S&T Summer Intern Clothing Guide

After a 2 months pause, Levered Hedge is back. Recruiting is pretty much all over and focus has turned to preparing for summer internships. One of the main concerns of every intern is in the attire arena, as for many this may be the first time you have to dress for a business environment for an extended period of time.

This article breaks down everything you need to buy before the start of the internship, as well as useful things to keep in mind during the internship. A lot of the info might seem a bit basic, but it has to be said as there are way too many mistakes made by interns.

One thing that I will say for everything, do not be fooled by brand names. The most important thing is fit.

Main Rules for Internship Wardrobes

  • Main Rule 1: If you keep having double thoughts about something, then don’t wear it.
  • Main Rule 2: Impressions are everything as an intern.
  • Main Rule 3: As long as you are not standing out, people don’t really care about you.

Suits: Single Breasted, Navy or Charcoal

  • Navy or charcoal in color. Do not wear a black suit or something overly light unless you are 100% sure that you can pull it off (think Main Rule 1).
  • Single breasted only.
  • Try to look for lighter fabrics.
  • Once you buy any suit, go to a tailor and he will make it fit perfectly, this is crucial to getting a good fit.
  • TOP TIP: Buy 2 suits each with 2 pairs of trousers. This way you have 4 pairs of trousers that you can rotate and always have a matching suit jacket. Then leave your 2 suit jackets at the office, and if you need it then you can simply take the matching jacket.

Shirts: Long Sleeves, Avoid Brash Patterns and Colors

  • As long as your shirt fits properly, has long sleeves, and isn’t a brash pattern or color then you are fine. Make sure to not wear anything that is overly dark. If you go with white, buy some of the thicker weave ones or wear an undershirt.
  • If you are on a budget Marks and Spencers/TM Lewin/Charles Twyrhitt are a good place to start and always have sales on.
  • Quantity: I would advise a minimum of 10 shirts (ie 3 white, 3 blue, 4 other). You do not want to be scrambling for shirts or re-wearing any because you didn’t have time to do laundry or do your dry cleaning.
  • TOP TIP: Keep a spare white shirt in the office at all times.

Shoes: Keep Them Clean and Match Your Belt

  • Disclaimer: I am a huge loafer fan and I am not afraid to wear loafers with suits. Keep in mind that some may look at this as a fashion faux pas.
  • As long as your belt and shoes match and the shoes aren’t something that stands out, then you are fine.
  • TOP TIP: get some shoe trees and try to alternate shoes so that you do not wear two pairs in a row. This will prevent them from starting to smell. Also make sure to get them shined every couple of days.

Belts: Not Too Flashy, Just Match Your Shoes

  • Your belt NEEDS to match the color of your shoes. Also stay away from the big H Hermes belts. It will never do you good and can only hurt you as it may rub some people the wrong way.
  • Remember Main Rule 2.

Socks: Match Your Suit Pants

  • Color of socks needs to match the color of the suit pants.
  • Go to any big department store and grab 10 pairs of black socks and 10 pairs of blue socks.

Ties: Invest in High Quality

  • In S&T, unless you end up on a desk where the culture is somewhat formal (Nomura), then you will need one tie.
  • Find a tie that matches most of your shirts and just keep it at the office. The only times you will need a tie is if you are going to a meeting with a client.
  • Make sure to buy a quality tie, silk woven and be prepared to pay close to a 100 USD. You can go for brands just not the ones where its blatantly obvious (ie Hermes).

Undershirts: V-necks Only

  • Undershirts are a personal preference and depend largely on how much you sweat. If you find that sweat stains develop very easily then put on a light undershirt.
  • V-necks only, a crew neck under a dress shirt just looks sloppy.
  • TOP TIP: Make sure to get undershirts that are long enough if you are going to wear them. If they are too short they will come untucked and result in a huge amount of bunching above the belt.

Casual Friday: Ease Into It

  • If your office has a casual Friday, then make sure to ease into it.
  • Do not wear jeans your first Friday. I would always say to let one intern make the jump first and then see the reaction. At the end of the internship, most interns were in jeans on a Friday.

FINAL LIST OF THINGS YOU NEED

  • 2x suit
  • 4x suit trouser (2 for each suit)
  • 5x undershirt
  • 10x dress shirt
  • 10x pairs of socks
  • 2x belt
  • 2x shoes
  • 1x tie

Related Reading

 

Eh, don't even bother with a suit for everyday use unless you work at DB or something. Maybe the first day to evaluate the culture or when doing presentations, but for the most part you'd look more out of place with one than without.

Jack: They’re all former investment bankers who were laid off from that economic crisis that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have zero real world skills, but God they work hard. -30 Rock
 

Thank you sir.. Mind if I ask where you purchased your suits? and the 2 pairs of pants with each suit is genius

"Major in economics; use your economics degree to get an analyst job on Wall Street; use your analyst job to get into Harvard or Stanford Business School; and worry about the rest of your life later"
 
teddy brosevelt:
Thank you sir.. Mind if I ask where you purchased your suits? and the 2 pairs of pants with each suit is genius

My intern suits were TM Lewin, but they were horrible. I fell right in between sizing on the pants so I had to choose between very tight euro trousers or very baggy ones. A weird hole also developed like 3 weeks in. I really wouldnt recommend their suits.

For grad I just got some bespoke suits as a graduation gift. Personally, if you can find some cheaper bespoke (if you live in asia or eastern europe), its the way to go.

 
ambition56:
why do we need 10 shirts?

Dry cleaning + 5 days in a week = one week at the dry cleaners and one week in your closet.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 
ambition56:
why do we need 10 shirts?

When I started I was thinking I needed 5 and then just wash them/dryclean them on the weekends but trust me that is not what you want to be doing. You want at least a 2 weeks supply. I started with 5 and then ended up having to buy new shirts after work until i basically finished with ten.

