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[liberta]

The potential problem with the idea of wearing a jacket with the dress is that if you become warm, you'll want to take off the jacket.  And then, if you don't take off the jacket, you'll be uncomfortable, and you might even perspire.

And since the dress looks potentially warm, and since you mentioned that it is made of wool, you really should NOT set yourself up for a problem by wearing a jacket.  You don't to want to look like you can't handle the heat and need to get out of the kitchen, as it were.  So, you should only wear the dress if you feel comfortable wearing it by itself without a jacket.

And what is your situation with pantyhose?  Are you going to wear dark nylons or tights with boots?
That sounds like it could 'function' potentially like a sweatsuit.  I really think you should carefully consider how you feel in the dress with nylons and/or boots.  Do you feel like you could get warm? 

What part of the country are you going to for the interview?  In the east and midwest during winter, many campus buildings are over-heated.  And how much are you going to have to walk around outside? Can you walk across campus to meet with the dean in your boots and keep pace with your escort whilst having a conversation?

Seriously, you should consider wearing a sleeved blouse paired with slacks or a long skirt that is NOT made of warm fabric.

[nekolove]

I am incredibly short and not-thin. I definitely understand your dilemma.

For my campus interviews, I wore black pants that fit really well (and were hemmed properly), a white button down shirt with long french cuffs, and a black blazer. All of these pieces were bought separately and in completely different sizes. I wore the jacket without buttoning it up (I know what you mean about them not buttoning properly.....part of my non-thin-ness is an enormous chest).

For the other days of my visit, I wore nice beige dress pants and sweaters: one green, one navy blue, and accessorized scarves.

Wear what feels comfortable to you, but I definitely think a suit jacket of some kind would be good for the most formal day of your visit. Just remember that you can mix and match the "suit" a bit if needed and it can still look really nice. So the skirt and blouse and jacket can all be from different places, in different sizes, and in different materials (as long as they make sense together) and still make you look polished and confident.

Good luck!!!!

[harrapsempire]

I think the dress looks way too casual for an interview, and the cowl neck makes it kind of impossible to accessorize in a satisfactory way. A nice wrap or shirt dress could do, though.

If you're tall and voluptuous, you can probably swing a pencil skirt (Gap usually has plain, nice quality but not too expensive pencil skirts that are long enough and they have bigger sizes as well as "tall" sections) + nice blouse, and look amazing. If the jacket doesn't cut it for you, you can get a nice cardigan, or even a twin set. If it's well coordinated with the skirt, it'll look great and dressy enough.

Another option: pencil skirt + button down shirt + sweater vest. Can be very stylish if colors are picked well and you accessorize with the good boots :)

[liberta]

I think harrapsempire is giving you good advice.

[msparticularity]

Okay, how about a simple swap of what you have: wear the dress to travel and to dinner, and wear the "smart" skirt for the interview day, with either a nice shell and cardigan or a jacket and appropriate accessories. Or is the skirt not that smart?

Remember, too, that a jacket doesn't have to be of the tailored blazer type; you might find something in a style that would work well with a curvier build, where the buttons don't begin until below the bustline (like maybe this or one that wraps).

[txgalprof]

Or what about something like this: http://www.dressbarn.com/detail/cascade-ruffle-blazer/100920786/150
That doesn't need to be buttoned?

[porcupine]

Thanks for advice! No, the skirt is not that smart, though smart enough for a dinner after a lot of flying.

Clearly I need to spend more time checking out overstock.com...

[heptameron]

I really like the cascade ruffle blazer that txgalprof linked to.  It's stylish yet formal enough.  You could definitely wear it over a simple top with a skirt for the interview day.  It also looks like you could wear it with the cowl-neck dress.

I also second what msparticularity says about wearing your dress for flying/dining, and then wearing the smart skirt for the interview day.

[systeme_d_]

I really like the cascade ruffle blazer that txgalprof linked to.  It's stylish yet formal enough.  You could definitely wear it over a simple top with a skirt for the interview day.  It also looks like you could wear it with the cowl-neck dress.

I've got to disagree strongly with the bolded part.  No, no, no.

[melba_frilkins]

I really like the cascade ruffle blazer that txgalprof linked to.  It's stylish yet formal enough.  You could definitely wear it over a simple top with a skirt for the interview day.  It also looks like you could wear it with the cowl-neck dress.

I've got to disagree strongly with the bolded part.  No, no, no.

Too much fluff between the cowl and the ruffles? Would you say ok to the blazer if it were over a plain-front dress?

[systeme_d_]

I really like the cascade ruffle blazer that txgalprof linked to.  It's stylish yet formal enough.  You could definitely wear it over a simple top with a skirt for the interview day.  It also looks like you could wear it with the cowl-neck dress.

I've got to disagree strongly with the bolded part.  No, no, no.

Too much fluff between the cowl and the ruffles? Would you say ok to the blazer if it were over a plain-front dress?

Yes, Melba, on both counts!

[gbrown]

I agree with yumyumdonuts. It's cute, but without a vest/scarf or blazer on top, I'd think it was more suitable for drinks later than an interview. I've interviewed a dozen times and been on several search committees... most male candidates wear a 2-piece suit or (at the least) a crisp, freshly ironed shirt, tie, and slacks. Most women candidates wore a blazer & skirt, 2-piece suit, or vest & suit, or a dress with vest. Layering is a way to show off your ability to accessorize and subtly suggests that you can be flexible enough to weather the freezing cold basement classroom and the hotter-than-Hades classroom with windows. Of course, I've also seen colleagues wearing oxford shirts and jeans; doesn't mean it's appropriate for an interview. Just sayin'

[icicles]

Wear it for travel--what to wear for travel has always been the toughest one for me, so kudos to you on having a good dress to wear on a plane for several hours.

Once I wore a sheath tweed dress (in charcoal) with a light cardigan to a campus interview in a very hot climate. I just couldn't do a full suit because of the heat. I wasn't offered the job, but it also wasn't a good fit (the job).

Perhaps some good guidelines are: at least one item in the ensemble should be tailored/structured, wear good shoes, neutral colors, and carry a good bag. If you're doing the right thing, no one will notice the clothes as much as your interview itself.

[marigolds]

You know what might look good over that dress?  (Still probably wouldn't dress it up enough for the job talk, natch.)  A long, hip-grazing cardigan in a complementary color, maybe a very subdued cable knit, with a quite deep vee or maybe just one button-- belted.  That's right, I said it.  Belted over the top of the buttoned cardigan.

You'd have to try something like that on to see if the proportions worked, but it might be cute as a slightly-more-dressy travel option with knee-high boots and tights under it.