The Complex Guide To Dressing For Any Job Interview

We know a little bit about dressing for the media industry. After all, we’re media, and we dress (and also have a heavy duty Style section). Us media-types like to consider ourselves pretty stylish, while maintaining a laid-back vibe. So to dress for an interview in the media industry you’ll want to look put-together, while expressing your own style. That can mean a tried-and-true slim oxford or a clean, minimalist t-shirt. Dark, fresh-looking jeans and clean boots or classic sneakers like Supergas. This look works whether you’re in the office working on projects or meeting with prospective clients. That’s some true all-purpose style, which is really what we want in our clothes anyways, right?

Working at a record label is pretty casual business. People don’t get a job making records to wear a tie all day. So we recommend going the way of clean jeans and a tee. If the label is on the corporate end of the spectrum, you might want to dress it up a little with a button down, but in our opinion, a solid color or muted-patterned tee (stain-free please) paired with a classic pair of jeans—we’re partial to the crowd favorite Levi’s 511’s—can never do you wrong.

It goes without saying that your personal style should be on point when interviewing in the high-fashion world. At the same time, many renowned designers go for the less-is-more approach, making sure their understated look doesn’t overshadow their work. Just take a look at icons like Alexander Wang or Michael Kors. We dig this move too. That’s why we’d recommend a well-fitting black tee along with dark jeans. For this industry, Levi’s might be a touch too obvious, so we’d recommend going with the next level up with denim from people like A.P.C. Selvedge is always a good look, and if you’re serious about your denim you might want to go raw and break those bad boys in the hard way.

Most of our homies in advertising like to dress it up a little more, which makes total sense as they’re in and out of meetings with real world business-types on a daily basis. If you’re interviewing for a gig in advertising, take a page out of our buddies’ books and go for an oxford shirt—J. Crew make a very, very good one—and some slim chinos from the Gap or J.Crew. Top it off with some not-too-dressy dress shoes, like low-cut wingtips or Clark’s Desert Boots and you’re good to go.

Nowadays the tech world generally leans toward a casual look when it comes to day-to-day office wear. Industry legend Steve Jobs kept it simple with a solid t-shirt and jeans, letting his stellar track record do the talking rather than a flashy outfit. And with notoriously long workdays, you’ll want to be sure you’re comfortable as you burn the digital midnight oil. At the same time, however, you still want to keep your look sharp and clean—you never know when you might have to meet with a potential angel investor or client. It definitely also helps to have an up-to-date smart phone, tablet, and/or the latest wearable technology on full display—a subtle touch that shows you’re up on all the latest trends.

While filmmaking is at it’s core simply art, everyday life in the film industry can lean heavy on the business side, with responsibilities like keeping massive schedules organized and running errands for the director and their crew. Something like a checkered shirt and a thick-knit cardigan paired with dark jeans and some old-school boat shoes is conservative enough while still being stylish. Once you’ve made it to the top, you can get a little bolder with your style. Just take a cue from eternally-dapper, eternally-quaffed director David Lynch or quirky old-timey-lookin’ mustachioed auteur, John Waters.

If you’re looking to get into iBanking, your wardrobe’s gotta be on point. Suits are still very much in style in this world. After all, you’re around large sums of other people’s money so you’ll want to come across as the trustworthy individual that you are. Calvin Klein and J.Crew both make relatively inexpensive suits that you’ll actually want to wear on a very regular basis. And if you want to dress it down, a good button down and cashmere sweater will do. Check out Uniqlo for very affordable sweaters and shirts.

As a mixologist, you’re playing several roles simultaneously—host, chef, therapist, artist, stylish dude, even DJ—so the impression you leave with customers and coworkers is crucial. Maybe it’s for this reason that so many mixologists and professional bartenders go old school and pay homage to the speakeasy look with vests or suspenders, and Dapper Dan level hair styling. You can also follow step with some modern accents like round-framed glasses. It’s important to note that these dudes are not afraid of letting their tats show, so if you’ve got ink, roll up your sleeves and make a drink.

The most crucial part of any sneaker designer’s wardrobe is obviously footwear. That’s why your sneaker game has to be on point. And since you’re pursuing the illustrious career of the professional sneakerhead, we’re sure you’ve got a few pairs in your closet. With so many choices, you can go two ways: You can go classic with kicks like all-white adidas Stan Smiths, or you can go with a sneaker that’s popular right now, like the Nike Flyknit Lunar Chukka. Top either look off with dark jeans or fitted sweats—and a vintage tee from the brand you’re interviewing with—and you’re good to go.

Let’s be real. You can wear whatever you want if you’re a successful music producer. That being said, most producers we love have some serious style. So instead of letting you walk out the door wearing anything and everything (your mom didn’t let you, did she?) we’d recommend taking a tip from the pros. Stylish industry heavyweights like Pharrell and Timbaland, or indie producer Ariel Rechtshaid, can all be seen wearing simple classics like a crewneck sweater, accented with a dope watch, and necklace—a stylish, laid-back look that can do no wrong.