 

Certainly not bad advice, but this would definitely add up to a lot more than I spent for my internship, or even when I started FT. Personally, I think you can get away with only having 1 suit (unless of course you work at a business formal place), and I wouldn't even consider spending $100 on one tie. 10 shirts is also probably a bit more than you need right off the bat . But hell if you don't mind spending the cash, this isn't bad wardrobe advice.

 

Revsly & Downtown22:

You will hardly ever wear a suit during regular things, but as an intern you never know when you can get an invite to a company presentation or networking event and its good to have a suit jacket in the office. I hardly wear a suit but keep both my suit jackets in the closets at the office. For example, at one point I remember getting an invite to a presentation of a company that was about to issue shares and all the sales and traders in the meeting put on ties.

You can probably get away with one, but I have a knack of spilling stuff on me so for me personally two is better.

 

We need one of these for females... Most of the discussions for female attire were limited to IBD...

I don't accept sacrifices and I don't make them. ... If ever the pleasure of one has to be bought by the pain of the other, there better be no trade at all. A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud.
 

Do as the desk does, if you see ties then wear ties otherwise drop the tie after the first day or two, it shows you pick on on things and are a team player. You do not want to be the nerd who looks like he's trying to impress the boss, and at the same time don't go too far in the opposite direction and look like a slob. I think the message here is let your work speak for you not superficial stuff.

 

Why don't you just ask (via email) HR or your rotation manager? That's what I did. They said suit and tie, jacket optional.

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." --Abraham Lincoln
 

I wore a tie during my S&T internship, and I received an FT offer. I saw it as a sign of respect towards my superiors. I was asked about it once or twice, and people seemed to be ok with that explanation. Besides, you'll have plenty of presentations/meetings with MDs, heads of desks, etc. and you don't want to look like a slob. I also thought it was a bit funny that some people tied and untied their ties 4 times a day for client meetings. You might as well wear it the entire day and save some time.

Anyway, as long as you make sure you do excellent work and are likeable you should be fine either way. People usually aren't so narrow minded that an offer depends on a small piece of silk. Do whatever makes you feel most comfortable, as long as it is within reason. Wear plain navy/charcoal/mid grey suits, white or light blue shirts and polished black cap toe oxfords, it's not rocket science.

 

Current Intern here - I wear dress shirt and pants every day, no tie or jacket. All my bosses wear jacket no tie. I will only where a tie if there is a big company event or something like that. It sucks feeling inferior to our IB intern counterparts who get to wears suits every day!

 

What I told my interns: -Wear a suit -Wear a dress shirt (90s fit and colors are a no-go) -No ties or bowties, keep that somewhere at your desk. -Take your jacket off when seated at your desk

When in doubt; If Gordon Gekko or Jordan Belfort wore it, then it is a no.

CNBC sucks "This financial crisis is worse than a divorce. I've lost all my money, but the wife is still here." - Client after getting blown up
 

At a top BB. I usually just wear slacks/dress shirt and loafers. I keep a jacket/tie and a vest at my desk. Don't over think it, avoid wearing horsebits/crazy socks. Also just ask your manager.

"The way to make money is to buy when blood is running in the streets." -John D. Rockefeller
 

Full suits during full-business days in your program (usually the first day and a few others). Shirt and tie for the other days. Stay away from the following:

Really nice or showy cufflinks Slick, dark, or super-aggressive shirts/slacks Trendy or super-shiny shoes.

Other than that, you can't go wrong.

 
Mis Ind:
Full suits during full-business days in your program (usually the first day and a few others). Shirt and tie for the other days. Stay away from the following:

Really nice or showy cufflinks Slick, dark, or super-aggressive shirts/slacks Trendy or super-shiny shoes.

Other than that, you can't go wrong.

do very many people wear french cuffs? i get the sense that it's not exactly the type of shirt to wear when you're just sporting a shirt and tie without a jacket

 

Thanks for the help. The office I'm going to is more casual but still professional, so is it okay to wear french cuff shirts without a suit coat? And does anyone have any tips on where to buy some good clothes for an internship?

 

Pink's the colour in IB. When I was an intern I honestly wore pink Versace shirts, Tiffany cuffs, zenga suit, valentino pointy shoes with a patch of leather at the back. And I got an offer. I could just sense the offer because I was a gun, at least relative to the interns who didn't get offers. No one gave a damn what a wore.

So... no need to try to tone down yourself. I would disrespect you for trying too hard. Just do your job and get it done well.

 
aadpepsi:
Sigh. Those damn pink shirts again. Why?

There is nothing wrong with pastel colors. Sort of a prep look. Pink WAS a classy color until recently when every dumbfuck public high schooler from here to Los Angeles started wearing hot pink polos.

 

Notice his spelling of the world "colour"? Beg your pardon, Aad, but it's the damn British men and their absurd fashion sense. Pink shirts, yellow ties... or yellow shirts, pink ties (which I have also seen). This is not a good thing.

 
Mis Ind:
Notice his spelling of the world "colour"? Beg your pardon, Aad, but it's the damn British men and their absurd fashion sense. Pink shirts, yellow ties... or yellow shirts, pink ties (which I have also seen). This is not a good thing.

I disagree. A great outfit for a Friday in the summer is a nice khaki cotton (maybe linen) suit with a pink shirt and a beige tie with an off white pocket square (in a puff), paired with chestnut loafers. Regardless, the man must wear the clothes instead of the clothes wearing the man.

No offense, but I've seen too many women attempt to advise men on fashion, and they end up looking like clowns - pink shirt, pink tie or black shirt with red tie. I wouldn't advise women on their clothing.

Navy suit with pink shirt, red or brown or blue tie works usually.

 
Mis Ind:
Notice his spelling of the world "colour"? Beg your pardon, Aad, but it's the damn British men and their absurd fashion sense. Pink shirts, yellow ties... or yellow shirts, pink ties (which I have also seen). This is not a good thing.

