What do you wear?

[mcbreck]

17 years ago when I got into this field everyone wore a suit every day. About 5 years ago I went out and visited almost 200 attorneys over the course of a year and only two were wearing ties (one was a very country attorney and the other had literally just been in court). What do you wear to the office these days?

I stopped in and saw an Ed Jones rep recently and he was wearing a suit. The financial planner who's office is in my brothers building wears shorts on nice day!

Do you see yourself getting more or less casual in your attire over the next 5-10 years?

[Trent]

In the winter 4 days a week I still get rigged up- suit and tie but on Fridays we have business casual which is always nice. I am in the the desert southwest so in the summertime a suit is just out of the question so we have business casual every day if the high is 90 or above which it is for about 5 months of the year.

[finplanning]

Steve,

I think it is a sad commentary on our society that so many attorneys do not ware suits. I still have a tie on every day. I do not care if it's 100 degrees.

You may think this is crazy but give it a try. Put on a suit & tie and go to the mall and see how people treat to you. Ten days later put on a golf shirt and slacks and do the same. That will tell you all you will ever need to know.

You will be looked at more with a suit & tie. You will get more respect. This is no joke I have tried it.


Jamie

[ManINaSuit]

*cough*

[RIA, CPA, CFP]

I wear a suit M-TH with Fri casual.

[RIA, CPA, CFP]

...and leather on Sat while riding my hog

[dan]

Any 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' fans here? There's a great scene in an episode where an attorney dresses down for casual Friday, and loses an important prospective client because of it.

Having said that, I think the whole suit & tie deal is overused. I've transitioned from suits/ties to slacks/button-down shirts over the past few years, and I guarantee that my relationship with clients and prospective clients hasn't changed a bit. I understand that there are some prospective clients that might actually care, but to be honest, I probably wouldn't want such a person as a client.

- DDB

[Lucullus]

If you believe that wearing a suit makes you look more professional, then, by all means, wear a suit.

A great deal of my work is done for clients whom I've never met in person. I spend a lot of time crunching numbers, talking with clients on the phone, or doing web-based presentations. In those instances, I am, in the summer, usually wearing shorts, a T-shirt and sandals, and working on my deck.

For some reason, those clients who know all that (because they heard the birds chirping and asked me why they heard birds chirping) aren't bothered at all - except with envy that they can't get away with working like this.

I don't disparage dressing in a suit. I wear a suit to Estate Planning Council meetings and to every INITIAL meeting with a client.

Do what works for you.

John Olsen

[ManINaSuit]

Tom Gau says:

"Always look professional. This may sound obvious, but many planners wear short-sleeved shirts, jeans, etc., because they think they'll look more "low-key" and this will help them bond with the prospect. Look professional! If that means that you have to wear a gray suit all the time, then do it. If you want to generate credibility and respect from your clients, especially older clients, dress conservatively. Even a small detail such as a loud tie or scarf could indicate to clients that you deal with higher-risk investments rather than traditional conservative investments. For more on this topic, read the book Dress For Success."

I wonder if my clients think I'm too aggressive and risky because I drive a muscle car? hmmmm

[ManINaSuit]

An example of how a suit can help increase credibility. If you were to misspell "wear" and were not wearing a suit people may suspect you have not yet mastered the English language. However, have a suit on and misspell wear and they think it was a typo. Don't underestimate the power of a suit!

*Disclosure: I am long suit stocks in my portfolio.

[zuke342]

Suits 5 days a week. Even on a 100+ degree day with 98% humidity in St. Louis.

We have casual Monday and Friday, but you never know who you're going to bump into.

I walk in every meeting looking like a 29 year old. The last thing I need is for a client to think I'm underdressed. Overdressed I can live with.

[sscapmgmt]

ManINaSuit = Funny!!! Now, THAT made me laugh!

[Zek, The Grand Nagus]

I wear a suit at all first contact meetings.

After that, I will continue to wear a suit, unless I feel like I'm substantially overdressing what the client is wearing.

I have a client, who is an attorney, in a significant part of downtown, who dresses like a total slob (beat up jeans & ugly shirt), and says he respects me a lot more when I lose the tie, and get more comfortable.

It really depends on the situation.

Ron

[ManINaSuit]

What if you actually have 2 meetings that day though and one is a suit aficionado? Do you change into a suit after meeting with the "slob"?

[kyfa2000]

An interesting perspective on attire

http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/01/16/why-i-dont-wear-a-suit-and-cant-figure-out-why-anyone-does/

[ManINaSuit]

Whoa. The guy wore 2 polyester suits and white polo button downs that he had purchased used from a re-sale shop, and a couple ties that he had bought on sale or had gotten as hand me downs from friends.

