I have an interview at Anthropology tomorrow, and I’m totally psyched.
Yes, I know that given my college education and experience in education itself, I’m a tad overqualified for a job in retail. But I also know it’s a recession, the job market is tighter than a pair of Jeggins, and I need a reason to start wearing pants (or sweetheart dresses) in the morning.
I also know I love clothes, shopping, artesian pieces, and the store’s impeccable floor plan, including a fountain. I would love to work at Anthropology.
This will be my second interview with them, and of course my pre-occupation is not what questions I will be asked, but rather what to wear. I nailed it on my last meeting- white tank top, long sweater, unforgettable embroidered peasant skirt- but the fact is that my actual wardrobe leans more towards the punk-rock side of indi culture than the fairy-in-the-woods side. (What would Sookie Stackhouse wear?)
Herein begins the tricky dance of showing what you are, while also giving the people what they want.
I’ve already done this once this month, during a semi-ridiculous interview where I was told to dress “like you are going to a rock show.” I beg your pardon?? Because if I were going to a rock show, I would wear jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. And so much eyeliner I would be indistinguishable from a raccoon. But that’s not what a potential employer wants to see. They want edgy-cool, fashion forward yet utilitarian. They want rock star, not rock admirer.
Here too I had to re-interpret my own look. I bought (amazing!) black boots that reference the Rolling Stones, a sheer tank-top and tight jeans. I never would wear that to a concert because I looked too good. I don’t want a bunch of dirty emo kids bleeding on my top. But at the interview, I looked the part they wanted, and I got the part, looks wise at least.
At Anthropology, it’s a different scene. It’s not about sweat and metal, it’s about nature and craftsmanship. These two scenes aren’t really as contrasting as they initially sound. They’re both about individuality and distinction. They’re also about creativity and craftsmanship. I can wear the same jewelry for either scenario, it’s all in the paring. I might even be able to wear my Rolling Stones boots.
Fashion is always a balance: color and contrast, hard and soft, slutty and refined. It can always be pushed forward but must similarly be held back. Tomorrow’s outfit must employ a bit of my harder edge but tempered by something pretty, something poised, and something personal. Fashion, just like the people who wear it, is a combination of many components.
Lucky for me, messy hair is a shared trait of boho-pretty and emo-punk. Some things are far too fundamental to disguise.