Don't believe me!! Take the advice of this guy.... dress like an auditor at big 4.

 
brackmdj:
Anyone else have some good links we could all browse? That ctshirts.com link was solid, thanks exGSbanker

Two of the best websites to browse:

ebay (know your measurements)

and

sierratradingpost.com

I picked up an Isaia for under $500 on STP, ticketed at $2500. Great quality suits IMO.

 

i always thought banana republic made nice clothes

do bankers really look down on banana that much?

honestly, i don't think clothes are very important, as long as you don't look like a jackass.

how much do you guys spend on average for shirts and pants?

what brands?

 

When I was a summer, I tried to strike a balance between not looking like I ran the place and not looking like I bought my suit at Walmart.

I try to stay around $40-50 for the average shirt in my wardrobe, and maybe spend more for a few nicer shirts.

 
coupdetat:
to all: please learn how to dress yourselves and stop looking to online forums for advice.
Well, maybe people are looking for advice in order to learn how to dress on forums where people have experienced the i-banking environment. Ever think about that? Not everyone can afford hiring a stylist or going through 100 shirts to learn how to dress. In fact some people don't have taste, that's why they seek other advice. I fucking hate it when people don't help, but instead cricize and flame the posters. If you don't have anything worth saying, don't say anything...
 

When I got my first internship, I called my manager-to-be and asked about the office dress code. It's also a great way to have another touch-point with your future supervisor and can lead to further information about what to expect on your first day (generally eases the nerves).

Sucked though because I found out it was business formal and the only suit I owned was a black one from like Burlington Coat Factory and shiny black Sketchers from high school homecoming.

Nothing short of everything will really do.
 

Always wear a suit a tie on the first day regardless of what they tell you. You'd rather be known as the guy who overdressed than the one who showed up in jean and a hoodie. Goes a long way to let people know that you're serious about what you're doing. That said i wouldnt recommend wearing a 3-piece suit and a bowtie (unless you'll be working as a clown).

 

Interesting that they mentioned keeping business professional in the office at all times. My solution: Wear a suit, and once you get there and get a feel take the tie and the jacket off. You've know killed two birds with one stone for at least the first day, then you can get a feel for everything else.

Overall, I have a tendency towards overdressing initially because it's always better to be known for that rather than rolling around in khakis when everyone else is wearing slacks and a tie. Yeah, you might get ripped on but people will notice it.

 

intern should wear suit and tie on first day (to me), suit without tie can be deece on first day once you been in the game and have resume + credibility

agree, no contrast collars, no novelty cuff links (maybe silk knots if not too wild)

also, enjoy yourself, not many days will be that fun!

 

Are you in IBD? I will be very frank and recommend overstocking on shirts. As a summer, you want to be the first one into the office and the last to leave ... disregarding facetime, you should be in early because you want to learn and leave only when you've asked people what else you can do to help them.

That means you won't have time to get to the dry cleaner or the store, and the last thing you want to do is put on your tenth and last clean shirt and not know what you're going to do the next day. Get more shirts, socks, and underwear than you think you'd ever need. When you come back a year later after senior year, it's not like you won't still need shirts for work.

I am permanently behind on PMs, it's not personal.
 

Brooks Brothers Slim Fit or Extra Slim Fit shirts. You can pick them up for $79 at regular retail, or wait until the first to third week of June where their Semi-Annual Sale comes back. They are 40% off if you buy 4 or more.

Forget Charles Tyrwhitt. There's a reason they run "sales" year-round. If you want to save a buck, go pick up a dozen from them at $44 a pop. If you want to reach a bit beyond $75, look at Thomas Pink.

If that is your price range for suits, you could very easily go MTM or bespoke and get far better construction and fit than buying OTR and getting tailored. If you do want to go OTR (off the rack), look at Suit Supply, Hugo Boss, and the other usual suspects. If you want to go made-to-measure, check out MySuit; their entry-level fabrics are $495 (so a suit will run you $544 after tax) but you can get nicer ones into the four-figure range. You can also check out Mohan Tailors, he always has a new deal out every few months based on his fabric inventory. Franco Ercole is a little beyond your budget, almost all of his stuff runs nearly $2,000 to start. You could also look into St. Laurie; I have no personal experience there but a man whose sartorialism I respect has commissioned four suits from them over the past decade.

Also, realize that all this is purely for your summer analyst role. If you have the money to afford things like this, by all means, splurge. For 10 weeks though, your focus should be on your work product. Wait until you've received and signed a full-time offer before you start dropping dollar on clothing. Even then, maximize your dollar value and make wise purchases rather than impulse ones; every single one of these retailers has various sales timed throughout the year, you can literally stretch your dollar twice as far if you develop a relationship with the salespeople or proprietors of these stores.

I am permanently behind on PMs, it's not personal.
 
APAE:
Brooks Brothers Slim Fit or Extra Slim Fit shirts. You can pick them up for $79 at regular retail, or wait until the first to third week of June where their Semi-Annual Sale comes back. They are 40% off if you buy 4 or more.

Forget Charles Tyrwhitt. There's a reason they run "sales" year-round. If you want to save a buck, go pick up a dozen from them at $44 a pop. If you want to reach a bit beyond $75, look at Thomas Pink.

If that is your price range for suits, you could very easily go MTM or bespoke and get far better construction and fit than buying OTR and getting tailored. If you do want to go OTR (off the rack), look at Suit Supply, Hugo Boss, and the other usual suspects. If you want to go made-to-measure, check out MySuit; their entry-level fabrics are $495 (so a suit will run you $544 after tax) but you can get nicer ones into the four-figure range. You can also check out Mohan Tailors, he always has a new deal out every few months based on his fabric inventory. Franco Ercole is a little beyond your budget, almost all of his stuff runs nearly $2,000 to start. You could also look into St. Laurie; I have no personal experience there but a man whose sartorialism I respect has commissioned four suits from them over the past decade.

