When picking out an outfit to wear to an interview, your options are sometimes limited, especially if you are tight on money.

Merrick Rhodes senior in fashion merch

The Career Closet is a resource you can use. It provides free business attire, but it is limited by what donors are willing to give away. That sometimes forces creativity.
In this picture, I chose a tie that I liked first, and went from there. If you choose a patterned tie, it is safest to go with a solid-colored shirt. Because there is green in the tie as an accent color, I used a green shirt. I didn’t want to use a prominent color from the tie as the color of the shirt, because that takes away from the tie. You still, however, want it to coordinate well. For the pants, I chose khakis because they went better with the color scheme than black slacks would.
As a fashion merchandising major, I know that clothes are important. Although outward appearance isn’t all that matters, it does give others a first impression. What you wear sends non-verbal messages to others. Being in the fashion industry, I hope to help others make those impressions and non-verbal messages positive.
If you have been in the Career Closet before, you know that some of the donations aren’t the trendiest or most up-to-date. Join Fashion and Merchandising Entrepreneurs in helping Career Services with a business clothing drive to provide more desirable clothing. Bring your unwanted, fashion-forward business attire to Career Services in Horace Mann or to the Family and Consumer Sciences building‘s front office. Help your peers make a lasting first-impression.

Taylor Daniel is a junior in fashion merchandising.