Analyst Wardrobe

DorianGrey

I'm certain you can get Semi-Bespoke shoes made for your feet for under £500. While they may have standardised designs they are still an improvement. I don't have a reference for you at the moment, as I looked into it two years ago and don't have the time to dig any up (impending exams :frown:

). But if anyone was interesed I'm sure they could find something with a little help from google...

What do you mean by semi-bespoke? Most shoemakers have three levels:

•

standard models you buy and walk away with;

•

an option to have a shoe made with any fabric they use, in any style they do, on any of their lasts - great if you want something specific and they do a last that fits you, but there's nothing made to measure or fitted to you here, you have to choose one of their lasts;

•

bespoke, where you'll have your own last made to the dimensions of your feet, and usually any fabric and style you care to mention.

I wouldn't call the middle option semi-bespoke, as to me that implies at the least a shoe that's made to your measurements. However in shoemaking, that's the expensive bit. Making shoes on a last is time consuming in itself, hence why good shoes are expensive, but building a last to fit a customer takes a particularly long time and a lot of skill.

At most shoemakers I've seen the first option can be anywhere from £150 to ~£600, the second option usually adds ~£150-300 to the price of their ready-to-wear options, and bespoke is in the thousands.

Reply 582

MaxMaxMax

Drogue

What do you mean by semi-bespoke? Most shoemakers have three levels:

•

standard models you buy and walk away with;

•

an option to have a shoe made with any fabric they use, in any style they do, on any of their lasts - great if you want something specific and they do a last that fits you, but there's nothing made to measure or fitted to you here, you have to choose one of their lasts;

•

bespoke, where you'll have your own last made to the dimensions of your feet, and usually any fabric and style you care to mention.

I wouldn't call the middle option semi-bespoke, as to me that implies at the least a shoe that's made to your measurements. However in shoemaking, that's the expensive bit. Making shoes on a last is time consuming in itself, hence why good shoes are expensive, but building a last to fit a customer takes a particularly long time and a lot of skill.

At most shoemakers I've seen the first option can be anywhere from £150 to ~£600, the second option usually adds ~£150-300 to the price of their ready-to-wear options, and bespoke is in the thousands.

Are bespoke shoes more for people with abnormally-shaped feet? I've seen some John Lobb bespoke shoes and they don't look as good as some other ready-to-wear shoes I've seen

Reply 583

jakezg

I think some of the stuff thats been branded around here is a bit too traditional/ boring and old school for me. I am a very big fan of looking sharp, with a well fitting suit and shoes high priority, but there is no way I'm going to buy some of those painful traditional and old man shoes. You can look stylish and sharp at the same time,( and by that im not talking about a skinny suit and winkle-pickers to work) but you can at least have some youthful style.

You can, but then I wonder what you've dismissed as traditional and boring. For example, brogues are very much in at the moment and seem to have been picked up by lots of designers this year. Not really my style personally, but I'd have considered that one of the more old-fashioned styles until this.

If by youthful style you mean shoes with ultra-thin soles and square toes, then I and most city workers would see them simply as crap, rather than as 'youthful style'. Shoes like that aren't well made and don't last.

Having said that, there are definitely more youthful, fun, well-made shoes. I have a pair of burgundy/purple wholecuts made by Cheaney for Paul Smith Japan for example, that go surprisingly well with navy and grey suits yet and being wholecuts are a formal style, but they're definitely a lot more interesting than plain black Oxfords.

As for suits, you'll get a far more flamboyant suit going bespoke than you'll ever find off the peg. Flamboyant suits don't sell well in shops, hence they tend not to carry too many, yet for bespoke that doesn't matter, so you can have weird and wacky fabrics in whatever design you want. Not my thing, but I know people do it.

DorianGrey

I agree. I think Hugo Boss have some pretty sleek and sharp numbers on both counts.

Though they overcharge hugely. Both Boss suits and shoes are bog standard quality sold for much more, and they tend to wear and go shiny very quickly. They're often held up as examples of what not to do.

Reply 584

MaxMaxMax

Are bespoke shoes more for people with abnormally-shaped feet? I've seen some John Lobb bespoke shoes and they don't look as good as some other ready-to-wear shoes I've seen

Nope, they're for anyone with the money who wants shoes that fit perfectly. I'm shocked if you've seen a bad pair of JL bespoke, as they're usually held up as the pinnacle of bespoke.

NB: JL bespoke and JL RTW are two different companies, as one was sold. I forget which way round it went. They're both usually thought to be truly top-notch shoemakers.

Reply 585

MaxMaxMax

Drogue

Nope, they're for anyone with the money who wants shoes that fit perfectly. I'm shocked if you've seen a bad pair of JL bespoke, as they're usually held up as the pinnacle of bespoke.

NB: JL bespoke and JL RTW are two different companies, as one was sold. I forget which way round it went. They're both usually thought to be truly top-notch shoemakers.

I think the picture I saw was of some rather clumpy-looking bespoke John Lobbs, I guess they can do any style of shoe though

Reply 586

fitzmanon

I know this topic is about analyst wardrobe but I was wondering how much an intern in corporate banking (so not M&A) should put for a suit.

I don't want to look like fancy if all the interns have crappy suits and I'll be more than happy if I don't have to pay more than 100€ for a new suit (I have already 1 OK suit and 1 totally crappy suit and I intend to get one more).

