Entirely new wardrobe

Hey guys,

I am trying to get an entirely new wardrobe for my finance job. So what should I get? any good brands? how many suits, shirts, shoes, trousers, ties? Clothes for business casual occasions? I need pretty much everything as what I have won't cut it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Yes I have considered getting tailored suits. What colors show professionalism? Navy blue and black? Any specific brands that are good for all of those clothes and shoes?

 

Not sure as to what your budget is, but you honestly can't go wrong with Charles Tyrwhitt shirts - usually on sale for ~$40. Suitsupply is a great place to start for suits ($399 entry point), just make sure they don't try to hem the trousers too short. andnad is right regarding color, stick to the gray and blue parts of the color scale for business. IMO black is for evening wear or funerals. Shoes are one place where it's worth it to spend money as a good pair of goodyear welted shoes will last a lifetime.

 

I like charcoal and navy to be honest. And I love matching them with brown leather shoes, even though some ppl argue about blue suit and brown shoes, but I usually have Tan color. I get my suits tailored and delivered so can't really suggest a brand but I can send you infos about my tailor if you want. Shoes I like Ben sherman a lot.

 

3 piece suit, for sure. If it´s possible to get your initials on the shirts/suit, that will look good too. You should also combine that with a MD-shirt and some cufflinks. Bitches love cufflinks.

I don't know... Yeah. Almost definitely yes.
 
Best Response

Do's Minimum 2 Suits ( 1 Dark Navy and 1 Charcoal Grey - Not Black) Suit Supply is a great option for these (they do a great job tailoring, but don't let them hem the pants length too high) - 8-10 Shirts ( light blue and white) - Doesn't matter where you get these as long as they fit like they were tailored - 4-5 ties blue, dark blue, dark red, one conservative striped, or something close to these. -Shoes- one pair of black cap-toe lace-ups and one brown pair (Allen Edmonds are good for this) -Loafers - if budget permits- Ferragamo and Gucci are the best - ( I have 4 pairs of each that I cycle through during the week- Ive owned them for a few years each and they still look like they just came out of the box - Belts - black and dark brown - to match your shoes -a few sport coats for business casual meetings (great for date night too) -2-3 pairs of well-fitting slacks (dark grey, light grey, ash grey, etc)

Don'ts: wild-patterned ties square-toed shoes shirts that are too baggy suits that are too big and not tailored pants that are too long and bunch up at the bottom shirts that are too colorful- stick to the basics

 

For example, if you are working in the sphere of business, you will definitely need two pairs of essential shoes and a pair of dress shoes at first. Also, 3 ties and a suit are needed. In addition, 5-6 shirts, 2 pairs of well-fitting jeans, slacks, button-up collared sports shirts, solid polo shirts, sweaters, undershirts V-neck, sports Jackets, simple dress watch... But you don't need all of that if you are a writer or a vet. Just make sure that your clothes will fit, will be comfortable and accurate. Don't forget about outerwear and accessories, buy clothes in accordance with the climate and in accordance with clothes that you already have.

 

Brooks Brothers retail shirts are honestly very good quality. I worked as a sales associate at one of their stores during college and was able to purchase several dress shirts with my student discount. These are the shirts I've worn to all of my interviews and during all my internships and it's been more than 4 years since I purchased them! Non iron is the way to go. If you can afford them, make the investment in a couple of their retail forward point collar shirts (a couple of light blue and white). These will last you a long time even with frequent use and washing. As to the suits, as has been previously mentioned, just get at least one charcoal and one navy suit. Black suits are only for funerals. I got my suits in South America while on vacation and had them fitted cheaply so I can't comment on any easily purchasable cheap suits here in the US. you should look into a black belt and black. Johnston and Murphy's black captoes are excellent investments for the price and can be easily found selling at a discount at most Nordstrom racks.

Carl Van Loon Van Loon & Associates
 

I have no experience with any of these guys, but if you're in NYC I recommend going to CEGO. Had a great experience with them and my CEGO shirts are some of my favorite but in terms of quality and fit. I think they start at $100-$120 ish a shirt depending on the cloth (but can get higher depending on what cloth you choose). Plus, unlike the online made to measure shops, the Carl (the guy who owns CEGO) actually measures you himself and knows what he's doing. They don't have a very good website so I wouldn't order from them unless you can go into the store, though.

