Dress code summer intern IB - London

I got my offer and will be interning in IB in London this summer. I’ve already bought the suits, but the first day will actually be the first time I step into a proper office like this (all my interviews were online and I haven’t attended any spring weeks, open days, or similar)

I imagine I’ll get a sense of my team’s dress code within the first week, but I’m unsure about what to wear on day one. 

I'm also a bit concerned about the heat: I assume there’ll be air conditioning in the office, but I’m nervous about showing up already soaked (partly from the weather, partly from nerves).

My main questions:

  • Is brown suits actually a no go? is there any grade of brown that i allowed (light, dark) I’ll have to leave it in the closet? (follow up: Only blue and grey allowed?)
  • Should I wear a tank top under my shirt?
  • Should I go with or without a tie on the first day?

If you have any other suggestions I’d really appreciate it. Thanks. 

33 Comments
 
Funniest

Theres like a billion posts on this topic mate. 

Why did you buy a brown suit? Where did you even find a brown suit? I mean, I honestly don't think anyone's going to give a shit. It's definitely going to be funny and no one else is going to wear a brown suit. Like no one at all. But would they ding you for it? Probably not tbh as long as it's not like a light brown suit because them you just look like either dog shit or like you're going to cocktail bar.

I mean the rule is really if you wear stuff that you can undo, it's not really a big deal. If you wear a tie and you don't need to, you can just... Take it off. If you wear an undershirt and you don't need to, you can also just take it off. Unfortunately you can't take the colour brown out of your suit but hey ho.

 

IB offices obviously have air conditioning, London public transportation unfurtunately has not

 

The people who worry too much about this are definitely the ones who don’t convert. 

 

Forgot to update it.  Look at you behaving like an intern though lol. 

 

Honestly not sure why this is even a question - you go for the safest look because you don't want to stand out in any wrong way, but make your work and personality do the actual work and convert.

Grey / navy suit, tie and see how the culture is (old school or more chill vibe). Basically you follow the generic finance outfit, not some YSL fashion walk. Make your work ethic and intelligence do the talk. End.

 

No one gives a fck what interns are wearing as long as it’s not outrageous. Most ppl forgets interns even exists half of the time. Charcoal/Navy, black belt and black shoes. The whole thing is not that deep.

 

We've had 6 interns in my team, I can't remember the name of 1 of them lol. So agreed on this

 

No brown into town, that extends to suits for the avoidance of any doubt. Navy/Grey suit, wear a tie on the first day that you will take off by 11:30am. As for shoes, black oxfords or loafers should do. Most offices its fine to wear trainers/running shoes, so you can leave a pair in the office for comfort. To be honest, especially in summer, you won't be wearing a full suit everyday (even if London summer can be underwhelming), so definitely stock up on v-necks, a gilet or two (Charles Tyrwhitt or Uniqo is the go to for quality and price), a quarter zip/button up jumper and that should be sorted for the 10 or so weeks. Suits wise is pretty easy for options - Charles Tyrwhitt (best variety and most likely for discount), TM Lewin just reopened a store (pricey but imo they fit very nicely), Hawes & Curtis (15% more expensive than Charles Tyrwhitt for the same product) and Moss (plenty of options)

 

a lot of these comments seem to be from americans, so here is my take from a previous intern in London. you need a navy suit, white shirts and a pair of black oxfords (not derbys). no loafers, gilets, jumpers, colourful socks etc unless you want to stand out. i think wearing a tie on the first day is fine if you want to signal to the whole floor you are an intern lmao.

zzz
 

I'm not American,  perfectly fine for interns to wear loafers, gilets and jumpers. No on the colourful socks obviously, but doubt people care

 

So no need for a tie on the first day during / in general during the internship? Did you wear a suit everyday?

 

What bank do you work at that allows trainers in the office? That would be outrageous in every London bank I've worked at

 

Interned at 2, now FT (all MMs/Boutiques). No one could give a damn about what shoes you wear to the office. Most leave a pair of smart shoes in case of a client meeting, quite a lot commute in trainers and then change into smart shoes once reaching the office. But I've worn running trainers with suit trousers plenty a time, and no one cared at all. Would say 30-40% of the floor do it. 

 

Any vneck white T-shirt will do. It will be especially disastrous if you don’t wear an undershirt in the heat

 

Ut repellat quae excepturi. Qui possimus excepturi officia enim. Libero ipsa tenetur fugit deserunt. Nihil et excepturi quam et non eos. Voluptas praesentium quis officia modi aut et quam. Soluta non omnis neque non voluptas.

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