What to Wear for a Virtual Interview on Zoom
Virtual interviews (and remote work) were basically nonexistent until 2020, and we all know what happened in 2020 to make them a mainstay in our society. It can be tricky to strike the right balance between professional and comfortable when putting together work from home outfits, and it gets even trickier when interview attire is involved! In typical face-to-face interviews, we want to put our very best foot forward, and that’s no different with Zoom interviews. It all starts with our outfit!
Whether you are a prospective grad student preparing to virtually interview grad schools/programs and select the best fit OR a recent grad ready to take on the real world (congratulations are in order!!!), here are three relatively timeless looks to wear for a virtual interview on Zoom. Below, you’ll find all my tips for putting together confidence-boosting outfits for your next virtual interview! If you have any more questions about or suggestions for how to dress for a Zoom interview, drop ‘em in the comments!
What to Wear for a Virtual Interview on Zoom
What is the dress code for a virtual interview?
When it comes to dressing for a virtual interview, you want to wear clothes that you’d wear to a regular in-person interview. I know; it’s HARD! Haha. After many months of dressing to work from home, I’ve become accustomed to the work from home loungewear/activewear uniform. Luckily, since you’ll be on a Zoom interview, you can wear comfortable bottoms—don’t opt for a pair of pants that pinch, are too tight, or are otherwise uncomfortable to sit in.
DO wear real pants for your virtual interview on the off chance you need to stand up! I’m a pro at the “mullet outfits”—dressy on top, comfy on the bottom—but you’ll definitely want to opt for REAL comfy pants and not joggers or leggings. Wearing real clothes in general will help you feel focused on the interview and less on worrying about someone seeing your PJ pants.
I recently added a new pair of ponte pants to my wardrobe from Universal Standard, and I looove them! Universal Standard is the most size-inclusive clothing brand I know: their sizing follows the bell curve, so the average size woman (size 18-20) corresponds to a size medium, and they offer down to 4XS (size 00-0) and up to size 4XL (size 38-40). I’m typically a size small, and I ordered these pants in size 3XS (2-4). They are most snug around the waist, which is where I carry my weight, but it’s not so much to be uncomfortable!
I grabbed my fun “basic with a twist” white lace blouse for this outfit; a simple black and white outfit is classic, especially with the black ballet flats (I don’t typically wear shoes inside but might make an exception—again, so I can feel focused and like I’m taking the interview seriously). Because Zoom interviews are focused on your top half, I picked a fun pair of statement earrings!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Vetta Capsule top / old; similar by LOFT
Universal Standard pants / exact
J.Crew flats / old; similar by Frye
J.Crew earrings / old; similar from Macy's
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact
What is the best color to wear for a virtual interview?
If neutrals are what you feel most comfortable in, there’s no problem with sticking to neutral colors for your Zoom job interview. (Think black, grey, white, ivory, tan, navy blue, etc.) As long as you don’t blend into your background, you can’t go wrong with a great white blouse (see above), light blue or grey button downs, or even black! Don’t be afraid to add your personality with a fun color or pattern, but be sure not to pick a pattern that is too busy or distracting on camera. Tone busy patterns down with a blazer or other third piece like I’m doing here!
It looks like I’m wearing a suit but I’m actually not; the ponte knit blazer is an oldie but goodie, and it just so happens to coordinate perfectly with my ponte pants! This virtual interview outfit couldn’t be easier to put together, and it makes a huge impact. To inject a little bit of fun and personality like I mentioned above, I wore a bright red patterned top underneath the blazer.
If you do opt to wear a blazer layered over a top, make sure to pick a top that comfortably fits under your blazer; you don’t want to be distracted and constantly adjusting your clothes during your interview. Consider the sleeve length and thickness that works best! (I highly recommend trying on all your options ahead of time in general but especially to figure out the best blazer and top combination for your video interview!)
To finish this outfit, I grabbed my pair of gold flats; even though no one can see me, the extra “pep in my step” they give me would translate to the interview. And I topped it all with a different pair of earrings! I pulled my hair back so you can see them (and so my hair doesn’t get caught in them!).
OUTFIT DETAILS
Olivia Moon blazer / old; similar by J.Crew Factory
Amour Vert top / old; similar from Amazon or Macy's
Universal Standard pants / exact
J.Crew flats / old; similar from DSW or Sam Edelman
Aurate earrings c/o / exact (last seen here)
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact
Do you dress up for virtual interviews?
Your virtual interview might not call for a super formal outfit, especially if you’re interviewing for grad school. Feel free to go as formal as you want—but depending on the program (or workplace or field if you’re interviewing for a job), you might be able to wear something on the smart casual end of the interview outfit spectrum! (If you’re interviewing for a job, consider looking up the company culture to see where they fall on the business casual spectrum.)
For this outfit, I grabbed a tailored button-down shirt and half-tucked it into a pair of (comfortable and stretchy) dark wash demi-boot jeans (read my demi-boot jean reviews!). The key to this outfit is the tailored top. Oversized boyfriend-style tops are in style right now but aren’t quite the right look for a virtual interview. If your shirt’s sleeves are fitted enough, you could also throw on a third piece, like a blazer, in a pinch!
My navy kitty flats make me so happy, which would positively affect my mood for the interview. (I’m a firm believer in wearing what you LOVE always!) And since the striped top has plenty of interest, I kept my earrings simple and stuck with studs.
Hair up or down for Zoom interview?
You may be wondering how to wear your hair on your Zoom interviews! In this post, I styled my hair two different ways: tied up in a low ponytail and left down. I would go with whatever style you feel most confident in. Sometimes I feel like I look like a British man when I have my hair up, so I tend to leave it down for occasions such as interviews. However, I often opt to tie my hair back when I put on statement earrings so that you can actually see them (and so my hair doesn’t get caught in them). Once you have your outfit set, play around with different hair styles! Or, treat yourself to a blowout to really help you feel like your best, most confident self!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Elizabeth & Clarke top / old; similar from Macy's or Banana Republic
Madewell jeans / exact (also available from Nordstrom)
Charlotte Olympia flats / exact or similar from Amazon
Aurate earrings c/o / exact
(last seen here)
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact