What Colors You Should—And Shouldn’t—Wear To a Job Interview

Sure, prepping to answer tough questions is the hardest part of an interview—but trying to figure out what clothing and color you should wear to a job interview freaks us out, too. Landing a job interview usually leads to the closet war of all closet wars, and totally stresses us out when we should be aiming to feel calm, cool, and collected.

You’ve heard the standard advice: Dress for the industry in which you’re interviewing (there’s a big difference between a job at a white-shoe law firm and a tech startup, and your clothes should reflect that), don’t wear anything too fashion forward (you want to be the star of the interview, not your handbag) and, above all else, don’t you dare wear something sloppy or better suited for a night of cocktails with your friends than a serious job interview. But, what about color?

CareerBuilder and Harris Interactive conducted a study, polling hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes, asking the simple question, what’s the best color to wear to a job interview? Blue was the most recommended color, while orange came in dead last.

Deciding what shade to wear is slightly more complex than just picking blue and forgoing orange, though, as employers reported that various colors send various messages during the interview process. Do you want to come across as organized, for instance? Or creative?

MORE: The Interview Looks 6 Women Swear By—and How to Shop Them Right Now

“That first impression on an interview counts so much, and you don’t want to be out of the race before the interview even begins,” said Sherry Maysonave, head of Empowerment Enterprises, an image consulting firm based in Austin, Texas. “That [impression] happens in less than 30 seconds and it’s based entirely upon your attire.”

Here, a breakdown of the messages various colors can send during an interview so you can land the job that you deserve.

Photo: Le 21ème

Blue is the ultimate safe choice 

Blue was the most recommended color by hiring professionals surveyed by CareerBuilder, with 23 percent responding they actually preferred the hue. Shades of blue send the message that you’re credible and trustworthy according to experts. Lisa Johnson Mandell of AOL Jobs writes: “Studies show that navy blue is the best color for a suit to wear to a job interview because it inspires confidence.” Be wary, though, of choosing navy for more creative job interviews, where you could come off looking too conservative.

Avoid brown altogether 

Brown doesn’t have negative connotations—you’ll send the message of being comforting and reliable—but it can also convey the image that you are simple and old-fashioned, qualities that aren’t exactly positive in job interviews when you want to convey the message of being forward-thinking and modern. So you don’t run the risk of coming off as staid, just avoid brown altogether.

Photo: Timur Emek/Getty Images

Black conveys leadership—so save it for interviews for management positions

Besides blue, experts also favor black for job interviews, with 15 percent of respondents from the CareerBuilder survey saying it was their top pick. Still, be careful when selecting black for an interview. Color experts rank black the highest on the authority scale, which means it’s a great color to wear for an interview for a management position, but be wary of the risk of overpowering the person you’re interviewing with if you are applying to be an assistant, for instance.

Kat Griffin of Corporette’s advice on wearing black? Whatever you do, don’t mix and match different blacks. “Please do not try to match different black fabrics to ‘make’ a suit,” she says.

MORE: What to Wear to a Job Interview: Expert Tips for Every Industry

Red sends a message of power, but not in a good way

You’ll definitely convey that you’re both bold and assertive if you wear red to a job interview, but in most cases, hiring professionals think the color can come off as domineering, and even worse, rebellious. There’s an exception to every rule, and red can be a great color in fields like sales and the law, where being aggressive is considered a positive.

Photo: Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images

Gray is another safe choice

If you want to send the message to your (hopefully) future employer that you are both logical and analytical, then grey is the way to go. The understated shade works well for interviews in just about every field. Applying for a job where you want to show a bit of your personality? Dress up your grey outfit with colored accessories like a scarf or a handbag.

Just say no to wearing orange

Orange topped CareerBuilder’s list for the absolute worst color to wear to a job interview, with 25 percent of respondents saying they associated the color with someone who’s unprofessional. What’s that? You’re dying to finally wear that new tangerine blouse? Save it for the weekend.

“Interview day is not the day to get creative or show your prospective employer your ‘fun’ personality,” said Mary Orton of Memorandum.

Photo: Le 21ème

White sends the message that you’re organized and detail-oriented

Send the message that you’re organized, impartial, and looking to make a clean start wearing white. While wearing a white suit is probably too big of a statement for a job interview, opt for a white blazer over a black shift dress, or a white button-down paired with a pencil skirt to get the benefits of wearing the shade.

Save purple and yellow for interviews in creative fields

For the most part, experts suggest playing it safe with neutrals for job interviews in most fields, but if you’re interviewing for a job in a creative field, don’t be afraid to wear certain colors. Purple sends the message of being artistic and unique, while yellow projects optimism and creativity.

Originally published October 2014. Updated June 2017.