OCI/callbacks/etc Men's Clothing Mega-thread Forum

[quakeroats]

I would never wear anything to a CB but a very nice charcoal or blue suit, white shirt, and nice blue or red tie (striped is fine, but I tend to stick with non-distracting patterns), with lace-up shoes and a matching belt. But my suits and shirts are tailored and slim, my ties are modern, and my shoes are pointy. I don't see the need to dress like someone twice my age. And it worked well for some of the most "stuffy" firms out there.

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[03121202698008]

Light blue shirt with navy or dark-charcoal suit?

[kaiser]

Light blue shirt with navy or dark-charcoal suit?

Of course thats fine. Either one works. Light blue shirts are certainly appropriate for interviews, and they go fine underneath navy and charcoal.

[Pufer]

Pufer,

Is that a self-tar? If so (or, I guess, even if not), what's your stance on facial hair and professional appearance?

It is a self tar, but it's like four years old. Still have the beard, though (indeed, I've not been clean-shaven in about a decade).

It's probably better to be clean-shaved for interviews and for professional purposes in general with current trends. I get the impression that clean-shaven is more important back east than out west, but the bias is definitely present everywhere.

Keeping the beard is a decided risk for me, but it's really just one of those things - unless you're paying me to get rid of it, I'm keeping it. I go ultraconservative even by my own standards in interview attire (my tie is usually a pindot in the same color and shade as my jacket). Additionally, I'm more a government lawyer type anyway, and the feds don't care quite as much.

If you want to buck the safe route too, it's probably best to limit it to either the goatee and mustache or the full beard as those two are conservative enough nowadays that they may hate your facial hair, but they can't get you for both having facial hair and having daring facial hair.

A better route if you're not totally unfortunate looking absent face fur (if you can even still remember what you look like without a beard, unlike me) would be to shave until you have the job, and then show up in a pinstriped suit, lilac shirt, paisley tie, and a ZZ Top beard.

-Pufer

[Bosque]

A better route if you're not totally unfortunate looking absent face fur (if you can even still remember what you look like without a beard, unlike me) would be to shave until you have the job, and then show up in a pinstriped suit, lilac shirt, paisley tie, and a ZZ Top beard.

-Pufer

Funny, I just did about the opposite of this. I had a full beard through OCI, shaved it down to a van dyke (goatee + mustache) as a summer associate, and shaved it all off now that I have the job.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but for me it was intentional. On the one hand, I am pretty young and look pretty young without the beard, so having it tended to lend me some much needed gravitas. On the other hand, I also kept it as a bit of a litmus test for the firms I was interviewing at. I didn't think I would want to work at the kind of place that wouldn't tollerate facial hair, so by sporting it I learned something about the culture of firms who accepted me. Plus, this way I know I can grow it again if I want. I don't think I want to grow back the beard any time soon, but I could.

Of course, as Pufer said, this strategy involves a LOT of risk, so do it at your own peril.

[romothesavior]

I've read the first 60 pages of this thread...I feel embarrased for some of you guys and your posts lol. Like a 20-30 page debate on whether or not button down collars? lol wtf?

The thread is about the details of men's attire. You posted the attire you're planning to wear to OCI in a men's attire thread. If you're completely set on what you're wearing, why did you post it? I pointed out that loafers are not optimal. That's objectively true and common sense. They're casual shoes. Obviously, what's discussed herein is not going to make or break you in an interview.

But you and the long line of posters before you bemoaning the detail-orientation of the thread are just obnoxious. Its purpose is to get at the details and to agree on what's best to wear to an interview. If you're not interested in that discussion, go elsewhere and don't post your planned attire ITT and then lash out at constructive criticism. Also, what the "many recruiting attorneys" you've spoken to say or think really doesn't matter. We're well aware, and it's been readily acknowledged, that many interviewers don't care about what people wear. But some do, and we're thus discussing best practices.

lolz..embarassing

What's embarrassing is that bronte was spot on, and you have nothing legitimate to say. Why are you seeking advice ITT if its "embarrassing?"

Many of the choices debated in this thread are pretty tedious and anal, no doubt. Wearing dark brown shoes, having faint pinstripes in your suit, wearing a green tie, etc. are probably not going to cost you a job. And we've all readily admitted this. But I've also heard of people getting dinged for crazy things like not wearing collar stays. Back in January I saw a kid get lambasted by a managing partner in front of the entire 1L class for his professional attire (which wasn't even that bad). This shit happens. Most people don't care (or even notice) the things we're talking about ITT, but there are some that do, and you should dress in a way that everyone will find appropriate for an interview.

I'm sorry, but loafers are objectively casual. Dark brown shoes or a non-blue/red tie are pretty minor sins in interviews. Loafers? That's actually moderately stupid.

