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What to wear for OT school interviews?


plansrme
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My daughter has her first OT school interview coming up (yay!), and we are in disagreement over how formally she should dress. I say "business casual," and she says "business formal." Business formal, to me (and I am an attorney--I have some relevant background) means (1) heels, which she should not be wearing due to two back surgeries this summer, and also because she can't walk gracefully in heels, (2) a blazer, which would be nearly impossible to find to fit her, and (3) dress pants, which--see (2). So I, obviously am advocating for business casual, but I have also been traumatized by years of trying to find clothes to fit her athlete's body. I was thinking something like stretchy black pants, a wrap sweater with a knit top underneath, and nice closed-toe flats. What have yours worn to pre-professional school interviews? 

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I’m going to agree with you on this one. The only caveat: I would recommend against stretchy pants that are tight like leggings— something more like a loose-fit trouser would be good. I think the whole world has gone much more casual since the pandemic. The dress code in husband’s office, which was previously ‘business attire’ is now business casual as you describe above. I can’t imagine a health-care setting would be any more formal. 
 

My DD is an RN and just took a new job in July with a non-profit agency where she dresses business casual. Her colleagues are OTs, PTs, social workers, and other nurses. Her new ‘uniform’ is stretchy dark pants, a cute top + cardigan, and Dansko clogs. It looks very professional, but is appropriate for the work she has to do with her clients (patients).

 

ETA: Obviously, interviews are slightly more formal than day-to-day dress, but there is nothing worse than showing up in I’ll-fitting clothes and uncomfortable shoes. She’ll feel more confident and be less distracted if she looks professional, but feels comfortable.

Edited by fourisenough
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9 hours ago, fourisenough said:

I’m going to agree with you on this one. The only caveat: I would recommend against stretchy pants that are tight like leggings— something more like a loose-fit trouser would be good. 

Agree! I think she found some pants today. The stretchiness is to make them fit her muscular thighs and relatively small waist.

Now for the rest of the outfit! I am trying to help her shop from several states away, so I'm kinda proud that we found pants. It took a pile of blurry cell phone mirror pics.😜

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On 9/28/2021 at 9:29 AM, plansrme said:

also because she can't walk gracefully in heels,

I completely agree with you that she should wear flats, for this reason alone.  I see students clopping around in their interview shoes; it never seems quite  appropriate for me to go over and show them how to walk properly in heels, but I always want to.

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