Short answer
For consulting interviews and assessment days, wear business formal unless the invitation says otherwise: a dark suit, a plain shirt or blouse and clean shoes. Video interviews follow the same rule from the waist up. The McKinsey PST is retired; Solve is taken online at home, so it has no dress code, but any video interview does.
Key takeaways
- When in doubt, wear business formal; nobody loses an offer for being too well dressed.
- Check the invitation first: firms often state the dress code, and that statement overrides general advice.
- McKinsey Solve is taken remotely and has no dress code; video interviews do.
- For video interviews, dress fully formal on top, test your camera and choose a plain background.
The short rule: when in doubt, business formal
For any consulting interview or assessment day, wear business formal unless the invitation says otherwise. In practice that means a well-fitting dark suit, a plain shirt or blouse, and clean, polished shoes. Nobody has lost an offer for being too well dressed, and plenty of candidates have felt uncomfortable all day for being underdressed.
I gave this advice when the McKinsey PST was still a paper test in an office, and it holds in 2026. What changed is the setting: more screening happens online, and more interviews happen on video.
Read the invitation first
Firms often state the dress code in the invitation email. When they do, follow it. A line like "business casual" or "no need for a suit" is an instruction, and recruiters write it for a reason.
If the invitation says nothing, ask the recruiter. It is a normal question and signals that you take the day seriously. If you cannot ask, default to business formal.
What to wear, by situation
| Situation | Recommended dress | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online test at home (McKinsey Solve, numerical tests) | No dress code | Solve is taken alone without a camera interview |
| Online case with recorded video (BCG Casey) | Business formal on top | Candidates report a 1-minute video recommendation at the end |
| Video case interview | Business formal on top | Same standard as in person from the waist up |
| In-person first round | Business formal | Suit; tie remains the safe default for men in most markets |
| Assessment day or final round | Business formal | Often a full day with interviews, a group exercise or a presentation |
| Networking event or recruiting dinner | Business casual unless stated | Blazer without tie, or smart separates |
The PST then, Solve now
When the PST was a paper test in a McKinsey office, business casual was usually acceptable if the test was the only thing on the agenda. If case interviews followed the same day, which was common, candidates came in business formal and stayed that way.
The PST is retired. McKinsey's Solve assessment is taken online, alone and at home, under strict rules: no apps, websites, AI tools or pre-prepared notes. With no interviewer watching, there is no dress code. Wear what lets you concentrate for 65-85 minutes. For everything about the format, read the McKinsey test in 2026.
Stephan's note: For my own test I wore a suit, because interviews might follow. They did not that day, and I was glad of it anyway: dressing the part put me in the right frame of mind.
Video interviews: dress for the camera
Video interviews follow the same dress standard as in-person interviews, at least from the waist up. McKinsey's interview guidance for virtual interviews focuses on a quiet space, a camera that stays on and switching off AI assistants. Add these practical points:
- Dress fully on top. A jacket and a plain shirt or blouse in a solid, mid-tone color read well on camera. Avoid fine stripes and small checks, which flicker.
- Wear proper trousers too. You may need to stand up, adjust a light or grab a notebook.
- Light from the front. Face a window or a lamp; avoid sitting with a window behind you.
- Choose a plain background. A tidy wall or bookshelf works. Virtual backgrounds can blur your hands when you sketch a structure.
- Test everything 30 minutes early. Camera, microphone, internet and the meeting link.
Assessment days and final rounds
Assessment days are long and varied: a mix of case interviews, personal experience interviews and sometimes a group exercise or presentation. Business formal is the norm. Bring a spare shirt or blouse if you are traveling, and wear shoes you can comfortably stand in for a presentation.
Grooming matters as much as clothing: neat hair, minimal fragrance, a clean bag or folder for your notes. Interviewers notice a candidate who looks composed at 5 pm as much as one who looked composed at 9 am.
Regional and office differences
Dress norms vary by market and office. Financial centers such as London, New York, Frankfurt and Zurich tend to stay formal. Some offices in the Nordics, the Netherlands and parts of Asia have relaxed toward suits without ties or smart separates. Tech-focused and digital units within the big firms sometimes run more casual interview days.
None of that changes the default. Business formal never hurts, and a recruiter who wants you in something else will say so. If you see current consultants dressed casually during your interview day, take it as information about the job, and keep your own outfit as it is for the rest of the day.
What matters more than the outfit
Dress removes a distraction; it rarely wins an offer. In all my years interviewing candidates and coaching them, the decisive factors were structure, math accuracy and a convincing personal story. Spend ten minutes on your outfit and ten hours on case interview preparation.
The Prep Pack combines my three books at about 40% off: Cracking the Case for the interview rounds, plus two full written-case practice tests originally built for the PST, which is retired, and still useful for the data and math skills that online screens reward. See the Prep Pack. For the interview day itself, read the McKinsey case interview guide, and for BCG's online case with its video segment, see BCG's assessments.
Frequently asked questions
What was the dress code for the McKinsey PST?
When the PST was taken alone, business casual was usually fine. When case interviews followed on the same day, candidates wore business formal. The PST is now retired.
What should I wear for McKinsey Solve?
Whatever you are comfortable in. Solve is taken online and alone, with no camera interview, so there is no dress code. Some assessments include a recorded video segment, so check your invitation.
Should I wear a tie to a consulting interview?
For a final round or a first in-person interview, a tie is still the safe default for men in most markets. Some offices have moved to open collars; follow the invitation or ask the recruiter.
What should I wear for a BCG Casey video?
Dress as for a video interview: business formal on top. Casey candidates report a short recorded recommendation at the end, and you want to look like a consultant presenting to a client.
Is business casual acceptable for a consulting assessment day?
Only if the invitation says so. Otherwise wear business formal, since assessment days usually include interviews or presentations.