Ready to get dressed for Day 1, but not Week 1 of yourq new job? Not a surprise, because very few guys dress like they're in Finance before they join the team. But it's time to step up because first impressions matter. Poorly-fitting or inappropriate dre put you at a disadvantage vs. your better-dressed peers. Here's the good news: you're about to learn how to look the part of a successful senior banker.
We looked at what top executives at S&P 500 banks and brokerage houses wear in their annual report photos. Here's what we found
Almost all the executives went with basic solid shirts. This is much more conservative than the overall market, where a significant percentage of dress shirts are checks, stripes, and plaids, but solids are still the most common. (BTW, our Market index includes 40,000 dress shirts from 14 top brands, available at The Wardrobe Essentialist)
Takeaway: Solids lend more credibility and gravitas to your look.
Almost ⅔ of the executives wore white shirts, and the balance went with blue. Only one outlier who chose pink. Again, you'll see a lot more color choices in the marketplace. Blue is the #1 color, with light purple and pink almost as popular as white, but these work better for other teams.
Takeaway: White is a classic staple that's right for any formal meeting.
Most Finance executives keep things traditional with 78% choosing spread collars. The balance break out with 13% point collars, 6% sporting bolder cutaway collars. Only 3% going with more informal button downs. Again, they’re more formal than the marketplace, where 15% of collars are button down.
Takeaway: spread collars are the clear choice for finance.
In conclusion, when you’re building your wardrobe for Finance, you can’t go wrong with white and light blue spread collar shirts that fit you well.
Still dreading shopping for your first week? Join 90% of men in America! Most men grit their teeth and go to a store, where they waste hours getting an "okay" solution. Walking back to the parking lot, they wonder if they're walking past something even better, but they just don't have the energy to go on.
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