Should You Wear tights to a Job Interview?

I've been in the midst of a continuing? conversation about whether you should - or shouldn't - wear pantyhose/tights to a job interview. Even the Wall Street Journal has gotten involved in the discussion about bare legged ladies, noting that many older managers are feeling frumpy, even though they grew up during an era when you would never leave the house without pantyhose when you were going to work, let alone on a job interview.

This could be a generational issue, especially since many younger women don't ever wear panty hose, regardless of the circumstances or the weather. What do you think? Should you wear pantyhose to an interview, or doesn't it matter?

Results so far:

Should You Wear Pantyhose to a Job Interview?
Yes  (7542)	60%
No  (1183)	9%
Maybe. It depends on the weather.  (1588)	12%
Maybe It depends on the company.  (2121)	17%

A reader writes:

Perhaps my question is a bit trite, but do I have to wear tights to an interview? I hate tights. So much so that I haven’t owned or worn any in at least 10 years. I usually just wear slacks to an interview, but I bought this killer new suit, and it has a skirt, so the issue has come up again in my life.

In general, no. But there are some industries — fewer and fewer of them — where women are still expected to wear tights. Are you interviewing in a particularly conservative industry? If not, bare legs are fine these days. Go with a closed shoe though.

If you’re not sure if the office is particularly conservative or not, you could play it safe and err on the side of pantyhose. (Or you could decide that if they have a problem with you not being squeezed into waist-to-toe nylon, it’s not the culture for you anyway.)

Outcome:

I did not wear pantyhose to the interview. I didn’t get an offer, but the hiring manager did tell me that I was an exceptional candidate, and wanted to forward my information to other offices that might be hiring. He told me he was quite certain I wouldn’t be at my current job by the end of the year. I consider that a success!

Senior executives conducting interviews.	Male candidates	Female candidates
Positive Impression	black socks 77% black leather shoes 56% tailored navy single breasted suit 51% white or blue long sleeved shirt 48% cufflinks 37% low key tie 35% no handkerchief showing 35%	tights 94% high heels 69% mid-length black skirt or dress 64% pearls 56% long sleeved and collared shirt or blouse 42%
Negative Impression	no tie 52% no jacket 50% chinos 50% polo shirts 66% jeans 82% T shirts 88% leather jackets 70%	dangling jewellery 99% big shoulder pads 97% low necklines 95% bare legs 94% sports shoes 91% short skirt 60%

View the original article here

What not to wear to an interview