Also, realize that all this is purely for your summer analyst role. If you have the money to afford things like this, by all means, splurge. For 10 weeks though, your focus should be on your work product. Wait until you've received and signed a full-time offer before you start dropping dollar on clothing. Even then, maximize your dollar value and make wise purchases rather than impulse ones; every single one of these retailers has various sales timed throughout the year, you can literally stretch your dollar twice as far if you develop a relationship with the salespeople or proprietors of these stores.

That helps a lot, thank you. Honestly, I think I'd rather get a couple of suits off the rack, only because I don't have the ability to drive to different stores to get anything MTM. I prefer a slim, well fitting suit, and I'd like one that lasts me a while. Generally speaking, slim fit, 2 button, flat front. Are Brooks Brothers suits the way to go here, given my price range? And which style best matches what I want (or more generally, what analysts wear)? Thanks again.

dollas
 

Oh I forgot you aren't based in New York yet. I would say your options in store are going to be either Huge Boss (they have too many different fits to keep track of) or Brooks Brothers Milano or Fitzgerald fit, depending on how broad your shoulders are. Those are their two slimmest fits, but the Milano has the advantage of having every jacket dual-vented whereas the Fitzgerald follows the trad styling and adopts the center vent. Personally, I refuse to pay their full retail value knowing I can get MTM for a lower price and enjoy nearly complete customization.

If you time the sales right, you can get Boss suits for $450 which normally retail at $800. If you wait until Brooks' Semi Annual sale, you're talking deep discounts as well (30% off, I believe).

As stated countless times on this site, keep it conservative to start: charcoal, navy, then a mid gray if you're going for a third. You can't have too many white shirts, and following that, blue (keep it light, don't be the obnoxious guy with dark blue shirts).

I am permanently behind on PMs, it's not personal.
 

One place to start is www.ctshirts.com, they have good shirts and constant sales.

>Incoming Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Master >Literally a problem, solve for both X and Y, please and thank you. >Hugh Myron: "Are there any guides on here for getting a top girlfriend? Think banker/lawyer/doctor. I really don't want to go mid-tier"
 

Get 3-5 suits in navy, grey, or charcoal from department or outlet stores. While you're at it, pick up like 7-10 slacks of those same colors. Others will tell you to have your suits tailored but tailored suits can cost $1500+ and requires you finding a trustworthy tailor to begin with. Also suits aren't 3D-printed onto your body so there's really no such thing as a perfectly tailored suit.

Get any shirts you want so long as they fit you well. Stick with white and light blue, maybe lavender-ish colors too if you'd prefer more variety.

Get any shoes you want so long as they don't have square toes. Probably best to stick with black and burgundy. Should also probably avoid brogues.

Get belts that match those shoes

Any dark-colored socks would do.

Dark colored ties. Bright blue and other more conservative colors are okay too, but nothing like yellow, orange, green or pink. A friend of mine who also interned at a BB said ties with animal patterns were popular in his office so maybe grab one of those too, just don't get one from Hermes or ferragamo (they're overpriced anyway).

Also don't buy cufflinks, suspenders, or pocket squares

 

Getting your suit tailored and getting a tailor-made (bespoke suit) are two completely different things. When people on this site tell you to get your suits tailored, they are referring to mostly minor alterations to an off the rack suit. These should run you at most ~$150 per suit in NYC, and will greatly improve the overall fit and look of your suits.

I second going to Charles Tyrwhitt. Try to get to one of their stores so you can try on some of their shirts and suits, both of which are good and reasonably priced, to see how they fit.

 
Anaconda:

Get 3-5 suits in navy, grey, or charcoal from department or outlet stores. While you're at it, pick up like 7-10 slacks of those same colors. Others will tell you to have your suits tailored but tailored suits can cost $1500+ and requires you finding a trustworthy tailor to begin with. Also suits aren't 3D-printed onto your body so there's really no such thing as a perfectly tailored suit.

Get any shirts you want so long as they fit you well. Stick with white and light blue, maybe lavender-ish colors too if you'd prefer more variety.

Get any shoes you want so long as they don't have square toes. Probably best to stick with black and burgundy. Should also probably avoid brogues.

Get belts that match those shoes

Any dark-colored socks would do.

Dark colored ties. Bright blue and other more conservative colors are okay too, but nothing like yellow, orange, green or pink. A friend of mine who also interned at a BB said ties with animal patterns were popular in his office so maybe grab one of those too, just don't get one from Hermes or ferragamo (they're overpriced anyway).

Also don't buy cufflinks, suspenders, or pocket squares

lol don't buy 3-5 suits

"My dear, descended from the apes! Let us hope it is not true, but if it is, let us pray that it will not become generally known."
 

if this is for FT, then:

3 suits - navy, charcoal, subtle pinstripe navy shirts - white, light blue, pink. Spread collar. One cutaway collar to impress girls on dates (lol) ties - I'd recommend Ferragamo or Hermes, but you can find some nice ties at Ralph Lauren (Black label) shoes - Park Ave, dark brown shoes, pair of black loafers belt - match your shoes

if its just for a summer internship:

buy all of the above but from a more budget friendly place such as CT

 

Also people on this forum will tell you to get only leather-soled shoes and if you happen to find a good deal on them, do get them. But remember, leather-soled shoes are:

-Generally more expensive -Generally more uncomfortable -Heavier -Doesn't provide good traction -Not water-proof

I think the reasoning is that leather is typically sewed on whereas rubber is glued on (A cheaper and lesser quality practice). But there are plenty of rubber-soled shoes that are sewed on as well.

Feel free to get what you want but since you appear to be on a somewhat tight budget, I'd figure you want to save up when possible. Truthfully, no one will notice unless they actually ask to see the soles of your shoes.

 

OP, do not listen to Anaconda. I definitely agree with what others have posted regarding sites like Black Lapel, Dragon Inside, etc. (I especially like BL). At minimum, you'll probably spend $500 for an OTR suit at a department store, so spend $500-700/suit at BL and get a better quality suit that actually fits you. You definitely have enough time to do this; I know BL takes about 4 weeks to deliver.

