What (not) to wear at interview

If you land an interview for a job as a graduate trainee in an investment bank, you'll need to look the part. We're not talking plastic surgery, but we are talking personal grooming. Here's how:

The hair

Dreadlocks and green hair won't go down well in an interview at an investment bank. Hair, according to recruiters and image experts, should be neat, clean, and if dyed, subtle.

· Show your face: "If hair is all over your face, it will cloud communication," says Irene Nathan, an image specialist who counts several bankers among her clients. If you're female, she advises against wearing hair long and straggly or full and curly, which could make you look untidy: "We're not looking for party hair."

· No to big beards: Although Jon Corzine, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs has a famously healthy beard, bushy facial hair is rare in banking and probably not a good idea. A moustache that is trimmed and maintained is fine," says Anand David, global head of recruiting at UBS. "But an unkempt beard can add to a dishevelled appearance," he adds.

The suit

If you're interviewing at an investment bank, you should ideally be wearing a suit.

· Look smart. Dress to impress," counsels David at UBS. "If you don't have a nice suit, that's fine - wear a smart coat and tie, or a skirt or trousers and smart jacket" he advises. "This reinforces our expectations on judgement - showing that you're able to judge what would be appropriate in an setting where you will be exposed to clients."

· Go for contrasting colours. Nathan says the contrast between a dark suit and lighter shirt conveys credibility. "Do not wear any version of a brown suit," she warns ominously. "It's a muddy colour and will cloud things. You will achieve much more clarity by wearing a suit that's navy blue or charcoal coloured."

· Don't wear a black suit (if you're a man). Despite creating the greatest contrast, black suits are equally out of bounds. Why? "Black is seen as an after hours look. A daytime suit can be the darkest charcoal, but no blacker than that," says Nathan.

Nathan says the same restrictions don't apply to women, who can wear black suits, brown suits, or aubergine coloured suits with impunity.

The shirt and tie

· Tie colour? Rumour has it that interviewers at one US bank frown on anyone sporting a pink or yellow tie. Why? These colours are allegedly reserved for senior management. But Rebecca Hill, head of graduate recruitment at HSBC Corporate and Investment Bank, says there are no hard and fast rules on tie colour: "We definitely wouldn't hold a pink tie against anyone."

· Shirt colour? Freedom to be colourful doesn't appear to extend to shirts. Don't wear a dark shirt, advises Irene Nathan: this will ruin the contrast with your suit. But your shirt need not be white. William Arruda, an image consultant who's worked with bankers at JPMorgan, says pastel coloured shirts can be an important way of differentiating your appearance: "It's all about being comfortable in what you're wearing and using that to reflect who you are," he says. "If you're an enthusiastic and passionate person, you might want to wear a brightly coloured tie and pastel coloured shirt."

If you do opt for a pastel shirt, image consultant Barnay Tremblay says you will need to ensure the rest of your outfit is immaculate: "A pastel shirt can make you look sophisticated, but only if everything else about you is perfect." A pastel shirt combined with dirty fingernails and muddy shoes is apparently a sign of weakness and dilettantism.

The shoes and the accessories

As with most other elements of your interview outfit, shoes should err on the side of conservatism, but banks are not unduly prescriptive. "Wear a pair of shoes that are clean and polished, smart, and suit well to your overall outfit," advises Alison Trauttmansdorff, head of campus recruitment at Goldman Sachs.

· High heels: High heeled shoes are admissible, and perhaps even desirable, for women. "A pair of heels will make you look and feel more groomed and feminine," advises one female fund manager. "They can make you appear more professional, relaxed and confident," she adds.

· Braces: Having watched Gordon Gekko in the movie 'Wall Street', you may be inclined to wear a pair of braces to the interview. However, Tremblay says this may not be a good idea: "Braces could be seen as a bit presumptuous at the interview stage, particularly if they're red (a power colour)." It's best to wait until you've landed a job, she advises.

· Jewellery: Tremblay advises against anything too bling. Also avoid anything too dangly: "Dangly earrings can be distracting to the eyes and prevent interviewers focusing on your answers to their questions," she says.

· Accessories: You need to be smart. This means a briefcase instead of a plastic Tesco's bag. It means a pad of paper, and a good pen which has not been previously gnawed.

The ensemble

The watchwords for appearance at an investment banking interview are grooming, and conservatism. "Investment banking is not the same as the advertising industry," says Rebecca Hill, head of graduate recruitment at HSBC, "It's all around looking conservative, as well as smart."

"Appearance is a very important thing, and conservatism is the best way to go," reiterates David at UBS. "The more conservative you look, the less likely that eyebrows will be raised."