Question regarding the formality of color of my first shirt purchase

[rjc149]

I am not sure why the French cuff gets this much negative press. In my environment (law), nearly everyone wears French cuff shirts and I personally have almost no regular cuff shirts and order everything from Propercloth in French cuff. I strongly believe that a French cuff shirt is the height of traditional business attire. Maybe I am a style dinosaur, but in my line of work, the only people that I see wearing regular cuff shirts are brand new associates that are learning about proper traditional style or older lawyers that are simply unconcerned about their looks. A proper conservative dark suit pairs perfectly with a starch white French cuff shirt and a solid somber color tie.

French cuffs are much more common in law and government, which generally tend to be more trend-proof, lower-profile industries. In high finance, one is scrutinized by peers and superiors more ruthlessly based on appearance and attire. The expectation to conform and to 'know your place' within the hierarchy -- and dress accordingly -- is overbearing.

After the crash in 2008, stock traders and investment bankers became the bugaboos of society and had to tone down the garishness that once defined Wall Street business style. Things like chalk stripes, peaked lapels, suspenders, banker collars, chunky gold bejeweled wristwatches, and cufflinks came to represent the hedonism that the finance world was subsequently trying to distance itself from. The transition was toward a more utilitarian, business-like appearance. Solid suits, solid white or blue shirts, understated tie patterns, simple belts, no broguing on shoes, and barrel cuffs became the unspoken formal business dress code. The degree to which an individual heeded that dress code depended, as it always did, on how much money he was making.

2008 was a little while ago now, but I still rarely see French cuffs being worn by bankers, especially younger ones.

I only wear them for special occasions. I don't wear them to work anymore. This is partially a practical choice, as I find that cufflinks interfere with working at a desk.

 

[ForwardPleats]

I am not sure why the French cuff gets this much negative press. In my environment (law), nearly everyone wears French cuff shirts and I personally have almost no regular cuff shirts and order everything from Propercloth in French cuff. I strongly believe that a French cuff shirt is the height of traditional business attire. Maybe I am a style dinosaur, but in my line of work, the only people that I see wearing regular cuff shirts are brand new associates that are learning about proper traditional style or older lawyers that are simply unconcerned about their looks. A proper conservative dark suit pairs perfectly with a starch white French cuff shirt and a solid somber color tie.

French cuffs are much more common in law and government, which generally tend to be more trend-proof, lower-profile industries. In high finance, one is scrutinized by peers and superiors more ruthlessly based on appearance and attire. The expectation to conform and to 'know your place' within the hierarchy -- and dress accordingly -- is overbearing.

After the crash in 2008, stock traders and investment bankers became the bugaboos of society and had to tone down the garishness that once defined Wall Street business style. Things like chalk stripes, peaked lapels, suspenders, banker collars, chunky gold bejeweled wristwatches, and cufflinks came to represent the hedonism that the finance world was subsequently trying to distance itself from. The transition was toward a more utilitarian, business-like appearance. Solid suits, solid white or blue shirts, understated tie patterns, simple belts, no broguing on shoes, and barrel cuffs became the unspoken formal business dress code. The degree to which an individual heeded that dress code depended, as it always did, on how much money he was making.

2008 was a little while ago now, but I still rarely see French cuffs being worn by bankers, especially younger ones.

I only wear them for special occasions. I don't wear them to work anymore. This is partially a practical choice, as I find that cufflinks interfere with working at a desk.

I am also in law and I would say that my finance contacts definitely dress more casually than us. I feel like the finance uniform around here is more business casual, lots of sport jackets with gingham button down shirts, sans tie.

However, I get the impression that the OP is from the UK so the rules in Canada where I am in or the US are different.