Would you wear a cat costume to a job interview? How about a Star Trek T-shirt, or a micromini skirt and fishnet stockings?

    No? Then you're way ahead of the job applicants described in a new survey of 670 human resources managers by staffing firm OfficeTeam.

    Asked to recall the weirdest attire they've seen people wear to job interviews, the HR honchos mentioned "a crazy hat," "a top held up with a big safety pin," and "a blanket worn as a shawl."

    Then there was the woman who showed up in a sequined evening outfit, and the guy who wore "a leather vest with no shirt."

    Granted, business attire has become more casual, but Bermuda shorts, flip-flops, or "a swimsuit and beach cover-up"? Eeek.

    "Don't assume you can dress down, even if the company where you're interviewing has a very casual atmosphere," advises Robert Hosking, OfficeTeam's executive director. "Err on the conservative side."

    It's also a good idea, Hosking adds, to "test-drive an outfit before the interview to make sure it fits well and makes you feel confident. Ultimately, you want to project professionalism and wear something that doesn't distract interviewers or cause them to question your judgment."

    Too bad nobody told that to the folks who arrived in workout clothes, "a bandana and torn jeans" -- or, in one memorable instance, "the uniform from a former employer."