Skip to main content
OLC Logo

OLC Admin

SFU Staff
All Faculties
Co-operative Education
Simon Fraser University
SFU OLC Administrator

Person in a sweater shrugging
No matter how rushed you are, you ALWAYS have time to put on deodorant in the morning. Those few seconds are worth it.

As almost anyone who's spent time in an office can attest, some people just do not know how to dress appropriately for their workplace or a job interview. We asked SFU students, staff, and alumni to share some of their real-life examples of what not to wear:

The Wrong First Impression
pictures of what not to wear

I don't have one especially horrendous inappropriate outfit story to tell, but in general, I would say the worst offenders for women are to dress as if they are going on a date. Short skirt, bare legs, stilettos, low cut silk blouse or lacy camisole...and sometimes they wear all 5 together. Yikes! This is often accompanied by heavy perfume, as well. Definitely not the right impression for a job interview.

- SFU Career Advisor

We interviewed a large group of students for an international organization that allowed us to make the initial selections. Most students wore suits. One wore a lumberjack shirt, jeans and hiking boots. He really stood out, but not in a good way.

- Co-op Student Advisor

Tops that are too tight and revealing.

- Co-op Coordinator


I still remember walking into a law office to see the person at the desk wearing spaghetti straps! Another was a young fellow I hired years ago who showed up wearing a muscle shirt.

- LinkedIn Member

So Close...

Do not wear sports socks with a business suit which I have seen...wear dress socks and ensure your shoes are polished.

If you are wearing nail polish ensure it is not chipped!

- Career Services Assistant


White athletic socks with a suit.

- Co-op Coordinator

My friend works the front desk at an office in Vancouver. She wore an oversized black sweatshirt with huge zebra heads across the arms and chest.

- Student

Hygiene Matters

An HR person from one of our big companies called me with some feedback that my student had not brushed his hair that day and it was sticking straight up and in all directions....then he crossed his leg over his knee and leaned back and all the interview team could focus on was his dirty, grimy, sweat sock  sticking out of his nice black trousers.  They hadn't been washed in a while.

- SFU Internship Coordinator

No matter how rushed you are, you ALWAYS have time to put on deodorant in the morning. Those few seconds are worth it.

- Student

Are You Kidding Me?
kids jumping on a trampoline with sweats on

Male reporter who wore baggy tank top and sweats. (He wore them in the office and to city council meetings.)

- Twitter response

Sweatpants. I've seen advisors wear sweatpants to work. Same thing with sandals. Sigh.

- Twitter response

Leggings and Uggs.

- Co-op Coordinator


Leggings as pants!

- Twitter response

Uggs during the winter. No joke.

- Twitter response


Agreed, leggings and jeggings are awful work attire. As is not changing out of your gym wear after lunch!

- Twitter response

(We received so many responses on leggings and Uggs we had to put them in twice - Get it together people!)

Beyond the Blog

Author

OLC Logo

OLC Admin

SFU Staff
All Faculties
Co-operative Education
Simon Fraser University
SFU OLC Administrator
visibility  104
Oct 21, 2013

You Might Like These... Preparing for a Work Term, Seeking, Prospective, Professional Development, Personal Development, Job Search

person sitting beside a gold lamp, writing something down in their journal
What Learning Objectives Can Do For You

A successful Co-op work term can involve many factors, one of which is developing and working towards meeting your learning objectives. Developing a learning objective helps you to think about what you want to accomplish during your upcoming work term and begin developing a plan for how you’ll achieve success.

London
Minding the Gaps While Working Abroad

'Please mind the gap'. To those who have visited England's transportation system these words of caution are heard throughout the day. But for Co-op alumnus Jeanette LeBlanc, the words took on new meaning while working in London during her year-long adventure.

Kamil on the phone, looking at the camera
Survival Guide 101: Keys to Office Survival

Welcome to Office Life 101. A wealth of friendly advice for the first time or inexperienced co-op student, and some advice as to what is required of you to not only survive, but to flourish in an office environment.

You Might Like These... Co-op Reflections

Kamil on the phone, looking at the camera
Survival Guide 101: Keys to Office Survival

Welcome to Office Life 101. A wealth of friendly advice for the first time or inexperienced co-op student, and some advice as to what is required of you to not only survive, but to flourish in an office environment.

Parking station for an electric vehicle
Greening Your Travel Choices

While it may seem daunting to move or travel to a new place and maintain a sustainable lifestyle when you don’t have personal and cultural resources at your fingertips, there are several ways that you can practice sustainability while travelling and living abroad.

Two women crossing their arms and facing each other.
10 Must-Have Clothing Items for Work

Putting together a wardrobe of work-friendly options can be intimidating, especially if your a student or recent grad with a limited budget. Elizabeth provides 10 must-have items to transform your closet without going broke.