Wearing Black Suits in Interviews
I am a Junior at a target and I have summer analyst interviews with a few BB banks for Investment Banking and Public Finance roles.
I have researched the topic and found that black suits are a big no-no in interviews. I come from a pretty humble background and I spent pretty much all of my money on suits and shirts. I wouldn't be able to buy a new suit.
How big of a deal is it if I wear these black suits to the interviews?
Also, should I buy a pale blue shirt along with the white one?
Interview Coming Up? Be Prepared.
Suit and Shirt Color for Interviews
While students place a lot of weight on the quality of interview outfits, in the end what matters is looking put together and offering strong, quality answers. However, our users shared some advice about suit and shirt colors below. Generally speaking - grey, charcoal, and blue are preferred suit colors but black is fine especially for a student. No one expects you to have expensive or fancy suits as a poor undergrad.
You don't need to worry about the suit. At the end of the day, they care about what you know, what you can learn, and what type of person you are ... not whether you knew the intricacies of professional attire.
I wouldn't worry too much about wearing a black suit vs. navy or gray. Honestly as long as the suit fits well, your tie is tied right, and your shoes don't look like crap you'll probably be alright.
Dress Shirt Colors for Interviews
Shirt wise, our users suggest white or light blue shirts without any patterns.
White or blue shit. Any tie but red. THAT'S IT. Took me 2 mins and some common sense to figure that out.
Black Suit Red Tie Combo
Some users strongly advise against wearing a red tie to interviews as it is considered an aggressive color. However, some feel that it is acceptable.
One big thing, though, is the tie. Do NOT wear red. It is a power color. Avoid it at all costs. Avoid bright colors to begin with. Don't get bright yellow, red, or green. Dark green, burgundy, and navy ties are all acceptable and all work with a white shirt.
As far as tie color, pretty much anything will go with black but I would advise to keep it simple. red, black, blue. solid or diagonal stripes. Don't get into the busy prints like paisley, checks, plaid, etc. yet. Make sure that if you have a thin lapel on your jacket you have a corresponding thin tie.
However, maroon ties are usually acceptable. See the difference below with maroon on the top and red on the bottom.
Read more about this topic on WSO:
- Dressing for an interview: wearing black?
- Black suits: yes or no? THE definitive thread (finally)
- Black Textured Suit for interview/formal wear
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You don't need to worry about the suit. At the end of the day, they care about what you know, what you can learn, and what type of person you are ... not whether you knew the intricacies of professional attire.
One big thing, though, is the tie. Do NOT wear red. It is a power color. Avoid it at all costs. Avoid bright colors to begin with. Don't get bright yellow, red, or green. Dark green, burgundy, and navy ties are all acceptable and all work with a white shirt.
Whatever you do.. dont wear a black suit with a red tie.
Why is that?
I wouldn't worry too much about wearing a black suit vs. navy or gray. Honestly as long as the suit fits well, your tie is tied right, and your shoes don't look like crap you'll probably be alright.
Undo the vent that was closed up.
As far as tie color. pretty much anything will go with black but I would advise to keep it simple. red, black, blue. solid or diagonal stripes. Don't get into the busy prints like paisley, checks, plaid, etc. yet. Make sure that if you have a thin lapel on your jacket you have a corresponding thin tie.
Pale blue shirts are almost as much of a staple in dress shirts as white shirts so I say yes, buy one of those too.
For the record, charcoal and navy are slightly preferable for interviews, but black is fine, too.
Thanks guys. I've been freaking out over this.
By red, I meant burgundy. The tie looks something like this: http://tinyurl.com/6nb88k8
Also, how cheap is acceptable for the second tie? Would you recommend a different color for the superdays? White dress shirts each time?
I see nothing wrong with that tie. The most important thing is that you're comfortable with it and it's 100% silk.
You are obsessing too much.
That tie is alright.
Brooks Brothers items are staples. Get a couple of their shirts and a couple of their ties. No one will remember you wearing the same tie twice unless it was a Pokemon or Halloween-themed tie, and you can never have too many white shirts.
Maybe I should tell my friend who wore a black suit to his Silverlake interview last fall - and received an offer - that he was doing it all WRONG. ;)
This black vs navy/charcoal suit argument is overblown. Just look presentable; the stuff on your transcript/resume is what really matters.
Traditionally, black was what you wore to a funeral; hence why everyone says charcoal or navy. But the difference is almost imperceptible.
