This post was last updated in September 2022.
Update: We still think this is a really interesting discussion on foot tattoos and interviews — but you may want to check out our much more recent discussion on tattoos in the workplace.
Should you cover a tattoo for an interview? What if it’s in Camiseta Sporting CP a place that’s hard to cover — ought to you go the extra mile just for the interview? reader A wonders about her foot tattoo:
I am a 2L at a Midwestern law school and going through the interview process for next summer. I would like to build my professional wardrobe, but shoes always stump me. I have a tattoo across the top of my foot; a quote in black ink. I would like to cover it up for interviews and other conservative, professional events, but still look feminine, professional, and seasonal.
The compromise I have come up with is either wearing a pant suit with black leather booties or a skirt suit with black pantyhose and pumps. Either option is too hot for the summer and prevents me from wearing other colors.
Any guidance for cute, professional shoes that would cover my ink and allow me to lighten up my wardrobe?
Great question, reader A! I was just talking with a reporter about looking professional with tattoos, and I’m surprised we haven’t covered them because our interviewing with tattoo sleeves post a few years ago. In general, I agree with my old advice, which is that you ought to a) avoid getting visible tattoos in the first place, and b) keep your tattoos covered for interviews, big/first meetings, court appearances, and more.
Here’s the thing, though: a foot tattoo is kind of hard to cover easily. Something to keep in mind when interviewing is that a very conservative job may require you to keep a tattoo covered practically all the time — so consider beginning as you imply to go on.
By this I mean: If you’re ok with taking the steps below on all but casual days (after you’ve gotten to know your office, of course), then great. but if this all sounds like a lot of work and you plan to wear regular pumps or ballet flats 90% of the time, you may want to consider just leaving the tattoo exposed during part of the interview process (such as the second round of interviews), because this will weed out a lot of fit problems with your future office early on.
That said — here are some services for covering tattoos that may work for you if you want to wear the most conservative, safest outfit choice for an interview — a skirt suit, nude-for-you pantyhose, and comfortable pumps or flats:
The updated Option: If it’s whatsoever suitable seasonally, wear booties!
If you’re not comfortable in booties, or it’s summer, try oxfords. I actually wrote this entire post (and hit publish, yay!) and then remembered, DUH, oxfords. I think a heeled oxford looks great with skirts (particularly A-line skirts), with tights or by itself, and they have the reward of typically being pretty comfortable. You can even get nude-for-you oxfords if you look hard enough! These are probably the best compromise because a) they can be worn during summer months pretty easily, b) they still “read” conservative, and c) don’t require a huge, regular investment in time or energy. I think an all-black leather version would be just as wearable — practically a vintage, 40s vibe, particularly with a lower/thicker heel.
Band-aids. depending on the size and placement of the tattoo, a band-aid is another good option. Yes, you look like you have a band-aid on your foot, but hey, people get injured — there’s nothing unprofessional or questionable about a band-aid. Bonus: a Camiseta Stade Rennais FC band-aid is easy to apply, and while they do relocation around sometimes, a new band-aid stuck to your skin (particularly below pantyhose, which you ought to certainly be wearing for interviews) is kind of foolproof.
Makeup. There are a ton of options for makeup (see below) and guidance on the web about how to cover tattoos, including suggestions such as how long to let each layer of foundation set, how to blend it with the rest of your skin, and some shortcuts (such as using a lip pencil at the beginning to cancel out the darkness of the tattoo, and using a blow dryer with cold shots to help Camiseta Selección de fútbol de Ecuador the products “set” between layers).
Tattoo removal. Tattoos say a lot about your personality (that you have one, what you got, where you got it, etc.) , and, as discussed above, I hope you’re happy of your tattoo and whatever it symbolizes. If you have tattoo regret, however, you can certainly look into tattoo removal or “tattoo reduction,” which apparently makes it lighter so it’s simpler to cover up. I’m hoping the readers can chime in here with experience about what to expect with tattoo removal in terms of the physical experience, price, or results.
Mary-jane pumps or T-strap pumps (or flats). depending on the size and placement of your tattoo, these may or may not be an option — and note that they may make any other attempts to cover the tattoo (makeup, bandaid) rnull