Interview Hair

I went on a job interview last week. I spent a week preparing, not just in how to answer questions and sound like I have my act, but of course, being a natural sister, I obsessed about hair, makeup and outfit.

Hair: Oh, those pesky grays. As soon as the interview date was announced, I was on the phone to Melissa, my stylist, making an appointment. When I got in her chair, suddenly I wanted to do something different. What about burgundy highlights and moving away from the browns already in my hair? Melissa got swatches and a mirror. We stood outside and tried to figure out what would work. The color I choose had a lot of purple in it. Melissa, started to worry about me going into an interview with purple hair and toned it down. Considerably. Instead of dark hair with burgundy shimmers, I got super black hair. I wasn’t thrilled but at least the gray was gone. When I go back, we’ll figure out a better look.

For styling, I tried to recreate this look:

But I’ve gotten terrible at blow-drying since I rarely do it, and my hair was much puffier. I had to fly to Chicago for my interview. That night in the hotel I flat twisted my hair after slathering on my go-to hair cream, Miss Jessie’s Baby Buttercream. Worth every dime; I don’t care what anybody says. I brought my foam curlers and curled the ends. It looked better in the morning.

Makeup: Bare Escentuals, of course. The mineral makeup sticks to my face better during those premenopausal face sweats. (TMI?) And Sephora green/brown eye shadow to play off the yellow blouse I was going to wear.

Outfit: I hit every plus size department in a 25-mile radius and even dabbled a bit in regular size departments, searching for a blouse to wear under my black pinstriped suit. The thin strips are yellow. I’ve always wanted a ruffled yellow blouse _ with short sleeves, please _ to wear. But I could not find one. This time I didn’t even come close. I’ve seen some in the past, but never one that was my size. I returned to my own closet, defeated. But wait a minute? What’s this in the back? Oh, yeah. That yellow and white-stripped shirt I got from Chico’s a while back. The last time I tried to wear it, the buttons puckered open at the chest. I tried it on again. No puckers! Could I have lost weight? Really? Could the morning bike rides and smaller portions be working? So I wore that, the suit and my black pumps. Pearl necklace shortened up to peak under the blouse and modest pearl earrings.

Did I get the job? I don’t know. But I felt I looked my best and gave it my best shot. If they couldn’t see my fabulousness, then it wasn’t meant to be.