You can stick to plain formal shirts and trousers. Black and white is a safe colour combination, but any non-flashy colour works, really. Matching socks and plain formal shoes. No need to wear branded clothes unless you are at least a PA, when peer pressure and client expectations may require you to invest more clothes. Even then, stick to sober colours as much as possible. Get a plain decent watch with metal/leather strap. A lot of people prefer analog, though I go for digital myself. Keep a couple of ties handy for sudden client meetings, you need not wear it throughout the day. If the office AC is too much for you, you may consider leaving a formal jacket/coat behind at work for regular use.
Don't listen to average Joes instead invest heavily in your attire and always dress fancy because first impression is the last. If you're pleasent looking your life will become much much easier.
• Get 2 pair of suits made, a charcoal one and navy blue one as they are most versatile. Remember to spend good amount of money in suits and make sure the fitting is perfect. I personally would suggest you to go to Raymond and tailor make your suits, after you make the big bucks you can switch to luxury brands. For now Raymond will do. Remember fitting is the key, be very minute with the details. Style your lapels according to your width and height. Brands are secondary but fitting is primarily and will decide how you look. • Buy a decently priced analog watch, digital watches make you look juvenile. I personally would suggest you to get a metal strap because they are more versatile but if you have the money go for leather watches because they look good. You can start with Seiko, Fossil or Hilfiger and you can upgrade it over the years. • Invest in a good quality cologne. My personal favourite is Dior Sauvage and Davidoff Cool water for the summers but if you don't have that kind of money you can go for Titan Skinn, Rasasi, Zara or even Club de Nuit. Don't go for a cheap cologne because they smell too artificial. • Buy 3,4 pairs of shirts. I personally like to wear only white shirts but you can buy beige, powder blue and even light pink shirts. Also, if possible tailor your shirts too and get French Cuffs. They look good and a good pair of cufflinks will elevate your style like no other. Only wear tailored pants. Black, navy blue and steel grey are the only colours of pants you should wear. • Buy exquisite ties, remember ties will always elevate your style and so invest in good quality silk ties and make sure to wear them daily. Don't buy too flashy ties at the end of the day you're a lawyer so dress accordingly. • Lastly, match your belts and shoes. Always buy leather because they look good. Invest heavily on shoes and belts because they will last a lifetime. Buy Oxfords, brown and black are the only colours to follow. Don't buy tan and don't wear Brogues or Monk Staps. You're in a formal setting so dress accordingly.
I think these are the absolute basics to keep in mind. There are many more things you can do to elevate your style but that's for another day and because you're an associate I am not explaining to you what to wear in parties.
PS: Dress impeccably but don't garner attention and always remember less is more.
Fantastic advice for the snazzy dresser! You sound like one stylish gent. But what's an estimated budget for all this and is there any way to do this on the cheap for those who haven't yet started at a T1 and don't have the means?
An anticipated budget for the aforesaid necessities would be between Rs. 35k and Rs. 40k. This is primarily due to the price of suits and timepieces.
Yes, you definitely can build a wardrobe in a much lesser budget.
• So, if I were on a tighter budget, I'd definitely ditch one suit and keep only one. A navy blue three-piece suit will suffice. Also, our local tailor shops frequently have good quality materials at a lower price. So, if you look around a little, you should be able to find one. In addition, I recommend watching a YouTube video or two about fittings so that you can properly assist your tailor. • Secondly, ready-made shirts and pants are available for purchase online. Online shopping sites like Myntra and Amazon always have some sort of discount/offer going on. As a result, you may acquire Peter England and Allen Solly shirts for a bargain. Then take your shirts to your local tailor and get them altered. Though the margin of change will vary, it usually works and will save you money. • Ties and cufflinks can be purchased online because they are often less priced. The same is true for watches; In Myntra, Hilfiger, and Fossil watches are available at significantly lower prices. Just keep an eye on them. • If you want a perfume that is less expensive than Titan Skinn or Rasasi, I recommend Ajmal Perfumes or your local attar store, but keep in mind that attars are complicated and can be overwhelming. Always bring a friend/lady with you to help you navigate. In addition, I would purchase a softer attar with citrus or lavendar undertones. They're not as heavy as musk or wood. • Belts can be purchased online for a reasonable price. Shoes can be hard; I think Hush Puppies and Mochi will suffice, but if you want even more affordable options, I recommend Khadims and Bata. Furthermore, simply conduct a search in your local market. It will take some time, but you will be able to find reasonably priced shoes of decent quality.
