After polling both myself AND my husband, it was conclusively agreed that effortless conversation was the number one social indicator of a successful date.  And an easy conversation begins before you ever part your lipstick-stained pout.

Step one:  Mirror
Simultaneous head nodding and mutual head tilting are physical manifestations of an intangible connection.  Strengthen the link via wardrobe.  If he is East Coast prep and you are West Coast bohemian, consider the nautically striped maxi dress.  Find points of fashion commonality and gently orchestrate efforts to look like a couple.

Don’t forsake your genuine nature but do make token acknowledgments of the culture you are visiting.  This includes the company and the environment.  Even if you wear high-heeled slippers to bed, be willing to adapt to casual encounters.  While it’s better to be overdressed than under, aim for a variance of under ten percent when compared to your surroundings.

Step two:  Don’t Speak in Trends
Women use fashion-forward clothing to stamp out their social hierarchy, but most men don’t speak exotic fashion dialects.  Make sure you send him social cues in a language he can understand.  Happy banter begins with common language, so reserve the harem pants for your girl’s night out.

Step three:  Avoid Sartorial Expletives and Raiment Rambling
Your clothing should make an introduction, not dominate the conversation.  While you may see the plaid jumpsuit as a perfect translation of your inner core, wait for a more committed relationship to share it.  Just as tackling religion and politics isn’t advisable on an introductory date, neither are overly bold or personal clothing items.  Hint at your rich soul through whimsical accessories rather than virtually flashing your date with a neon mu-mu complete with screen-printed traffic signal.

Step four:  Be comfortable 
The only thing equivalent to the repellant power of sweat pants is a preoccupation with clothing restrictions or potential wardrobe malfunctions.  If it requires double sided tape, overly constrictive undergarments, or other acrobatics, opt out.  It’s very difficult to be charming when you are simultaneously sucking your abdomen in and tugging your skirt down.

Likewise, don’t corset your natural style.  Now is not the time to audition for a new role.  Prepare your best, genuine self then shed your self-conscious glances in the mirror.  Focus your energy on investigating the other person.

In another life, I reigned countess professional
Business suits stapled my high school senior year,
favoring a briefcase over a backpack.
Graduated in Marketing,
added the MBA acronym.
Interned with GE,
job offer from Accenture.
Vice president before the age of twenty-five.

Doubt not what may appear to be an unassuming fashion flirt at present. Trust me when I say, I can help you dress for a job interview. You’ve done the difficult part, you’ve written your resume, you’ve handed it out to potential employers, and now you’ve got an interview, you’re one set closer to getting the job that you want. If you are still writing your resume, fear not, you can check out these font choices to help you out. Once you’ve completed your resume then you will find it a lot easier to get a job particularly if your resume is good. It’s not just the resume you’ve got to worry about though, some companies have other things you have to think about, such as a personality test. If you’ve already passed the Berke employee personality testing, you already stand a good chance of getting the job (providing you perform amazingly in the interview!) Can you just imagine what you would wear to a job interview for a job similar to these accounting jobs in orange county? Well, it might be worth thinking about.

Step one: Determine the dress code
Somewhere in the eclipse of the last decade, dotcom scruffies partnered with premium denim manufactures and admitted flip flops, screen printed t-shirts, and short pants into the corporate closet. Fortuitously, inevitable economics and time-honored taste burst that bedheaded bubble, yet in the rubble we are left with only hazy shimmering hints at what used to be clear dress code boundaries.

Thus savvy employment pursants assume the role of industrial anthropologist and ask insiders about day to day dress. Established vocational vestiges are direct indications of corporate culture. If the office standard includes jeans, t-shirts, and high tops, don’t dryclean your suit. Adopt the office orthodox but elevate it ever so slightly with a blazer.

Arriving in the cultural equivalent of either a prom gown or pajama knickers shows a lack of regard for the trade’s traditions.

Step two: Add yourself
Don’t forget to bring yourself to the interview. Secure every uniform snap, but add a touch of your own charisma: a brooch on your blazer, a scarf on your satchel. Mix three parts conformity with one part creativity to stand out and above the competition.

And should the costume you assume for the audition makes you feel self conscious, perhaps you should reconsider your character choice.

Step three: Orient your details
Now is the time to indulge your OCD tendencies. A run in your stockings translates into sloppy phone etiquette. A missed button on your shirt sleeve indicates a tendency to miss deadlines. Shoe scuffs construe a propensity to send e-mails san-spellcheck.

Step four: Go underboard
Avoid undue distractions: dark sticky lipstick on your teeth, maniacal hair tossing, strong, musky odors. Makeup should be simple and pretty. Hair should be neat and secure. Scents should be clean and fresh.

Limit yourself to three accessories and select a bag and overcoat based on the fact that they will be the first and last thing your interviewer sees.