Nothing is more stressful than choosing clothes, especially for women. I am going to do a brief post on my opinions and thoughts on what to wear and talk a little about what I have chosen.
As Barney Stinson would say, "Suit up!" Really, suit up. If you aren't suiting up, dress conservatively and respectably. For men, you want nice slacks, a good button-down, a tie, and a tailored jacket. I always think that you want to look like you have a bit of style. Maybe go for a colored shirt or a nicely patterned (not scary patterned) tie. But, don't get yourself all nervous and uncomfortable just because you feel you need a suit jacket and a tie and to be crazy formal. This interview is about showing who you are as a professional; if this means that you need to wear your leather jacket (that is well tailored and looks great on you) then do. Just don't look like a schmuck. Wear shine-able shoes, maybe pick something that makes a statement. My brother wears fantastic wing tips done all in black, so they are understated but still worth noting.
Women, I still suggest suiting up. It gets more difficult because society puts so much emphasis on our first impression, but this also means we get a little more fun without having to worry quite as much about stepping out of the box. I live in the US, so in JET, I will be representing the US. I think that this gives me the definite advantage that I should dress like a professional of my country. (No offense to other countries, I just don't know what people wear in your professional communities, so I don't want to pretend I do). Women get to wear color; in fact, a complete lack of color can end up showing that you don't care about your appearance. A nice white button-down shirt is fantastic, as long as it is nice. But, I would be an advocate for picking a pop of color for your shirt, something that makes you look good and feel confident. For skirts and pants, I would pick something that has a bit of modernity to it. I am going with a skirt that has a little pleated detail on the sides, but not so much to be really eye-catching or out there. I am also a huge fan of wide leg pants (as long as the proportions work on your body type). I think that a little bit of detail on the bottoms goes a long way. Lastly, I highly recommend some sort of jacket or cardigan. Layering generally conveys a sense of professionalism and I don't really know why. A great suit jacket goes a long way in enhancing your silhouette (or evening it out if you are like me and have a disproportionately small waist compared to my bust and stomach T_T). Also, a suit jacket is important because, while in JET, you will have to wear a suit at least once or twice, so it's good to show off that you are prepared and understand that Japan's schools have truly formal events. The other option for women is a cardigan, which can be a lot of fun. This can allow for a bit of pattern, or an embroidered detail or two, or something that really pops, as long as it looks professional.
I feel like I have gone on forever, so I am going to shut up now, by summarizing for another few hundred words. This advice all comes from my experience interviewing, opinions of my family and friends, and some reading up on stuff on ITIL and Official. People have gotten in with all sorts of outfits, so really pick something you are comfortable in. The only big thing is (note that I already said this a million times) "professional." If you couldn't wear it while working for JET on a day-to-day basis, then you 100% cannot interview in it. You could wear a suit every day if you wanted (though from what I've seen, you probably won't need to in most places), but you probably won't be wearing your ripped jeans and team t-shirts. So, be professional, express yourself in a reasonable fashion, and be comfortable.
Now, I promised to state what I am planning to wear, so I will. I tried finding links for pics on Macy's website, but apparently my outfit doesn't exist online. I bought a black suit, that has a well-tailored suit jacket and a skirt to the knees that has a little pleating detail at the hem on the sides. For my top, I bought a patterned shirt that has a pleated collar and a fairly bright blue base-color. I can't say exactly what I am doing for shoes (I am torn at the moment) or accessories (I don't know that I will wear any) at the moment because I just don't know. But, I will try to compile some more thoughts on hair, shoes, accessories for a later post. Also, I apologize because I haven't really talked much about actual interview strategies because I am not really the person that stresses over the contents of the interview, but I'll try to get to that too.
