Investment Banking Dress Code: Men

Bottom line: always wear a full suit to an interview.  I suggest going out and getting at least one good suit, you’ll need it.  You never want to be dressed too casual, you will never get dinged for being over-dressed.  I’ll give you suggestions on what types of suits and where to find them.

Looking good for your interview really does make a difference, so you don’t want to look sloppy.  In other environments it isn’t as important, BUT for investment banking, appearances do matter, so look sharp

Budgeting and What to Buy: If you are starting your full-time career I would recommend budgeting for $2,000-$4,000 in clothes.  If you are just a summer analyst you can obviously get by with less but it never hurts having suites.  By far the suits will be the most expensive part of your purchase; I would budget for $400-$1,000 for a nice suit.  Don’t get a suit with crazy pin-strips or patters, try looking for a nice Black, Gray, or Navy Blue suit.

I would recommend buying at least 2 suits, 4-8 dress shirts, 2 shoes (one black and one brown), 3+ ties, 12+ dress socks, 3+ dress slacks and 2 belts (one black and one brown).

My recommendations: I have gone through thousands of dollars worth of clothes since I’ve been on Wall Street, I know which products are durable and what looks good.

Other interesting articles: