MBA / Finance wardrobe

Seriously, given the economic environment and the unknown recovery time, focus on networking, the industry, and doing well in school. You don't need to be best dressed, you need to be either: the most networked guy or the smartest guy.

What is the point of looking good if you don't know anything? I guess at least for the first part "Hi, I am (insert name here)" you are still in the running.

I went to a Top 5 MBA program, so I am not trying to be salty because I am some bitter person. Plenty of poorly dressed people got jobs over their better dressed peers during business school.

Just look presentable, save the rest of your money for all the travel to NYC you need to do on your own dime to network. Unless you are going to school in NYC.

Remember fit is key, brand names only mean so much. I don't remember the post, but someone once said, people can't describe what it is about someone who has everything fitting right but it just looks right. In other words, no can (except people here) say exactly why you look so good but you do and a lot of has to do with good fitting clothes.)

One last thing, since you are starting school next year - try getting into great shape this summer, lose weight get fit develop good eating habits if you don't have them already. Get a head start on networking if you can. Or try to find an internship before school starts to give yourself an advantage.

Good luck!

excellent advice why4009 - all true

Originally Posted by why4009

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Seriously, given the economic environment and the unknown recovery time, focus on networking, the industry, and doing well in school. You don't need to be best dressed, you need to be either: the most networked guy or the smartest guy.

What is the point of looking good if you don't know anything? I guess at least for the first part "Hi, I am (insert name here)" you are still in the running.

I went to a Top 5 MBA program, so I am not trying to be salty because I am some bitter person. Plenty of poorly dressed people got jobs over their better dressed peers during business school.

Just look presentable, save the rest of your money for all the travel to NYC you need to do on your own dime to network. Unless you are going to school in NYC.

Remember fit is key, brand names only mean so much. I don't remember the post, but someone once said, people can't describe what it is about someone who has everything fitting right but it just looks right. In other words, no can (except people here) say exactly why you look so good but you do and a lot of has to do with good fitting clothes.)

One last thing, since you are starting school next year - try getting into great shape this summer, lose weight get fit develop good eating habits if you don't have them already. Get a head start on networking if you can. Or try to find an internship before school starts to give yourself an advantage.

Good luck!

+100

Don't go overboard on new clothes for bschool. You've got two years (I'm assuming you're doing a 2Y program?) before you're going to need to build a heavy suit rotation. Chances are, too, that you're going to be spending those two years in a small apartment without a ton of closet space. You're going to be dressing casually 99% of the time at school, with recruiting events and the odd formal party being the sole exceptions. So don't bring too many business formal outfits and don't worry about buying too many. What you're planning to work with sounds more than fine in my opinion. Just take good care of your existing suits, rotate them accordingly, and you'll do fine.

Also, you really don't want or need to dress like the pinnacle of SF-approved style for networking events or interviews. Dress well, but dress conservatively. Someone earlier mentioned that most MBAs wear crappy loafers and cheap, solid-black suits. That was definitely the case when I was in bschool, and no one really seemed to care. Just dress decently well and conservatively, and you'll be better dressed than most -- if not all -- of your peers.

The time to go nuts on tailored clothing is when you land a full-time job offer and need to stock up for work. Not now.

why4009 is spot. No one honestly cares how you are dressed for interviews / networking at b school as long as you aren't wearing something extraordinarily bad. I got the job I was gunning for in b school, and it had nothing to do with my wardrobe but rather all to do with networking, preparation, clear goal of what i wanted to do, etc.

Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard

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+100

Don't go overboard on new clothes for bschool. You've got two years (I'm assuming you're doing a 2Y program?) before you're going to need to build a heavy suit rotation. Chances are, too, that you're going to be spending those two years in a small apartment without a ton of closet space. You're going to be dressing casually 99% of the time at school, with recruiting events and the odd formal party being the sole exceptions. So don't bring too many business formal outfits and don't worry about buying too many. What you're planning to work with sounds more than fine in my opinion. Just take good care of your existing suits, rotate them accordingly, and you'll do fine.

Also, you really don't want or need to dress like the pinnacle of SF-approved style for networking events or interviews. Dress well, but dress conservatively. Someone earlier mentioned that most MBAs wear crappy loafers and cheap, solid-black suits. That was definitely the case when I was in bschool, and no one really seemed to care. Just dress decently well and conservatively, and you'll be better dressed than most -- if not all -- of your peers.

The time to go nuts on tailored clothing is when you land a full-time job offer and need to stock up for work. Not now.

Good stuff. Thank you. I'm gonna hold off on bespoke suits until after I graduate. I'll look for some deals on stuff like Brooks Brothers, etc. and try to spend $300-500 x2 on 2 suits.

If you're in NJ the brooks at Bridgewater commons is a great one to visit for killer deals.

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

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If you're in NJ the brooks at Bridgewater commons is a great one to visit for killer deals.

Unfortunately I'm not. Is that an outlet?

No its not an outlet, the majority of the end of season merchandise shipped into this store prior to sending it to outlets.

Heavily marked down by that point, and you get a much better selection then you would at the outlets.

What are people's thoughts on the Jos A. Bank Signature Gold line?

i.e.

http://www.josbank.com/webapp/wcs/st...1_10050_102112

Sure, if you want the C-class of suits.

Originally Posted by tqd1

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What are people's thoughts on the Jos A. Bank Signature Gold line?

i.e.

http://www.josbank.com/webapp/wcs/st...1_10050_102112

I have some, they're really overpriced at retail but if you can get them on heavy discount (80%) they're serviceable. You can probably get a corporate discount if you're an M.B.A. student too. I'd rate them on the same level as Hugo Boss but with a much more conservative (what critics call "frumpy") cut.

If you're just looking for a few staple suits, I think with a little patience you can, and probably should, try do better than Jos. A. Bank.

you're heading to a top MBA program. start challenging yourself now and don't settle.

Originally Posted by withstyle

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If you're just looking for a few staple suits, I think with a little patience you can, and probably should, try do better than Jos. A. Bank.

you're heading to a top MBA program. start challenging yourself now and don't settle.

So, wait for the Brooks Brothers sales?

sure, Brooks is always reliable.

or, alternatively stalk Yoox, B&S, Shop the Finest, ebay, ehaberdasher, Virtual Clothes Horse, STP, Gilt etc etc

you should have time on your hands. time and patience and you'll probably do better on the above sites. although you can't really afford to hesitate when your staple item(s) come up on B&S or Gilt b/c those items go in a blink.

Yeah, I'm not sure how reliably one can count on sites like Gilt for the staples. The more sought-after stuff in any given sale sells out within seconds of the opening bell. Plus you've got a LOT of arbitrage trolls, who stock up on multiple copies of various items for the sole purpose of speculative resale. There's a temptation to buy something you don't really want or need as a sort of consolation prize after you've missed the staple item. And that temptation can be very dangerous to the wallet.