DEAR HARRIETTE: My girlfriend likes to dress fancy. For the past few months, she has taken to wearing rhinestones and other jewels on her fingernails. It looks nice, but I’m concerned because she is about to have several job interviews for relatively conservative jobs. She hopes to be a paralegal, and she is interviewing at different law firms.
I get that you should be able to express yourself, but so far, she hasn’t had any interest from the firms. I fear that she isn’t conservative enough. I think she should tone down the nails and go to the interview looking professional. Am I wrong? -- Interview Attire
DEAR INTERVIEW ATTIRE: I always think it’s wise to dress conservatively for a job interview. There is a range when it comes to conservative, but you are right that for most law firms, sparkly, jeweled nails would likely stand out -- and not in a good way.
Sit down with your girlfriend and tell you need to discuss a prickly topic. Point out how much you like her flashy style, but acknowledge that she should probably play it down during the interview process. The nails should be neutral.
Additionally, she should wear a dark suit or dress with simple shoes that are not too high and even pantyhose. She may never have to dress like that again on the job if she chooses a more progressive firm, but to land the job, she should err on the side of discretion. If she refuses, tell her that her choices may impact her employment. Ultimately, it is her decision.