Congratulations! You’ve managed to get a callback for an interview so half your work is done.
Now you just have to make a good first impression and what you wear plays a huge role in that. You can’t just wear whatever you like; not every dress, blouse, or skirt is appropriate for interviews and certain colors just send the wrong message.
The last thing you want is to show up ready to showcase your qualifications and experiences in an outfit that undercuts and shines a negative light on you.
So how do you avoid such faux pas? In this post, I’ll explain the psychology behind different colors and pinpoint the best colors to wear to an interview as a woman.
I’ll share what colors to avoid and tips you can use to improve your dressing and look your best for your upcoming interviews.
Why do the colors you wear to an interview matter?
Photo by Christina Morillo
Your outward appearance is the first thing the recruiter or hiring manager is going to notice about you in an interview.
You may not realize it or think it matters all that much, but the way you’re dressed will influence their perception of you as a person and a suitable candidate for the position.
How you dress and the colors you wear can sway the impression interviewers have of you. Different colors evoke different emotions and affect people’s moods in various ways.
For example, warm colors like orange and red can spark a psychological feeling of warmth and coziness. This might induce an interviewer to display more positive physical and emotional responses toward you.
If you want to appear a certain way in an interview, you can choose colors that are associated with the qualities you want to embody.
While the choice to hire or not hire you will ultimately come down to your qualifications, your dressing will also factor into that decision because it says a lot about who you are.
So think about that when deciding how to present yourself in an interview color and clothing-wise.
What to consider when choosing colors for an interview?
Here are some factors to keep in mind before settling on what colors to wear for an interview:
Photo by RODNAE Productions
Comfort and confidence
When choosing what to wear, prioritize colors that you feel your most comfortable and confident self in.
Interviews are a nerve-wracking activity, so if there’s a particular piece of clothing or accessory that improves your mood or how you feel about yourself, consider incorporating it into your outfit.
Also Read: How To Ask About Salary In Email Before Interview?
The central color of your outfit
Your interview outfit should help you make a good impression, but not so much that it overshadows everything else about you. You want to be remembered for your qualifications, zeal, and charisma, not how brightly colored your dress or top was.
It’s usually best to use bright colors as an accent in your outfit and stick to neutral shades for the base or dominant color when putting together your interview outfit.
The type of company
Your interview outfit should align with the accepted workplace attire for the industry or organization you’re interviewing with.
If the company is in the finance, government, consulting, or investment banking niche, the standard dress policy is conservative and formal. Think dark-colored suits.
But if you’re interviewing with a nonprofit, startup, or other companies with casual or relaxed dress codes, feel free to ditch the suits and opt for more colorful options.
For jobs in creative industries like fashion and entertainment, you will be able to get away with bolder colors and outfit choices that reflect your unique sense of style.
Remember, if you’re not sure what the company considers appropriate dressing, stick to formal or business casual attire and solid neutral colors.
Also Read: How To Answer “What Are Your Salary Expectations”?
The role you’re interviewing for
The position you’re applying for should also factor into the color and outfit you choose. If you’re looking to snag a management or executive position, your dressing should be professional and polished.
Neutral colors alone or combined with a small splash of color can help you make this statement.
But if you’re applying for an entry-level role or an “unskilled” position in an informal industry—E.g. receptionist, supermarket cashier, bartender, etc—it’s common to appear more casual than formal.
However, you still need to look smart and professional, and not like you just stepped out of your house to run errands.
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Solids over patterns
Patterns can be distracting. When you wear clothes featuring multiple colors, colors, shapes, and designs, it can keep the interviewer from focusing on you and your qualifications.
Their eyes will keep darting back to your clothes, stealing their attention away from you and the answers you’re giving to their interview questions.
Whether you’re wearing a skirt, pants, suit, or dress, it’s better to stick to solid colors for interviews. If you must wear a patterned outfit, choose one that has a pattern that’s small, hardly noticeable, and can appear solid when looked at from across a room.
Also Read: How To Answer “Walk Me Through Your Resume”?
Best colors to wear to a job interview (Female)
Here are some great colors that work well for interviews and will help you make a strong impression as a candidate every time:
Grey
Photo by cottonbro studio
Wearing grey to an interview can signify that you’re an independent woman who possesses a sharp analytical mind and likes to approach situations with logic.
It communicates to interviewers that you’re not afraid to think for yourself, instead of simply going along with the crowd because it’s convenient. Go for grey if you want a simple and sophisticated look that commands attention.
A dark grey outfit will make you look powerful without seeming domineering, while a lighter grey can help you prevent a softer image.
Since grey is a neutral color, it makes it easy for you to weave small touches of color into the rest of your outfit, to give it a more balanced and chic look.
However, if you tend to perspire a lot, especially in stressful situations—like interviews—it might be best to avoid wearing a grey shirt or blouse because it’ll easily reveal sweat and leave visible pit stains.