Oh well, I'm just a quant. I wear argyle sweatervests and sometimes go three days without shaving. Who am I to nitpick on fashion?
Just wear the suit with pinstripes and you should be fine.
I understand covering all your bases with interviews, but seriously?You wrote a page on suit, shirt and tie color? Really?
White or blue shit. Any tie but red. THAT'S IT. Took me 2 mins and some common sense to figure that out.
Instead of spending time worrying about your suit color, study the market, read about a deals, prep a stock pitch, spend time talking to yourself in the mirror, talking through your "walk me through your resume or through a dcf" not staring at yourself wondering - dang, I should've bought the Charcoal suit.
SERIOUS RESPONSE IF THIS IS FOR BANKING:
Dark Charcoal with a MILD pinstripe (not stripes that stand out from a mile away)
If you don't have one, go buy one.
DO NOT WEAR AN ALL BLACK SUIT (going to a funeral?)
No one really cares. At least in Europe. It's all about your interview performance, but not about your suit or tie (imo).
I don't really think it makes a difference. I always wore a grey suit to my interviews. I was always told "Black suits are for funerals". Not trying to be a jerk but if people in IB told you not to buy a black suit and then you listened to the guy who works at mens warehouse? Just saying
Damn it, considering my experience in the fashion industry, I'm tempted to help you guys posting up these topics.
Like the others have said, simple is best. In my interviews (or any event that requires business formal), this is my go-to:
That's it. If I'm feeling particularly dickish, I'd grab a floral pocket square.
make sure you buy a black shirt to match
Just wear a white shirt and light blue tie with the suits you have now and buy new suits before summer starts. Stay away from colorful shirts and red power ties or any flashy tie. Men's warehouse provides terrible fashion guidance for finance professionals
not a big deal at all. wear the pinstripe to superdays though (more people to judge ifyou wear the solid and they might be more hostile than your own recruiting team). Especially if it is apparent you are from a humble background (city public school, you list a scholarship on your resume) it is fine.
borrow ties from your richer friends. seriously, this will save you some money and let you change it up. neutral stripes (blue, green, gray) and small repeating patterns are considered the most professional. nothing you can do about the vents now.
those dinner events tendto be business casual btw, so ask about that
I'll echo what the others have told you that you should absolutely not stress about wearing a black suit. It is perfectly reasonable and appropriate to wear a black business suit to a formal job interview. You're doing just fine.
With that said, it is considered a little more sophisticated to wear darker colors other than black such as a dark navy or dark charcoal, but file that away for general fashion advice, not interview advice (as others have said, black suits are considered formal for funerals or night weddings, but dark navy and dark charcoal are so close to black anyway).
Your goal fashion-wise for an interview is to be as unremarkable as possible. That may sound counter intuitive, but you want to stand out for your communication skills and experience, not fashion. For that reason, it's usually a good idea to be as conservative as possible with items such as a shirt in either white or light blue, and a conservative tie (it probably is best to avoid the red tie, but that won't get you blacklisted). Your tie should definitely be darker than your shirt, however. For example, you wouldn't want to wear a light blue tie with a dark blue (or medium blue) shirt. No one has ever been hired for their great fashion sense, but I suspect plenty have been blacklisted for their outlandish/inappropriate fashion sense (showing up in clubbing attire, etc). This is why you just want to play it as conservatively as possible and forget about it.
With all of that said, I cannot recommend eBay enough. If money is tight, you can score fantastic deals, and you can even buy clothing that has already been tailored to your needs. You may not want to buy used pants or shirts, and that's fine, but used ties, used sport coats, etc can be fantastic buys and don't sit directly on someone's skin. You can buy new shirts much cheaper than retail, because people either received them as unwanted gifts, or someone buys in bulk but has no store overhead, etc. Clothes depreciate more than even cars do, and for no reason other than men don't think to look for them. I have a closet full of Brooks Brothers mainline sport coats now, each retailing for between $400 - $700, and I think the most I paid for any of them was $35 plus shipping.
So in conclusion, relax about the black suit and white shirt! Good luck on your interviews and your journey to rainmaker status.
No one gives a shit what you were to an interview as long as you are presentable. All this nonesense about wearing a red tie is pure superstition. I work red ties to my superdays back in the day and kicked ass.
Same.
It’s good that you care about your attire and dress-up but don’t get over-conscious about it.
