Duder356
Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2011
- Messages
- 8
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Hi SF,
I started reading some post here recently while searching for dress shoe recommendations and have found that I am woefully ignorant and really need some basic help and recommendations.
Sorry to be so verbose....it's a character flaw I'm afraid...
Some back ground:
I've been a software developer and technical lead for a California based tech company for last 13 years and before that worked for IBM for 4 years...very different corp. cultures with my time at IBM being customer facing and requiring dockers/slacks, and a button down white shirt and tie and dress shoes (all purchased from JCP and the like-nothing fancy)...the current company role being completely non-customer facing and so dress code is nearly non-existant think very casual (shorts/jeans and t-shirts).
The dilemma:
I am changing jobs within the company will be directly in front of customer again frequently interviewing with them in the role of a high end consultant. On occasion I might be expected to accompany members of the sales team to do demonstrations for CEO's, CIO's and CTO's. This is an exciting change and I am really looking forward to the change...BUT...
Being a pretty extreme geek, I don't follow treands and unfortunately have no access to anybody to really dresses up regularly or anyone whom can offer any meaningful advise on such things. I quite literally have no idea how to dress for my new job role and the hiring manager has only given me some very vague ideas with little substance.
Like many things in my life, I try to research before making significant purchases. When given a choice, I prefer good quality over trendy new stylish items/clothing.
This new consulting role requires a higher level of sophistication in dress than I am comfortable with at the moment and rather than just showing up at the local MW or JAB tomorrow, wanted to see if you all might have some advice for me.
Companies I will be working with are all Fortune 500 but know they are getting a pretty hard core technical "geek" and I am told that they tend to not be very picking about the dress of the people, so long as they have the requisite skills...but these companies are paying dearly for our services and while I don't want to show up looking like a "overly slick" sales type...I want to project a competent, adequate-to-well dressed, no non-sense persona. I would prefer to look a couple steps above what one might expect from a JCP department store visit, but not like an extremely successful sales person or CEO.
The details of what I need:
Enough clothing for 4 professional work days in "business casual" attire.
Traveling usually Sunday night and returning on Thursday evenings.
4 pairs dress slacks (wool? cotton?)
4 long sleeve dress shirts - I prefer button down collars and am wondering about wrinkle free "tailored fit"
4 pairs dress socks - smartwool or similar perhaps?
1 nice sweater to be worn over the dress shirt?
1 sport coat - I may have to wait on this
1-2 pairs of shoes, cedar tress too
1-2 belts to match shoes
no ties needed usually
no suits needed usually
My budget is very tight at the moment ... approximately $1k or less.
I need help with decent (but not outrageously priced) brands and where to buy. Is it even possible to get what I need for my budget?
Shoes...I got the message pretty loud and clear...Allen-Edmonds, Alden or the like but am worried this will drive me above my budget...a cheaper options would be nice (but I know there just isn't much available below the $300 retail price point).
Anyway...if you're still awake after reading this...open to suggestions.
Thanks!
I started reading some post here recently while searching for dress shoe recommendations and have found that I am woefully ignorant and really need some basic help and recommendations.
Sorry to be so verbose....it's a character flaw I'm afraid...
Some back ground:
I've been a software developer and technical lead for a California based tech company for last 13 years and before that worked for IBM for 4 years...very different corp. cultures with my time at IBM being customer facing and requiring dockers/slacks, and a button down white shirt and tie and dress shoes (all purchased from JCP and the like-nothing fancy)...the current company role being completely non-customer facing and so dress code is nearly non-existant think very casual (shorts/jeans and t-shirts).
The dilemma:
I am changing jobs within the company will be directly in front of customer again frequently interviewing with them in the role of a high end consultant. On occasion I might be expected to accompany members of the sales team to do demonstrations for CEO's, CIO's and CTO's. This is an exciting change and I am really looking forward to the change...BUT...
Being a pretty extreme geek, I don't follow treands and unfortunately have no access to anybody to really dresses up regularly or anyone whom can offer any meaningful advise on such things. I quite literally have no idea how to dress for my new job role and the hiring manager has only given me some very vague ideas with little substance.
Like many things in my life, I try to research before making significant purchases. When given a choice, I prefer good quality over trendy new stylish items/clothing.
This new consulting role requires a higher level of sophistication in dress than I am comfortable with at the moment and rather than just showing up at the local MW or JAB tomorrow, wanted to see if you all might have some advice for me.
Companies I will be working with are all Fortune 500 but know they are getting a pretty hard core technical "geek" and I am told that they tend to not be very picking about the dress of the people, so long as they have the requisite skills...but these companies are paying dearly for our services and while I don't want to show up looking like a "overly slick" sales type...I want to project a competent, adequate-to-well dressed, no non-sense persona. I would prefer to look a couple steps above what one might expect from a JCP department store visit, but not like an extremely successful sales person or CEO.
The details of what I need:
Enough clothing for 4 professional work days in "business casual" attire.
Traveling usually Sunday night and returning on Thursday evenings.
4 pairs dress slacks (wool? cotton?)
4 long sleeve dress shirts - I prefer button down collars and am wondering about wrinkle free "tailored fit"
4 pairs dress socks - smartwool or similar perhaps?
1 nice sweater to be worn over the dress shirt?
1 sport coat - I may have to wait on this
1-2 pairs of shoes, cedar tress too
1-2 belts to match shoes
no ties needed usually
no suits needed usually
My budget is very tight at the moment ... approximately $1k or less.
I need help with decent (but not outrageously priced) brands and where to buy. Is it even possible to get what I need for my budget?
Shoes...I got the message pretty loud and clear...Allen-Edmonds, Alden or the like but am worried this will drive me above my budget...a cheaper options would be nice (but I know there just isn't much available below the $300 retail price point).
Anyway...if you're still awake after reading this...open to suggestions.
Thanks!