April 6, 2015

Facing The Hounds

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0158 — White button down with houndstooth detailing–Ariat. Houndstooth trousers and belt–thrifted. Shoes–Steve Madden. Rings–Gifted.

WYSLTWRT: Fifth Harmony “BO$$” (I’m not even kidding, this song fits; and don’t tell me it’s not even a little bit groovy. Mmhmm.)

As my Junior year of high school comes to a close, I feel the heat of future responsibilities on my back, and, honestly, I’m pretty scared. I’d like to think that I’m prepared for whatever lies ahead, but I still have major obstacles to overcome–namely, the fear of starting from the bottom. This includes contacting every fashion retail business owner, college admissions director, and magazine editor whose contact I can find, all to get that dream “Now We Here” Drake moment.

This also includes attending conferences, informational sessions, and “The Interview”. And no, I don’t mean The Interview as in the comedy. I mean “THE Interview”–different for every individual. The Interview could be for anything from colleges to scholarships to your dream job. And in any case, under any circumstances, The Interview is terrifying.

So, to ease the pain of having to answer the question “how will you contribute to ______?”, I present to you my interpretation of the perfect outfit in which to “Face the Hounds” of the business world and otherwise–because the last thing you want to be worrying about is what to wear.

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0249

“Dress for the job you WANT, not the one you HAVE.” ~Sam Ramsey

One of the biggest things you have to remember about presenting yourself in front of those you don’t know you and who could possibly control your future is to accurately represent yourself in the way you dress. For me, this means coordinating the HECK out of my ensemble and using black and white patterns (in this case, houndstooth) to my advantage.

…you see what I did there? Houndstooth? “Facing the Hounds”?

…(I’m so sorry.)

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0447

This shirt is actually an old show shirt from when I used to compete in horse shows. It’s clean cut, smart, sharp, and matches the pants to a T. Now, I’ve styled it for regular day wear, meaning that if I were to actually wear this to an interview, I’d button up and roll down the sleeves to a single-fold.

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0440 — Also, I just HAD to try the famous J-Crew fold at least once. Review–obsessed.

If you want pants like the ones I have here, Goodwill is literally drowning in them. Just make sure you’ve patched up any damages before wearing them to the conference room.

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0438

Anyone who knows me personally knows that I have this type of trousers in any and every print imaginable–they’re just so timeless and white collar-esque that I can’t help but force them back into the spotlight of business fashion.

Now I stress again, this is just my interpretation of an interview outfit. If it’s not you, DON’T WEAR IT. The least you can do in an interview situation is to make yourself as comfortable and confident in yourself as possible. For me, low cut pants make me feel self conscious most of the time. High waisted pants make me more comfortable, and, as a result, more confident. It’s all about what will allow you to be your best self.

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0306

This “be 100% YOU!” deal is so incredibly important–but so is being 100% invested in whatever goal you are trying to achieve when presenting or interviewing. You want that job? Dress like you already work there. You want to be a student at that college? Dress like you’re a staff member. The way you dress is not only a reflection on your personality, but also a reflection of just how serious you are about making that early admissions list or getting that scholarship money. So be yourself, but be respectful of your environment. No crazy makeup, no crazy colors. Black and white is certain, reliable, definite, and strong. This is what colleges and employers are looking for.

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0214

And, finally, whatever you choose to wear to The Interview must accentuate your skills, not distract from them. This somewhat involves all the previous tips. Regardless of how hard you plan your outfit, regardless how much you LOVE that bright pink skirt and jacket combo you wore in your beauty pageant the summer before, regardless of how cool you think you look in your studded cowboy hat or faux fur bolero–your prospective boss doesn’t want to have to pay attention to your clothes. He or she shouldn’t have to. Don’t let your own clothes upstage you and distract the interviewer from your true shining qualities–your amazing sense of humor, your ability to predict changes in the market, your extensive knowledge of physics, your problem solving skills, your ability to write and to sway. You put in all that work to get there, so show the interviewer that you belong there.

Alright, enough preaching. It’s look book time.

HoundstoothWEBrebootNOW-0283