Dress code sign at the entrance of the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand. Autor: Sodacan. CC
The increase in the number of startups and online businesses has given rise to a new dress code with regards to business attire. Some refer to it as “startup casual”, others don’t give it a second thought – it’s simply wearing what you feel most comfortable in. You’re putting in some serious hours to launch the startup to stardom, so you might as well not feel restricted in any way. Right?
Can I Wear Whatever I Want?
This is almost 100% correct and is the general feeling with most employees working for online startups and innovative entrepreneurial businesses. Generally speaking, startup employees will dress comfortably, but with a level of “stylishness” relative to their roles and whether or not they need to be seen by members of the outside world.
Interviewing for a startup position, you might not understand the dynamics of the company and perhaps you haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit the premises and get a feel for what everyone else is wearing. In this case, it’s probably best to shoot straight down the middle.
The Happy Medium
The suit, the tie and the shiny shoes will be overkill. Going all the way will more than likely make you feel like a door-to-door salesman who is completely out of place. Conversely, the jeans coupled with the creased t-shirt that was on the top of the pile might come off as less than professional and perhaps a little disrespectful. A decent pair of jeans, khakis or chinos with a button down shirt and clean shoes will more than suit the situation. You don’t want to distract your interviewers too much because ultimately your skills and experience will do the talking for you.
Images courtesy of: job search.about.com
If you’re a guy, something like this to the left is completely doable. Classic, informal yet not too casual.
As a girl, the image to the right clearly displays what’s acceptable, professional and chic all at the same time, she looks relaxed and comfortable.
Colors
Unless you’re a fashion designer, chances are you don’t want to be remembered for your attire, but for your talent. For this reason, there are some common rules that you could follow: solid fabrics are better than patterns and much better than t-shirts with “funny” texts, while neutral colors are better than bright ones. We all have an unconscious sense for colors –each color evokes a different feeling. Here is a brief list of what colors typically represent in our western countries, though this may vary from one culture to another.
Black represents power and authority. It can be a great choice if you are applying for an executive or sales position but maybe not the best one for other roles. However, a small touch of black (lets say, a scarf) will give you a point of elegance and self-confidence.
White brings out feelings of cleanliness, truth and simplicity. It’s perfect for shirts and blouses, specially when combined with some darker complement or jacket.
Blue, specially navy blue, is a great neutral color for almost any interview. It suggests calmness, trust, and confidence — qualities you always wants to transmit to a hiring manager.
Red is the color of passion and energy. It represents creativity and inconformity and can be a good selection if you are applying for a job where these values are a plus.
Brown is the color of earth and it educes peace and calm. It’s a great color for almost any interview.
“I want everyone to wear what they want and mix it in their own way. That, to me, is what is modern.”
― Karl Lagerfeld
When sifting through your wardrobe contents, searching for the ideal outfit for your startup interview, think of this – an interesting point of view is to only wear clothing that is as smart as you would want to wear everyday. So if you’re unsure about whether or not to wear a tie, think about wearing one everyday. Stiletto heels? Can you do that every day for hours on end? If you’re happy with that – go ahead and knot that tie or don those heels! If you’re not overly keen, then don’t lead your prospective employers to believe that this is something they can expect of you.
Before you go, make sure you’ve brushed your teeth, your hands and nails are clean, hair looks good and you’re looking altogether pretty suave.
Good luck!