Your Guide to Professional Summer Interview Outfits
Don’t let a heatwave keep you from landing a great job.
We all know that miserable feeling of stepping outside during summer into a muggy, sticky, stifling wall of hot and humid weather. What could be even worse? If you’re heading out for a job interview!
During a job interview, you want to make the best possible first impression. That can be difficult if you show up with sweaty pits, with that morning’s mascara running down your face. But never fear! With these easy-to-follow tips, we’ll show you how put together professional summer interview outfits that will make you feel cool and collected—even in the dog days of summer.
Why Is Professional Summer Interview Attire Important?
Looking professional and presentable for an upcoming interview is always important—even if you have an interview in summer. The way you present yourself can be almost as important as your job qualifications and experience. After all, employers want to know that you’ll be a good representative for their business, especially if you’ll have a lot of contact with clients or customers in your new role.
But before you start going through your closet to figure out what to wear for an interview in the summer, make sure you read through these basic guidelines first. Remember that for an interview in most industries, you don’t need a dark, tailored, perfectly pressed suit or a knee-length pencil skirt and modest blouse anymore. And for a summer interview, employers will expect you to dress a little lighter while still looking fresh and put together.
4 Guidelines to Follow When Choosing Summer Interview Outfits
Have no idea where to start when dressing for a summer interview? First, read through this checklist to get a better understanding of professional summer interview attire.
1. Look Up the Dress Code Policy
First and foremost, you should look up what the dress code is at the company you’re applying at to find what’s appropriate and what’s not. Is it a strict business casual dress code, or is smart casual accepted? If there isn’t a specific dress code policy, you can always reach out to the hiring manager and ask about the company culture regarding appropriate summer interview outfits. The goal is to dress to impress, not to overdress so that you seem overly stuffy or formal.
2. Know Your Industry
What you wear for an interview in the summer also depends on what type of job you’re applying for and what industry you’re in. The following jobs usually have a stricter and more formal dress code:
While other occupations, like the ones below, might allow a more casual dress code:
3. Put Your Best Foot Forward
Even if co-workers, or even managers, dress inappropriately, don’t let it affect you. How you dress for an interview is a reflection of your professionalism. By investing in your appearance, you’re investing in your career. Dressing the part is a way to show respect to an interviewer, and it shows them that you see yourself as a professional.
4. Dress the Part, Even for a Digital Interview
Just because your interview is over Zoom doesn’t mean you don’t have to dress the part. There’s science behind the expression “dress for success”—this study from researchers at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University shows that how we dress can actually affect how we think, feel, and perform. Remember that the next time you’re tempted to wear pajama pants for a phone or video interview.
A Guide to What to Wear for a Summer Interview
Now that you know the basics of how to put together an interview outfit year-round, we have a few extra tips and tricks for choosing comfortable and cool summer interview outfits. Basically, try to go one notch above what you would wear to the office during the summer.
Here’s what to consider when putting together summer interview outfits:
- Loose fits
- Light colors
- Thin and cool fabrics
- Undergarments
- The right shoes
- Socks matter
- Less is More
1. Loose Fits
Since tight clothing wrinkles more easily when it’s hot and sticky outside, you should opt for looser fits for an interview in summer. If you can’t get away from wearing a blazer, wear a polo shirt or short-sleeve collared shirt underneath it instead of a long-sleeved button-down. If you’re not wearing a blazer, you can roll up your sleeves to just below your elbow, and you’ll still be dressed appropriately for a business casual dress code.
2. Light Colors
Instead of classic black or navy clothing, you can opt for lighter colors for a summer interview. Wearing light colors that reflect the sun’s rays rather than absorbs them, as dark colors can, will help keep you cool. Go for colors like:
- light gray
- camel
- beige
- light blue
- white
- cream
- khaki
- light pastels
3. Thin and Cool Fabrics
When the temperature rises, make sure you’re choosing the right materials. Cotton, linen, and quick-dry materials are great options during the summer months to keep you cool. Just keep in mind that some thinner materials might require more care—like ironing, steaming, and dry cleaning—to keep their shape.
4. Undergarments
OK, we’re about to get personal, but sweat stains are a sight we’d rather avoid seeing and experiencing—especially during an interview. By using undergarments (undershirts, slip dresses, underskirts) underneath shirts, dresses, and skirts, your clothes won’t directly touch your skin. So, you’ll minimize the risk of sweating through what you’re wearing and visible sweat stains, neither of which will help you to create professional summer interview outfits.
5. The Right Shoes
Women have more options when it comes to appropriate and professional summer interview footwear. Sling-backs and heels with open toes are perfect alternatives for women to keep your feet cool, while loafers or dressy sneakers with mesh or other materials that breathe are good options for men.
6. Socks Matter
Even though you might be sorely tempted to ditch your socks during summer, you should always wear socks in your shoes (except for heeled sandals). To avoid stinky shoes, you can either try invisible socks that still give the illusion that you’re not wearing any or choose performance socks in materials that absorb sweat and help keep your feet cool for hours.
7. Less Is More
When it feels like a steamy sauna or hot desert outside, chances are high that your face will be feeling the heat as well. So applying a lot of make-up might backfire in high temperatures. Avoid the streaky, sweaty make-up look by using minimal make-up. You can always bring a pocket mirror and use some transparent powder for that final touch-up before stepping into your summer interview.
Get More Summer Interviews With Monster
Now that you know what summer interview outfits to wear and how to dress for success all year-round, it’s time to work on lining up those summer interviews. Just create a profile on Monster and start applying to jobs. We’ll always keep you up to date on the latest job postings that match your criteria by sending the newest openings to your inbox, and we’ll make sure recruiters find your resume in our database.