Does it seem like I'm being too picky? The idea behind a suit, especially, is to look sharp and crisp. The above stuff detracts from the impression. Be patient. A suit is a nice thing to have, but a good sports jacket and slacks is better than a poor suit. The next best thing--by the way--to a suit, if a suit is what's really required, is a dark blue classic blazer and grey or tan slacks...the more formal (gray) and the slightly less formal (tan).

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Shoes

Check fit. If it's not good, you won't wear them. Not for long, anyways.

Polish. Polish. Polish.

If the shoes are badly scuffed, especially to the point that the colour is eroded, pass. Polish won't cover a bad scuff very long. A very light scuff is normal in used shoes and will probably be taken care of with good quality polish.

Check for heel and sole wear. If both don't appear to be in near new condition, forget it. But don't be put off by a good re-sole job on shoes that are otherwise great.

Stitched soles are probably still the best indicator of a very high quality shoe, although many very good brands now use moulded soles--but remember...a moulded sole is not likely to be repairable.

Match the clothes to the shoes or vice versa...black shoes to blues, grays and some greens; brown shoes to browns, tans and some greens. If in doubt, ask. Then match the shoes to the belt. Avoid white.

Have a spare set of laces (and a spare tie) in your pocket. Remember Murphy's law.

Check the stitching for splits, notably at the back of the heel and where the lacing section meets the main body of the shoe. Problems here aren't always obvious until you...

...Try them on and take some steps in them.

If the soles are leather, then a pair of protective rubbers is a great idea if you live in a rain zone. Leather wears quickly if it's wet.

For current styles, check the recent catalogues.

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Shirts

Usual problem spots: frayed wear on the collar and cuffs, soiled collars and sleeve cuffs, ink stains anywhere and yellowing around the arm pits and worn or torn elbows. Pass...there's lots of near perfect shirts around.

Sometimes if a shirt has a button missing, you'll find an extra button or two near the bottom of the front, inside and below the last buttons. If yes and you have thread and a needle--okay. Otherwise, pass.

Unless you know what you're doing, the best choice for wearing with a sports jacket or suit is plain colours: white, light or powder blue, very light grays for blue or black or gray outfits, white or light tan with brown outfits.

The exceptions to the above are still pretty conservative, but carefully chosen pin stripes or very subtle check patterns can look great with the right accessories. Common sense is useful here.

Check for missing sleeve buttons and (if the shirt is a button down) for missing collar buttons.

Marks of quality shirts: matched pockets on patterned shirts, collars that lay properly when worn closed (no bulges, crimps), fairly close weave, a plaquet on the side with the button holes (a plaquet is the double-thick strip that runs down where the button holes are).

Watch for shirts that are so old that they appear thin when held up to the light. Even if they're in otherwise good shape, it's likely they won't last too long or look crisp and fresh when worn. Shirt materials are treated with sizing so that the material feels thicker (isn't exactly the right word, but I think you know what I mean...like a new shirt). What I'm describing here is a shirt so old or worn that the sizing is gone.

Check the pocket for exploded pen marks :-)

Watch sleeve length and (if you're tall) be sure that the tail on the shirt is long enough that it won't ride up and out of your pants if you bend over.

If you plan on wearing a tie--do the collar up when you try the shirt on, and make sure it's not too tight. Don't have blind faith in neck measurements...they're good indicators but wearing the thing is the real test.

Unless you have the body for it, avoid shirts that are tailored too narrowly in the body. They can be uncomfortable and cause obvious pulling at the front buttons around the stomach.

If you love ironing, then feel free to get pure cotton...otherwise a poly-cotton blend will probably be more to your liking, BUT remember that natural fibres like cotton breathe well and--if you're prone to nervousness in an interview--will keep you more comfortable and less sweaty :-). Mind you--if you have an iron--use it. Even drip-dry or permanent press looks best lightly ironed.

As with jackets, check the fit across the shoulders.

Stick with the classics unless you know what you're doing. Avoid collars that are very small or that have very long points.

Western shirts with jeans or western suits or western slacks--or not at all when it comes to interviews.

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Slacks/Pants

Try them on!

Common problems: wear at the cuff, shiny rear ends, broken zippers, torn or split seam at the crotch, worn knees, ink and other stains on rear.

Here's one you might not expect...sometimes the pant leg is made from a bolt end. You don't have to know what that means but you should beware of the result. Pants with this problem will have an inside or outside leg seam that doesn't run straight. It'll turn either towards the back or front...making the pants impossible to iron nicely and very uncomfortable to wear--and they won't look good. You can't always tell by looking. Try them on.

Make sure the leg length is long enough. The classic look is a slight break where the front of the pant leg meets the shoe--and you should try them on with the shoes you will be wearing with them. Slightly too long is better than slightly too short.

Especially with today's more casual work environments, a classic pair of cotton pants (like Dockers or something similar) can look great with a well chosen shirt and/or a sweater--but if this is what you decide to wear to the interview, make sure the pants look fairly new and--if not ironed--at least relatively wrinkle free. Check the corporate culture if you are thinking about not wearing a jacket and tie or suit.

The newer casual slacks can look great also with a tie and sports jacket--but, again, be sure that this relaxed look fits the corporate culture of your prospective employer.

Taking in the waist or rear, or shortening the legs, is generally a fairly easy job for a decent tailor. Letting the waist or rear out, or adding a little length to the slacks can be very difficult or impossible. Unless you are sure, pass.

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Ties

Don't hang up ties with the knot still done--and don't buy ties at thrifts if they are displayed that way. The wrinkle will likely be permanent.

If you don't know how to tie a tie knot, get someone who does to show you. Once you learn, it's like riding a bicycle--you won't forget.

Do not wear ties in industrial areas, like around machinery. If you must, make sure it's a loose clip-on.

For some reason, fashion concious people pay attention to ties, so be aware of what other folks are wearing (like TV folks, newscasters and others) before you buy a tie.

Silk has the best resilience and will hold knot wrinkles the least amount of time. Lucky thing is: pure silk ties are really no more expensive--and no less common--than any other tie you might find at a thrift :-)

If you are either very thin or very stout, wear a tie that is somewhat more like you than the opposite.

Be careful with colours and be very careful about mixing patterned ties with patterned shirts. The latter can be done--and even look very good--by an expert :-)

A spare tie loosely folded in your pocket or somewhere close is a great idea. Murphy's law again.

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Raincoats/trenchcoats

Trouble spots:

Lining--it should be in good shape.

Sleeve length (not too long)

Watch for grease stains or indelible mud stains and the like.

Unless you live in the Arctic, forget the lining--you'll be warm enough with a sports jacket or suit jacket underneath.

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Sports Coats & Casual Jackets

Don't use a suit jacket as a sports coat--it usually doesn't look right.

If you can only afford one--maybe make it a dark blue blazer...a blazer is a very flexible item of clothing. It looks great with nice tan slacks and a tie, almost formal with gray slacks and a tie, polite yet casual with an open (maybe blue) button down shirt and casual slacks. You'll get a lot of mileage with a blazer (single or double breasted). Check the catalogs and magazines for current styles, but blazers are pretty stable from year to year (another advantage).

Check the magazines and catalogs for current looks in sports jackets, paying particular attention to lapel width, number of front buttons, current patterns and general cut.

Unless you're a university prof, avoid the elbow patches, and (unless you know what you're doing) it's probably best to avoid the shiny materials, or the heavy patterns (Herb Tarlick of WKRP) or bulky materials (late 1980's) of the past.

In some work environments, a casual jacket (ie a baseball or bomber style) jacket is more appropriate than the sports jacket. Still, for interview purposes, a tie can look good if it is chosen carefully, with the entire outfit in mind.

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Sweaters

Sweaters can be a good alternative to a sports jacket if they are chosen carefully.

Watch for odours...sweaters can attract and keep odours for a long time.

A disadvantage of sweaters (button front cardigans excepted) is that they can't be easily loosened or undone if you get too hot. Keep this in mind if you get nervous at interviews :-)

Watch for pulled threads, poked holes, torn seams and worn out elbows.

Also, if the sweater is a pullover, watch that the bottom of the sweater is not too loose and that the neck is not stretched out of shape.