I’m 47 and fat and currently have a thicker than usual beard. The jacket/no tie thing just doesn’t work for me, so I’ll go jacket-tie. (Most recent picture- taken a couple of days ago- if you can see it; if you can’t, I look a lot like Peter Ustinov in this picture. )
That said, classic navy blue blazer okay do you think? Of the best fitting ones, I also have a light brown jacket I’ve never worn, and a brown corduroy (too hot for that though).
If you go the jacket and no-tie routine, then you can slip a rolled up tie in your briefcase or jacket, just in case. But I think the jacket alone is a good choice. You can never go wrong with a navy jacket and khakis.
Thanks for the Mehron tip!
Interesting. I think bigger guys look better without that top button buttoned. I’d think you would sharper without the tie.
You look like the Men’s Wearhouse guy. I’d have third or fourth everyone who said that while the interview may be informal, the dress code is NOT. This is your first and best chance to impress them. Full suit it up. You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.
Is there an official line on bowties these days?
Pumps. Fishnet stockings. Push-up bra. Choker. Rabbit ears.
Well, you certainly can’t go wrong wearing a suit. But I might try something non-traditional like wearing a suit with no tie to an informal interview.
The point of an informal interview is to see if they like you and if you’re a good fit. So your goal is to connect with your interviewer as a peer you are having a conversation with. It’s tough to do that if you are dressed like a dorky 22 year old looking for his first internship.
The pre-interview is your chance to confidently (but not arrogantly) sell yourself as to why you can help them.
Fifth. They are a large organization advertising in a number of cities so clearly this is an important gig and they are taking the time to see you.
Is it just me, I hate the sport coat look. Either wear a suit (tie optional) or full on biz casual. The blue blazer is a kinda east coast prep school “informal uniform” and the sport coat seems just trashy to me.
In a suit, you can always break the ice with “looks like I overdressed, you mind if I lose the coat and tie, roll up my sleeves and get comfortable” line.
Or what msmith537 said.
My main concern with wearing a suit is that the person scheduling it emphasized informal; I worry if it could be a “does he comply with simple instructions” test. (I know some employers like to play games.)
To me the key word “interview” means wear a tie.
Do you want to work for an employer who would ding you for showing up to an interview in a suit?
I think the “informal” part is that they aren’t not yet specifically choosing from a list of candidates, and they might be wasting your time.
Wear a normal interview suit without the tie. They’re usually quite light and comfortable without the tie anyway, and you’ll feel businessy.
If they ask, say “I know you specified informal, but I’m going to another interview this afternoon.” Game playing works for both sides. Put your tie on as you leave.
To me, a true interview suit is conservative enough that it will look wrong without a tie.
I take your point. I went through four interviews for an entry-level position (don’t get me started) for an office that seemed to pride itself on how very casually it dressed. The last one was meeting for lunch at a restaurant to chat more casually and wrap up. I did break my suit rule (only because it was the fourth interview) but wore a long skirt, dressy sweater, stockings and low heels. The thought crossed my mind that they wanted to see if I could dress down but I still couldn’t bring myself to do it! They did finally offer me the job.
You weren’t given specific instructions about what to wear, were you? Go with what feels comfortable to you, that will help you be at your best.
And if you feel you are overdressed, you can always make some comment about how it’s nice to see a workplace with a less formal dress code than your current/previous workplace. 
Doctor Who fans think they’re awesome.
“Please don’t touch me there, Professor.”
That is a line from several of my favorite movies!
Well, it really depends on the field/type of non-profit. For some, wearing a suit might (mildly) signal that you’re not really understanding the kind of nitty-gritty work that they actually do every day. BUT for a place that has lots of lawyers running around, a suit will be fine, and demonstrate that you’re able to play that kind of role if necessary.
On the other hand, I might agree that across the board non-profits are generally much more unlikely to be doing those kind of games.
I say, if you might meet/work with lawyers, wear a suit; can’t hurt