Also Read: Follow Up Email Examples After Interview
Blue
Photo by George Milton
The color blue is associated with peace, calm, trust, integrity, security, business, and wisdom. So if you want to be characterized as embodying one or more of these qualities, consider wearing blue to your next interview.
Upon seeing you in blue, the hiring manager may form the impression that you are a person of principles who has certain unshakable standards you live by. They’ll think that you’re loyal and able to adhere to rules easily.
Blue has a calming effect on the mind so not only will it make you seem capable and level-headed, it can also take some of the tension out of the interview room by making the interviewer feel more at ease.
Darker shades of blue are ideal for projecting confidence and authority, qualities that will help you come across as someone who knows what they’re talking about.
However, if you’re applying for a job in a creative field, it’s best to play around with light blue shades so you don’t give off the appearance of being too conservative.
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Green
Photo by Mikhail Nilov
The color green radiates harmony, lightness, safety, hope, prosperity, healing, and youthful energy. It’s one of the best colors you can wear to an interview if you want to seem approachable and trustworthy.
You can incorporate greens into your outfit as the dominant color or use it to accentuate your style when working with paler colors like grey, white, and blue.
Lighter greens can make you appear inexperienced, so choose darker green shades to keep such an assumption from taking root.
Also Read: How To Answer “Why Should We Hire You With No Experience”?
Black
Photo by Christina Morillo
Black is one of the most powerful and best colors to wear to an interview. Wearing a black power suit or dress is perfect for interviewing in conservative industries and companies such as law firms, insurance agencies, and finance.
This color implies that the wearer is sophisticated and a leader—someone who is not afraid to take charge, who devises solutions instead of waiting around for solutions to be given to them.
Black is also flattering, so you are not only going to feel good in it, you’ll look good in it too. Since black is a high-powered color, it’s a great way to present yourself when applying to high-level executive and management positions.
However, black can come off as aloof and make you seem approachable, which is not the kind of impression you want to make when applying for entry-level or people-facing positions such as retail, customer service, or human resources.
For such roles that require a more laid-back persona, it’s better to use black as an accent and warmer and friendlier tones as the dominant colors for your outfit.
Also Read: Things Not To Say In A Job Interview
White
Photo by Yan Krukau
White symbolizes cleanliness, purity, freshness, positivity, hope, dependability, and perfection. Wearing white to an interview can help you come off as the kind of person that prioritizes being open, honest, and fair in all your dealings.
It will lead the hiring manager or interviewer to see you as detail oriented, organized, sincere, and capable. Also, not everyone is confident enough to pull off white, so you’ll definitely come across as self-assured if you choose to wear white.
Just because the color rocks doesn’t mean you should take things too far by wearing all white from head to toe. It’s still an interview, not a party on a yacht so try pairing your white blouse, shirt, pants, or blazer with other solid colors to create a striking and polished effect.
Check Out: How To Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”?
Brown
Photo by Edmond Dantès
Another neutral, solid color that’s safe to wear to interviews is Brown. Wearing this earthy color implies that you are dependable.
Brown can also inspire feelings of comfort and calm which, naturally, will work in your favor as a candidate.
While wearing brown can subtly portray some positive qualities, the dullness of the color may also give the impression that you’re passive, old-fashioned, and slow to change especially if you’re interviewing for a role that’s innovative and fast-paced.
So be mindful of what kind of interviews you wear brown to and choose lighter shades of brown rather than darker ones to help you seem more modern, fashionable, and progressive.
Worst colors to wear to a job interview (Female)
Now that you know which colors are interview friendly, here are some colors that are inappropriate to wear and should be avoided when dressing for an interview:
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Orange
Photo by Edmond Dantès
As far as HR professionals and hiring managers are concerned, orange is the worst color you can wear to an interview. You might as well just write “I am unprofessional” in big bold letters on your forehead because that’s exactly how they’re going to see you.
Some people might associate orange with creativity and take it to mean that you’re full of ideas. But for the overwhelming majority, it will be considered a startlingly poor wardrobe choice.
If you must wear orange, wait until you actually get the job to do so. Until then, you want to be seen as a serious professional who can get things done, and orange is not going to help you present a strong, positive image during interviews.
Check Out: Red Flags In A Job Interview – Signs of A Bad Employer
Purple
Photo by Diana Light
Purple is a tricky color to wear for interviews. You can probably get away with lighter shades of purple—periwinkle, lilac, wisteria, and lavender—without anyone batting their eyelids.
But opting for brighter, more saturated hues of purple will make you appear too fun-loving and insertions. The interviewers might even read arrogance into your decision to wear such a vibrant color and it’ll diminish their trust in your judgment and suitability for the role.
Yellow
Photo by Ivan Samkov
Yellow is a bright, fun color that evokes a sense of warmth, creativity, optimism, lightness, and cheer. But in professional settings, it can be distracting and overwhelming.
Yellow does not provoke feelings of trust and commitment, instead, it does the opposite—making you seem weak and unserious. It’s best to stay away from yellow when choosing outfits for your job interview.
However, you can make it work as a pop of color via your bag, scarf, earrings, etc.
