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JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire

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Jerz
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 08:58
krussell wrote:
I've studied fashion and worked in fashion, and I can tell you some flaws in your rules of dress.

The most glaring is telling someone not to wear slip on shoes and sticking exclusively to lace ups. The main reason being dress lace ups frequently come untied and shoes are one of the first things someone notices because they look you up and down and either start or end at your shoes. That, and slip on shoes are MUCH more in fashion than lace ups.

As far as accessories go, a class ring is more than welcome at a networking event and should be worn with the name of your school towards someone shaking your hand's perspective to see where you studied. Flashy socks are attention grabbers and when they match your tie, you look VERY put together. Pocket squares are in fashion right now and are a classic which won't go out of style.

As everyone else has mentioned, your tips are very conservative. Is this good? Sure, it's safe. Is it great? No. If you stick to a classic navy suit, you look like someone who went to JC Penny and asked someone to help you buy your first suit. You don't know how to dress if you only go conservative. You look like every other MBA who walks through the door and wishes he went to Harvard. If you show up to a marketing interview in plain ol' dress clothes, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Don't get me wrong, your tips are great for the typical MBA who doesn't know how to dress (I know the fashion police would have a field day at my school), but don't fall into the trap of conservative being better. These tips would work if this was 1970, but nowadays, recruiters don't mind excitement in clothing. If you're put together and fashion forward, you rock your look. If you show up with an orange Ted Baker tie on top of a green $20 George shirt, you'll look like an idiot. You can tell a cheap suit from a mile away.

And fashion does play a major part in your presentation. People make up their opinions of you in the first seven seconds of interaction. If you look boring, sorry to tell but, you're boring.


There's a difference between fashion in the fashion industry and business fashion. While the advice you give is certainly applicable to certain business fields (advertising, for example), much of the business world is still very conservative when it comes to dress and many companies do, in fact, mind excitement in clothing. If you're interviewing at Goldman, you probably don't want to be remembered as the guy with the flashy socks.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 12:08
^^^ at least you'd give them a reason a smile for once :)
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 12:10
Jerz wrote:
For good or bad, the blue shirt with contrasting white collar is pretty much associated in younger people with type A banker types. If that's the impression you want to give someone, then go with it. But realize that that impression may not be favorable in all settings.


i only rock that to the club. i leave it in the closet for interviews
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 13:06
shadowsjc wrote:
Jerz wrote:
For good or bad, the blue shirt with contrasting white collar is pretty much associated in younger people with type A banker types. If that's the impression you want to give someone, then go with it. But realize that that impression may not be favorable in all settings.


i only rock that to the club. i leave it in the closet for interviews



I bet the collar is popped and you got sunglasses on too. Damn Yale boys 8-)
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 17:02
jordanhendrix wrote:
Damn Yale boys 8-)


LOL
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 20:20
jordanhendrix wrote:
^^^ at least you'd give them a reason a smile for once :)


Oh, they are definitely smiling as they toss your resume into the trashcan. Buddy of mine who use to be involved in recruiting at a hedge fund said they literally print out all the resumes, put them in a stack, split the stack in half and dump one straight into the garbage.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2010, 20:50
^^You're right man, thats a tough industry to break into. I worked in entertainment and we would just print out resumes to laugh at them, i fell bad about it now, but you get caught up in it.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   22 Oct 2010, 11:26
hey!!!
thanks for the advice, it helped me a lot for my interview last week!!
got the job and i am happy with that!!!
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   28 Oct 2010, 09:32
jbharris88 wrote:
jordanhendrix wrote:
^^^ at least you'd give them a reason a smile for once :)


Oh, they are definitely smiling as they toss your resume into the trashcan. Buddy of mine who use to be involved in recruiting at a hedge fund said they literally print out all the resumes, put them in a stack, split the stack in half and dump one straight into the garbage.


Wow, that is horrible! Although I understand the thought process of the recruiters, it sure is horrible for all of us applying! :?
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   30 Oct 2010, 16:53
how about having the interview at Starbucks with an Alumni on Saturday morning? would you wear also business formal?
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   14 Dec 2010, 18:27
Dress to Impress, UBS Tells Staff
https://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 81042.html

Quote:
The UBS Dress Code: Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s
For women:
*Wear your jacket buttoned.
*When sitting, the buttons should be unfastened.
*Make sure to touch up hair regrowth regularly if you color your hair.

