What I Wore to the Interview

Yesterday, Juliane commented:

"Since you are building a work wardrobe, will you share a bit about how you are deciding WHAT clothes you need (your anticipated work environment, professional or casual, color choice, shoe styles, etc.). I am looking to return to work in academia and am also facing building a wardrobe from the ground up, and you seem to have such a good handle on this project that I thought maybe you would share your thought processes on this."

I'm sorry to disappoint, Juliane, but I'm not really making new work clothes yet since I don't know where I'll be working. I'm trying to limp through interviews with my existing wardrobe pieces from my last job search 3 years ago. I do want to make a suit but I'm not going to rush it. As far as shoe styles, while I love the look of high heels, I can't wear them. I go for what I hope is a good mix of stylish and comfortable, but comfortable always comes first. I can't really be too picky right now, but I'd prefer an environment that is more business attire than casual. I don't really want to wear jeans to work every day. But I will if I have to. ;-)

For the interview this morning, I went with the blue suit. This pic is after I returned home from the interview so I'm wrinkly from the car and a little disheveled after throwing the jacket back on. Check it out — I'm even wearing pantyhose (and I didn't hate it).

The above pic and the next are a more accurate representation of the suit color vs. the last photos of it when I asked for opinions on skirt length. It's not a bad color on me but blue is just not one of my favorite colors in general. So why did I buy it? I have no idea, except that it was pretty cheap and fit well. Maybe I was thinking of using it as a pattern, but I don't remember at this point.

I decided on this skirt length (obviously!). Any shorter and I don't think I would've been comfortable while sitting and exposing half of my chubby thighs. At this length while sitting, it rises up to just above my knees.

With the suit, I wore this Ottobre Woman blouse I made 3 years ago. It's hard to tell, but in real life there is a perfectly matching blue inside the roundish thingies in the print and the taupe is a good color on me and (I think) a pleasing contrast to the blue. The pin looks kind of like a crab in this pic, but it's actually a cursive H turned diagonally. It was my grandmother's and the H was for her — Helen.

The interview itself went very well. I think I'm probably perfect for the job and I was getting the feeling they thought so too. But — it's in St. Pete, not Tampa, so it's a bit more of a commute. It's a HUGE place and I'm sure there would be advancement opportunities, and they have a great benefits package. But I'm not counting any chickens at this point. Time to wait and see.

Yesterday, I did start the McCall's cowl neck top I showed last post, but ended up abandoning it because I didn't like how fiddly the cowl is and it just wouldn't sit nice under the jacket. I really need an FBA with it too. I was just winging it on resizing, since I ended up with the envelope of smaller sizes because I went with "Medium" without realizing it was for 12-14. I used my TNT Ottobre tee as a sloper to adjust against. It fits OK, but across the bust is definitely too tight. I'll revisit this once I get back from my trip. I have enough white ITY left for another shell of some sort, whether it's this one again or not.

This is what I changed into about 5 minutes after the suit pics were taken. It's the Walmart dress that reminds me of See & Sew 5593. The print/color is kind of bland on me, but it's fine for around the house and/or running errands. Except I'll never go to Walmart actually wearing it. Does anyone else do that — NOT wear clothes (or fabrics) to the places they came from?

This will be my last post until I'm back from my trip. I'm hoping to leave at 5 AM tomorrow morning, and I still have a hem to sew and laundry to finish, and then pack my stuff plus Tyler's list of more stuff to bring him. What does a Marine do with FOUR guitars in a barracks room he shares with another Marine?

Have a great holiday weekend (or just weekend to the non-USAers)!