Employers form opinions about job applicants within the first three minutes of meeting them.

These opinions won’t be based on your multiple degrees or extensive work experience. They’ll be based on the frayed hem of your pants or the chipped nail polish on your fingers.

Let’s face it, appearance still makes a difference in the interview. Looking professional will help convince the employer that you are serious about the job.

“As much as you may want to stand out, wearing the business uniform communicates instantly that you are a mature, stable professional member of the team,” writes Leslie Plotkin for Worktree.com, a job search Web site.

An informational handout produced by the Career Center offers some helpful hints for interview attire.

Tips for women are:

-choose a two-piece, long-sleeve, skirted suit made of 100 percent wool or a polyester blend.

-appropriate suit colors are navy, black, dark gray, plum, or dark green.

-skirt lengths should be at or 1 inch below the knee.

-blouses should be white or skin-toned.

-jewelry should be discreet. Stick to a single strand of pearls, or a simple gold or silver chain.

-earrings should stick close to the lobe.

-accessories like scarves, handbags, and pins should be small and conservative.

-no perfume should be worn.

-makeup should be applied lightly.

-hair should be neat.

-nails should be painted a clear or neutral color.

-taupe or natural hosiery is suggested with closed-toe, closed-heel pump or flat heels.

Tips for men’s dress are:

-a two-piece, traditional cut suit of 100 percent worsted gabardine or wool blend.

-Navy, dark gray, navy pinstripe, dark gray pinstripe, or black pinstripe are acceptable patterns and colors and should match.

-shirt should be white, long-sleeved, button-down cotton or cotton/poly blend.

-tie color can be burgundy, deep green, paisley, stripes, or geometric “neat” patterns.

-socks are black, navy blue and over the calf (no white socks).

-shoes should be black leather tie wing-tips or leather dressy slip-ons.

-the belt should be black leather.

-an analog watch with a leather band for a timepiece.

-neatly groomed hair.

-no cologne or aftershave.

Cologne or perfume is not recommended on an interview because you may be in a confined space for a healthy duration of time.

Subjecting the interviewer to an unwelcome scent may be offensive to the nose, especially if they’re allergic.

If your hair is dyed, it’s recommended to return to a natural color. Tatoos should be covered since long-sleeved clothing is worn. In the working environment, conservative is key.

Choosing the color of your suit or tie can communicate a lot to the interviewer. Black is a color of authority. Red is the most eye-catching color, so wearing it to an interview may distract. Blue is the most strongly recommended color for interviews because it suggests trust and loyalty. Green is calming, and the easiest on the eye. But you may reveal a preoccupation with wealth because it’s also the color of money. Yellow shows optimism and concentration. Purple is traditionally associated with royalty , Brown reveals reliability.

Make sure your clothes are in good repair with no missing buttons or hanging threads. Have the outfit dry-cleaned and ironed. Try the outfit on ahead of time to make yourself aware of any repairs that need to be done.

It’s also a good idea to pick an outfit you’re comfortable in. This will give you confidence during the interview.

Keeping these tips in mind, anyone can tailor themselves for success.