If you keep all of these factors in mind, you may easily cut the cost to Rs.15k to Rs.25k. A good suit will still cost a lot of money, but it's money well spent in my opinion. Cheap suits are obnoxious, and it's best not to wear them. I would recommend investing in a high-quality suit that will last a lifetime if properly cared for.
PS: I apologise for the grammar and spelling errors in my previous comment. I was exhausted at that time and hence, didn't bother much.
Sad that this is still a reality! Specially after times when people have worked in shorts for a year or more with no dips in work quality and in parallel other industries going easy on all of the pretense, as long as you look presentable, anything works. Polos and chinos should be just as acceptable lol. The facade is so pointless, the job's does not involve any of this flamboyance, it's plain old dry playing around with words jeez
It isn't pretentious to take care of oneself and dress nicely. When you dress nicely, you demonstrate to the rest of the world that you care about yourself and that your life is in order. As a client, I would want my lawyer to dress nicely; if he dresses with attention, it suggests he takes himself seriously, which means he will treat my work seriously as well. Moreover, a well made suit is similar to modern day armour in that it makes you feel better about yourself. Furthermore, it requires discipline to get up on time, shave, and then dress nice, which, as I already stated, shows that your life is in order. We often dress nicely for a date or a party in order to look our best. Why not do it on a daily basis? Why not strive to be our best every day? My grandfather used to dress immaculately every day when I was a kid, as if to show us that he was ready for anything. He was extremely proud of his work and the way he handled himself. It had a lasting impression on me, and I now link "dressing nicely" with discipline. It's not a matter of pretense; rather, it's a matter of taste, confidence, and habit.
Brands really do not matter, fitting and how you carry yourselves. At any point of time, i am not carrying more than 12000 worth of accessories (including blazer, tie, watch and shoes). I sit in big negotiations and I m an asset for the firm.
He has made his career and now comments here. You are nowhere close to doing that as a student, and you still comment and criticise here. So that would make you the fool, not him.
Hi, it will be my first tier 1 internship. Are interns only allowed to wear black and white formal in corporate law firms? Can i wear formal suit of any other colour? Is a blazer or tie mandatory? Also, are there any other outfit related aspects that firms are particular about?
Can anyone shed some light on the dress code that corp associates are expected to follow while staring out in a t1? I know it's supposed to be formals, but what exactly is preferred generally? Do light checks and stripes be alright? Also what about lighter shades of colours like green, pink, blue and red.
I know the question above might sound stupid, but please help!
only formals or blazers ?
• Get 2 pair of suits made, a charcoal one and navy blue one as they are most versatile. Remember to spend good amount of money in suits and make sure the fitting is perfect. I personally would suggest you to go to Raymond and tailor make your suits, after you make the big bucks you can switch to luxury brands. For now Raymond will do. Remember fitting is the key, be very minute with the details. Style your lapels according to your width and height. Brands are secondary but fitting is primarily and will decide how you look.
• Buy a decently priced analog watch, digital watches make you look juvenile. I personally would suggest you to get a metal strap because they are more versatile but if you have the money go for leather watches because they look good. You can start with Seiko, Fossil or Hilfiger and you can upgrade it over the years.
• Invest in a good quality cologne. My personal favourite is Dior Sauvage and Davidoff Cool water for the summers but if you don't have that kind of money you can go for Titan Skinn, Rasasi, Zara or even Club de Nuit. Don't go for a cheap cologne because they smell too artificial.