For men:
*Store your suit on a large hanger with rounded shoulders to preserve the shape of the garment.
*Schedule barber appointments every four weeks to maintain your haircut shape.

Don’ts
*Eating garlic and onions
*Smoking or spending time in smoke-filled places
*Wearing short-sleeved shirts or cuff links
*Wearing socks that are too short, showing your skin while sitting
*Allowing underwear to be seen
*Touching up perfume during or after lunch break
*Using tie knots that don’t match your face shape and/or body shape
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   15 Dec 2010, 12:41
I don't see the deal about cuff links, maybe at UBS they don't wan't to be seen as higher status as customer? And it's the first time I hear that a face or body shape will dictate your tie knot!
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   06 Jan 2011, 11:22
Yikes, forgot about pocket squares.

Linen, white, hand-rolled edges. TV fold. No crazy points and such. Again, for salesmen and pimps.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   06 Jan 2011, 11:54
What about shirt with supporters ? I really like that James Bond style
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   06 Jan 2011, 12:31
Ivan91 wrote:
What about shirt with supporters ? I really like that James Bond style


Do you mean suspenders (braces) or sleeve garters? In either case, don't. Granted, you shouldn't be taking your jacket off anyway, so if you're a portly guy who for whom braces make more sense than a belt, then by all means, go ahead. Otherwise, play it safe and just wear a belt.

Sleeve garters, if they are part of your style, are cosplay. Just. Don't.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   06 Jan 2011, 13:35
Yeah, I mean suspenders . Nope, I am like 5"10 65kg
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   06 Jan 2011, 13:40
Ivan91 wrote:
Yeah, I mean suspenders . Nope, I am like 5"10 65kg


If you're not taking your jacket of, it doesn't really matter, but you won't be wearing a belt, which might look weird to an interviewer who's not accustomed to seeing this.

If you do end up wearing them, please for the love of god don't wear the clip-ons. You should have buttons in your trouser waistband to attach proper braces to. Apologies if you already know this; you never know who you're talking to on these fori.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 20 Jan 2013, 16:42
...

Originally posted by PallMall on 06 Jan 2011, 14:59.
Last edited by PallMall on 20 Jan 2013, 16:42, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 20 Jan 2013, 16:42
...

Originally posted by PallMall on 06 Jan 2011, 15:05.
Last edited by PallMall on 20 Jan 2013, 16:42, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink] New post   06 Jan 2011, 15:19
PallMall wrote:
BabyBeagle wrote:
Yikes, forgot about pocket squares.

Linen, white, hand-rolled edges. TV fold. No crazy points and such. Again, for salesmen and pimps.


Linen? Are you quite mad? Never linen. That is for a handkerchief not a pocket square.

Again this may be European specific, but silk is the only appropriate material and should ideally match the secondary colour of one's tie.

Walk into any magic circle (white shoe) corporate law firm or bulge bracket bank and loads of people from associate to partner will have a pocket square.

In any event, even in the 'States, it is far better to go without a pocket square then a linen one.


Yes. Linen. I realize that in the UK, preferences are different. For one, looking at all the stuff that the Jermyn St. shirtmakers sell, you realize that the English like their shirts a lot bolder, along with ties in heavy silk woven pattern, windsor knots, and pocket squares to complement that whole aesthetic.

In the US, a white linen pocket square is about as safe and versatile as you can get. Cotton/linen blends are great too.

https://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/200 ... -fold.html

The only thing I would add to ^^^ is that for an interview you should use a neat TV fold. Save the sprezzatura for when you actually have the job.

Please don't tell people to wear black suits. In the United States, you will look like a waiter. Maybe that's different in Europe. In the US, you do not wear a black suit in the daytime, ever, unless you are a waiter or driver or doorman or undertaker...you get the idea.
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Re: JB's Guide to Dressing & Interview Attire [#permalink]
06 Jan 2011, 15:19
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