> > But what you're going to have to do is, when you interview...
>
> Dress code for interviews, by the way, is always formal, for any profession other than mine*, which means a coat and tie for men and...whatever women wear to be as formal as men are in a coat and tie.
>
>
> * Computer-related engineers (sysadmins too, Dave?) don't seem to have a standard interview dress code, which makes it very difficult to figure out how to dress. Some people say that formal attire is still required, while others say formal attire can actually *hurt* your chances if you're applying for a job, because...I don't know, it makes you look desperate or not truly of the technical mindset or something. I usually wear a shirt and tie, but no coat, as a sort of compromise, and even then I occasionally get comments about how I'm way dressed up and how they should have told me I could show up in casual clothing. It boggles my mind, because, seriously, staunchly formal attire for interviewing is standard and understood in basically every other profession, even for companies that have casual dress codes.



I think the term you should have used instead of "formal" is "business" attire. "Formal" connotes eveningwear, up to and including black tie.

"Business" attire means suits and jackets. For women, "business" can mean anything from dresses or skirts with blouses to suits with skirts or pants. I haven't worn a skirt or dress since wearing them with hose went out of style a few years ago. I'm still hard pressed to put on a skirt or dress without hose unless it's a sundress, but it's completely within the norm to wear a skirted suit without hose. How they do it, I don't know, but okay. I now usually wear pantsuits or nice slacks with a blouse or sweater.

I work in the entertainment industry, which is seriously "casual," in most places, but since I work for an executive in the building where the CEO's office is, a different wardrobe is expected of me than what is expected on a soundstage or even in another building on the lot.

I'd say appropriate office attire in general, for women, would include nice slacks and a sweater or blouse, with closed toed shoes.

Mou"kept picturing tuxes in the cafeteria
in Sam's description"sie