If you're not in NYC but close to a major city they visit, I've bought shirts from MyTailor.com which I've been pretty happy with. The guy that runs it is extremely fast with responding to e-mails and the customer service is fantastic. Also, I bought a sample shirt from them, wore it for 2 months, decided I didn't like the collar and cuffs, and they changed them out for me for free to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. I've got two more shirts on the way from them and plan to order more in the future.

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 

have a couple A&B suits. I like their stuff, only bought basic fabrics and found that they have a lot of character. The high-end british/some italian wool of course will be smooth, but at that point bespoke is viable, and a huge improvement over MTM. Service is great, they chased me around the world with my suit for free to make sure I could wear it and have necessary alternations made before an event.

shirt is similar. I have a poplin that is really interesting, but if you are used to wearing broadcloth kinda hard to get used to. I don't like the collar, it seems tacked on (its not, the workmanship is fine, but that is the feeling I get when wearing the shirt).

bottom line for MTM shirts I like Ike Behar (CEO can be cost effective) better but its still more. or just go to thomas pink, honestly who has the time?

 

That's what I've been leaning towards since they have a sale going on right now at Mens Warehouse, but of course the location remote to me does not have a size relevant to my fit and I don't trust them to do tailor(lazy college/highschool students)

 

When it comes to the summer, style is second for me. Comfort comes number one. I dont care how hip your suit is if your sweating your balls off after walking across the street for a coffee your not gonna look good at all.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 
heister:
When it comes to the summer, style is second for me. Comfort comes number one. I dont care how hip your suit is if your sweating your balls off after walking across the street for a coffee your not gonna look good at all.

i'm with you. what brands or types of shirts, slacks, etc. do you find to be most comfortable for summer?

 

I have all Aquascutum of London suits. I love the way they fit and are cut. The main difference in season suits in the material it is made out of. Get something that is light and airy yet is still sturdy enough to last for years.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 

Not really a fan of Bostonian. The first ones you posted have too much going on. I would go with a simple cap toe. If you want something cheaper either http://www.shoebuy.com/johnston-murphy-melton/22864/22864?cm_mmc=froogl… or http://www.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=282789&cm_mmc=Google…

Otherwise the Allen Edmonds Park Avenue is good (but $300). Don't like the tassels on the Cole Haan's but they will be okay for business casual

 

It will vary depending on office, practice, client and team. In audit, the vast majority of people simply wear business casual. Engagements usually will match their attire to the attire of the client (in audit you will often be working at the client site). Some engagements (usually banks) will require a tie or a suit, but the vast majority will simply be slacks and a dress shirt. Some engagements (young companies with a start up atmosphere) might be cool with nice jeans and a polo. There's no need to get too creative.

However, if you are a consultant and will be doing presentations to client leadership, then investing in a couple nice suits will be worth the cash. If not, then maybe hold off until you're getting ready for your inevitable interviews elsewhere. All that thai food during busy season might make those pants a little snug.

 

I agree, completely depends on clients rules but the majority of the time its business casual. I think your numbers could use a little editing though.

I would get more like 8-10 dress shirts. That way when you're traveling week after week, you can rotate the weeks worth of shirts through the dry cleaners while you wear the other half. Also, blue and white are definitely wardrobe staples, but you should add some checks or pins in the designs so your closet doesn't look like a cartoon characters. I would buy 4-5 pairs of pants. Navy, grays, black, khaki. Dress shoes, 1 pair black and one pair medium to dark brown. My Allen edmonds look stellar, but I can walk around in my Clarks all day. Decide which is more important to you. Socks and ties however many you want, just make sure your socks match your pants if you didn't already know. 2 suits will be enough for the occasional business professional client and other random meetings with partners where you don't want to look like a slouch.

Also, somethings that you might want to consider that weren't mentioned: nice overcoat or topcoat for inclement weather. Make sure its roomy enough to fit over a suit jacket. If you're in a large city, some people wear running shoes for their commute (or boots depending on season) and change into dress shoes at the office.

Did you fly over my helmet?
 

Very good advice from the posts above; I don't have anything to add. My experience has been strictly business casual - you probably won't need a suit except for interviews or the rare business formal client until you start going to board meetings as a manager, so maybe hold off on the second suit and invest in more shirts. I wear all kinds of colors - different shades of blue and green, grey, black, and the occasional purple, red, orange, peach, etc. Big 4 has a less formal atmosphere than IB.

 

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