[Patriot1208]

I've read the first 60 pages of this thread...I feel embarrased for some of you guys and your posts lol. Like a 20-30 page debate on whether or not button down collars? lol wtf?

The thread is about the details of men's attire. You posted the attire you're planning to wear to OCI in a men's attire thread. If you're completely set on what you're wearing, why did you post it? I pointed out that loafers are not optimal. That's objectively true and common sense. They're casual shoes. Obviously, what's discussed herein is not going to make or break you in an interview.

But you and the long line of posters before you bemoaning the detail-orientation of the thread are just obnoxious. Its purpose is to get at the details and to agree on what's best to wear to an interview. If you're not interested in that discussion, go elsewhere and don't post your planned attire ITT and then lash out at constructive criticism. Also, what the "many recruiting attorneys" you've spoken to say or think really doesn't matter. We're well aware, and it's been readily acknowledged, that many interviewers don't care about what people wear. But some do, and we're thus discussing best practices.

lolz..embarassing

What's embarrassing is that bronte was spot on, and you have nothing legitimate to say. Why are you seeking advice ITT if its "embarrassing?"

Many of the choices debated in this thread are pretty tedious and anal, no doubt. Wearing dark brown shoes, having faint pinstripes in your suit, wearing a green tie, etc. are probably not going to cost you a job. And we've all readily admitted this. But I've also heard of people getting dinged for crazy things like not wearing collar stays. Back in January I saw a kid get lambasted by a managing partner in front of the entire 1L class for his professional attire (which wasn't even that bad). This shit happens. Most people don't care (or even notice) the things we're talking about ITT, but there are some that do, and you should dress in a way that everyone will find appropriate for an interview.

I'm sorry, but loafers are objectively casual. Dark brown shoes or a non-blue/red tie are pretty minor sins in interviews. Loafers? That's actually moderately stupid.

+1

[lostpike]

Any thoughts on the suits over at Topman.com

Seem to be of the trim cut like the fitzgerald but I wonder if they are a comparable quality.

[Pufer]

Any thoughts on the suits over at Topman.com

Seem to be of the trim cut like the fitzgerald but I wonder if they are a comparable quality.

Never even heard of topman, so hit the various men's style forums for guidance. Appears that it's the menswear section of a group of department stores considered (in combination) to be the slightly more upscale version of H&M (the Target to H&M's Walmart, if you will) over in jolly old England. As H&M suits are generally rubbish, that's not much of an endorsement.

Other than the fact that they both probably technically qualify as suits, nothing at all to do with the Fitzgerald in terms of quality I would guess. H&M is basically low end JC Penney suits in trimmer cuts, so let's say that Topman is Macy's suits in trimmer cuts.

-Pufer

[moandersen]

Pufer -

Is a blue shirt a no-no for OCI? I wore my non-iron white already, and I have another white one (it needs to be ironed), but I would prefer to wear the non-iron blue because it looks sharper. Thoughts? Tomorrow is my busiest OCI day, if that helps at all.

[romothesavior]

Pufer -

Is a blue shirt a no-no for OCI? I wore my non-iron white already, and I have another white one (it needs to be ironed), but I would prefer to wear the non-iron blue because it looks sharper. Thoughts? Tomorrow is my busiest OCI day, if that helps at all.

A light blue shirt is perfectly fine. I wore one today with a charcoal suit and dark red tie. I'm very conservative and I think it looked great. Its certainly not bold if the rest of your attire is conservative.

[AntiHuman]

I've read the first 60 pages of this thread...I feel embarrased for some of you guys and your posts lol. Like a 20-30 page debate on whether or not button down collars? lol wtf?

The thread is about the details of men's attire. You posted the attire you're planning to wear to OCI in a men's attire thread. If you're completely set on what you're wearing, why did you post it? I pointed out that loafers are not optimal. That's objectively true and common sense. They're casual shoes. Obviously, what's discussed herein is not going to make or break you in an interview.

But you and the long line of posters before you bemoaning the detail-orientation of the thread are just obnoxious. Its purpose is to get at the details and to agree on what's best to wear to an interview. If you're not interested in that discussion, go elsewhere and don't post your planned attire ITT and then lash out at constructive criticism. Also, what the "many recruiting attorneys" you've spoken to say or think really doesn't matter. We're well aware, and it's been readily acknowledged, that many interviewers don't care about what people wear. But some do, and we're thus discussing best practices.

lolz..embarassing

What's embarrassing is that bronte was spot on, and you have nothing legitimate to say. Why are you seeking advice ITT if its "embarrassing?"

