UBS Visit -Dress Code

[chorse123]

Originally Posted by fender06

how about dressing like this guy?

No.

This isn't that complicated. It's a uniform as much as any other. Good advice in the posts above.

 

[Dib]

Originally Posted by MHH89

The OP sounds like he is from London (ie. first year) and from not NYC. The dress code across the pond is always more formal. For this meeting, I would go with business formal (suit and tie).

That's not true anymore - smart casual is pretty prevalent in the city now, in fact, those wearing a suit and tie to the office on a daily basis in the city are probably in the minority.

As someone who has been to a number of similar events (both as a participant and as an organiser) I think turning up in a suit and tie is likely to create more negative impressions than positive ones.

 

[jeff13007]

Originally Posted by Sanddog

How long ago were you in college? Business dress has changed a lot in the last 10 years. I invest in companies all over the US and Europe and I find that the only people who always wear suits are the lawyers. Had a face to face meeting with the CEO of a 6BN French company (also: former Finance Minister for France) last week and he wasn't wearing a tie. I was, and he teased me about it.

If the dress code says smart casual, I presume it means smart casual. Why would anyone suggest that the OP should wear something other than what the event description specifically indicates? The question here is simply what that term means. And to that point, it's not that loose a term: creased wool pants, button up shirt, sports coat, thin-leather soled lace-up shoes will be right down the middle of the fairway.

For me what you described is business casual. Smart casual in my definition would be : casual button down shirt, khakis, sport coat/or not, and boat shoes or horse bit loafers. Btw i think the original point of this was him wanting to know if it was ok to wear jeans not what to wear. we have gone way off topic imo

 

[mkarim]

Originally Posted by fender06

i'm a year 1 student and will our faculty has organized a visit to UBS(the investment bank) on coming monday, this dress code is "smart casual", so are jeans+shirt+sneaker ok??

I visited the UBS head office in Zurich recently and know people who work there. You should be fine with nice, wool trousers, a dress shirt, a sportscoat and polished leather shoes, regardless of whether you are in the US or Europe.

 

[RyJ Maduro]

I would say you cant go wrong with a navy blazer, OCBD, khakis, and loafers.

 

[whiteslashasian]

Personally I would wear very nice chinos (maybe gray wool pants), brown leather shoes, a white OCBD, Navy sweater, and some kind of brown sport-coat. That's smart casual to me.

 

[jeff13007]

Originally Posted by Bartolo

He doesn't know which is why he asked the forum. If you want to crucify him for even having the thought . . . I guess you're entitled.

What is dress-down for a 1st year uni. student? We can probably imagine

PJs, shirt optional, just go in wearing a shirt and if you see others w/o it you can always just take it off

 

[MHH89]

Originally Posted by Sanddog

How long ago were you in college? Business dress has changed a lot in the last 10 years. I invest in companies all over the US and Europe and I find that the only people who always wear suits are the lawyers. Had a face to face meeting with the CEO of a 6BN French company (also: former Finance Minister for France) last week and he wasn't wearing a tie. I was, and he teased me about it.

If the dress code says smart casual, I presume it means smart casual. Why would anyone suggest that the OP should wear something other than what the event description specifically indicates? The question here is simply what that term means. And to that point, it's not that loose a term: creased wool pants, button up shirt, sports coat, thin-leather soled lace-up shoes will be right down the middle of the fairway.

I have been out for a few years and the dress code has changed over this time period.

Sanddog, I think you can agree that people on the buy side are much more causal. Coming from the sell side, we are instructed to wear business formal to most meetings. Usually if we have a good enough relationship with the client, we will dress down to whatever fits.

To the OP, Sanddog is right, if everyone else is going to be in basically business causal with a sport coat then go with the flow. I just can't wrap my head around the fact that your faculty has you wearing smart causal to this kind of meeting.

 

[pkiula]

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

Personally I would wear very nice chinos (maybe gray wool pants), brown leather shoes, a white OCBD, Navy sweater, and some kind of brown sport-coat. That's smart casual to me.


I work at UBS. This is the best advice. Focus on the "smart" bit with a decent sports jacket, but don't lose sleep over the "casual". It does mean casual. Do NOT show up in a suit and tie, you'll be the only nerd who's over-eager. We like people to read instructions and follow them. We all know you want to get a job. Be smart, but don't be formal.

 

[Sanddog]

...

 

[fender06]

so i should not wear jeans/sneaker

i have a navy suit but dont have a coat/blazer
as some of u guys suggest, i may wear a dress shirt,pants and a dress shoes

 

[MHH89]

Originally Posted by fender06

so i should not wear jeans/sneaker

i have a navy suit but dont have a coat/blazer
as some of u guys suggest, i may wear a dress shirt,pants and a dress shoes

Do yourself a favor and pick up a navy blazer. You don't need to wear it to the meeting but you do need one in your wardrobe.

 

[Sanddog]

Originally Posted by MHH89

I have been out for a few years and the dress code has changed over this time period.

Sanddog, I think you can agree that people on the buy side are much more causal. Coming from the sell side, we are instructed to wear business formal to most meetings. Usually if we have a good enough relationship with the client, we will dress down to whatever fits.

To the OP, Sanddog is right, if everyone else is going to be in basically business causal with a sport coat then go with the flow. I just can't wrap my head around the fact that your faculty has you wearing smart causal to this kind of meeting.

Buy side is definitely more casual on average. And bankers are more formal than sales / traders, who haven't really worn suits for a long time. In fact, when I was at Large Well-known Investment Bank on the high yield trading desk, the understanding was that the people who wanted to be on the management track wore suits, and the rest of us who wanted to earn money but not be business managers wore business casual. And that was 8 years ago now.

 

[fender06]

um.i may buy one from Zara

 

[Nereis]

Standards are low, very low. Any shirt with a collar, non-denim/twill trousers, non-hiking/sneakers leather shoes and a belt would have you looking good. I imagine things would be a touch more formal at Goldman or Morgan.