<p>I have my interview tomorrow and I don't really have any professional clothes...I tried emailing my interviewer if she expected me to come dressed professionally but she did not reply. </p>
<p>I have dark wash, clean jeans (no fading/holes/etc.), and a black coat and I could wear a neat long sleeved shirt underneath...Also I have brown ankle boots that I can just hide under my jeans.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I do have some professional clothing but the problem is that they don't really fit - I have trousers I borrowed from a friend, but they are too long and too big; I have black heels but I can't walk in heels at all and my black pencil skirt has tacky rainbow colored flowers embroidered along the hem (I know, don't ask).</p>
<p>What should I do? Should I wear my neatest clothes that fit well but are not really "business attire"? Or should I wear the professional clothing/shoes but stumble around and look like I am drowning in my own clothing? Help!</p>
<p>(I should have prepared earlier, I know. I wanted to go shopping but my family has been having dire financial issues, we are currently living paycheck to paycheck. Also none of my friends have clothes that fit me…)</p>
<p>I assume you don’t have time to go shopping before the interview? Is there any way to hide the flower embroidery along the hem of the pencil skirt? The pencil skirt sounds like your best bet, but you’d have to wear that with your heels and not your boots. </p>
<p>When it comes down to it, I would pick looking neat and put together (meaning wearing your casual clothes that fit well) over looking uncomfortable and perhaps messy in ill-fitting clothes. If there is a not too personal reason why you don’t have more professional clothes and you want to explain to your interviewer you can. My advice for you now is to stop worrying about your clothes and start thinking more about the interview itself. Good luck! I’ll be crossing my fingers for you.</p>
<p>Do you have any nice, appropriate dresses? I wore a skirt and a sweater. I think the most important thing is to look neat and presentable rather than uncomfortable in your own skin.</p>
<p>Follow the advice of YoP and Francis - be comfortable with yourself. After about fifteen seconds, you’ll be sitting across a desk/table from your interviewer, and at that point what will be focused upon is about 15% of what is visible from your shoulders up, and 85+% what comes out of your mouth. Interviewers during the week know you’ll be wearing school clothes, so at most you can say, “Sorry, if I seem casual, as I didn’t have time to change after school.” Issue closed.</p>
<p>If you’re focused and professional, you can be wearing rags and it shouldn’t make any difference. (As long as they’re clean rags…)</p>
<p>Go with the clean, tailored look. Just one more idea: I know you don’t have a lot of money to spare but have you tried looking at a goodwill or other thrift store? I have shopped there from time to time, and they actually do have some good stuff (I’ve gotten designer jeans, nice slacks, business shirts, etc.) I know a lot of people feel used clothes are weird, but after you wash them no one will know but you. </p>
<p>Anyway, I would go with the jeans, shirt and jacket if that is your only option. I agree that what you say is more important than what you are wearing :)</p>
<p>Good point by Alwaysleah - thrift shops generally have a few really nice sweaters, and you can’t go wrong with a simple sweater. I realize you don’t have much time to scour thrift shops between now and then, but maybe another female in your family has a decent sweater. Come into the interview room, take off your coat, and you’ll look like a million bucks.</p>
<p>Reallycool - so how did it go?</p>
<p>I hemmed my black skirt (took me a few hours, I didn’t want to be too sloppy) and wore a black and white striped sweater with my coat over it. I borrowed some flats that were a little small but at that point I was grateful I could find a pair at all. The interview itself was pretty good for my first college interview experience. :)</p>
<p>That sounds really nice 
I’m glad you had a good interview and good luck with admissions!</p>
<p>ReallyC9, glad that it went well. (If you get accepted, I want all the credit for my sweater idea.) My son’s first interview ever was for Georgetown and he ended up being fifteen minutes late because the interviewer said, “Let’s meet at the restaurant at the intersection of Y and Z at 3:00”, and every restaurant within a two block radius was closed and the interviewer hadn’t given him her phone number. So, he had to call his mother to get the interviewer’s email address, and fortunately the woman had a smart phone and got the “Where are u?” email. And he got accepted EA. So, you’re already ahead of the game. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yes, thank you for the help and encouragement! Everyone else, too. :)</p>