AGJiffy's Wall Street Indiviudally Modified Conservative Business Dress Week Threak

[sprout2]

Also Happy Socks are permitted at certain seniority levels

 

[Caustic Man]

I was afraid I'd be the focus of your wrath one day...

Nope, I was actually being genuine. I appreciate your insights.

 

[dieworkwear]



I think 1 and 2 mostly; rarely 3. 

Would you say more places are suited up or dressed down?

 

[Jim Chu]

I think 1 and 2 mostly; rarely 3.

Lots of young people (college and MBAs) and summer interns on Wall Street now, skewing the regular dress code. Their idea of style is wearing the lightest tan shoes and matching belt they can find with the darkest suit they could find. I find it vile. I don't think they own a pair of black shoes.

 

[Griffindork]



Wait, really? You would wear an unusual SC + trouser combo (pagoda shoulders, triple patch pockets, peak lapel SBs) in an all-suit environment, and you think a folded white linen pocket square is too dandy? And a little shirring on the sleeveheads of a suit would raise eyebrows?

Why do you keep trying to talk about spalla camicia before I'm ready? I said I would do that tomorrow. And why do you insist on ignoring the fact that "IM" in WSIMCBD means "Individually Modified"? DWW - I like you and I think you are a very, very useful contributor to this thread but I have to be honest: @#LAGuy has PM'd me just now to ask if he could transfer your posts and your profile to the Fedora Lounge. My response was "not yet" but you are reeeeeaaalllly pushing it.

 

[Jim Chu]

@ Caustic Man.
Whew......thanks.

Because of you, I think about what I am going to write for days before I actually push the "submit" button. 'No kidding.

 

[sprout2]

Performance anxiety is a recurring theme on StyleForvm.

 

[Jim Chu]

Would you say more places are suited up or dressed down?

Once a bastion of chinos and polo shirts, I think it's trending back to suits now.

 

[Claghorn]

I know a founder of an alternative investment firm (if that's what a boutique firm focusing on specific types of investments is?) on WS wears a lot of NSM and odd jackets. But he's the bossman and probably has instilled a company culture to reflect the relaxed structure of his jackets (actually, I think he has)

 

[dieworkwear]



Why do you keep trying to talk about spalla camicia before I'm ready? I said I would do that tomorrow. And why do you insist on ignoring the fact that "IM" in WSIMCBD means "Individually Modified"? DWW - I like you and I think you are a very, very useful contributor to this thread but I have to be honest: @#LAGuy has PM'd me just now to ask if he could transfer your posts and your profile to the Fedora Lounge. My response was "not yet" but you are reeeeeaaalllly pushing it.

I'm just not understanding how this differs from conservative business dress and why you think some things are acceptable and other things aren't.

If you're mostly working in a suit environment, a SC + trouser combo is going to stick out more than a folded white linen pocket square (which I don't think someone should wear in an WS office anyway). Nevermind a SC with pagoda shoulders and triple patch pockets. If you're in an office full of button-ups and chinos, the same outfit will draw equal attention.

If the dress environment is very permissive, then all this is a non-issue (pagoda shoulder SC, discrete pocket squares, and whatever else). Or at least less of an issue across the board, which makes nuanced distinctions less impactful (ie resulting in a loss of a precious bonus).

 

[sprout2]

NOBODY WEARS CHINOS ON WS
THIS IS NOT BEST BUY

 

[Griffindork]



I'm just not understanding how this differs from conservative business dress and why you think some things are acceptable and other things aren't.

If you're mostly working in a suit environment, a SC + trouser combo is going to stick out more than a folded white linen pocket square (which I don't think someone should wear in an WS office anyway). Nevermind a SC with pagoda shoulders and triple patch pockets. If you're in an office full of button-ups and chinos, the same outfit will draw equal attention.

If the dress environment is very permissive, then all of this is less of an issue (pagoda shoulder SC, discrete pocket squares, and whatever else)

DWW these questions are all perfectly reasonable and that makes them incredibly frustrating. I feel look soon you are going to ask my why I didn't just post in the "what are you wearing today" thread. If I just come out and answer all your questions right now then it really takes away from the great things I have planned for this thread over the next three days. Are you really so impatient?

Also, it feels like you are expecting some sort of logical connection among the things that I'm saying and that this has to make sense. I don't know why you would think I know where I'm going next. I never said I had some grand theory. And I reserve the right to take anything back at any time although so far I won't take anything back.

Finally, if you want to defend the pocket square then go for it. That is fine. Based on my experience, my sense is that people will think you are wearing your handkerchief on the outside of your jacket and blowing your nose in something that doesn't get immediately discarded is disgusting.

I'm sorry you aren't enjoying this. If its any consolation neither is P-K-L (his styfo handle is his actual initials, you know. You can tell because its monogrammed on all his ****).

 

[Jim Chu]

Once a bastion of chinos and polo shirts, I think it's trending back to suits now.

This is just my opinion, based on my observation. The culture of the firm plays into the dress code to some degree. I think at, for example, the Bank of New York Mellon, a very conservative American investment bank that started out as a real bank bank with lots of basic operations like deposits, custody and administrative services, you see blue suits and white shirts, very bland. But at Credit Suisse, a real old school European M&A investment bank, the people dress real funky. The CS lobby is like a fashion show exhibit.

 

[dieworkwear]



DWW these questions are all perfectly reasonable and that makes them incredibly frustrating. I feel look soon you are going to ask my why I didn't just post in the "what are you wearing today" thread. If I just come out and answer all your questions right now then it really takes away from the great things I have planned for this thread over the next three days. Are you really so impatient?

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Also, it feels like you are expecting some sort of logical connection among the things that I'm saying and that this has to make sense. I don't know why you would think I know where I'm going next. I never said I had some grand theory. And I reserve the right to take anything back at any time although so far I won't take anything back.

Finally, if you want to defend the pocket square then go for it. That is fine. Based on my experience, my sense is that people will think you are wearing your handkerchief on the outside of your jacket and blowing your nose in something that doesn't get immediately discarded is disgusting.

I'm sorry you aren't enjoying this. If its any consolation neither is P-K-L (his styfo handle is his actual initials, you know. You can tell because its monogrammed on all his ****)

.

No, I agree with the pocket square. In 2016, it makes a statement, sometimes one that you don't want to make in a workplace. I personally wouldn't wear one in a permissive work environment, let alone a conservative one, although I also don't think it's the end of the world if people know you're interested in clothes. If you're genuinely good at your job and talented, I don't think a pocket square is going to throw your career off-trajectory.

I suppose if you don't have a grand theme or point to make, that's fine. I'm just not 100% sure what we're supposed to do when you post pictures and say "what's wrong with this?," other than say what we don't like about that combo. If it's under the rubric of why something might look out of place in XYZ environment, then there's some measure. If we're just saying what we personally don't like about it, I guess this is a personal agjiffy WAYWT thread. Which is fine.

I don't think this excuses you from having some kind of logic or consistency in your beliefs. So if you think a pagoda shouldered, triple patch pocket SC in an all suit environment is OK, but a neatly folded white linen pocket square is not, that seems strange to me.

 

[Jim Chu]

I know a founder of an alternative investment firm (if that's what a boutique firm focusing on specific types of investments is?) on WS wears a lot of NSM and odd jackets. But he's the bossman and probably has instilled a company culture to reflect the relaxed structure of his jackets (actually, I think he has)

I can see that. Alternative investment firms specialize in hedge, venture capital and private equity funds. They tend to be very well-paid and well-dressed and less stodgy.