New to the forum, surprised by some of the fashion/advice

[SilverSurfer]

Hi - I mostly want to say thanks for the advice I've received so far here. But over the past few days, I've perused a lot of posts, and have been suprised to find that some of the fashion expoused here seems to be far off the mark of what is actually accepted/approved in NYC. For example, it seems as though a good number of posters here wear double breasted suits. I was shocked to read this, as they are almost universally condemned in New York, especially in the Wall Street and professional setting. In the past five years at my firm, for example, I've seen only two new associates wear them when they started work, and they both stopped after a lot of ribbing from the rest of the lawyers.

Just thought it was interesting in the context of what one considers fashionable and how important it is to have that match the professional standards of the day. Not trying to criticize, just giving food for thought.

 

[gdl203]

That's true. I also work on Wall Street and only a few senior (read old) bankers wear double-breasted. I don't mind SB being the standard (since it is my preference) but I am a bit annoyed by the conservatism towards shoes. A very small portion of the population wears brown shoes with suits + they all seem to wear the same AE black wingtips... I would say that it is probably as conservative a work environment as it gets. That's really unfortunate because our colleagues on the other side of the pond have the same jobs, cover similar clients but definitely allow themselves to add a bit more flair to their outfits...

But to come back to your point, it is definitely true that the advice/views expressed here can be either fashion-forward or extremely conservative depending on where one lives. e.g. super-chiselled toe shoes with burgundy antiquing that would look great and wow a few people in NYC or London would probably be almost ridiculed in a smaller mid-western town.

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer

Hi - I mostly want to say thanks for the advice I've received so far here. But over the past few days, I've perused a lot of posts, and have been suprised to find that some of the fashion expoused here seems to be far off the mark of what is actually accepted/approved in NYC. For example, it seems as though a good number of posters here wear double breasted suits. I was shocked to read this, as they are almost universally condemned in New York, especially in the Wall Street and professional setting. In the past five years at my firm, for example, I've seen only two new associates wear them when they started work, and they both stopped after a lot of ribbing from the rest of the lawyers.

Just thought it was interesting in the context of what one considers fashionable and how important it is to have that match the professional standards of the day. Food for thought.

 

[edmorel]

Haven't really noticed an affinity of DB over SB here. Can't remember the last DB picture or discussion seen on this forum.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Haven't really noticed an affinity of DB over SB here. Can't remember the last DB picture or discussion seen on this forum.

From yesterday, for example: "My Double Breasted Chan"

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=12207

 

[Aureus]

Thats one of the few that I've seen, and I've persued quite a bit of this forum. In fact a search for 'double breasted' only shows 14 threads since 2002 that contain 'double breasted' in the title. In professional environments it makes more sense to blend in then to mark yourself via your fashion. But since I currently only wear suits on social occasions....

 

[edmorel]

Well, there is certainly nothing wrong with a double breasted, especially if you want to satnd out from the crowd. Obviously, standing out from the crowd is not always feasable. In your workplace, a DB would not work but only because the senior management (and the type of law practiced) has set the standard by the clothing that they wear. In a white shoe law firm, a DB would look awkward. In Johnnie Cochran's law firm, a 2 button navy SB with white shirt and nondescript tie would look awkward. I am also in NYC and have the good fortune at working at a smaller, more sartorially knowledgable money management firm so I do not need to look like a page from the J Press catalog. NYC men, for the most part, are not who I would look to for acceptable attire.

 

[aybojs]

I know most of its residents don't seem to recognize that this is the case, but there's actually a world that exists outside of New York (one that matters far more than New York, no less!)

. In my case, I've started to grow fond of DB suits and enjoy wearing mine when I get the chance to dress up. Since I, like quite a few other members on this forum, have zero interest in moving to New York or working in white collar industry, that preference means more to me than what some Wall Street drones will say.

 

[Teacher]

Originally Posted by gdl203

But to come back to your point, it is definitely true that the advice/views expressed here can be either fashion-forward or extremely conservative depending on where one lives. e.g. super-chiselled toe shoes with burgundy antiquing that would look great and wow a few people in NYC or London would probably be almost ridiculed in a smaller mid-western town.

Hmmm...hasn't happened yet in my small Midwestern town....

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Teacher

Hmmm...hasn't happened yet in my small Midwestern town....

Good for you. It has happened to me. CEO of an industrial company making sneering comments at my chiselled brown wholecuts while wearing inch-thick-soled black corrected grain loafers... That was a client so I smiled and didn't try to retort

 

[chorse123]

Originally Posted by aybojs

(one that matters far more than New York, no less!)

.

Are you sure?

 

[odoreater]

Also, I think you are generalizing quite a bit. There's a large variety of views on this forum (though there are some people who fall into certain camps - for example, the Manton camp of rule sticklers), which is kind of what makes the forum great. I don't think the acceptability of DB suits applies to everyone on the forum. For example, personally I would never wear a DB suit and I wouldn't recommend to anyone to wear one either. I am sure that there are plenty of others like me on this board.

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Good for you. It has happened to me. CEO of an industrial company making sneering comments at my chiselled brown wholecuts while wearing inch-thick-soled black corrected grain loafers... That was a client so I smiled and didn't try to retort


Good form.

 

[Mr. Checks]

Feh, a good DB is never "out."

 

[Mr. Checks]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Good for you. It has happened to me. CEO of an industrial company making sneering comments at my chiselled brown wholecuts while wearing inch-thick-soled black corrected grain loafers... That was a client so I smiled and didn't try to retort


You could trade your Agora Hills language for the above post.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Mr. Checks

You could trade your Agora Hills language for the above post.

I'm not sure I understand... I see a reference to the Entourage quote in my signature, but I don't get what you're trying to tell me... (apologies but English is not my first language so I may be missing something here)