It literally doesn't matter as long as you look professional and cleaned up. They want to know that your'e good for the role, not what color suit you wear.
I've always been told not to wear black shoes/belt with a navy suit. Usually I just wear brown shoes/belt.
I just think black on navy looks terrible. How do you guys match those colors?
You dont. Whoever told you to wear black shoes with a navy belt is a retárd.
Wow you were so excited to post something that you didn't read what he said.
IMHO black leather (shoes and belt) with a navy suit isn't the faux pas it used to be. But I do think dark brown looks better with navy than black.
Hey Mr. Original poster...it really doens't matter you wear black or blue, the thing that matters is that you need to look presentable and have a great body language about the job.
Did you end up getting a summer internship?
Well, considering this thread is four years old, OP could be out of the industry entirely by now, in business school, dead, etc...
Hahaha
Black Suits - Can You Wear Them? (Originally Posted: 03/16/2007)
Can you wear black suits to work or not really anyone wears black anymore?
Well if you have to wear a black suit wear a white shirt and a black tie, black belt, and shoes. Tell them you had to come straight from your great grandmother's funeral.
Somethings never change around here...
What me always dishing out ass saving advice. Yes that never does seem to change.
Dude, black is for funerals and maybe weddings. Don't wear it to work. It just doesn't fit in a professional environment.
Other than that, you can basically wear any cheap half-decent suit. Doesn't need to cost more than $150, and unlike what some other people here are saying polyester is totally acceptable for junior bankers. In terms of color/pattern, I'd recommend grey striped, but anything reasonable goes, really (but not black).
If you got to wear a suit 5 days a week, how many different ones would you wear? Like 2, 3, or 4?
just remember you can mix up the tie and shirt.. so you don't really need more than two suits in my opinion.. IB isnt fashion
I get by with 3.
IB isnt a fashion show. fyi - ive seen people wear black suits and ive seen people who never wear them. guess what? no one gives a crap. you get your work done and done correctly and thats all. quit worrying about fashion. seems like too many people here care about what they wear more than what they are doing..ridiculous.
black is fine as long as you have a crisp tie, make sure its not too loud though.
i have 5, but only wear 3. i'm not into fashion or whatever, but i went shopping with ppl and this is what i bought when work started (low budget):
Dark Blue (YSL) Black w/grey stripes (CK) Dark Grey (Boss)
I just happen to have 5 suits but mainly because three are hand-me-downs from my dad who got fat. Keep in mind if you are wearing suits 5 days a week you want to keep a rotation going because suit pants wear out fairly quickly.
soooo true...
Don't where Black unless your going to Prom, or a funeral lol.
Stick to safe Navy and charchol suits. I'm sure there was some study someone about people wearing Navy when interviewed being perceived as the most professional and more likely to get hired. O
Did you even look at the original post date? Jesus.
Funerals and weddings only.
Just don't.
Use plain charcoal or navy.
@"WallStreetOasis.com" can you add an archive feature where a thread with less than a certain amount of SB's gets archived so no one can comment on it going forward? this is a serious bump about a dumb topic.
buuuuuut since it's gotten bumped, I will say this: if you're in something client facing and there's a huge age difference between you and the client/potential client across the table, black has a psychological effect on people and I think it makes you feel older, gives you gravitas. definitely don't do black suit white shirt and dark solid tie, you'll look like a FBI agent, but I think when done intentionally, it can be done well. these situations rarely happen in IB because junior people don't sit in on meetings where they're the only one at the table, but if you're in PWM running your own practice, I'd consider it.
This is brilliant. I've never seen a thread get necro'd twice.
Black Suit to Interview (Originally Posted: 10/11/2009)
Parents got me this as a gift. I'm going into an interview, and I've read that black may be too bold for the occasion; I don't know if that's true. It's tailored and everything, and I would feel terrible if I never wore it.
Would this be fine?
LINK:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3032152?refsid=257023&refcat=0%7e2376777%7e…
Thanks.
Interview Coming Up? Be Prepared.
The suit is fine. No one will care if you wear a black suit. Just make sure you've gotten it tailored.
Its a nice suit, I wore black to all mine and never had a problem. I still wear a black suit to work every now and then, no one ever says anything.
obviously most people wouldn't say anything, but anytime i see a kid in my office with a black suit i assume he's lost and proceed to give him directions to the operations floor.
lmao
But, in all seriousness, just make sure your tie is lively.
Especially if it's paired with white aldo loafers.
