should be easy enough to fit.

Bow ties are not mainstream either, plus you can't loosen them for comfort and quickly tighten them up when needed, like you can a regular tie.

For God's sake no pocket kerchief.

The goal of an interview suit is not to impress the interviewer with your sartorial smarts, it is to be tasteful and unremarkable.

Sid..like someone said..
get measured for the shirts..
you don't just ask for tires at the store do you..
and being young..NO Bow tie for you..
tell the guy what your prepping for..

Rika

Better yet, learn to tie it yourself. And make it a Windsor knot. It ain't hard (my dad taught me when I was a young boy and tied my first tie) and is much classier than a four-in-hand ("simple" or "schoolboy") knot. It's a triangular knot, wider than a four in hand, but, with a silk tie it can be drawn tighter and be more compact than this pic:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291656110.jpghttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291656122.jpg

................Windsor........................... ................four-in-hand

I Googled Widsor knot, just for kicks:

"The Windsor knot is the only tie knot that is to be used by all personnel in the Royal Air Force in the UK when wearing their black tie while in uniform. The Windsor knot is the tie knot used by the Canadian Forces, regardless of service."

Who said I didn't know how to tie a Windsor!?

I've tied more than a few of them. I've been to four different Proms and I HATE those stupid rental ties. I always buy my own tie and tie it right, Of course I've never rented a tux either, I have my own. I like ties. :D

Also important; proper tie length:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291658288.jpg

(no, that's not me)

Ah, and now the question: full Windsor or half?

Since ties have largely been fat and heavy during most of my adult life save for the shinny ties of the Beatles era, I use the half Windsor. Take a real nice silk tie that is really supple and the full knot will produce a really nice and symmetrical look.

Use a thicker tie fully lined and a full Windsor will be the size of a baseball.

So, buying the right tie can be an asset as well.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291660256.jpg

Wilke Rodriguez Charcoal Modern Fit Suit

Fine wool fabric in a versatile shade style this modern-fit suit featuring flat-front trousers and a three-button jacket with side vents.

Details:

•Three-button
•Modern fit silhouette
•Slacks lined to the knee
•Imported
•Side-vented
•Flat-front slacks
•100% wool

Men's Warehouse - $299.99 Buy Today and Take 50% OFF!

Navy pin stripe by Calvin Klein and you'll be set for interviews, weddings and funerals.

Go to a Men's store: Men's Warehouse, Jos A Banks or Brooks Brothers. Talk to the salesperson. Make sure they measure you (neck, arm length, chest). All of these places will have alterations done on site. A simple single breasted blue or gray suit(I personally like 3 button suits. They tend to have a slimmer fit since you're thin), shirt with tie (not too much pattern and no cuffs), black shoes, and black belt. Dark socks.

The suit doesn't fit very well, but maybe that's more of the look today, I don't know. But a buck fifty for a nice wool suit is a good deal if the wool doesn't feel scratchy. "Lined to the knees" does not bode well. None of my dress pants are lined that far down.

I'd sure want to wear the pants in the store for a time while looking at shirt, ties, etc.

As I said, comfort is paramount, especially for an interview. On that subject, you should wear the suit at least once out somewhere before you do the interview.

No surprises on interview day.

More thoughts.

Two-button suits are the business standard.

Three-button suits go in and out of fashion. Sort of a mod, hipster, '60's, Beatles, young guy's look. They started coming into fashion (this latest time around) about 10 years ago, so chances are they are ready to start fading out of fashion. A practical issue is that many of them have lapels that are awkwardly short, so you're usually warned not to fasten the top button anyway. It isn't a fashion crime or anything, but I'd say a three-button should not be your first suit for mainstream business wear.

Definitely do not buy a one-button suit, that is a jazz lounge look, not an office suit.

Oh, no double-breasted either. Too dressy and they look stupid when not buttoned up and when sitting down. No vest (waistcoat) either, nothing wrong w/ them but they are superfluous. No double vent either.