Wearing casual clothes to coffee chat

Let's say you're visiting NYC for vacation but don't feel like packing ur suit, is it okay to wear jeans and a shirt to a coffee chat with a banker? Granted that he knows I don't live in the area and I am on vacation?

 
Best Response

There is no summer vacation after 22 and thus it wouldn't occur to me that you were on summer vacation. Even if it did, I wouldn't care because this is a professional meeting. If you met with her over Christmas break would you wear a sweater with reindeer on it? Dress to match their level of formality or one notch above.

 

If you are meeting with someone professionally then dress professionally. I wouldn't wear a suit, but slacks, a button down and a blazer if you have it would be appropriate. I feel as if suits are for interviews and this is more of an info session/networking. Don't be overly casual though, show the man the respect he deserves.

 

I had a similar meeting once - wore a RL button-down shirt (tucked in), good jeans (ie - no tatters, no fancy patterns etc), leather shoes and a matching (of course!) belt. I considered wearing a blazer, but it was too friggin hot to. I was glad I dressed in jeans instead of slacks because a few people around the office asked me if I was coming in to work, until they noticed my jeans. This was post-internship, pre-full time.

 
Credit Girl:
IMaybe the button down doesn't even need to be long sleeved.

Who wears button downs that have short sleeves?? I don't know...I'm not a big fan of short sleeve button downs for some reason.

Anyways, I would wear something I felt comfortable in and appropriate for the entire situation. So, if you are meeting this person at their office, I would lean towards more formal, so nice khakis at the very least with a button down but I am not a fan of khakis so I would just wear a nice button down with slacks and not worry about a jacket.

I often grab lunch with some PE contacts I have and usually just wear nice jeans and a button down, untucked and nice shoes. But I know these people fairly well and I wore t-shirts and shorts to the office when I was interning there so they are probably the exception to the rule.

Recently I was having a final round interview for a PE gig and I was trying to figure out what I should wear to the final interview that was going to consist of reviewing my model I built for them and then grabbing some drinks afterwards. For my first interview there was a mix of everything so I was torn. One guy had the nicest shirt on (button down) but the worse pants (jeans), the next guy had the nicest pants on (slacks) but was rocking a polo and the last guy had on khakis and a polo. So there was no standard to go on.

Of course I talked to my parents and they convinced me to go with the suit since it was still an interview of sorts and its best to err on the side of caution. So I skipped the jeans and button down (my signature look) and flew up wearing my suit (such a pain in the ass) and the first thing they say when I walk through the door is "why the hell did you wear a suit?" One Principal was like, I guess we should have reached out and told you not to dress up." The other was like "Oh, I meant to email you and tell you to just wear shorts but I forgot."

Then they refused to let me sit at the dinner table with my jacket on. It was all in good fun and worked out because they offered me the position. Anyhow, my point is you can get away with a lot more if you know the person and their personality. If you don't know this person very well but know they will be in formal/suit then just go with a pair of slacks and a button down. To me that isn't cumbersome like wearing a suit but is the standard on daily office attire.

Good luck.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

casual = white/light blue shirt, open collar, charcoal grey slacks, blue blazer, black./brown shoes.

formal = blue/charcoal gray suit, 2 button, white shirt, tight pattern blue or red tie, black shoes.

No body will ever look down on you for taking a professional meeting seriously. Its how you converse and build a repore that shows your casual style--clothes are not the proper medium for that message.

 

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