Many of the choices debated in this thread are pretty tedious and anal, no doubt. Wearing dark brown shoes, having faint pinstripes in your suit, wearing a green tie, etc. are probably not going to cost you a job. And we've all readily admitted this. But I've also heard of people getting dinged for crazy things like not wearing collar stays. Back in January I saw a kid get lambasted by a managing partner in front of the entire 1L class for his professional attire (which wasn't even that bad). This shit happens. Most people don't care (or even notice) the things we're talking about ITT, but there are some that do, and you should dress in a way that everyone will find appropriate for an interview.

I'm sorry, but loafers are objectively casual. Dark brown shoes or a non-blue/red tie are pretty minor sins in interviews. Loafers? That's actually moderately stupid.

I'm saying some of the posts in this thread make me cringe. That is all.

[Bosque]

What's embarrassing is that bronte was spot on, and you have nothing legitimate to say. Why are you seeking advice ITT if its "embarrassing?"

Many of the choices debated in this thread are pretty tedious and anal, no doubt. Wearing dark brown shoes, having faint pinstripes in your suit, wearing a green tie, etc. are probably not going to cost you a job. And we've all readily admitted this. But I've also heard of people getting dinged for crazy things like not wearing collar stays. Back in January I saw a kid get lambasted by a managing partner in front of the entire 1L class for his professional attire (which wasn't even that bad). This shit happens. Most people don't care (or even notice) the things we're talking about ITT, but there are some that do, and you should dress in a way that everyone will find appropriate for an interview.

I'm sorry, but loafers are objectively casual. Dark brown shoes or a non-blue/red tie are pretty minor sins in interviews. Loafers? That's actually moderately stupid.

I'm saying some of the posts in this thread make me cringe. That is all.

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[AntiHuman]

What's embarrassing is that bronte was spot on, and you have nothing legitimate to say. Why are you seeking advice ITT if its "embarrassing?"

Many of the choices debated in this thread are pretty tedious and anal, no doubt. Wearing dark brown shoes, having faint pinstripes in your suit, wearing a green tie, etc. are probably not going to cost you a job. And we've all readily admitted this. But I've also heard of people getting dinged for crazy things like not wearing collar stays. Back in January I saw a kid get lambasted by a managing partner in front of the entire 1L class for his professional attire (which wasn't even that bad). This shit happens. Most people don't care (or even notice) the things we're talking about ITT, but there are some that do, and you should dress in a way that everyone will find appropriate for an interview.

I'm sorry, but loafers are objectively casual. Dark brown shoes or a non-blue/red tie are pretty minor sins in interviews. Loafers? That's actually moderately stupid.

I'm saying some of the posts in this thread make me cringe. That is all.

--ImageRemoved--

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

[beach_terror]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

Come on bro, he's wearing french cuffs, a patterned shirt and is wearing a non blue/red tie. Auto ding.

[NoleinNY]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

Come on bro, he's wearing french cuffs, a patterned shirt and is wearing a non blue/red tie. Auto ding.

Also, who wears peak lapels anymore?

[jkay]

I bet that smug piece of shit is wearing brown wingtips.

[Patriot1208]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

[Emma.]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

Come on bro, he's wearing french cuffs, a patterned shirt and is wearing a non blue/red tie. Auto ding.

Also, who wears peak lapels anymore?

Peak lapels are all class.

[AntiHuman]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

good...i saw 2 professors today that I don't really like wear button down collars. HAHA

[romothesavior]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

good...i saw 2 professors today that I don't really like wear button down collars. HAHA

Cool story bro. I think they get cooler each time you post ITT.

[Patriot1208]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

good...i saw 2 professors today that I don't really like wear button down collars. HAHA

Was this meant to imply that you take your fashion cues from professors?

[Helmholtz]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

This is wrong and stupid.

[Patriot1208]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

This is wrong and stupid.

I mean, I wasn't saying it was a fashion rule. But IMHO they look like shit. Unless you are going hunting or some shit. I'd never wear one to work or when I go out.

[Bosque]

damn that's a nice suit...THANK GOD he isn't wearing button down collar or else his boss might yell at him! O NOEZ!

You shouldn't wear a button down collar ever, anyways. They look like shit.

This is wrong and stupid.

I mean, I wasn't saying it was a fashion rule. But IMHO they look like shit. Unless you are going hunting or some shit. I'd never wear one to work or when I go out.

I don't wear them, but that is more because I don't want to invest in a dress shirt I cannot wear with a suit. My firm id business casual though, so maybe my philosophy will change.

On their own, I think they look fine. I just would never wear them with a suit or a tie. Looks... cluttered to me having the buttons. Plus I don't like the effect it has on the collar shape. Not flattering to my head.