Is my workwear too cheap?
Hello, I am an incoming summer analyst and was curious if my workwear is considered "too cheap". For reference, I'm a woman, and the brands I usually wear are Uniqlo, White House Black Market, and other assorted pieces I've collected from simple places like Macy's and Nordstrom Rack. I like to think it's all tasteful and fits well; I'm very petite (size 00/xxs) and Uniqlo is the one brand that reliably fits. Stuff like Brooks Brothers looks ridiculous on me, even when it's tailored, and ultimately I don't have the money to drop on tailoring everything or buying expensive brands. I have one nice Theory suit which I used for interviews, but my normal blouses, skirts/pants, and blazers are all Uniqlo.
Will this come off negatively during my summer stint, or will I need to start investing in better pieces? I feel like I almost can't tell a difference between my pieces and others in terms of style and fit, but with what I've seen on this site, my outfit will be ripped to shreds. Is Uniqlo that bad, and if so, what else should I wear?
All dependent on what your team wears. My group wears blue jeans to the office and polos unless we are interacting with clients. Just match to your coworkers level.
Would it come off as too vain/annoying to ask an analyst what they wear there? From what I heard, the culture of the group is pretty formal, but I don't know if that means just a conservative outfit, or a fancy conservative outfit. My one reservation with asking an analyst is that I don't want to come off as petty, or unnecessarily draw attention to the fact that my clothes aren't expensive, especially if they may not have noticed otherwise.
Nothing wrong with asking at all. I actually think this is a good habit to have. This is normal at any job you're new to, banking or otherwise. It shows you care to make a good impression and vibe with the office culture. Oh and plenty of girls I knew wore Uniqlo. Very common in NYC, especially in winter time.
No one will care what you're wearing sis. This isn't middle school or high school. It's a job. Most people are occupied with either just trying to get by or brown-nosing some senior person to get promoted. No one wants to be that loser that is commenting on how a summer analyst (or anyone) in the office is dressed because it looks bad on them. Just look put together, make sure your clothes are clean and that you don't stink, and let your work speak for yourself.
Nope it’s fine, I wear uniqlo in rotation with my jcrew/everlane/brooks bros in the office. It’s one of the better quality fast fashion brands, if you had said “all I have is Zara and h&m” I might be more skeptical.
Cheetah print
If I were you, I wouldn't even ask. I would just go ahead and wear the usual Uniqlo (and the Theory suit once a week). I would buy high quality shoes, however. Depending on the budget, I would also try to figure out the most appropriate handbag - if I had a limited budget, I would just get Longchamp as it provides a nice space for pitchbooks and my laptop.
People can rarely discern the brand of clothes if they are nicely pressed, clean and tidy. The overall visual impression one makes consists of hygiene, clothes, skin, teeth and hair. Therefore, I would really relax about Uniqlo - it is fine! Do pay attention to your overall look though - ideally, you should look healthy, clean and tidy.
Good luck!
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