Regarding shoes, do yourself a favor and don't get anything worse than Allen Edmonds. Any cheaper and the shoes won't last nearly as long, causing you to spend more money in the long run replacing them.

Depending on how much you want to spend on dress shirts, you can go to places like CT or you can also get them for not that much money from BL.

 

OUR suits cost about $200 minimum; if you want it fitted it'll cost probably another $100 or so, but if you have time, which you should, you'll find an OTR suit that fits well enough.

If you want a pair of Allen Edmonds go ahead but even the cheapest pair cost like $150.

OP; you don't have to listen to me at all but seeing as how you're just a SA and made it clear you're on a somewhat right budget is figure you'd want to save up wherever you can.

 

I would keep the following in mind:

1) Worry about the fit more than anything (in shirts/pants/suits). You might find a great deal on a Zegna shirt, but if it doesn't fit well, it will look terrible. No one can really tell what brand you are wearing,etc, but it is very clear when clothes don't fit you. For shirts and suits, worry about the way it fits you. If you are a slim person, look for relatively slim fitting shirts (so that you aren't swimming in fabric, and the opposite if you aren't so slim, tight shirts can look rough...). Same thing for the suits, definitely get them tailored. I was in a wedding once where the groom wanted everyone to wear the same suit, it wasn't a very expensive suit (~$400) but after ~$100-150 in tailoring it looked great, still wear it, especially when I need a more "rugged" suit that I don't care about potentially getting dirty/etc.

2) For shoes, go for conservative shoes, rubber soles will last longer, don't need anything too expensive, would avoid the "clunky" look. Probably avoid to loafers, as they won't be as versatile (i.e. difficult to wear with suit)

3) As for where to buy, CT is decent for the price point, you can occasionally get hugo boss shirts for ~$50, as well as some brooks brothers shirts. Other options are some of the department stores during sales (or a place like Nordstrom Rack).

 

Rule of thumb is that a workhorse suit in S100 - S120 probably lasts you 75-100 wears, depending on how often you get it cleaned, and and how hard you're wearing it. Pants usually go first, for obvious reasons. Finer and lighter fabrics = less wears.

So If you buy 3 suits around S110, you can expect to get 225-300 wears, before they really start to look worn. During college my work suits at a menswear store would last for one season, and I wore each suit about 100 times before they'd start to get serious wear and tear under the arms, in crotch, elbows, and other stuff. These were S130 wool suits made by Isaia...

In the 500$ range, there's lots of decent stuff. Ralph Lauren on Sale, Brooks Brothers, some Asian made suits in full -canvass, the names escape me now. I'll make a list for you later.

3x500$ = 1500$

Slacks: Wool, should probably run you around 120$ a piece. Buy three, maybe some chinos too for casual fridays, since they're dirt cheap.

Around 450$ in total.

Shirts: TM Lewin, Charles Thyrwitt, etc. should suffice. You 3 or 5 for 100$, or what deals they usually have...buy 10 shirts. Solid white, Solid blue, subtle stripes or checks.

10 shirts = around 350$ at sales

Ties: Thetiebar has a bunch of ties for 20$-30$. They are far from awesome, but they work. Lands End sell decent ties for 50...hell, there's lots of brand new ties to be found on Ebay for 20-30 bucks, from decent makers (Canali, Corneliani, etc). Get 10.

10 x 30$ = 300$

Shoes: Not a fan of Allen Edmonds style, but they will last you for years. Maybe you find them for 300 bucks on sale, haven't really checked lately. Black Park Avenues are super safe. Other than that, check out meermin, loake, and such makers. They all make shoes in the 200-300$ range.

Two pairs should be enough to get you started.

2x 300$ = 600$

You can build a full wardrobe for around 3200$....Not too bad. One regular high-end suit alone will cost you that much in the store (Zegna, Isaia, etc.)

 

A wardrobe is an investment. Treat it as such.

Office: Suits: suitsupply.com Shirts: propercloth.com Shoes & belts: meermin.es (20% discount on price if you order to the US) Undershirts: Underfitshirts.com Coats: suitsupply.com or burberry.com (expensive, but I've worn mine for 3+ years and still love it; good investment)

Casual (sweaters, socks, scarves, etc.): BergBergstore.com

 

So most BB's have gone business casual now- so I wouldn't buy more than 2 suits (you'll probably wear a suit for a few days/training). That way you can leave an emergency jacket at your desk and just own a bunch of matching slacks. Also don't buy ties for this reason. For the 2-3 ties you will actually need for the summer, do NOT spend more than $100 on a tie. I can recognize a Ferragamo or Hermes tie by its design and will think you are a douche for wearing one before your first paycheck. Tyrwhitt ties or something else, keep it budget conscious with the thought that you will probably never wear it in mind.

Here's where I got my stuff, I'm a snob when it comes to suits and shirts fitting so its all made-to-measure. My assessment is MTM is well worth the slightly-higher-than-OTR price: Shirts: Indochino wrinkle free white, pale blue, lavender Suits/Pants: Dragon Inside charcoal, navy, dark gray, light gray, blue (I have a more liberal office culture so I can wear light gray and blue, I don't recommend buying these colors till you see your office culture) Ties: Miscellaneous brands, all under $50 apiece Shoes: Jack Erwin black oxfords and loafers Belt: Random Macy's belt that matches my shoes Accessories: If you wear a pocket square, tie clip, or cufflinks I will (lovingly) slap you Watch: Keep recognizable premium brands at home, I got plenty of compliments on my sub-$250 watches without seeming like a trust fund baby douche

 

Dear lord the amount of incessant garbage Anaconda posted in this thread is deserving of nothing but a series of "Throw monkey shit". Do not listen to a word he said about anything, not about leather-soled shoes being uncomfortable (seriously?), tailored vs altered vs rack suiting, etc. TackyTech's post is all you need.

