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[yueceiling]

I don't have any invitation yet, but I'd like to plan ahead.

Do we need to change suits during a 2-day interview? (I'm a women engineer.) Normally we change our clothes everyday, right? I'd like to have two slightly different suits, but I can only afford one, and I don't want to buy another cheap one. Is it OK to only change the shirt inside the suit?

[phlegmatic]

Perhaps you can just get a different-colored suit jacket to wear with a different pair of slacks for one day. If you are "performing" for two days it might be nice to have two different suits. But if you're just having dinner with faculty and then having the official interview the next day, then I don't see the need for two suits.

[dellaroux]

What you wear near and around your face is what many people focus on.

So if you have a different camisole and a very different scarf--say, one patterned, one colored--and different jewelry (say, one slim and more elegant, the other larger and a bit more clunky) you might make it look different enough that you and they would both have the sense of two different outfits altogether.

And--congrats on the interview--Break a leg!

[the_honey_badger]

One suit, two different shirts/ties if a man. One suit, two different shirts/scarfs/jewlery if a woman. If you go for a solid or low key/neutral then no one will notice anything other than you are wearing a suit. If you wear a loud plaid or blazing red suit then that might prompt someone to notice---mainly to wonder if you think you are interviewing at the Barnum and Bailey Circus College down in Florida.

I've never seen two complete outfit changes in anyone on campus but the general idea is that if you have a fresh looking shirt and accessories on day two, people will think you are quite the neat and stylin' candidate.

[temporaryname]

I once had a 4-day campus interview (yes, they exist), and I brought one jacket with changes of trousers. Of course, since it was a black jacket and trousers, it's not like anyone on the SC could see that I'd changed that part of my clothing.

I did bring a rather wide variety of tastefully matching shirts and ties for the visit, though, so there was variety on that score.

[inthelab]

Same jacket (the $$ item), 2 skirts, 2 tops, same shoes/handbag. 

[wanna_writemore]

I never wore 2 suits unless there were two full days of interviews (rare in my field).  Otherwise, I wore a more (business) casual jacket with nice slacks to go to the dinner the night before the real interview day. 

[cgfunmathguy]

One suit, two different shirts/ties if a man. One suit, two different shirts/scarfs/jewlery if a woman. If you go for a solid or low key/neutral then no one will notice anything other than you are wearing a suit. If you wear a loud plaid or blazing red suit then that might prompt someone to notice---mainly to wonder if you think you are interviewing at the Barnum and Bailey Circus College down in Florida.

I've never seen two complete outfit changes in anyone on campus but the general idea is that if you have a fresh looking shirt and accessories on day two, people will think you are quite the neat and stylin' candidate.

BTR has it right. Only the most obsessive among us would carry two different suits. The only way this changes is if you live in the town of the interview and have your full wardrobe available the entire time. Otherwise, follow BTR's advice. We are way more interested in whether you actually bathe each day and can put up a professional appearance than whether you recycle part of your wardrobe during the interview.

[yueceiling]

Thanks for all the good advises!

[clean]

Might you ask your parents for a suit for Christmas?

[biologist_]

BTR has it right. Only the most obsessive among us would carry two different suits. The only way this changes is if you live in the town of the interview and have your full wardrobe available the entire time.

A slight modification:
If you're close enough that you're driving to the interview and you already own two suits, you might as well bring them.  If you only have one suit, you could bring an extra sports jacket and pants/skirt as a backup in case you spill something on day 1. 

If you're flying, just bring one suit and different shirts, etc.

[msparticularity]

I flew, and I always took two complete outfits: one suit, and one skirt with a jacket. I did this partly out of fear that I would spill something and need a complete change of clothes. Also, though, my suit is aubergine (a color I love and look good in) which seems a little too identifiable to wear two days in a row.

And if you're doing what I did, wear the suit on the day you see the Dean.

[tee_bee]

I flew, and I always took two complete outfits: one suit, and one skirt with a jacket. I did this partly out of fear that I would spill something and need a complete change of clothes. Also, though, my suit is aubergine (a color I love and look good in) which seems a little too identifiable to wear two days in a row.

And if you're doing what I did, wear the suit on the day you see the Dean.

This is the big point. When I travel on business I bring at least two or three pairs of trousers (depending on the length of the trip), one more shirt than days on the trip, and one jacket. Oh, and two ties. I too worry about spills or other mishaps, but those tend to hit shirts, ties, and pants more than jackets. And the black jacket doesn't show stains all that well compared with lighter colors.

I can't believe I am writing about clothes. I set the fashion bar in my department--at the low end.

[litdawg]

Does anyone have anything to add to this? I'm preparing for a two-day interview, and I really don't want to bring my black mortician's suit. My other suit is an understated dark olive. I can wear very distinct shirts and ties to set the days apart. Also, it will likely be snowing where I'm going. I will miss my steel toe boots in that weather, but I suppose I'm stuck with dress shoes regardless of the climate.

[no_quarter]

I have found that a nice, solid blue blazer is an excellent choice in addition to a suit because of its versatility.