The strangest thing is outside of that outfit I don't remember him making any other noteworthy fashion blunders (aside from suits/pants being a little baggy), so I'm thinking he just liked it for some reason, he definitely wore it twice a month. To each their own I guess, I admittedly hadn't thought about that kid since leaving until this thread came up, maybe he left to start a beet farm of his own.

 
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During the major East Coast blackout in Aug 2003 I was working for a BB in credit trading at our offices on Wall St. We had a generator in our building so they said everyone had to come into work, although they had the AC set at something like 80 degrees to save energy, and it was very hot and humid that week.

None of the senior people (most of whom lived in NJ or CT) were coming in, but they said the junior people had to be there to cover our desks. We were an OTC credit product, and there was literally zero volume (Fridays in Aug were super slow to begin with). All of the city was effectively shut down - no public transport, except a few busses, etc. The markets were open though.

I lived maybe a 30 min walk from the office so it wasn't a huge deal. One of my best friends to this day, who was an associate, lived on the UES in the high 80s. He tried to work from home, and they said no because he lived in Manhattan. It was BS because it wouldn't have been a problem if he lived in Jersey.

He decided to wear shorts and running shoes so the walk wouldn't be too brutal...seems reasonable given the length of his walk, the heat and lack of seniors in the office. The walk took him something like 2.5 hours so he had to leave around 4am to make it.

He got to the office on-time (6:30am), and an asshole VP ("aVP") blew their stack about his "inappropriate" work attire (shorts, running shoes and a button down) and sent him home. The whole floor was shocked.

Two years later my buddy continues to rise up the ladder and the aVP stagnates. My friend gets promoted to be the aVP's boss's boss. Within two weeks there was a major trading loss that was attributed to the aVP, and my buddy gets to sit in the meeting while they fired him.

 
TechBanking:
During the major East Coast blackout in Aug 2003 I was working for a BB in credit trading at our offices on Wall St. We had a generator in our building so they said everyone had to come into work, although they had the AC set at something like 80 degrees to save energy, and it was very hot and humid that week.

None of the senior people (most of whom lived in NJ or CT) were coming in, but they said the junior people had to be there to cover our desks. We were an OTC credit product, and there was literally zero volume (Fridays in Aug were super slow to begin with). All of the city was effectively shut down - no public transport, except a few busses, etc. The markets were open though.

I lived maybe a 30 min walk from the office so it wasn't a huge deal. One of my best friends to this day, who was an associate, lived on the UES in the high 80s. He tried to work from home, and they said no because he lived in Manhattan. It was BS because it wouldn't have been a problem if he lived in Jersey.

He decided to wear shorts and running shoes so the walk wouldn't be too brutal...seems reasonable given the length of his walk, the heat and lack of seniors in the office. The walk took him something like 2.5 hours so he had to leave around 4am to make it.

He got to the office on-time (6:30am), and an asshole VP ("aVP") blew their stack about his "inappropriate" work attire (shorts, running shoes and a button down) and sent him home. The whole floor was shocked.

Two years later my buddy continues to rise up the ladder and the aVP stagnates. My friend gets promoted to be the aVP's boss's boss. Within two weeks there was a major trading loss that was attributed to the aVP, and my buddy gets to sit in the meeting while they fired him.

Good story to share, but you left out some major details. Mind that most of WSO's readership (including myself) weren't even in high school in 2003, let alone remember the blackouts lol

 
iBankedUp:

Good story to share, but you left out some major details. Mind that most of WSO's readership (including myself) weren't even in high school in 2003, let alone remember the blackouts lol

Thanks for making me feel old! What details would people like? It was already a marathon post so I tried to not go crazy.

 

Guy on the desk came in a white suit with crocodile shoes - he had lost a bet I came in with a pink shirt and a white sweatshirt on top - I got shredded the entire day (I was an analyst) I would come in with a blue stripe shirt that had a white collar, I would always get the piss taken out of me for it - still wore it though (associate level, so fuck them)

Mind this was a trading floor

 

(1) I used to come to work (at a proper investment bank) in a fun shirt with foxes smoking cigars after a week when S&P realized less than 5%. Tie was included, but I can't recall what tie I wore. Management commented.

(2) A young lady came in for an interview lunch (internal transfer from middle office) in a heavy tartan wool suit. It was 90 degrees and we sat outside. She got an offer. I think that was an analyst that did not let her live it down.

(3) After his bonus, a first year analyst went out and bought a 10 thousand dollar watch. I still keep in touch with the guy and I encourage (since people cover me) salespeople to make fun of it when they get a chance.

 

One of our SAs had to come into the office on Saturday to do some work. He shows up wearing a wife beater, basketball shorts, and a baseball cap. I mean, it was a Saturday and it was hot, but it's still a professional work environment. To be fair, he was a good kid and never did that again when someone told him.

Usually, SAs show up in some super ill-fitting suit that looks like it belong to someone else. Or they buy some fashion forward suit from I dunno, Hugo Boss, that makes them look like they are going to hit the clubs after work. It's harmless, to be honest, but the goal is to make sure that nobody remembers you for what you wear.

 

This wasn't in banking, actually in the job I had in college. High end retail so the expectation was to wear a suit. The official rule though was just "three pieces" for men. So a guy comes to interview with a black shirt, red tie, black jacket, and a fucking red and black plaid kilt.

Hoping for hedge life.
 

Also not in banking but as inappropriate as it should be - there is a young lady, responsible for the energy committee in Parliament in my country: she organises the meetings, etc. and needs to walk around the table of MPs during sessions to collect proposals for amendments - always wearing extremely high heels and very noisy bracelets - an incredible sight!

 

Chinese girl was a summer intern on NY rates trading desk...her family was wealthy and high up in the CCP...that's how she got the internship in NY. Girl was dumb as rocks.

She comes to work in clubbing clothes...baring her mid rif...short short mini-skirt..lots of cleavage....the works. She would have looked right at home on a gogo platform in a strip club...this girl was oozing sex appeal. (not one time...this was her everyday attire for the entire summer).

Now, theoretically, she, and every girl/guy can wear whatever clothes they want...but generally people dress to fit in to their professional environment. I'll also say that this girl was very attractive, and she dressed to accentuate her very attractive appearance. She was not fired or in any way demoted or harassed for the clothes she wore. She was a summer intern on a major trading desk. We all just found it a bit "odd".

Generally, because of her clothes and awkwardness, nobody on the desk would look at her (fearing a sexual harassment lawsuit). One day about halfway thru the summer, she tried to talk to a trader who was very busy (actual manual high frequency high volume trading) and he ignored her. She stood there and started to cry....had NEVER been "disrespected" that way before.

senior trader had junior trader call HR...never saw the intern girl again.

this is the type of outfit the girl would wear to work, for reference

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41y62Hi78GL._AC_UL260_…" alt="clubbing outfit" title="clubbing outfit" />

and

https://www.maykool.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/600x900/9df…" alt="clubbing outfit2" title="clubbing outfit2" />

and https://d266gltxjnum49.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/ima…" alt="outfit3" title="outfit3" />

These outfits are perfectly fine for a vegas night club...but i've never seen the likes of it at a bank

just google it...you're welcome
 

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