Before your mouth can start talking your attire would, creating that first crucial impression. Planning ahead on how you are going to look would require you to have a clear understanding on the nature of job and your prospective employer. I'll look upon other interesting details too, such as the climate, the time of meeting and how am I representing myself. What am I going to be? A Strategist? A Highly Refined Corporate? A Creative Thinker?

Before an interview I'd do my little shopping. What I'd be looking for...
I'll go in for good brands if not for the top in line, probably the mid-ranged ones.
Here's a tip: Each design leaves a touch that will add you a little more character.

Unless you are confident of who or what you want to represent it is better to take the usual thumb rule... of being conservative and very generic, which would be as follows.

It's better to be overdressed in the first meeting than to be underdressed and look like a castaway. Try dressing for a notch higher than the position you are applying for. Not that it would make you get the higher post, but it sure would make you look eligible for it. And make you seem like you are prepared to have a larger scope in the organisation.

General

Most dressing is all based on the message you want to communicate. The point at an interview is not to appear ravishing or provocative, rather it is to make a powerful impression. Show you are a thinker, planner or strategist. Get a nice well crisp dressing up. I would suggest corporate brochures or manuals more than magazines to pick my ideas from. Most magazines portray very trendy dressing that may not suit probably the Indian culture, pardon me if I may be wrong. Unfortunately they may also not match with all body types.

Here's a tip: Plan ahead on how you want to look get a few dressing rehearsals done with a neutral review panel.

• Trim haircut and well-controlled facial hair. If you are going to work for the mafia look like a mafia, if you are going to work for a corporate then look like one.
• Avoid heavy jewelry. Keep your tattoos and pierced body parts covered, away from your employer's eye; sometimes they may be too obtrusive for comfort. Keep a clean face - no pierced tongue, no pierced lip or nose; 'officially they should not exist'. Not more than one ring on each hand. Lock away those that have flashy gems that are too obvious.
• Minimal and a very light cologne should do the trick. There's a good chance you might not leave that 'Musk' feeling.
• Pockets free of bulges. Maintain a neat flow of your dress tracing your body.
• Better have not smoked before an interview. No (chewing) gum or candy.
• Well-done nails (or manicured), not longer than your fingertip. (Women - use a mild or light colour or better yet just the gloss and no colour. Men, please don't dare.)
• Please do not wear Mehandi on such occasions too. They offer only the simplest distractions, but still better off in this case.
• Carry a nice, not too large briefcase to carry your documents.
• If you are wearing a belt let it match with your shoe (most applicable for men). Keep a plain and simple belt latch.
• Most suitable colours for the occasion are dark or maybe pastel. This would be considering the fact that you are going generic. You could always experiment with other colours, but plainly avoid choosing colours out of a Hawaiian tourist.

Men

• Keep your bare minimum from a formal half sleeve to a full suit. Jeans are best avoided. At the same time your dressing should make perfect sense.
• Pick a nice conservative patterned tie. Avoid blurry or too glossy ones. Soft silk ties are best. Use a complimentary but not too gaudy tiepin / holder if necessary. How to Tie a Tie.
• Men, please avoid pink. It may communicate aversion for you.
• Slip on some non-flashy, smart-looking accessories like cufflinks or tiepins if required.
• Wear simple designed, probably non-textured, laced (recommended) shoes and obviously well polished with matching socks (if not just go for black).
• If you are carrying a moustache, its' best when trim.
• Wear your belt just below your navel. Above it would break the symmetry and look like your pants eating your torso.

Women

• Low necks can be very distractive to you and the communicator.
• Wear a well-polished flat/low/medium set of heels, not too flashy or decorated. Keep it plain, sleek and attractive.
• Wear a single set of plain earrings, that aren't the hanging variety. Probably you could go for something like studs.
• A single plain chain, incase of a pendant pick a small one that doesn't spell out your entire name.
• Loose hair is fine only if you can keep it in place. Or a neatly tied up hair would also go very executive. If it goes haywire, you'd end up looking like a Corporate Medusa.
• Very mild or basic makeup would be suitable. Try not to use too flashy colours; pastel colours would go just fine.
• Avoid that cute purse; instead you can carry your belongings in another compartment in your briefcase.
• Remember if you are commandeering power, you might want to prefer sharp designs rather than attractive ones.
• Slip on some non-flashy, smart-looking accessories like a brooch or hair clip if required.
• A set of bangles if you insist or may be a bracelet to go with your watch.
• And finally when you are all set to rake out a classical impression remember to carry yourself the way you appear. Or it just won't make any sense.