Freaking hilarious!!!!!!!!
^i like it, but seriously, my interviewer wears a light grey suit with a silver tone on it, unbuttoned, with a white shirt, one button down. omg, that was HOT. i would hit on him in a bar.
there are a dozen more important things to care about than a black suit in an interview
just make sure the next suit you get is navy or charcoal
Choose something like navy blue or other suits. I did the mistake of wearing black suit while meeting a recruiter and was lectured upon not to wear this for interview
I got alright with the black suit so far. But whenever I recieve my first paycheck, I am probably buying a navy one.
So, def take the most you can get out of your suit
Black suit, white shirt, and a red or blue tie. Can't get much more conservative. No one would think twice.
Cheer up, Bateman. What's the matter? No shiatsu this morning?
i have a very dark charcoal suit (if you imagegoogle "charcoal suit" or "black suit", the same pics will show up, it's about that color). It doens't matter, I got offers everywhere i interviewed. But get used to be asked "Who died?".
Also: DO NOT WEAR a white shirt with that suit, go for a light blue and get a red/orange tie (that doenst look cheap: zegna will be fine) to go with that
People understand that when you are in college you own only one suit (that must fit every ocasion, that includes funerals)
What what is it? Black - No Charcoal - Yes?
And shirt light Blue?
Jesus, just wear black, it's not like it's bright yellow.
If you only own one suit, ideally it should be a navy blue solid suit. Solid means there is no pattern on the fabric, just the solid color of dark blue. You would have to travel far and wide to find a place or formal situation where you were not dressed appropriately. If you only own two suits (most people), make the second suit be a charcoal solid. Wear light blue or white shirts. Wear red or blue ties with tiny conservative, unobtrusive and unremarkable patterns. When you are an MD then you can feel free to dress like Ari Gold. Till then, stepping out just makes you look like an ass.
Typically when I wear my navy suit I wear dark brown shoes - are the brown shoes good for an interview or should I go black?
Go with the black shoes. Unless you have a watch and belt to match the dark brown shoes.
hugo boss? thank your parents
I think very subtle striped suits are better than solids. Paired with a solid white shirt and simple burgundy tie, you can't go wrong. I guess it's just me but I really don't like the look of solid navy suits in particular.
Charcoal or Navy suit with black shoes for interview please
Black suit + ? (Originally Posted: 12/27/2009)
Yes I know but it's all I have and I don't really want to fork out for another one.
I was thinking black suit + light blue shirt + one of these ties:
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/9859/518stvcroilss400.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/3074/5181cdzhmlss500.jpg
My question is, is this OK for interviews or should I be wearing a red tie and white shirt or some other combo?
You're fine, it's not a big deal. Trust me, you're not going to get dinged for wearing a black suit, and if you do, you don't want to work at that place anyway. Either tie will work, though I think the second tie is a better fit -- the gold in the first tie doesn't really seem like it would go well with the primary navy and the black of the suit.
You should be fine. I'd go for the latter tie.
You will be ok. For a tie try to stay away from Navy if you can. The first one would definitely look bad with the black. The second one might be light enough.
out of those two, i would pick the latter.
Would a red tie be better? I need some new ties anyway so am open to suggestions.
I am a fan of light blue ties, apparantly they seem to have the effect that you come over as a thrustworthy person. Red ties are a tad too aggressive
Yes but it is common knowledge that black and navy blue should never go together. I'd maybe go with a red tie...if not then definitely the latter.
Black Suits (Originally Posted: 01/04/2012)
I have been taught that black suits are a must possession in my early years. However, one of my friends instructed me that black suits are inappropriate for ib interviews. Is that correct? If so are there any occasions where a black suit would be appropriate?
holy fuck.
Don't wear black suits except to classy parties.
...or funerals.
Dude, no one fucking cares. Just look presentable and ace your interview.
It's true. I've landed SA offers wearing a black suit. I was naive and hadn't a clue at the time, but they really don't care for the most part. I've also run into other interviewees and even some bankers wearing black suits. It's not THAT bad. Best to stick with the classic navy and charcoal though.
If you don't get an offer, it had nothing to do with the color of your suit. It's cause you sucked. No one actually in banking gives a shit whether you're wearing black or navy blue.
For the record, it's completely possible to nail interviews in a black suit. That isn't what makes or breaks your success.
