Forget your resume. Forget astronomical GMAT scores, forget a Group I academic ranking, forget graduating first in your class at Harvard Business School.

The trick to landing a job on Wall Street these days is much more simple.

It's what you wear.

Sure, you founded your own business at age five and have held phenominal summer internships at every investment bank this side of Tokyo. But when recruiters are bombarded day after day by equally qualified applicants wearing identical navy pin-stripe suits, they're looking for a little bit more.

Fashion accessories and a splash of personal style can distinguish you from the other boring business suits, adding that special spark that makes your first impression a lasting one.

"Your clothing should not be wild, but you want to have something that will make you memorable," says Stacey Matthews, a recruiter for Solomon Brothers in Boston.

Though most recruiters do recommend standard gray or navy business suits for men and women alike, they say accessories like jewelry, ties and scarves can reflect individuality and style.

FOR MEN

Men may think their fashion options are confined to the ordinary gray wool suit that varies only by number of buttons.

But choosing the right tie and suspenders or even opting for a subtle pattern--like a quiet hounds tooth or light pinstripe--can transform a business suit from the Wall Street uniform into a personal statement of style.

A tie with an offbeat pattern can lend sophistication to a conventional and lifeless gray men's suit, just as a bow tie can add a touch of individual pizzazz.

Tie patterns fade in and out of style, with paisleys, stripes, dots and floras taking turns as either to-die-for necessities or the epitome of tackiness.

"Ties are important," says Jodi M. Neri of KNF & T Temps, an employment agency. "Florals or stripes are good, but they must be on the conservative side and tasteful."

Bowties are less common than neckties for interview wear, but not a faux pas. According to Susan Lindstrom, a recruiter with Price Waterhouse in Boston, bow ties are "not uncommon," and can make a favorable impression if they reflect the interviewee's character.

FOR WOMEN