No one is expecting you to look like a London top-firm lawyer, but there are minimums. You can find great workhorse suits in the $300-500 range that you then need to go have altered to fit you correctly. Match that with 10 dress shirts that you will rotate between cleaners sessions. You don't need more than one pair of additional pants per suit. You shouldn't be spending more than $30 / tie, so as per recommended, TieBar is great. Last but not least, shoes: you're spending all day in and on them, it's a worthy investment, don't cheap out. If I had to pick between all the categories, my shoes are my #1 priority. Go try on some Cole Haan, Allen Edmonds, Bruno Magli, etc. (that range) and see what you like and what feels right.

 

Where are you working, geographically speaking? On the East Coast, suits are necessary, but on the west coast I doubt anyone will be wearing one (even at a BB). I interned at an upper MM bank in ER in SF, and they told me to stop wearing ties after two days. Even through all the interviews I had a BBs, I was the only one who ever wore a tie (including the more jr interviewers). Long story short: on the west coast you could probably get away with 1-2 suits and a couple more shirt/tie/sport coat combos.

"There's nothing you can do if you're too scared to try." - Nickel Creek
 

Call me frugal but I peruse TJ Maxx on Wall Street post work every once in a while and just got a grey Ralph Lauren suit for $159 last night. If you're in NY, not a bad place to check out.

 

You can probably squeeze by on 3-4 suits even if you're wearing them everyday. But check on office culture first, I have seen people run out and rack up a bunch of suits on their credit cards to find out most entry levels wear slacks/shirt/tie. Dry cleaning will take some planning with 3 suits, but you shouldn't dry clean your suits very often, it ruins them.

I come from a very modest background and learned the hard way the value of good tailoring. Find a decent tailor via reviews and they can tailor a suit for $100-150 total. It's also absolutely necessary that you tailor your shirt sleeves if they don't fit. Personally I buy Brooks Brothers shirts on sale days (2 for $80 or something) simply because they fit perfectly for me without tailoring and I can save the $25 apiece. But that may not be the case for you.

Seriously, a suit with even minor tailoring imperfections (slightly boxy, sleeves too long, etc) will look really funny to anybody with any sort of eye, which tend to be either a few of your peers or the more senior people in finance. Not the burnt out middle managers who can't get ahead. And your suit pants will need to be tailored either way so spend the extra $30-50 on your jacket.

You definitely don't need 9 pairs of slacks. I'd start with 2-3 decent pairs. You can get by with 5 shirts if you wear mostly solid white and wash religiously. Buy decent ties (I have gotten good stuff at the Barney's outfit and sometimes Brooks Brothers has tie sales), another area where people with a good eye will notice. Don't buy Brook's Brothers outlet clothes, they fall apart. Also don't fall into the Jos. A. Banks trap, the suits are crap and while the ties and shirts look good on the rack, after 2 months of wear the shirts look thin and the ties lose their luster.

I have one decent suit from Brooks Brothers and a few off the rack from department stores in the $200-$300 range but you have to look hard and make sure they fit really well, even before tailoring.

Button down shirts are fine, are you referring to the collar? Button down collars are not as in style at the moment. Aim for collars with a bit of a spread to them so you can practice your windsor knots, looks better than a four-in-hand with a good tie.

 

No, you don't need to spend that much money...especially as a SA. There is no reason you can't go to Men's Wearhouse or Jos A Bank and get 3 suits for cheap, get them tailored to fit and you will be fine. Grab some $30 white and light blue slim fit shirts. A pair or two of Cole Haan or Johnston and Murphy shoes.

Why spend 3k on a wardrobe for 3 months? Will the clothing last forever... of course not. But you'll be sitting on your ass for 12 hours a day, do you really need expensive clothing? When you start working FT you can gradually add some custom clothing and retire the older stuff

 

From Scratch:

2: Suitsupply suits, one navy (dark), one charcoal. pay the extra for the in-store alterations, these guys know their shit. only single breasted. can stretch to 3 suits, if you sweat a lot. good value for money and it will fit you well.

5-10 Shirts: Charles Tyrwhitt have decent offers. go for fitted shirts. White or sky blue only, no patterns. button cuffs are easier, and you're only an SA, you'll look like a douche if you need to role up your sleeves and you have your stupid cufflinks

Chinos: 2 pairs, one beige, one navy, can be bought from high street stores, slim but not too skinny

3 ties: maybe some from college/clubs. Otherwise, plain red. Try to get silk. maybe have a look in charity shops if you're struggling, loads of guys in the city dump 20 ties at a time.

1 Black cap toe oxfords: Loake (if you're in the UK). if your feet sweat a lot, get a second pair. buy shoe trees.

1 pair, Loafers (or brogues): for any time outside of work. Dark brown leather. suede optional for loafers.

10 pairs of socks: Uniqlo, no bright colours.

10 underwear: Uniqlo

Watch: Black leather strap, analogue. any brand, nothing flashy, you can get that in 10 years when you've earnt it. 4 T-shirts: Uniqlo dry package

2 Belts: one black, one brown. Slim, no large buckles.

3 Casual shirts: Oxford shirts, brooks brothers, gitman (or uniqlo again). try to go for logo-less

Optional- 2 polo shirts: Uniqlo (again logoless things are better). if you love certain brands, go for polo/lacoste w/e

Try to go for things without logos or design, look simple, you don't want to stand out. focus on converting to FT.

 

Here is what i would do if you are on a TIGHT budget

Suits: Take advantage of jo a banks buy 1 get 3 free you can get 4 Joeseph suits for 650 + pant alterations.