• Buy 3,4 pairs of shirts. I personally like to wear only white shirts but you can buy beige, powder blue and even light pink shirts. Also, if possible tailor your shirts too and get French Cuffs. They look good and a good pair of cufflinks will elevate your style like no other. Only wear tailored pants. Black, navy blue and steel grey are the only colours of pants you should wear.
• Buy exquisite ties, remember ties will always elevate your style and so invest in good quality silk ties and make sure to wear them daily. Don't buy too flashy ties at the end of the day you're a lawyer so dress accordingly.
• Lastly, match your belts and shoes. Always buy leather because they look good. Invest heavily on shoes and belts because they will last a lifetime. Buy Oxfords, brown and black are the only colours to follow. Don't buy tan and don't wear Brogues or Monk Staps. You're in a formal setting so dress accordingly.
I think these are the absolute basics to keep in mind. There are many more things you can do to elevate your style but that's for another day and because you're an associate I am not explaining to you what to wear in parties.
PS: Dress impeccably but don't garner attention and always remember less is more.
Yes, you definitely can build a wardrobe in a much lesser budget.
• So, if I were on a tighter budget, I'd definitely ditch one suit and keep only one. A navy blue three-piece suit will suffice. Also, our local tailor shops frequently have good quality materials at a lower price. So, if you look around a little, you should be able to find one. In addition, I recommend watching a YouTube video or two about fittings so that you can properly assist your tailor.
• Secondly, ready-made shirts and pants are available for purchase online. Online shopping sites like Myntra and Amazon always have some sort of discount/offer going on. As a result, you may acquire Peter England and Allen Solly shirts for a bargain. Then take your shirts to your local tailor and get them altered. Though the margin of change will vary, it usually works and will save you money.
• Ties and cufflinks can be purchased online because they are often less priced. The same is true for watches; In Myntra, Hilfiger, and Fossil watches are available at significantly lower prices. Just keep an eye on them.
• If you want a perfume that is less expensive than Titan Skinn or Rasasi, I recommend Ajmal Perfumes or your local attar store, but keep in mind that attars are complicated and can be overwhelming. Always bring a friend/lady with you to help you navigate. In addition, I would purchase a softer attar with citrus or lavendar undertones. They're not as heavy as musk or wood.
• Belts can be purchased online for a reasonable price. Shoes can be hard; I think Hush Puppies and Mochi will suffice, but if you want even more affordable options, I recommend Khadims and Bata. Furthermore, simply conduct a search in your local market. It will take some time, but you will be able to find reasonably priced shoes of decent quality.
If you keep all of these factors in mind, you may easily cut the cost to Rs.15k to Rs.25k. A good suit will still cost a lot of money, but it's money well spent in my opinion. Cheap suits are obnoxious, and it's best not to wear them. I would recommend investing in a high-quality suit that will last a lifetime if properly cared for.
PS: I apologise for the grammar and spelling errors in my previous comment. I was exhausted at that time and hence, didn't bother much.
Moreover, a well made suit is similar to modern day armour in that it makes you feel better about yourself. Furthermore, it requires discipline to get up on time, shave, and then dress nice, which, as I already stated, shows that your life is in order. We often dress nicely for a date or a party in order to look our best. Why not do it on a daily basis? Why not strive to be our best every day?
My grandfather used to dress immaculately every day when I was a kid, as if to show us that he was ready for anything. He was extremely proud of his work and the way he handled himself. It had a lasting impression on me, and I now link "dressing nicely" with discipline. It's not a matter of pretense; rather, it's a matter of taste, confidence, and habit.
Are interns only allowed to wear black and white formal in corporate law firms? Can i wear formal suit of any other colour? Is a blazer or tie mandatory?
Also, are there any other outfit related aspects that firms are particular about?
I know the question above might sound stupid, but please help!