Crazy Good Interviewing: How Acting A Little Crazy Can Get You The Job

Chapter 11

Looking Good… Crazy Good

Mark Twain wrote: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” Well, nudity has no place in your job search either unless you are auditioning to be an exotic dancer, a nude model, or an adult-film star. Bottom line: Clothing matters.

It's impossible to deny that clothing has a major impact on society. The U.S. clothing stores industry is composed of about 100,000 stores with combined annual revenue of approximately $150 billion in 2010, according to Reuters. Fashion is part of everyday life, and it is always staring you in the face, as evidenced by the numerous fashion magazines that line newsstand shelves and the popularity of fashion-themed reality TV shows like What Not to Wear, Extreme Makeover, and Project Runway.

Our preoccupation with fashion is evident in the English language, too, which is replete with idioms related to clothing, such as:

• Dressed to the nines (dressed flamboyantly with no detail overlooked).
• Dressed to kill (dressed in stylish clothes).
• All dressed up with nowhere to go (something that did not materialize or was postponed).
• Dress the part (look suitable for a particular situation or role).
• Dress down (to scold).
• Take your hat off to (respect, admire).
• Keep your shirt on (be patient).
• By the seat of your pants (by sheer luck).
• Get caught with your pants down (unprepared).
• Fill someone's shoes (to assume someone's position).

Exhibiting good fashion sense is absolutely critical for job ...