That being said, don't wear a flat black suit unless you're: - a waiter - attending a funeral - at a formal event - out on the town for the night
Wearing a black pinstriped suit is acceptable outside of those circumstances, but not in an interview. Wearing a black suit isn't a dealbreaker in interviewing, but it's tasteless. Stay classy.
^ or pimp suit. Dude comes in wearing an alligator suit, he's got the job.
- if you're a mob goon - if you work for the government - if you have bad tasteWhite suit should guarantee an offer though
A good navy blue suite, with white stripes and a super cut to fit along your body. That makes a super first impression.
Black Suits (Originally Posted: 01/04/2012)
I have been taught that black suits are a must possession in my early years. However, one of my friends instructed me that black suits are inappropriate for ib interviews. Is that correct? If so are there any occasions where a black suit would be appropriate?
Go with navy for ib interviews...much more conservative
funerals and weddings
navy or charcoal is best
Navy Blues are good, with a little self print. And make sure you get them tailored by a good tailor. Otherwise it's not the color the fitting that doesn't match with your personality.
Black suit, or not? (Originally Posted: 07/30/2012)
From what I've read on here, it seems that a charcoal-grey suit is the best option for an interview, with black being a "don't if you can afford to avoid it".
Recently, though, I was at a JP Morgan event where the HR person said "I recently read a black suit increases the chance of interview success, so make sure you get yourself one!"
I tried googling for such an article, but I am yet to find it. In light of this recommendation from an HR person at a bank, is a black suit better than grey or navy?
P.S. The event was in the Asia-Pacific region, don't know if that makes a difference.
The whole don't-wear-a-black-suit thing just doesn't apply in Asia.
This sounds about right...but in the US I'd say something around charcoal gray would be best.
I would only wear a black suit if i were wearing a white shirt and a black tie
.....While playing in your band, "Good Charolette"
Ignore Elwood Blues above.
Here is a very simple way of thinking about the black suit phenomenon:
Be risk averse. Wear grey or dark blue.
Duh.
if you was to go to a funeral, rock it black.
I highly doubt it really makes that large of a difference.
Honestly you'll never make everyone happy. Some people will notice and hold it against you and others won't give it a thought. I think that if you start out with a suit that fits you well (see: tailored or altered) your already above 90% of people. Hell, probably 95% from what I've seen. If you take pride in your appearance people will notice. Simple. Black, blue or charcoal if it fits well and you wear it well chances are you will be perfectly fine. That doesn't mean go run out and buy a yellow suit or something, but as long as your not wearing black on black, odds are that they won't hold it against you. Besides, unless it's like a matte black half of the black suits I've seen could be construed as navy so.
You can easily make everyone happy by just wearing a god damn navy blue suit. There is no culture where a navy blue suit is taboo. Just do the intelligent thing and don't wear a black suit.
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End of discussion.
don't forget the black shirt too.
Must wear with these:
http://www.shoemall.com/p/stacy-adams-mens-madison-hitop-5-boot/?color=…
If this is the only suit you have who cares? Go interview, kick ass... there is a shortage of competent people with decent personalities. Trust me, if you are good no one cares what kind of suit you are wearing as long as it is clean and ok fitting (obviously if you wear something really strange my above comments don't apply)
How about tie color?
the tie MUST be white..and the shirt MUST be red
Dark Suit, White shirt, red tie....its the most standard interview attire. Shows you mean business and know old school practices.
Red= Confidence Dark suit= Conservative
Quick follow-up: dark red or light red tie and solid red or maybe some patterns?
Why do people even buy black suits anymore in the first place. Clothes make tte man and if you walk in with a black suit you're starting off with a negative impression.
Wore a black suit to all my interviews because 1) for a while I didn't know better and 2) once I knew better, I still didn't have the money to get a new one. Did fine, received multiple offers. Most likely does not matter.
black suit, white shirt, and red tie
just finished interning in Asia. if you are working there, black suit is absolutely appropriate and sometimes even the norm.
Where whatever you want just don't come complain to us when you don't get an offer.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505183_162-57320039-10391735/the-new-rules-…
Does this apply to females as well? Or is suit color not as significant?
It is more appropriate to wear dark colored suits that fits well to look more professional. Personally, I feel that as long as the color of the suit is dark, it will be okay to wear it for an interview.
You know Carlton wouldn't have to ask questions like this.
Would recommend charcoal gray, or navy suits for an interview. Blue, Yellow, red ties all work. As someone said, red does showcase bold. On the suits, wear solids (no pattern) if you are on the bulkier side; If short, a pinstripe gives the illusion of height. On shirts, as multiple folks have pointed out, blue and white are perfect. Black/brown shoes work well. If wearing brown, suggest matching with a brown belt. Cuffs etc. come down to personal choice. Ideally suggest not wearing cuff links and pocket squares for interview- may be a bit much. Best!
To add on, in London people might think you're odd for wearing brown shoes
play it safe
play it safe
I wouldn't wear a black suit to work in America, but in Asia it's fairly common to see it. So it depends on the culture of the firm really. Definitely rock a charcoal suit, it's so easy
do I wear a suit to this event and is a black suit considered wrong for interviews? (Originally Posted: 10/31/2012)
I have two questions:
What is the dress code for an open house event held at the company headquarter? Is business casual okay?
Is it wrong to wear a black suit to interviews? I've heard that black is not considered business attire and some people can get dinged for wearing black.
Black is for funerals, get a gray suit.
If you are interviewing or not working there, wear a suit, navy or charcoal (navy is what's hot right now).
Wear a suit. You can always make a suit less formal if necessary (remove jacket/tie). You can't make business casual more formal.
Black is too formal. Get a charcoal 2-button suit.
For the record, while you don't see black suits too often, no one will really gives a shit if you wore one to an interview. If you're good, they'll hire you. If you suck ass, it wasn't cause of the color of your suit that got you dinged. Worry about your technicals and story before stupid shit like color of your suit.
Black Suits (Originally Posted: 11/08/2012)
On Monday GS is coming to my school for a corporate presentation with an hour networking session afterwards. I was just wondering if a black suit would be okay to wear to an event like this? If need be, I can just run out this weekend and buy a navy/charcoal suit. The downside to that is that I wouldn't have time to get it tailored.
I'm in Manhattan if it matters.
Don't sweat it. Dress your best, and if that means wearing a black suit, so be it. Just change your wardrobe before your internship starts. GS won't hold it against you - you're only a college kid.
Go to an Ivy B-School, about 30% of my class wears black suits and no one cares. Just try to avoid the black suit, white shirt, black tie combo. Wear a grean/blue/red/yellow tie and a blue/white shirt and you are good to go!
I'm wearing a black suit (Originally Posted: 10/25/2013)
I know, I know, black suits are bad for interviews and you should only go with charcoal or navy. Unfortunately, the only suit I have is a black suit. I have an equity research interview at an investment bank next week and I don't know what to wear with the suit. For my last interview I went with a light blue shirt with a multi blue tie and I want to know if there's a better alternative.
A little more info if it helps- the bank is in the midwest and it's the Baird/Piper type
What should I wear with a black suit?
White shirt and pick a nice tie. You won't get passed over for the job just because of the black suit.
I wouldn't worry too much. Navy or charcoal is ever so slightly preferred but a black suit is fine too.
Heck, I interviewed in a light gray suit and did ok.
Go with a black or blue tie.
Light blue shirt with a yellow tie
Don't wear a black tie to an interview.
Black shirt, black tie. If they ask about it say you are dressed for your own funeral..
Boom + 1
black suit investment banking associate interview (Originally Posted: 02/02/2016)
This question is about midnight blue or the darkest navies which can be confused as black.
So, I read a thread on this topic and generally for entry level it doesn't really matter if you wear black. However, as mentioned by a very smart man, why tempt fate and risk running into someone who cares about these things, which is not outside the realm of possibility.
Now this is a personal opinion but, post MBA associates are held to higher standards and I would say one should never wear a black suit for an associate interview.
Having said this;
For an associate interview, do you think it's tempting fate to wear a navy suit that is so dark that it can be misconstrued as being black? (Yes, I have one and it was expensive)
I also have a black suit with stripes that are not conspicuous. (Yes, I'm an idiot). Can I wear this to an associate interview?
Should I buy a new lighter navy suit?
Thanks for your answers
To me it depends on your background. If you come from a low-income URM background and did Peace Corps after graduation, it's not going to matter. But, if you were in some corporate job for 4 years, I think you should know better and have the means to get a properly colored suit. End of the day though, no one is going to ding you for wearing a black suit.
I would say under no circumstances option 2)
Don't wear number 2. Number 1 should be fine but if you can afford it and it allows you to focus on your interview rather than worry about your suit, buy a new suit..you're going to need at least 4 suits anyway during the summer / when you start.
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