Can One Be Overly Dressed for an Interview? Is that possible?

For someone who has loved fashion since childhood (pulled an all- nighter to make a bolero & matching skirt (lined) for school the next day-just because I needed to look like the girlfriend of a matador, if only for a day!) I can imagine over-dressing for an occasion.  My life has been about selling myself, like most of us, but when you work in the beauty & fashion industries it is crucial to create, package & market product #1, yourself or me in this circumstance.  What I have forgotten now while figuring out who I am going to be next amongst the workforce is that not all jobs are created equally.  I am applying for jobs that are not fashion or beauty & don't require either.  Quickly approaching 46 years I rarely find myself feeling too pretty, too fresh, too overly fashionable, I live in Annapolis for God's sake!  When I walked the streets of NYC then~I was fashion, I lived it, I breathed it, I savored wearing a French or Italian head to toe ensemble.  My entire being was alive therefore I was beautiful, I was fresh & I radiated.  To be told you are a visual delight for most senses, not only did I feel good I made someone else feel good.  Fashion is about feeling good.  Dressing the part helps one play the part. Let's simply remember what part we are playing, or attempting to play.

Assistant Teacher's Aid: Position Available: Yes, do apply! & I did. This is how it happened~last Friday morning I found out about a position at our local public school & their need to find  someone to fill this position. Could I do it, yes, I sure could.  Ideal hours, the same as my sons schedule, very close to home & know half the staff already. I like kids well enough, am creative, relatively good with children, have trained adults with ease, & just need to ease on back out there.  Perfect fit.  I left a note in the am stating I would love to work there, received a call back from the assist principle around noon & had an interview set for 2:15~all this in the same day.  Am still waiting on a call back, is no new good news? 

I showed up in the same interview outfit I have been wearing for the last two weeks, which has worked beautifully thus far for those particular positions.  You be the judge: a double-breasted classic black cropped wool cardigan to pass for a jacket (J.Crew), a black knee-length skirt, black tights, black with red lacquered heavy high heel (DVF), red handbag (Gap) & either a red or chartreuse cotten long sleeved t-shirt (J.Crew).  The overall impression is of a suited by separates look, mostly black with dashes of color...oh toss in a scarf for a chilly morning.  An outfit to be proud of, to feel good in & to have others pay compliments.

To an underpaid/over-worked teacher at the end of her day, then to add it being a Friday, then end of her work week, well the poor thing was done-in.  All life had been zapped out of her. (I very well would & could look the absolute same way under the very same circumstances). I was the breath of fresh air that could have been more than she bargained for at that particular moment in timing.  I do think she was looking at me like I had horns & a tail (well it was the bewitching seasoned air last Friday). I was freshly showered, hair in chignon perfectly in place, energy to boot, over tired so over zealous.  We were two opposing forces of nature right then & there.  I wish I had put on pants, flats & no embellishments whatsoever.  There you have it.  I will let you know when I know what really went down, if I got the job or was even considered.  To be continued. . .

FYI: please don't judge me for looking good for only one hour today, wish she had seen me at 8 am that very same morning in her very same school in sweatpants! yikes!  It's all about timing & judgement, isn't it.