Business Formal at Investment Banks: Need Advice!

From what I've heard, Lehman and Blackstone seem to be two firms with a business formal dress code. For someone graduating and starting at a bank such as this, what would you recommend for suits, shirts, shoes, etc.?

Suits: Besides standard navy, what else is preferable for an analyst? For example, are pinstripes over the top? And what shades of gray would be acceptable?

Shirts: Button-down, point, or spread collars? French cuffs or no? What patterns are acceptable, if one wants to go with something besides the standard solid blue and white?

Shoes: Allen Edmonds and Alden, I suppose? Anything else?

Watch: Leather-banded dress watch? Or are dive watches (a la Rolex Sub) acceptable?

I understand that the work an analyst does it by far of the most importance, but any help in these areas would help me to feel more prepared and confident, knowing that I'm not breaking any rules of etiquette.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

I will also be in this situation. I saw on the other threads that an analyst needs 2-4 suits. Is this enough for someone who will have to wear business formal every weekday? Can I survive with anything but a Patek?

Just kidding about the second question.

 
Best Response

Suit Color - pinstripes are fine. Just avoid thick chalk stripe suits (too over the top in my opinion). Stick with navy and shades of gray. Any shade of gray is fine actually - I have a nice light gray pinstriped suit. Charcoal gray is generally considered more conservative though, so if you like gray, I would get more darker gray suits versus lighter gray.

Suit Jacket - 2 or 3 button, your choice, always single breasted. I'm 6'0 and I have a mix of 2 and 3 button. If you're really short go with 2 button though. As for single or double split, either is fine (a really well dressed and clothes conscious person would probably tell you that double is better, though).

Suit Pants - my preference is flat front with an straight hem at the bottom (no cuff). I personally thinks pleats are hideous (they pucker when you sit, creating a tent over your crotch, and don't sit nicely against your thighs). That being said, a lot of people (at all levels) wear pleated pants so if you prefer this look, certainly go right ahead. Flat front is more of the European look, and virtually all European designer suits have flat front pants.

Shirts: Avoid button down collars at all costs. They look too casual (no one at my bank wears them). I personally prefer spread collars, and that's the look that's definitely dominant at my bank. Side vents appear to be the most popular. I would avoid the back pleat - a good number of analysts at my bank do wear shirts (mostly from Brooks Brothers) with this feature, but I've rarely seen it on associate up or the better dressed analysts. As for the cuffs - I have about 50% french and 50% barrel. I think french is nicer looking, but as an analyst it's best not to wear cuff links every day (but 2 days a week or so is fine and not unusual). Also, at a business formal bank, cuff links will fit right in. As for the cuff links - I think simple silver ones are the nicest (Tiffany has some nice simple silver ones for

 

I would imagine sweatsuits would also work well.

Seriously though, as long as it does look like something Archbishop Don Juan could be seen wearing I think you are cool.

 

thats probably more than reasonable. last summer the bank i worked in had formal dress as well. i had 3 suits, probably 8 shirts, and like 8 ties and it was all good for me.

 

what saved my ass is the tide to go pen. depending on your laundry/dry cleaner situation, you will most likely get tired of washing and ironing/taking clothes to cleaner pretty quickly, and this little bastard will enable you to erase any evidence that you wore the shirt the day before. also an excellent way to show some foresight when your associate, analyst, or MD get stains on their shirts

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