Dress shirts. Buy 15 JCP Stafford fitted dress shirts when they are on sale for 15 usd 5x white 5x light blue 5x lavender

Ties: go to tj maxx/marshalls where you can get good ties for like 10 usd and buy 2-3

Shoes: Go to dsw and buy any cole haans in the clearance rack that look conservative for 100 x2

Belts: Tj maxx that shit for like 20 per belt x 2

total spent = around 1200 usd for a good wardrobe

 

Thank you bobb for agreeing it would be assinine for an SA to spend money on shit like ferregamo shoes or tom ford suits unless they come from a wealthy family then i say go for it but for somebody in OP's situation the above is perfect

and your Avatar is awesome

 

I only skimmed the responses but a summer intern or even an FT analyst doesn't need anywhere near this many clothes or to spend that much on it as some have suggested. Coming from someone a bit more senior who's had his fair share of interns and fresh grads: I don't look at and have no idea what you're wearing unless it's something so outrageous that it attracts attention, i.e. a shiny suit, huge chalk stripes, outrageous shirts, etc.

As others have suggested, check the dress code first. If it's a suit and tie place with casual Fridays you can probably get away with two suits. Dark grey and navy. No patterns or stripes and no one will notice that you're wearing them 2x/week each. 5-7 shirts will probably work. Find a dry cleaner that picks up and delivers or one close to the office that you can run to at lunch or dinner. You can get same day dry cleaning so you could drop a suit off in the AM, pick it up later in the day and wear it the next, again (shirts are rarely same day though). The Jos Banks 3 for 1 is fine and they'll throw in a few shirts for next to nothing sometimes. They're not the greatest suits in the world and won't last forever by any means, but they're 100% passable and you're not buying suits to last forever. You want to make it through the summer and have a few suits for full time interviews. Go the TJ Maxx/Marshalls and DSW route as @Baseball305" also suggested. There is no reason to spend a lot of money on clothes for a 3 month gig when you're a student. There's no reason to have 5-7 suits when you first start as an analyst. Get a few paychecks, hit your first bonus and buy a nicer suit if you want. You don't need it because you're not client facing but if that's something you like, do it when you've made some cash.

And truthfully, I don't really like when I see interns or fresh grads in $3000 suits and $500 shoes. Maybe it's my meager upbringing, but it just screams "daddy gave me his Platinum/Centurion Card and let me go to town on it."

Edit: and don't blow a ton of money on clothes before you start full time because you're going to get fat and out of shape and your clothes won't fit in six months anyway.

 
cmw8392:

Want to know whether I might be better served by investing in a new suit or some good shirts/ties/etc.? Is it formal or business casual? Thanks.

I'd imagine that the region matters as well. To piggyback, I'm curious as to Citi/DB/BarCap SF dress codes.

 

I've had an experience where it was different between the ER dept. and the IB dept. in the same region. I think it's a legit question, and even small things like tie/no tie can make a huge difference to someone's dress budget.

Sav:

Jesus do you guys really think people dress differently between banks in the same region? I'm curious what in your mind drove you to specify GS/MS/JPM in your title.

 

For GS / MS / JP you MUST, I repeat, MUST wear a three piece suit from a designer no less than Zegna (extra style points for a Brioni, bespoke of course). If you're at CS / BARC / BAML etc forget about three piece suits much less a suit at all. The lack of prestige means you wear strictly business casual. Hope that clears things up.

 

Mate, there about already lots of posts about this...

However, here are my 2 cents..... 7 suits! Are you kidding me!?? As long as your current 3 suits are cool, spend some money on white/blue shirts and nice ties and maybe some cufflinks if you haven't got any already, I really don't think you need to go crazy with extra suits, because to be brutally honest, I don't think anyone will notice or care. You're not going to get an offer based on attire! :) As long as you are well presented, no-one is going to pass comment if you rotate 3 suits over 10 weeks (and if anyone does, they are probably an asshole anyway and their opinion should be severely discounted)

You're an intern, you're not supposed to dress like you've just come in from an Armani photo shoot.

Perhaps an extra pair of shoes if you really want to? But if the shoes you have are nice (I assume black) I don't see any reason to get more.

I don't think anyone on WSO is going to advise you to get 7 suits and I think you will deeply regret it at the end of the summer if you have blown a substantial amount of your salary on clothes. I've got 4 nice suits for this summer, and I won't be buying any more.

Perhaps someone who is ex-GS or who currently works there could shed further light on this for you?

 

i know guys who made it through GS internships with just two suits and one pair of shoes....I would say its more important to buy shirts, even if they are the same style/colour. Most of the time you won't be required to wear your suit jacket. It's probably a good idea to own at least 2/3 pairs of shoes too because it's not nice having to wake up after 3 hours sleep and wear hot shoes....

joefish i agree with you, but I do think it is important that you look the part, esp @ GS. People definitely notice what you wear there and subconsiously or otherwise it will impact their perception of you. I was at GS last summer and during my review one of the comments made was that I was 'always very professional, even in the way I dressed.' The feedback made me realise that people do notice the effort you make to look the part. Another example: An intern turned up one day wearing a black singlet/string top which exposed the shoulders but had a suit trousers on and a jacket with her. An email was sent to our floor that morning by the FSC to remind us of the dress code! Other guys were asked to get their hair cut and were ushered to the barbers the same day. So just look the best you can every day that you are there, and pay attention to details because it matters :)

 
prettyspectacular:
Another example: An intern turned up one day wearing a black singlet/string top which exposed the shoulders but had a suit trousers on and a jacket with her. An email was sent to our floor that morning by the FSC to remind us of the dress code!

Was that girl a fatty? I've worn tanks before at my desk (though not when walking around) and no one has said anything.

********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********

********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********
 

No one cares how many suits you have - as long as you look presentable! In fact if you come in with a different suit for each day of the week - people will scratch their heads.....Hotshot? or Intern... You dont want to come across in the wrong light. 3 suits is suffice! Another pair of shoes wouldnt do any harm though - :-)

Good luck and congrats

 

Thanks! I guess I'll just buy some shirts, ties and another pair of shoes. I'll look into those cedar trees as well. I completely forgot about searching for past posts prior. In my defense, I posted a new one to factor in the credit crisis instead of looking at last summer's peaking markets where the extra cash might've meant extra suits ;).