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Red
Photo by cottonbro studio
Red symbolizes energy, passion, excitement, power, and assertiveness, as well as violence, hostility, rebellion, hot-headedness, anger, and aggressiveness.
Half of these qualities are admirable and sought-after in job candidates, but the other half is a turn-off for employers.
Since you can’t say for certain which way the interview is going to respond to or interpret your decision to wear red, you’re better off avoiding the issue altogether.
If you want to come across as powerful, passionate, and energetic without looking jarring or evoking negative connotations, try black and blue colors instead. Or simply stick to using red as an accent so your outfit doesn’t become jarring.
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Multi-colors
Color-blocking might be a fun fashion trend that lets you show off your bold style, but it has no place in an interview.
When you wear too many colors, patterns, or prints, your outfit is going to end up screaming to be noticed, which can be distracting, overwhelming, and disconcerting.
It’s better to stick to one solid color and add another color that blends together seamlessly to round off your look
How to choose the best colors for a video interview?
Video interviews are not much different from in-person interviews so you still have to apply all of the guidelines above.
However, there are also a few medium-specific considerations you’ll want to factor in when getting your outfit ready for a video interview.
- Think about the colors in the background you’ll be using for your video interview. If you’ll be using a light-colored or white wall as a background, choosing darker contrasting colors will help you look more natural and prevent you from blending into the wall behind you.
- Darker hues of black, blue, green, and brown will look better than lighter shades on your webcam irrespective of the camera quality and lighting.
- Stay away from clothes with distinctive patterns because they can make your image look too cluttered and cause the interviewer’s focus to shift from your brilliant answers to your outfit.
How to incorporate colors into your outfit for an interview?
If you want to step out of your comfort zone and incorporate brighter, less appropriate colors into your interview outfit, you can still do so as long as you use them with restraint.
Focus on using neutral, solid colors like blue, grey, brown, black, and white as your base color choice.
From there you can introduce more eccentric hues as part of your overall style. Here are some subtle ways you can wear bolder colors:
- As a scarf
- A belt on pants or a dress
- A brooch, hair accessory, or jewelry
- A purse or handbag
- Shoes
Tips for nailing your appearance for an interview
Looking your best for an interview goes beyond picking the right colors to wear. You have to pay attention to your entire appearance to make sure everything about you is a positive representation of who you are and how you approach your work.
The following tips will help you better prepare for interviews and ensure you show up looking consummate professional every time.
Choose breathable fabrics that are a good fit
An interview can cause even the most confident people to feel nervous and anxious, so you may end up sweating a lot more than you’d like.
Wearing breathable fabrics that maximize airflow will help cool your body down and allow your clothes to dry faster if you do end up sweating.
You’ll also want to make sure that your clothes fit properly. So if you haven’t worn your planned outfit in a while, don’t wait for the morning of your interview to try it on and realize it’s now too small or too big for you.
That kind of unplanned disaster can derail your day.
Ensure your clothes are laundered and ironed days ahead
Check the clothes you plan to wear properly to see if there are any stains on them. If they’re not clean enough, wash or dry-clean them at least 48 hours before your interview so you have time to plan around any eventualities.
Clean your shoes and bags, use a lint brush to get rid of any lint on your clothes, and make sure there are no loose threads, missing buttons, holes, or spots that are likely to rip in your outfit.
Lay out your outfit the night before
Don’t wait until D-day to start putting together what you want to wear. It’s easy to make a mistake and end up wearing something unflattering to your interview when you’re getting ready under pressure or in a rush.
Iron your outfit and hang it up in your wardrobe or drape it across a chair the night before, so it’s ready to go when you are.
Ditch the flip flops
No matter how laid-back the company culture seems to be, do not wear flip-flops, or sandals to a job interview. Doing so will have you looking unprofessional and disorganized.
Stick to flat shoes or moderate heels—whichever you feel most comfortable in.
Avoid using heavy perfumes
Don’t bathe in perfume or cologne before going for your interview. The goal is to smell nice not overwhelm and distract the interviews so spray lightly and opt for lighter scents rather than heavier ones.
Don’t go overboard with accessories
You’re not attending the MET Gala. Leave your fancy jewelry and stacking arrangements at home. Opt for simple necklaces and bangles that don’t call much attention to themselves.
Look well-groomed
Endure your hair is styled nearly and your nails look groomed. If you have chipped nail paint or loose falsies, get a touch-up before your interview.
Keep the makeup light and tasteful. And if you have any tattoos in a visible area of your skin, cover them up with concealer or wear clothes that won’t reveal them.
Also Read: How To Answer “Why Do You Want This Job?
Conclusion
You can avoid making an interview blunder by paying attention to the colors you wear.
The time to show off your flair for fashion is after you land the job, not while you’re still trying to convince employers that you’re the right person for the role.
As long as you know what colors to avoid and which ones will leave a positive impression on recruiters, you can let your wardrobe demonstrate your qualities and set you apart from other candidates.
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