Asking Anna Wintour what to wear to an interview with her is like asking the Pope how to get to heaven.
And the Vogue editor-in-chief did not disappoint when asked the holy grail of fashion world questions in Vogue’s new video series, “Go Ask Anna,” published Monday.
She also used the opportunity to segue into tips on just what to wear to any interview ― whether it’s at Conde Nast or not.
“It’s so interesting to me how people dress when they come in for interviews,” Wintour said.
“Sometimes you feel they’re wearing clothes that they just bought that morning, or maybe the night before, and not something that in any way suits their personality and who they are.”
She added, “I think what everyone should remember, whether they’re interviewing at Vogue or indeed anywhere, that we’re not hiring your wardrobe. Your wardrobe is not going to be doing the job for you — it’s who you are.”
Wintour recalled a specific interview moment that stuck when someone wore the perfect thing to wear.
“I’ll always remember a young man who came in in a dress and a handbag, and I gave him the job on the spot,” she said. “You have to dress for yourself. It’s the same for any job you might be going for. I think it doesn’t do yourself a service to fake it.”
Though we might add that an interview at Vogue is perhaps one where clothes are a bit more important than normal, the advice remains true.
In addition to what clothing you wear to an interview, Andy Limpus, director of talent acquisition at Penske Media Corporation (which owns Women’s Wear Daily and Variety), told HuffPost that it’s also important to consider what sort of scent you choose as well.
“Another thing that people need to think about is not just their clothing but their physical presence,” Limpus said in an interview last year.
“What I mean by that is, think about the way you smell,” he added. “There are people who are wearing too much cologne, there are folks that come to us and they’ve just left lunch and they smell like the restaurant.”
The more you know!