That is so not your fault. You did the proper thing, and what any other interviewer would want. Next time you will get the job.

...Maybe if they apply at a bank or something. Many clothing stores actually screen and recruit potential employees by assessing their outfits or their "look". American Apparel in particular is notorious for this. Google it if you don't believe me :)

I concur. Even if the workers there are able to wear ripped jeans to work, you don't wear ripped jeans to an interview. If you didn't get the job because you dressed like a respectful member of society, you don't want to work there anyways. Good luck on your next interview!

Bing it on #23!

Yahoo!!!

First mistake was letting mommy dress you.

Actually, the best way to dress at the interview would be the way you would dress everyday at the job. Example, suit for a bank. Jeans are acceptable for field engineers, etc. If the job has a theme, like yours has a hippie theme, dress casually. If I were running that store and someone walked in with a suit, I would think that person doesn't know much about my store - or is looking for a more serious position and would not stick too long.

I don't know why you're getting thumbed down for this. You're suppose to dress in a professional manner but according to the environment. A hippie store isn't going to hire a suit. They're going to hire someone dressed smartly in probably a dress they would sell at their store.

#50 This is entirely true.

Exactly 57. I would have recommended that OP wear her best hippie dress, with well styled hair and a distinct smelling organic shampoo or perfume. If you want the job, live the job.

50- Actually they say to dress one step up from what you wear daily on the job. So if you can wear jeans, wear khakis for the interview; business casual on the job, wear dress pants and a more casual suit jacket or nice top. But I agree. A full suit for a hippie store? Not a good idea.

To those who say they were improperly dressed for the interview by wearing a suit, I disagree. There is exactly one case wherein it's wrong to wear a suit to an interview, and that is if the company has specifically requested that you do not wear a suit. I wore a suit to my first interview at Wal-Mart. I walked out of there with a Conditional Offer of Employment (conditional on passing a drug screening, which I did) and have been working there since. Had they not made it apparent that they wanted to conduct a second interview with me, I would have headed home after that first interview and would have had to come back at a later date for that second interview.

I wore garrison boots, fatigue pants, a tank top and suspenders to my first Walmart interview, I left with a trucking job. Clothing isn't everything, it's attitude and perceived suitability for the job. Hippies don't like suits, so looking like one for an interview with a hippie is a bad idea. Like I said, perception is more important than most people think.

It IS her fault she didn't get the job. It was a hippie store. So, you had to dress like a hippie to work there. If you wanted to get a job in an office, you'd wear a suit. It's simple.

It bothers me that I perceived OP as a male this whole time.

#73 I honestly disagree with you, and everyone else saying the same. While I do agree that dressing in a suit was probably not appropriate for a style of store such as the one OP was applying for, you shouldn't reserve suits just for office interviews. It's good manners and shows professionalism whenever you dress nice for an interview at any establishment, be it a suit, a dress, a dress shirt and pants ,etc. When I went in for my interview at Dairy Queen, I wore black slacks, a dress shirt, and dress shoes, regardless of the fact it was just a fast food restaurant. Dressing too casually can lead interviewers to believe you're not serious about the job. Though this can easily be solved by asking some of the employees (or the interviewer themselves) what is preferred for an interview there.

Its not your fault, every interviewer is different! No way to predict what every one wants. Good luck for a future interview though OP!!

This is very true. I used to work at a job employment agency where a part of my job was to teach people how to dress for job interviews. Yet I've still had bosses tell me they don't like my outfit at job interviews. Different people have different ideas of appropriateness. At any other interview you might have been hired on the spot for looking so smart, OP.

A general guideline is to dress one step up from how the people in the place you're applying for dress. So if you're applying for a manual labor job, wear a plain t-shirt and some decent work pants. If you're applying for a retail position where they wear casual clothing, wear dressy pants/skirt and a stylish top. If you're applying for an office or bank position, wear a full suit (blazer/jacket included), and so on.

So what if your applying to be a hooker? Or a zombie?

I don't think you apply for those said positions, they are given to you without choice most of the times.

Dress appropriately, you cant be draped in a sari for an interview at the hooters.

Clearly that didn't help much did it..

Mother doesn't always know best. This is one of those "when in Rome..." situations. If you're going to interview at an armory, you should wear your best chain mail- not your bathing suit!

I think your mother didn't want you working there. Sabotage!

Your dress choice for the interview was just too far-out, dude.

Nah, that outfit was totally square, man.

I manage a Sports store and I always make it a point to ask applicants to come in "business casual" for their interviews to avoid situations like these.

Next time, just ask what the dress code is. Hiring managers like that- shows you care and that you want to dress the part ;)

#11, I'd show up in my tennis short shorts and my "Talk to the Backhand" T-shirt. Would you hire me? Even just as eye candy?

You didn't come to think that hippies are very anti corporate and anti-materialism? A suit signifies all these things hippies oppose.

I learned that thanks to Barney (How I met your mother).

I learned that thanks to Barney (the Purple Dinosaur).

always offer the interviewer one of your beers. I learned that thanks to Barney. (Homer's friend)

That might get you in trouble. I learned that thanks to Barney (Fife).

I tried to confirm this with Barney, (Miller) but Fish answered.

Maybe you just weren't the right candidate for the position?

And that was his first mistake. I'd never hire somebody dressed better than me, simply because I'd be afraid they'd make me look bad on a daily basis.