Conservative Suit for Law Firm Interviews -- BB or an Alternative?

[SkinnyGoomba]

You're probably a 15 or 15.5" shirt also, a 16" collar even with a slim fit shirt will be huge.

I'm a 15" neck, I actually prefer to squeeze into a 14.5" collar just because the rest of the shirt fits much better, and I'm a 39" chest.

I'm still replacing 15.5" collar shirts that I bought when I thought I was a 15.5" collar, after being told by 2 department store salespeople that I was.

 

[Lawlz]

Huh. I usually wear 15.5" shirts, but I just looked through my closet and found a single 15" one with a hole in the elbow. I tried it on, and although it was a little tight on the neck (I could still get a finger in, though), the rest of the shirt felt so much better – not as much billowy material at the sides.

 

[Bull]

Originally Posted by Lawlz

Haha, don't worry...as clueless as I am, I was definitely not planning on anything other than a white shirt with a very plain tie for the interview. I do appreciate the advice, though - although it was not the sort of mistake I was going to make, based on my general lack of expertise, it's the sort of mistake one could easily imagine me making.

Of course, to be perfectly honest, while I was at least aware that they weren't interview attire, I do remember being pretty pleased with those shirt and tie combinations - "Hey!" I thought, "I matched up the colors sorta!" Yeah, I've got a long way to go...


I'm pretty anxious too, but the general buzz (???) seems to be that at least it won't be as bad as the previous class or two. My grades are decent and I think I have some good experience on my resume. And although I'll need to do some hardcore prep, I've been told I interview pretty well, provided I don't get too casual.

Part of the thing is that the SF market is supposed to be pretty tight right now. I like DC just fine, but I'm increasingly nostalgic for the Bay Area these days.

Just keep this in mind the whole time. You want to toe the "chummy" line without ever making the interviewer feel as though you're trying to be too buddy-buddy. After all, the interviewer will be evaluating you. Otherwise, best of luck. The WSJ reported over the weekend that financial companies are hiring in anticipation of an economic uptick, so, hopefully, law firms will follow suit.

 

[cptjeff]

Originally Posted by Bull

Just keep this in mind the whole time. You want to toe the "chummy" line without ever making the interviewer feel as though you're trying to be too buddy-buddy. After all, the interviewer will be evaluating you. Otherwise, best of luck. The WSJ reported over the weekend that financial companies are hiring in anticipation of an economic uptick, so, hopefully, law firms will follow suit.

Of course they will. They have to prepare for the increase in people getting dicked over that a uptick in the financial sector will cause.

 

[NYCniceguy]

Why hasn't anyone recommended a ready-to-wear Italian suit? You can easily get a Vestimenta, a diffusion Barbera, or even a Canali if your timing is right for around $700.

 

[stumy]

Originally Posted by Lawlz

Huh. I usually wear 15.5" shirts, but I just looked through my closet and found a single 15" one with a hole in the elbow. I tried it on, and although it was a little tight on the neck (I could still get a finger in, though), the rest of the shirt felt so much better – not as much billowy material at the sides.
Note that you can always have the body of the shirts altered, if you want to get a neck size that isn't too tight.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Originally Posted by NYCniceguy

Why hasn't anyone recommended a ready-to-wear Italian suit? You can easily get a Vestimenta, a diffusion Barbera, or even a Canali if your timing is right for around $700.
What parts of Conservative law firm or Entry level interview suggest that the OP should be looking for a patterned (IE whats on discount) Italian cut suit.

Originally Posted by stumy

Note that you can always have the body of the shirts altered, if you want to get a neck size that isn't too tight.
Or you can buy a shirt that fits and save the headache and the extra charges, also many features of the shirt, like yoke width and cuff diameter cant be reduced without major surgery or at all.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by NYCniceguy

Why hasn't anyone recommended a ready-to-wear Italian suit? You can easily get a Vestimenta, a diffusion Barbera, or even a Canali if your timing is right for around $700.

That's 2-3 times what you should pay for a Vestimenta or diffusion Barbera.

 

[Lawlz]

Okay, so I went down to Nordstrom after work today and took pictures of me in a bunch of the suits I was looking at the other day. At the time, I remember thinking that the 38R Joseph Abboud fit well, but looking at these pictures, it seems comically tight. The other problem is that I'm more like a drop 4 than a drop 6, which effectively rules out the 38R HF and Abboud suits; the tailors there were saying that there was no way they could make 32 pants fit me. (Not enough material to let them out enough.) My midsection isn't really that big, but my waist and hips are. (I posted measurements a page or two back.) ALL MUSCLE, I TELL YOU! (Well... but hey! I did weigh myself today; definitely only 175. I'd like to get that down to 165 and then build back up, but that'll take a while.) Anyway, if you could let me know which of these seem like they'd be tailorable to a good fit, if any of them in your estimation can, I'd appreciate it. (I apologize for the quality; auto-timer + lots of bright lights aimed downward from the ceiling= sub-par quality.) (Note: the pants in every pic are from my brown Men's Warehouse suit. Yeah, they're too small.) (Click for larger images.) Dress shirt only (with stuff in pockets and too-big shirt, but at least you can see my "natural" shoulders somewhat.) Joseph Abboud 38R "Signature Silver" Joseph Abboud 40R Hickey Freeman 38R Hickey Freeman - 39R Hickey Freeman 40R Canali 50R My take: the Hickey 39R fits me the best in the shoulders. But maybe the Joseph Abboud 40R wouldn't be bad if it were tailored properly? EDIT: Added copies of the pics of the old HF "40R" from the Rack. Was it really the same size as the 40R above?

 

[scientific]

ah where would we be without lawyers

 

[Lawlz]

Originally Posted by scientific

ah where would we be without lawyers
Difficult to say. Also, I spent 2 minutes and 52 seconds on this post. I've rounded that up to the quarter hour. (Hey, I gotta pay off my crushing debt somehow.)

 

[Foxtrot]

Originally Posted by scientific

ah where would we be without lawyers

In all but the most primitive societies there have been lawyers, so...

 

[Loudly]

I can't believe this thread made it to 5 pages, with no flame war, and mostly helpful responses.

 

[needshoehelp]

Go with one of the 39's or 40's and, if necessary, have them take the jacket in a hair. Because pants on a 38 clearly will never fit properly. And I'm not convinced you're a 38 jacket anyway. Or, you can buy separates at Brooks or JAB.

 

[Lawlz]

Originally Posted by needshoehelp

Go with one of the 39's or 40's and, if necessary, have them take the jacket in a hair. Because pants on a 38 clearly will never fit properly. And I'm not convinced you're a 38 jacket anyway. Or, you can buy separates at Brooks or JAB.
Yeah, I thought that might be the case. I'm wondering if that "40R" HF was mislabeled. I've re-added the pics from that Rack suit above for comparison. Also: yeah. People have been really, really helpful.