I also keep hearing about how Century 21 has sharp, reasonably-priced attire. I went to Men's Warehouse and blew ~$700 on one whole outfit with a pair of shoes, two shirts with matching ties. I felt like an idiot shortly after. Is Century 21 as good as others say? Any other similar suggestions?

Finally, I'm completely dense when it comes to matching attire, color coordination with clothes, etc. I usually just rely on friends' advice or the staff of the place I'm shopping. Can someone post some link(s) to shed some light so I can figure this out for myself?

Appreciate all the help.

 

Of course prettyspectacular, I wholly agree that one has to look professional at all times when in the office, but I'm assuming that the OP can already dress smartly, I mean he got the internship. I just think that it is possible to go over-the-top as an intern when it comes to attire and that it shouldn't be priority numero uno. I can imagine at GS there would be extra pressure to look good, but I stand by my assertion that 7 suits would be a bit much.

Haha omg, that's so funny that people were "ushered to the barbers" !!! Classic

 
fp175:
Why does it matter that you are at a BB?

Students on this board are very prestige obsessed.

Also if this stuff about GS is true with haircuts etc. thank God I'm not working there. WTF.

I wasn't trying to imply that my internship was more prestigious than anyone elses. From what I've seen, I know that culture between other firms, let alone other tiers, is very different. Given my limited experience, I wasn't sure if that applied to clothing as well (always dressing professionally versus business casual), so I stated it for clarification.

 

Why don't you write an article for "Preparing a wardrobe for an SA and a new FT hire." These threads keep coming up again and again so it would definitely be helpful. Best of all, you wouldn't get certain un-named people telling interns to blow $7k on a fresh brioni or bespoke.

 

no, but given that you're from the uk (i suspect), your comments provide further evidence that men here in the states are significantly less gay than our british counterparts. someone correct me if i'm wrong, but wouldn't an intern who came to work wearing cufflinks be ridiculed?

 

I like cufflinks. It's nice to be able to throw a little bit of flair into an outfit. No one said it needs to be iced out, but I like elegant understated.

French cuffed shirts are just another shirt.

and yeah, shoe trees, not just normal cedar trees!

Oh, and subdued pinks are really nice. I personally can't wear them, but that isn't to say they should be avoided altogether.

Perhaps keep an extra (clean!) shirt at the office in a drawer for the eventual all-nighters where you have to meet with someone important the next day.

 
Studio27:
Perhaps keep an extra (clean!) shirt at the office in a drawer for the eventual all-nighters where you have to meet with someone important the next day.

Wise words, although in the summer my shirts smell better after an all-nighter than walking a couple blocks and riding the subway to work.

 
YellowLime:
I'm interning at GS this summer and have like 3 suits and one pair of nice dress shoes. I'm going to go shopping for more, but how much more?

Should I get a total of like 7 suits and cycle those throughout the 10 weeks?

Is 2 pairs of dress shoes ok?

How much should I spend considering the pay is around ~14k?

I know this sounds like common sense, but I'd like to hear what experienced monkeys have to say.

I think you should wear all seven suits at the same time, one on top of the other. You realize you won't be wearing suits to work daily right? Unless you're in london or by "goldman" you mean "lehman."

 
ruscal:
YellowLime:
I'm interning at GS this summer and have like 3 suits and one pair of nice dress shoes. I'm going to go shopping for more, but how much more?

Should I get a total of like 7 suits and cycle those throughout the 10 weeks?

Is 2 pairs of dress shoes ok?

How much should I spend considering the pay is around ~14k?

I know this sounds like common sense, but I'd like to hear what experienced monkeys have to say.

I think you should wear all seven suits at the same time, one on top of the other. You realize you won't be wearing suits to work daily right? Unless you're in london or by "goldman" you mean "lehman."

My buddy at GS london is doing an internship there right now, and even on the trading floor he has to wear a suit. I can't say he dresses particularly well, and yet they extanded his internship for another 3 months. Seems like as long as you don't wear polos to work you will be fine.

On another note: READ GQ! Not the print version (the articles suck, and even for a liberal they can get too liberal). Their online website has some articles on how to match shirts and what not. Just don't get too carried away with their stuff, as some of their recommendation are a little too much. At least you will avoid any type of fashion faux-pas, they have simple articles on why you should not wear a white shirt under a dress shirt, or why you should not have a burrito instead of a wallet. Cufflinks are nice, you don't need to wear the bling...


Remember, you will always be a salesman, no matter how fancy your title is. - My ex girlfriend

 
ruscal:
YellowLime:
I'm interning at GS this summer and have like 3 suits and one pair of nice dress shoes. I'm going to go shopping for more, but how much more?

Should I get a total of like 7 suits and cycle those throughout the 10 weeks?

Is 2 pairs of dress shoes ok?

How much should I spend considering the pay is around ~14k?

I know this sounds like common sense, but I'd like to hear what experienced monkeys have to say.

I think you should wear all seven suits at the same time, one on top of the other. You realize you won't be wearing suits to work daily right? Unless you're in london or by "goldman" you mean "lehman."

My buddy at GS london is doing an internship there right now, and even on the trading floor he has to wear a suit. I can't say he dresses particularly well, and yet they extanded his internship for another 3 months. Seems like as long as you don't wear polos to work you will be fine.

On another note: READ GQ! Not the print version (the articles suck, and even for a liberal they can get too liberal). Their online website has some articles on how to match shirts and what not. Just don't get too carried away with their stuff, as some of their recommendation are a little too much. At least you will avoid any type of fashion faux-pas, they have simple articles on why you should not wear a white shirt under a dress shirt, or why you should not have a burrito instead of a wallet. Cufflinks are nice, you don't need to wear the bling...


Remember, you will always be a salesman, no matter how fancy your title is. - My ex girlfriend

 

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