The 8 worst job interview fashion mistakes

Wearing the wrong clothes to a party might prompt a few snickers — but a fashion mistake at a job interview not only creates a bad first impression, it could cost you the job.

Few managers openly admit that the way you dress is an important consideration in the hiring process. But experts say fashion and grooming mistakes can derail a candidate's prospects almost instantly.

In the last decade, the world has become a much more casual place, and for some employees, tattoos and piercings are a rite of passage.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Body art may look great on an NFL football field, but don't flaunt it if you're looking for a job at Disneyworld. It's easy to research how employees dress at an organization, yet fashion faux pas occur on a regular basis.

"The new grad who borrows a tie from his dad that's 30 years old and too wide; the candidate who shows up wearing a coffee-stained shirt; the woman wearing too much lip gloss, holes in her shoes and messenger bags — these don't convey an impression of success," says Vicky Oliver, the Manhattan-based author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions.