In continuing with our recent conversation about clothing at work: When wearing a white shirt, do you prefer a button down collar or non-button down? (this is during business hours, for dinner I’d go with non-button down) When wearing a white shirt (assuming you can see through it slightly), do you prefer undershirt with sleeves or wife beater? Or do you go with a thicker white shirt that won’t expose what is underneath? We had this conversation at work recently and I’m curious as to what my AF brethren think.
Well, my company has no dress code, so I wear jeans, a t-shirt and sandals to work (we always meet our clients in the field, usually in other states). My boss is slightly dressier, as he wears a wrinkled, untucked collard shirt, jeans and tennis shoes.
haha…i wish i could work in Bermuda like some of the posters on AF. How’s your job going - have you started already?
DirtyZ Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In continuing with our recent conversation about > clothing at work: > > When wearing a white shirt, do you prefer a button > down collar or non-button down? (this is during > business hours, for dinner I’d go with non-button > down) generally polo shirts (i.e. button down collars) are less formal but if your firm doesn’t care then you shouldn’t either. however plain white/ivory shirts are generally more formal in nature so i don’t wear them as casual shirts. bottom line is my white shirts do not have button down collars > When wearing a white shirt (assuming you can see > through it slightly), do you prefer undershirt > with sleeves or wife beater? Or do you go with a > thicker white shirt that won’t expose what is > underneath? it’s fine wearing a crew neck or a sleeveless t-shirt underneath a white shirt as long as it is barely, barely visible. i would avoid wearing v-necks for the most part, and wifebeaters at all cost (in fact, it’s probably better not to show up for work at all than to have a wifebeater exposed underneath a white shirt…either that, or look into shirts made from a heavier twill if you are worried about getting cold or something)
I cover the economy and markets for Naked News, so you know what my dress code is.
I’m at an nyc BB in ibanking, which I think toes the line for business dress. Everyone uses button-down collars. (Specifically, those slim-fit, no-iron cotton ones at Brooks Bros.) I think they’re acceptable with anything shy of a dinner jacket. An advantage is that they also can be worn without a tie, which can’t be done with buttonless. I find t-shirts hide perspiration better and make white shirts that much whiter for when you’re going with that color. (In banking most of the time we’re in blue however.)
DirtyZ, ton of work, but it’s going well–and yeah, I love the dress code! (But, ironically, it feels a little “Office Space”-like. Probably because of the lighting, I dunno.)
I’m of the belief that a tie should never be worn with a button down collar…never. The look way too Brooks Brothers for me.
I always wear an undershirt, even when I am chillin on the weekend in a t-shirt. I picked that habit up in college, and it never died. I guess I am a two shirt kind of guy…
browsed through a few old threads and see there are people on here that have some good finance work attire sense, so thought I’d get some input. Looking for some dress shoes to wear with suits. Question on two things: 1) wingtips - good idea, bad idea, or just a preferance type of thing. Have been told its a style thing and they are currently out, but I see alot of SVP’s I work with have them. 2) deerskin - saw a pair of shoes that has some deerskin (that part below the laces and stops at the line across the captoe) Is this more casual or formal? Something that is a positive or negative to wearing with a suit? thanks for insights
CFAdetroit Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 1) wingtips - good idea, bad idea, or just a > preferance type of thing. Have been told its a > style thing and they are currently out, but I see > alot of SVP’s I work with have them. If you like them, wear them. Some people think wingtips look too old-school conservative, but maybe that’s why it’s the senior guys that appear to appreciate them more. A lot of these shoes come with perforations or other type of styling, but in fact this is very traditional and actually less formal than cap-toes. Personally, I don’t think traditional menswear is ever “out of style,” as you say. Also, you can feel pretty comfortable wearing tasteful wingtips in a business casual setting. > 2) deerskin - saw a pair of shoes that has some > deerskin (that part below the laces and stops at > the line across the captoe) Is this more casual or > formal? Something that is a positive or negative > to wearing with a suit? > > thanks for insights You’re referring to the vamp of a shoe. Depending on the look of the deerskin, I’d think it would be equally or less formal than other types of skins. You see a lot of casual shoes made of suede deerskin, but I can’t think of many formal shoes off the top of my head made of deer. So, yeah, I’d generally say this is less casual and probably less appropriate to wear with a suit. On the other hand, it’s quite comfortable and weathers the rain well.
The button down collar works best if you tend to wear more “american” styled suits (think Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers etc) which are styled to be on the more casual end of the business spectrum. The non-button down is more applicable to European styled business attire so if you tend to wear suites etc from european designer the buttin down will not generally work.
Wing tips: I prefer plain black toe-caps because they call no attention, and are the most formal shoe – so they can be worn with business suits or your tux. I don’t see many wing tips around my BB IB. deerskin – no.
Button-down collars look ridiculous. Honestly, they do. Why would you need to button-down your collar anyway?
So your collar stays in place during the chukker.
Bow Ties - Any thoughts? Are they even legal in every state in the US? I always smile when I see some old City grandee wearing a floppy, badly-tied bow tie. You simply can not get away with that kind of gay abandon under 40. When I get to 40 I’m going wear bow ties & braces, tuck my napkin in my collar at meals and insist that all team members drink sherry at every possible opportunity (on arriving at work, elevenses, post-lunch, one-for-the-road etc)
Etienne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Button-down collars look ridiculous. Honestly, > they do. Why would you need to button-down your > collar anyway? you’ve never seen “ridiculous” until you’ve seen a dude with slicked back hair popping up his button-down collar!!! seriously. i never thought i’d see someone try to pop a polo collar. granted, this bizarre sighting occurred in a murray hill bar so i suppose that anything’s within the realm of possibilities, but still…
On guys under 35, the bowtie is usually paired with a look of extreme arrogance. A la “I can wear whatever I want because I’m such a BSD. And, secretly, I NEED to be noticed.” But that’s just my opinion.
2nd’ed