I'll be starting as an Analyst at BB in NYC this summer. I know that once the job starts I will have little time for shopping, and was wondering when/how I should start building up my wardrobe. For those of you in the industry, can you provide a list of suggested items (i.e. # of suits, shirts, shoes, ties, etc). When and where is a good time to shop, and how much to spend? Is it better to start small in case the wardrobe needs differ from bank to bank, or to grab the full wardrobe when stuff is on sale?
List your Analyst wardrobe, or suggested wardrobe, below. Any other shopping tips/brands/locations for NYC are appreciated. Thanks.
i guess i'll start the thread off with belts, as that is my specialty. you want at least three. and make sure there is a giant crocodile on the buckle (the bigger the better, obviously). if the buckle has any giant letters (i.e. DG, a huge G, AX), that's ok too, although the crocodile is preferable.
DP.
dacarez i like yo style.
Check out this article I put out a while ago that pretty much gives you a rundown of what you need and where you can get it - as well as what to avoid. Above all else, with the holidays just around the corner, I would recommend taking a trip to Brooks Brothers, Jos A Bank and Nordstrom to find some really nice sale deals and begin to stock up. You don't need a full wardrobe, but you will definitely need enough to keep you from doing laundry twice a week.
http://www.bankonbanking.com/2009/06/18/clothes-make-the-man%E2%80%A6an…
and
http://www.bankonbanking.com/2009/10/19/preparing-for-your-life-as-a-ba…
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Anyone know which outlets near NYC are worth the trip and when to check them out?
I would recommend the Woodbury Commons - they are north, just before the entrance to the NY thruway.
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You should aim to spend minimum 10k.
That hardly seems necessary to start out. Just some estimates: -6 suits @ $500 = $3000 -14 shirts @ $50 = $700 -3 shoes @ $250 = $750 -10 ties @ $50 = $500 -3 belts @ $50 = $150 -1 topcoat @ $300 = $300
-1 watch @ $1000 = $1000
Sum: = $6400
And of course you can do with much less and better bargains, so $5,000 should cover it. Anyway my question wasn't about how much to spend, but how many articles to purchase.
I'm curious what other 1st year analysts currently have in their wardrobe. Feel free to post yours.
what if you're poor, and you just managed to get into a big IB like GS or MS simply because you've been excellent in the interviews and you've got a bedrock cv?
how can you dress to work in an ib without being rich?
Superconnard: This is what your Signing Bonus is for. Or, if the timing on that doesn't work, then Go Into Debt (preferably on a 0% APR BT offer) before you get it.
Or if you think all the above is retarded, Century 21, Daffys, and outlet malls are your friends. Require more work, but get you bargains if you can find the diamond in the rough there.
banker88: Why on earth would you buy 6 suits unless you work a business formal shop? I'd add one or two more shoes though, and dial it down to 2 suits unless you wear them every day. Same with the ties, don't need that many if your office doesn't require it. I would dial up the watch to $1800-2000 though; $1000 is a sort of no-mans-land of watches IMO, you can't quite get the nicer Omegas etc. but are above Citizen, Seiko, etc.
Well I'm not sure how many suits you need, that's why I started this thread. Perhaps 6 is too much, but 2 seems too little. 2 suits were necessary just to go through recruiting. And about the ties, I just like ties.
From a previous thread on "watch rankings":
Yet suddenly you would dial up the watch to $1800-2000. LOL.
I figured someone would bring that thread up. Three points on that:
1 - you cited $1,000 for a watch. I just mentioned that at that price range it's a bit of a murky area. If you want to go the other direction, that's fine too; you can get a perfectly fine watch in the $500 neighborhood. Probably a quartz instead of mechanical movement, but nobody would care.
2 - I've decided to get a watch as part of my signing bonus / SA earnings, and my research has mostly settled in the $1800-2200 area. A little less than that, you're looking at Tag or something of that aspirational nature, and it is my humble opinion that if you're going to do something, might as well do it right. That said, there are decent watches in the $1000-1500 area as well, e.g. Baume & Mercier, that are perfectly fine. It's just my preference to be in the $2000 ballpark.
3 - Opinions can change and become more nuanced. I stand by my statement in the previous thread; nobody really cares about what watch you have - if you want to have something nice go for it, otherwise, just make sure it's presentable.
At least banker88 isn't bragging about his BB offer anymore.
While I haven't started my BB job, that was a douchebaggy thing to say.
Fair enough dacarez. Which watches are you looking at in that price range (~$2000)?
banker88: I really like the IWC Portofino series. There are also some nice Breitlings and Omegas in that range, but I'm probably set on a Portofino.
Damn this totally turned into another watch thread.
One of my associate buddies turned me onto www.nitafashions.com a few years ago. I've had 2 suits made by them along with 5 shirts. They have a crappy website but all the suits and shirts are excellent in quality. My suits ran me about $650 each and the shirts are about $60. The guy is based out of HK and travels to a number of cities throughout the US a few times a year. All the suits and shirts are MTM. Once you get one suit made specifically for your body, you'll never buy an off-the-rack suit again.
Dude, if your office isn't business formal, you only need two suits. The only time you'd need to wear a suit is if you were interacting with a client, and if you're starting at a BB... well, there likely won't be much face time with them.
If I were you, I'd go for five ties at $100... quality is much better, and you can get some pretty sweet ties with the $100 price tag. And again, you won't actually wear them that often.
I'd suggest at least five pairs of dress pants. I generally have one pair dry cleaned every other week (sometimes more often, sometimes less often; you can generally get pretty good wear out of the pants if they're of decent quality).
I'd shoot for 10-15 shirts. Trust me... the less you have to worry about getting dry cleaning done, the better. And there will be times when you just can't get to the cleaner to dropoff/pick up for seven or eight straight days. Don't want to have to (1) wash a shirt yourself, or (2) pull a dirty shirt out of the laundry and try and iron it and wear it again.
I own one belt and two pairs of shoes; I only wear one pair of shoes because they're comfortable and loafers.
Why would you blow that much money on a watch as an analyst?
This would be my rec if you can afford it:
3 suits 3 shoes 3 belts 15 shirts 5 to 15 ties (I personally have an obsession with ties and probably have 50 or so) 1 topcoat
When you pick the 3 suits, pick the shoes and belt to match the suits (should be obvious). White or blue shirts, try to be conservative as far as patterns go (Jos A Bank has decent shirts). Keep the ties conservative also (ie. blues, reds, yellows, greens). I personally like regiment stripes and paisley as far as ties go. Skip the watch or drastically reduce the price you spend on one.
What about dress slacks? People often discuss suits and shirts on these forums, but what about pants?
Depends on the shop you're working at. If suits are expected, then buy suits. If slacks are the norm, buy a suit or two for more formal occasions and then stock up on dress slacks. For dress slacks I'd stick to black, charcoal/grey or navy to be on the conservative side. Black belt/shoes only at that point also, IMO.
Come on now jackdaniels, Ken Lewis graduated from Georgia State.
Point being, you could have chosen a better non-target to poke fun at.
Analysts/Previous interns please share your wardrobe? [MASTERLIST] (Originally Posted: 05/03/2016)
There are countless threads on suit advice, which colors to wear, no hermes tie and pinstripes etc etc.
However when we go shopping for suit, we are still in dilemma if that grey at Men's Wearhouse is too light or that Sharkskin suit is not conservative.
Can some helpful people please share their first wardrobe? What exactly did you buy and from where?
Wolf Shirt (3 wolfs howling at moon) Wolf Shirt (1 wolf face) Wolf Shirt (1 wolf in forefront, 3 wolves in backdrop, collectively howling at moon)
These, plus some Axe spray deodorant and a solid pair of white new balances, you should be set.
Suit: Charcoal, Nordstrom has an anniversary sale coming up- wait till then if you can. Hugo Boss makes great cost effective and quality suits. (On sale) Shirt: Thomas Pink or David Donehue (sp?) Tie: silk, not woven (these have always snagged on me. It's sad to pay $$ for a delicate tie). Allen Edmonds/Cole Haan (if you have the $$- Ferragamo)
B-Casual: Shirt (as above) in solid white/light blue Wool slacks (Navy/Charcoal) Shoes: loafers (brands as above, plus Gucci if you have the $$ to spend)
Casual: be you. But don't be sloppy.
Make sure everything fits. Find a sales person, tell them your budget, and what you're looking for, and (usually) they're great at finding things.
you just bought 1 suit? how many shirts did you buy?
Depends on budget, but if you can aim for Brooks Brothers, J Crew, Banana Republic ( in that order in my view). For your first internship aim for 2 suits, 5 shirts, 1 pair of dress shoes. Once you make it full time, properly invest in a wardrobe. You shouldn't look sloppy but the clothes you wear only matter when you're senior and actually client facing (most analysts are really just information processing machines).
Suits: Napoli SuitSupply, shade is between blue and navy hands down my favorite at $400
J. Crew Factory 100% Wool Suit separate, the one I get the most compliments on and also the cheapest, got the jacket and pants on sale for $250 total Unfortunately it is not likely to last you very long but I think it looks better than even regular J Crew suits https://factory.jcrew.com/mens-clothing/suiting/suiting/PRDOVR~47226/47…
Shirts: Too many to list but mostly entry-level stuff that has a not too slim nor too baggy fit, anything non-iron gets a lot of action. Brooks, J. Crew, and Suitsupply
Ties: Mostly Brooks Brothers and Jos. A Bank. Conservative patterns but bold colors
Shoes: Cole Haan Oxfords 1 brown 1 black. Pretty basic fare
I bring clients poolside and get deals done sipping martinis in my pink swim trunks.
My point is, don't overthink what you wear.
First/Second Year Analyst:
Suits: Hickey Freeman (Charcoal, Navy), Armani Collezioni (Navy, Navy Stripe, Grey)
Shirts: Kamakura, Thomas Pink, CT (Mostly White, Blue, with some subtle stripe, check, texture variations)
Ties: Assorted collection from high school til now runs the range of Michael Kors and Calvin Klein to Thomas Pink and Armani (Mostly solid colors or subtle pattern like dots or stripes)
Shoes: Allen Edmonds Park Ave (Black and Brown), Allen Edmonds Lexington (Walnut)
Wardrobe Opinion (Originally Posted: 04/28/2011)
What do you guys think of this as a starting wardrobe for an analyst in terms of quantity (the bulk will be purchased from Brooks Brothers)? Thanks.
2 Suits – Navy and Charcoal 2 Trousers – Navy and Charcoal 8 Shirts – 3 White, 3 Blue, 1 Checked, 1 Striped 3 Ties – Striped 1 Pair of Oxfords – Black 20 Undershirts 10 Socks 1 Belts – Black
For weekends at the office: 1 Pair of Loafers – Brown 2 Khakis 2 Casual Shirts 1 Belt – Brown
I might try to up the shirts to around 10 or 12 and maybe add another pair or two of slacks. Would also add another pair of shoes like a nice loafer to wear with business casual.
On top of the pair I already included?
Why do people buy pants separate from jackets? Don't you just wear the entire suit?
You don't wear the jacket as much (come in and hang it up), but slacks are on all day, so they wear faster. Hence getting extra slacks – although, suit makers don't really do extra slacks with a suit anymore, you can just buy separate slacks that are the same color, as I plan to do here.
You don't always wear the jacket.
I was thinking a nice pair of black loafers for business casual days. If you have 2 or 3 pairs to rotate they will last longer. And yes, that's what she said.
Your thinking black over brown loafers if I went with one pair to start?
Sometimes you can get a second set of matching pants when you purchase the suit, but a lot of retailers don't like doing that.
if your getting an MTM suit, I don't see any problem with getting 3-4 pairs of extra slacks. Its a good idea.
Idk how your going to survive on 4 pairs of pants. I would recommend at least 7 or 8.
This is just to start, I can always get more once I'm working (and have more money).
lol. 8 pairs of pants. fucking ridiculous.
but a second pair of shoes would be a good idea to leave the first one to dry.
How many pair are in your rotation?
How is this ridiculous? If you have 7 or 8 pairs you know you can get through the week without having to go a dry cleaners.
I think the best way to setup your wardrobe is to have 7 or 8 days of clothing (pants, shirts, socks, underwear) that way you dont have to worry about getting to your dry cleaners early as fuck in the morning or trying to catch them after they close.
Duh
got me a cheap suit for an interview at a BB...that's all I could afford..seriously...am I doomed? I mean give me the damn job and I'd be more than happy to get some nice suits
I gave up on the idea of giving you advice after I saw you were going to purchase it from Brooks Brothers ...
The effective price of my suits is $509.7, that's not bad and its quick – I would never pay full price for them. Shirts are coming from TM Lewin and CT, maybe some brooks. Oxfords, Allen Edmonds, no idea about loafers yet. And I'm mostly concerned with the quantity, that is, will this be enough to start?
If I did not give a shit about time, money and how it would look for an analyst to go this route, I would get a bunch of suits from LS or Mr. Ned, go Jantzen for shirts, or if I did not mind spending more, Geneva. But I don't think highly customizable MTM is appropriate for a first year and it takes too much time. And from a cost standpoint, my signing bonus was 10K (~5.5K after taxes), what was yours.
I'm interested in what would your advice have consisted of?
Also guys the BB friends and family sale begins on May 5th, I believe it is ~25% off; if you open a brooks card (15% of first purchase), you can get around ~36% off of store items.
TM Lewin is having a sale for the royal wedding until the 3rd also, the shirts turn out to be $36 each after other sales. I think Charles Tyrwhitt is always having a sale, lol.
Oh also, I love drivers (ones that you can bend in half), but was curious if they are too casual for the weekends?
don't short the quality of the loafers, invest in a brown and black pair....gucci bits lasted me 3 yrs with one resole thus far...shirts try 10/12 agree with above
Thanks, I love bit loafers but honestly don't think it's appropriate for a first year. But regardless, are drivers fine for weekend loafers, or do they need to have more form?
Meaning are these fine (using Gucci bits as an example only):
Driver http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/include/Zoom.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845…
or should they have more form like:
Lug http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/include/Zoom.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845…
majority of analysts I work with wear farragamo and/or gucci ...to be honest no one gives what shoes you have on...its your $ , you should spend it how you want to. if you were an SA i'd say no bit loafers.
Thanks, what about driver vs. lug on the weekend?
I wear the lug to work. not sure if that helps.
It does, thanks man.
7 to 8 pairs is ridiculous, i had four pairs of pants my first year, you can wear the same pair of suit paints twice in a week sometimes more if they are navy. Dry clean them on the weekend. as a first year you just want to "blend" in, no more no less.
To start my analyst gig :
I bought 5 new suits, off the rack and then fitted.
I already have about 10-12 shirts and 8-10 ties.
I only need to get a new pair or two of shoes, black and brown.
I have invested about 5k in my clothing thus far.
Dry cleaning your suits (particularly the jackets) after every wear is the worst idea in the world. 6-7 pairs of pants ought to be getting you through 10-14 days.
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