Published in TES Magazine,  by Georgia Laird 

 

If you’re an NOT applying for your first job, a sure way to make a good impression is to dress for the occasion. The TES, with a team of consultants from Colour Me Beautiful, asked three student teachers to dress for their first interview. Angi Jones, a colour and style consultant, was on hand to give our three teachers-to-be some advice. Georgia Laird reports.

 

When Toby arrives, he is the most appropriately dressed for an interview and is given the thumbs up by Angi on his trousers, shirt and tie. “He looks comfortable, which is very important when going to an interview.”

 

But … “For an interview, the stubble has to go,” she cries.

 

Angi says accessories are just as important for men as women. “Men need to wear a good belt, a polished pair of shoes and a dazzling tie.”

 

The choice of tie is probably one of the most important decisions when putting an outfit together. “The tie makes the outfit. If it’s a tie with big stripes, then it wears you. If the tie has small stripes, then you wear  it.” And colours send different signals. Violet shows a creative side. “So what about my periodic table tie?” Toby asks. “That would be good for a Friday,” says Angi, “to lighten the mood at the end of the week.”

 

Angi’s verdict: “I chose soft colours to complement his hair and skin colour. The tank top over his shirt adds a conventional twist to his outfit. He must be up-to-date as a teacher, it’s good to always look for something that is imaginative and current.”

 

Roisin loves charity shops and when the bubbly teacher-to-be arrives, she is wearing a £1 belt, boots costing £2.50 and a winter jacket for £5. Her outfit is relaxed and informal but Angi urges Roisin to try harder. She says that turning up to an interview in a mix-and-match outfit of charity shop buys is not the way to win the job.

 

“What you’ve got now is the perfect classroom look, and it is great you feel comfortable in it. But for an interview, if you are too relaxed, it may come across that you don’t care enough for the job”.

 

Statistics by 'Colour Me Beautiful' show 80% of directors think that women who do not take care of their looks and don’t wear make-up to work, can't be bothered. It is likely that head teachers, as an employer, would agree.

 

For Roisin’s transformation, her face is lifted with a little make-up and she is dressed in a formal outfit. “She has some great curves,” says Angi, “so we have dressed her to flatter them.”

 

Her top tip for a successful look is smart shoes. “A smarter shoe always gives you the edge over other teachers.” This doesn’t mean killer heels or cowboy boots, but a nice practical pair of clean polished shoes sets off the outfit.

 

Angi’s verdict: Roisin is spot on and knows what colours suit  her but she is not dressed formally enough for an interview. “We have focused on the shape of her clothes to make her look smarter, incorporating princess-like cuts from the waist down to accentuate her curves.”

 

“Everyone can wear colour. It’s about the shade of the colour,” says Angi. “Claire is crying out for contrast. Colour in her clothes will make her less drawn and tired looking.” Angi whisks across the room to demonstrate this with pashmina scarves, holding different colours to Claire’s face to emphasise the importance of colour.

 

But the mother of two shies away from it. “In the mornings I’m in such a rush and if I wear colour it could go wrong. I go for black and grey so I don’t make a mistake.”

 

Claire’s outfit when she arrives is both practical and comfortable, but Angi insists that she should invest more time in how she looks. “I know you have two young children but you are tall and have great colouring, so you should prioritise yourself more.”

 

Roisin, who has been studying with Claire for a year, is impressed with her colleague’s new image. “Wow, I’ve never seen you in such bright colours before. Or heels.”

 

Claire’s confidence grows throughout the transformation and she is glowing by the end of the day: “I’m so glad I can wear colours, deep down I have always wanted to experiment with them.”

 

Angi’s verdict: 'To begin with, I thought Claire was going for an interview as a helper, or an administrator. She fades away into the background in black so I want to dress her in bright colours'.

 

“I have encouraged Claire to wear charcoal greys, as opposed to black and white, along with contrasting vibrant colours such as teal, purple and royal blue'.