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The clothes are not the interview. But getting them wrong takes up mental space you need for everything else. Here is the formula — whether you’re at OCI as a 2L or interviewing as a senior associate looking to lateral.

The Rule

Conservative in all the ways that matter. One piece with personality. The goal is to look like someone who already belongs in the room and made one specific, confident choice.

The Basics

For anyone: a well-fitted suit in navy or charcoal (not black, which reads as evening wear). Pressed. Polished shoes that match the belt. A simple shirt or blouse. Then one piece with character — a distinctive tie, a pocket square, earrings with some character, a watch with a story. One thing. Not two.

Fit matters more than brand. A J.Crew suit that fits reads better than a designer suit that doesn’t. Get it tailored. This costs less than people think.

What Not to Wear

• Anything you haven’t worn before — the day of the interview is not the day to break in new shoes
• Strong cologne or perfume — conference rooms are small
• Anything that requires adjustment throughout the day
• Loud patterns on more than one piece

Nobody got an offer because of their suit. But enough people have been distracted by a wrong choice that it is worth spending twenty minutes thinking about it once.

The clothes are the easy part. If you want help with the conversation, the first 15 minutes are free. More here. For a complete walkthrough of biglaw interviews — OCI through lateral — my book Biglaw Interview Advice is on Amazon.