What is your favorite outfit at this time. If you need all your confidence, if you need all you wits and comfort for a meeting that is really important, what would you surely wear?

What outfit is a "sure thing," and your "safety outfit?"

Dancer, who will answer soon...

Since I have had various job interviews where I have been subjected to questions from a panel of 4-10 people (yes, 10), wearing a polished outfit..that you know complements oneself, BUT you didn't have to worry about it during high stress situations. That is the key to an outfit that generates confidence.

So for cold seasons: The outfit is a medium purple wool cashere structured jacket with gold buttons. It is semi-fitted, petite and fits me perfectly. Over a pair of black pants. Shoes are medium purple-maroon loafers or a pair of black vinyl dress pumps.

Hot/warm seasons: A black linen-cotton jacket with stand-up small mandarin collar, buttons over a sky-blue bright solid blue sleeveless top and a black belted wool skirt that hits me just above the knee. Shoes same black shoes described above or black sling-back low dress pumps.

Makeup is minimal. I think too much makeup for a woman my age at job interviews would make me looked dated.

These are high stress situations. I wore one of the outfits last year at a job interview which was a full day of meetings, that included 1 hr. required presentation and questions/answers from audience of 20 people which were other colleagues...your most critical audience.

For the purple outfit I have been in 2 different videoconference calls for remote-site driven job interviews.

So I tend to think somthing simple, structure, classic but with an accent of jazz/strong colour snap somewhere is helpful to build confidence but also not knowing who you will meet and their tastes.

I don't really have those type of occasions.

If I'm presenting a program or lecture, I'm most comfortable wearing the the artsy omigosh outfits with big jewelry. If I try to go conservative, I feel like I'm in drag.

LOL, Meredith!
Orchid, I LOVE your choices for your high pressure situations! Those are attractive, always in style, and easy to move in. I couldn't have chosen a better look(s) than you have for yourself. ( I saw your photo.) I love the collar you describe for your jacket and I have a jacket like that myself. Very fitted and goes anywhere in comfort. Mine is black so it goes with everything.

I also never realized how much pressure you can be under in your job! Good for you!

Dancer.

P.S. You are right, Meredith, you WOULD be in drag any other way! LOL.

Luckily I don't have to do the high pressure situations these days. When I was younger, I always kept a suit with a skirt and blazer ready. Neutral pumps, of course. Seems like you can always find one suit that's more comfortable than all the rest, but looks smashing.

These days I just want to get home and put on my purple flannel puppy dog pajamas.

How funny Amy, but I know exactly how you feel. With me it was get home and put on my long t-shirt and flip flops. I had a dozen of them in all colors. Sometimes it was jeans and t-shirt.

Now however it is usually a one piece, slip on cotton, straightline sundress, sleeveless and with big pockets. I am lost without my big, deep pockets. I am usually barefoot or wear bobby socks when chilly.