Wearing a suit to work...

[PhiPsi32]

Yes, the English still believe in "proper" attire.

 

[emc894]

A good friend of mine is whatever the equivalent of legal counsel is in London for a hedge fund. He wears chinos, dress shirt, and chelsea boots. He says that if you see someone wearing a suit you think they are interviewing for a job. He's in his 40's, went to Eton and is pretty staid all around. He essentially said he would be awkwardly overdressed in a suit.

At my bank in New York the Pres/CEO wears whatever he feels like, usually a Brooks Brothers button down and khakis. But, all VP's and up wear suits (even those that cover tech). Analysts and associates could wear dress shirts and wool pants, but it looks sort of stupid not to wear a tie. I wear a suit most of the time, but I only throw on the jacket if I am going to see a boss or client.

 

[stevent]



If you go to interview at LinkedIn, Google, Apple, etc. the advice people give on dress is, "Don't wear a suit or you will get laughed out of the room." So yeah, comic is 100% accurate.

This is a lot of false information. Plenty of people wear suits at these companies. Sure if you are an engineer you don't wear one but saying that the advice people give is to not wear a suit is just not true. I interviewed with two of those companies both the interviewer and I wore suits in both interviews.

 

[JLibourel]

I recently had some banking business in Seal Beach, California. All the male employees at the bank, without exception, were in dark, conservative suits.

Suits are less common in SoCal than elsewhere, but far from dead.

 

[F. Corbera]



I recently had some banking business in Seal Beach, California. All the male employees at the bank, without exception, were in dark, conservative suits.
Suits are less common in SoCal than elsewhere, but far from dead.

How were the seals?

 

[PhiPsi32]

They killed off the seals a long time ago, something about being a public nuisance.

 

[cbbuff]



They killed of the seals a long time ago, something about being a public nuisance.

..bet they made killer shoes though.

 

[MyOtherLife]



In my opinion the idea of being in a suit to work is rather old fashioned. Well I agree to the fact that a suit is the perfect tool to give a positive first impression to your interviewers, bosses or even workmates but [COLOR=FF00AA]trust me[/COLOR] this is slowly fadding away. Someone earlier on just mentioned that if you went to a LinkedIn, Google or Apple interview the guys would just be left laughing behind.  

All in all it depends with the profession you are in. Too bad the sales guy in most cases have no better option.

I don't believe I will trust you.

 

[Made in California]



This is a lot of false information. Plenty of people wear suits at these companies. Sure if you are an engineer you don't wear one but saying that the advice people give is to not wear a suit is just not true. I interviewed with two of those companies both the interviewer and I wore suits in both interviews.

I'll just have to take your word for it and assume it comes down to the position you're applying for.


As for sales, I obviously see lots of sales associates in suits, but in sales you're supposed to dress slightly above your clientele. If you dress too far above them you look pretentious or just unrelatable. Using this logic I would argue that wearing a suit in sales isn't necessarily ideal if you're say, in southern California. Obviously they do, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it happening less and less to match the downward trending everywhere else.

 

[JLibourel]



They killed off the seals a long time ago, something about being a public nuisance.

Oh, I think seals (sea lions, actually) are pretty abundant all over the coast these days. Sometimes they turn up in the Long Beach Marine Stadium only a couple hundred yards from my house. First time I saw one in the stadium, it was near a couple of boats, and I thought someone was just letting his Lab take a swim, but when I looked closer, it wasn't a Lab!

 

[expo09]

You can't always know what is expected for an interview and for that reason I wear a suit. If you don't then you might fail to get the job on account of not dressing professionally. I think there are very few cases where someone will not give you the job just because you wore a suit.

 

[Made in California]

I don't have to wear a suit for my job, but I like wearing them, so I am constantly figuring out how to dress them down so that it's not completely excessive. For example, I'll wear them without a belt or with the most casual dress shoes I can find. It's very difficult sometimes.

 

[bluesman528]

I don't think there is any need to dress down when you are actually wearing a suit. Besides, the whole ensemble would simply not work if you are wearing lousy shoes with it, why bother then?

If the suit fits well, you look comfortable in your clothes and you regularly wear one (so that your colleagues are accustomed to that) everyone will be happy with it. Many people think they have to make some visual excuses for wearing something they consider "upscale" by themselves but a well-made suit is nothing to be ashamed of. It does not necessarily mean that you "dress too far above" if you wear one in a professional environment. Perhaps it should not be the fat dark blue chalkstripe flannel with exploding pink pocket square when you are 22 and working in an entry-level job, that's too much Gordon Gekko symbolism. But the right to dress well with tailored clothes is not something you have to earn. If the company has no dresscode, fine, then you can wear what you want. For example a suit. Get a grip, look sharp, show your ambitions. Nothing wrong with that.

You should do it from the start in the job, though. People can be confused and alarmed when the t-shirt & jeans guy suddenly wears only suits in his cubicle. Possibly, such psychological u-turns may suggest some serial killer potential.

 

[add911_11]

When I wear a suit to work, I will always wear a PS, braces and tie, waistcoat to cover the braces.

People often ask me why the pocket square, I often replied 'some female or male workers might need this extra linen'

In fact, that's the 'historical' reason for PS, is too give it to the ladies when it is needed

When I saw a women in tears, I will always give my PS away, usually sex comes next

p.s. I am only 20, I only wear plain colour shirts, plain colour and chalkstripe suits, simple wool or silk tie design, plain braces and always white PS for work, no one ever give me a go including my boss, if your boss dislike your clothing than you must be not doing it right

 

[ultramantaro]

If you go to interview at LinkedIn, Google, Apple, etc. the advice people give on dress is, "Don't wear a suit or you will get laughed out of the room." So yeah, comic is 100% accurate.

I think most interviewees in tech still go in with a suit - though it's pretty much a giveaway that you are interviewing. At the min, I expect candidates to come in with a button up shirt, tie and slacks even if they are applying for technical positions.