For 7 years! P U!

And he was expecting that to help?

[mcbreck]

Ever notice that whenever someone shows a banker in a show or commercial - they always dress them in a (cheap) suit? 9x out of 10 they are making fun of him as being stodgy and old style.

Walking through the mall and projecting some high level of importance that demands respect isn't for me. My clients are contract tech workers who wear Polo's to work or real estate rehabbers / developers and their workers. The absolute last thing I want is to be lumped in with old stereotypes. I'm comfortable, meeting with me is comfortable and easy going. If we have lunch, it isn't going to be all business. If I'm walking through their job site, I'm not the idiot in a suit. I am NEVER to important or busy to be called with simple questions.

I'm in khakis, shirt and tie with a sport coat added if I'm visiting the client. I don't think I've EVER been out dressed by a client or prospect. Wearing a suit projects a statement - not the one I want to project.

[kyfa2000]

He is now on Forbes list. I don't think hee needs much help.

[nedbenz]

MWF suits, tues and thursdays dresses or nice pantsuits and always high heels. The tues and thurs prospects are transgender days.

[kyfa2000]

Waaaaayyyyyy TMI, Ned

[winterqqqq]

ManINaSuit wrote:

> An example of how a suit can help increase credibility. If you
> were to misspell "wear" and were not wearing a suit people may
> suspect you have not yet mastered the English language.
> However, have a suit on and misspell wear and they think it was
> a typo.

Depends. I don't think this theory applies if you are wearing a leisure suit.

Dennis

[radams]

I have one suit, dark blue. But I always wear a tie except for Fridays. And then I will if I'm meeting a newbie. I have a stable of sport coats and blazers, but here in florida usually just carry them or leave them on the hanger.

I completely agree with the posters comments on the mall experience. There is no doubt in my mind that you get preferential notice if not actual service with a coat and tie.

[Fee-Only Guy]

I havea thought about this issue both ways. I basically wear a suit on the first meeting but after that I might just wear the shirt and tie w/ slacks. One thing I've thought of but don't quite know how to ask, is direcctly asking the client if they care what I wear. Some clients that I have felt very comfortable with I've asked and they all say they don't care. Sometimes if the client or prospect needs to meet on the weekend, I will say that weekends are fine as long as they don't mind that I dress casually. The response is always that they don't care. Perhaps they are lying or being polite. I don't know, but I doubt anyone would say that they expect me in a suit. That just seems ridiculous. I personally wouldn't care if my advisor wore a suit or not after I got to know him.

On the flip side, I do enjoy wearing suits, at least when my weight is down and I look good in them.

[centurion]

I wear what my clients wear. This is a casual city, so very few professionals wear suits or ties. In fact, the ones who do really stand out ~ and not in a good way.

I do have a few clients from the "old school" who dress up and when I have appointments with them, I mirror their wardrobe.

All of the above applies to existing clients. There is still the question of how to make a good first impression for prospects. But in this locale, the odds favor slacks and shirt only.

[PPICCOLI]

What to wear depends SO MUCH on who you are seeing. If your client is a younger person, you can get away with business casual, or brighter colors in a shirt or tie. If the client is a boomer, or older than that-I feel they want you in a tie, especially in your office!!

Here's the thing. Why take a chance? Loosen your tie and remove your jacket for comfort, but tighten the tie and put on the jacket before greeting the client.

[jason]

Suit M thru Thurs. Casual on Fridays, In summer Golf Shirts with company logo and sport coat.

[PPICCOLI]

Steve Roberts wrote:

> 17 years ago when I got into this field everyone wore a suit
> every day. About 5 years ago I went out and visited almost 200
> attorneys over the course of a year and only two were wearing
> ties (one was a very country attorney and the other had
> literally just been in court). What do you wear to the office
> these days?
>
> I stopped in and saw an Ed Jones rep recently and he was
> wearing a suit. The financial planner who's office is in my
> brothers building wears shorts on nice day!
>
> Do you see yourself getting more or less casual in your attire
> over the next 5-10 years?

[rholm]

It all depends on what and how you feel or think about your clients.
If you feel or think that they deserve a casually dressed person then fine.
When in Rome.
However, somewhere you have to determime how you feel/think about yourself and your PROFESSION!

[Dave38]

Hey ManINaSuit,

I understand the class you speak of;
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxCGpDrCzKU[/url]

Some just have it....

(and yes... I *DO* get similar responsiveness at the mall! ;~)

[davetime1]

Yes indeed Aztec! oh yeah baby!....I wear a suit to work daily and have a day just like that many times! lol...

I really think my professional state of mind is complete with my Armani suit, with my silk tie and my Allen Edmunds black wingtips.

[ManINaSuit]

thats too funny!