MetaChat - Interview for unfashionable job. What to wear?

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01 July 2008

Interview for unfashionable job. What to wear? →[More:]

I'm interviewing for a job where a large chunk of the work will take place in a corn field. (No really, it sounds like a really cool job.)

What the hell should I wear? I don't want to dress like I do for a normal office-job interview, 'cause then I'll look like I don't belong outside in a corn field.

Would it be inappropriate to wear outdoorsy hiking pants (they're nice looking) and an outdoorsy shirt? Because then, you know, I'd look outdoorsy.

Pls advise.

post by: mudpuppie at: 13:15 | 17 comments

2 options:

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by BoringPostcards 01 July | 13:20

I know of a hat. . .nevermind.

posted by danf 01 July | 13:25

Seriously, I think the hiking pants and shirt would be a good idea.

posted by BoringPostcards 01 July | 13:27

Dammit, BoPo, there's iced tea on my monitor now.

Danf, the hat's gone. She didn't tell me what she did with it -- which is just as well.

posted by mudpuppie 01 July | 13:29

If you're going to make any 'outstanding in my field' jokes, be sure they're good ones.

posted by box 01 July | 13:42

No corny jokes. Got it.

posted by mudpuppie 01 July | 13:43

The outfit you described sounds good, is the shirt by any chance one of those loose, safari-style button downs? I think one of those would bridge the button-down interview/outdoorsy gap well.

posted by rmless2 01 July | 13:45

Maybe outdoorsy pants and a slightly nicer shirt? (Nicer than the pants, I mean, not nicer than the one you have in mind. Because that one might already be nice.)

I'm kind of picturing what I came to call "international tour guide" -- the uniform that guides wore all through Europe during the summer when you had to look like you were in charge but also did not want to die of heat exhaustion while they spent the entire day walking around and gesticulating wildly. It tended to involve linen or light-weight khaki loose pants, and either a dressy fitted t-shirt (which probably wouldn't work for a job interview) or a loose-fitting light-weight light-colored short-sleeve button-down, generally in cotton/linen or linen/silk blend.

Kind of "city safari," I guess.

I have no idea if any of that was at all helpful, but I feel better for having shared. :-)

posted by occhiblu 01 July | 13:55

Yeah, it's exactly that kind of shirt.

The GF told me I shouldn't wear it, though. Said it's too casual. I don't know whether to take her advice....

posted by mudpuppie 01 July | 13:55

Tour guide clothes 1.

Tour guide clothes 2.

posted by occhiblu 01 July | 14:01

Cool. I'm dressed. Thanks for the input, all.

posted by mudpuppie 01 July | 14:02

Break a leg! Or a cornstalk or something!

posted by occhiblu 01 July | 14:04

DON'T BREAK A CORNSTALK OR THEY WON'T HIRE YOU!

Sorry for the shouting, but it's very important.

posted by muddgirl 01 July | 14:48

Tell us how the interview goes! We're all ears.

Get it? Huh?
I apologize.

posted by rmless2 01 July | 15:45

Don't forget to think about how you're going to field those difficult questions.

posted by dg 01 July | 16:12

The interview went well, but I was waaaaaay over-dressed.

Remind me next time not to listen to the GF on fashion issues. (Which I kind of already knew, but this cemented it.)

posted by mudpuppie 01 July | 16:25

Better to be overdressed than underdressed. Glad it went well!

posted by rhapsodie 01 July | 16:47

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