Can you believe it’s already April? Since the last time we’ve spoken (emailed, whatever) many of you have been hard at work applying for jobs. For those of you who already have a few interviews lined up, you may be wondering exactly what to wear to a job interview. Recent grads and experienced professionals alike seem to struggle with this decision, since they find themselves caught between wanting to dress professionally, and not wanting to dress like their grandparents. Well, isn’t this your lucky day? Consider this your job interview style guide!

Keep It Simple

This is the undisputed, rule number one of dressing appropriately for a job interview. You will want to avoid flashy clothing and colors when planning your interview outfit. This applies to tight clothing, inappropriately short or skimpy attire, and even overly-baggy garments. These are distracting and may end up making more of a statement than your work experience. The interviewer may like your daring outfit, but he probably won’t give you a job. So when in doubt, keep it simple.

Smell (Good)

This one may seem a bit obvious, but you would be surprised at the amount of people who forget to put on cologne or perfume before a job interview. I don’t need to tell you that you don’t want to stink, but also make sure you use your cologne and perfume in moderation. After all, the only thing worse than not enough perfume or cologne is too much.

Tone Down the Accessories

When it comes to accessories, it is better to air on the side of caution and tone it down. This is not to say that you shouldn’t wear any jewelry to your job interview, but you most certainly should not show up looking like Flavor Flav. Accessories can be distracting and give the employer the impression that you care more about how you look than how well you perform your job.

Lastly. . .

The perfect job interview outfit will be one that firstly demonstrates your professional demeanor. While your clothing is a great way to express your personality during an interview, dressing with too much flair will end up hurting your chances at landing the job. Remember, your goal is to convince the employer that you are the right person for the job, not that you have great fashion sense. So dress with caution, but don’t be afraid to spice things up in ways that won’t end up distracting either of you.