Anything that's all wool and fits well, in grey or navy, should be fine. You can spend what you want depending on the quality you want. For not spending too much, you're probably best off at M&S. You'll probably have to spend £200 or so, but you might be able to keep it lower.

fitzmanon

How many ties too?

If you're going to be wearing them everyday, I'd probably get 4 or 5 a sa minimum.

Reply 587

MaxMaxMax

I think the picture I saw was of some rather clumpy-looking bespoke John Lobbs, I guess they can do any style of shoe though

Oh, if you mean a bad design, that's hardly their fault! They'll make whatever the customer wants. It's like blaming a tailor for using an ugly fabric on a bespoke suit.

Reply 588

DorianGrey

Drogue

What do you mean by semi-bespoke?

Custom fit, made to fit your feet. The ones I saw used a computer scan of your feet to determine the material cuts, but the styles were standardised. They were machine measured, but hand made. Not a bad compromise for the price.

Reply 589

ish90an

10

LoZEr

For tech? http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/second-hand-clothes/485279

Spoiler

Reply 590

paddy

14

LoZEr

For tech? http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/second-hand-clothes/485279

You just made me spit coffee on my laptop. I hope you're proud :yy:

Reply 591

Nimiza

fitzmanon

I know this topic is about analyst wardrobe but I was wondering how much an intern in corporate banking (so not M&A) should put for a suit.

I don't want to look like fancy if all the interns have crappy suits and I'll be more than happy if I don't have to pay more than 100€ for a new suit (I have already 1 OK suit and 1 totally crappy suit and I intend to get one more).

How many ties too?

Sorry for hijacking the thread.

They're paying you, so don't be afraid to spend it. If all the other interns have crappy suits then it's all the more reason to have a good suit as you'll instantly look more professional.

Remember, they're seeing how good a fit you are to the team. If you are wearing ill-fitting and cheap suits (anything sub-200) then you instantly give off a vibe of being out of place and naive.

Don't underestimate how much image counts.

Reply 592

RobbieC

Drogue

You're missing a digit - a pair of decent bespoke shoes will set you back not much over £2000. Bespoke shoes may well be worth it, as fit is so crucial with shoes, and you will get a spectacular pair, however they're a very expensive thing to buy.

Sadly there isn't that much outside sales. The shoes sold in places like Charles Tyrwhitt are very good - Cheaney and Crockett & Jones - but tend to be around £200 at full price. Barker are around £130, and still decent, but a noticeable drop in quality. Same going down to Loake. The best value I've seen is either buying seconds from factory shops at ~£100-150 for Church's, Crockett & Jones, Cheaney, Grenson, etc., or finding them in sales at places like CT or even John Lewis. If you know your size and shape well enough not to need to try them on, buying online can be a way to get cheap, good quality shoes, from places like www.herringshoes.co.uk and www.pediwear.co.uk, but I'd only recommend this if you're very comfortable with sizing.

I don't want to be funny, but is there something wrong with wearing shoes bought at a high st. shop like Clarkes? Is there some taboo about how you'll never be promoted and will be the subject of bullying circles if your shoes cost less than £50?

I don't know, it just seems otherworldly, the way a lot of people discuss things on here.

Reply 593

JakeF

RobbieC

I don't want to be funny, but is there something wrong with wearing shoes bought at a high st. shop like Clarkes? Is there some taboo about how you'll never be promoted and will be the subject of bullying circles if your shoes cost less than £50?

I don't know, it just seems otherworldly, the way a lot of people discuss things on here.

Clarks, Im sorry, but you must either be 9 years old, dressed by your mother, or a 50 year old dressed by your wife.

Please dont ever ask such absurd questions again. Clarks?! I cant even believe you asked that. Seriously. Im in shock. What next? Kickers with the leather tag still left on?

Reply 594

RobbieC

JakeF

Clarks, Im sorry, but you must either be 9 years old, dressed by your mother, or a 50 year old dressed by your wife.

Please dont ever ask such absurd questions again. Clarks?! I cant even believe you asked that. Seriously. Im in shock. What next? Kickers with the leather tag still left on?

I assume you are 9, but simply object to your mother dressing you, based on that response. :h:

Reply 595

loggins

17

At the end of the day, if expensive stuff isn't important to you, then it isn't important to you, but aside from the materialistic side of spending, I genuinely believe that if you buy twice you buy cheap. A pair of Clarks shoes might last you a couple of years, while a pair of Church's could last you a decade if you look after them. The same goes for all sorts of other things, a Rolex watch, a Burberry Trench, a Hermes briefcase, they're all expensive, but will last you the rest of your life and never go out of fashion. But then most people aren't that fussed about these issues..

Reply 596

JakeF

RobbieC

I assume you are 9, but simply object to your mother dressing you, based on that response. :h:

Interesting... yet kinda lame response?

My mother takes me shopping to Adams, Tesco and Matalan. I love the generic brown tees and Cherokee jeans she buys me. Makes me feel really swish.

Ah ****.

Reply 597

RobbieC

loggins

At the end of the day, if expensive stuff isn't important to you, then it isn't important to you, but aside from the materialistic side of spending, I genuinely believe that if you buy twice you buy cheap. A pair of Clarks shoes might last you a couple of years, while a pair of Church's could last you a decade if you look after them. The same goes for all sorts of other things, a Rolex watch, a Burberry Trench, a Hermes briefcase, they're all expensive, but will last you the rest of your life and never go out of fashion. But then most people aren't that fussed about these issues..

Yeah, I am happy to buy expensive if someone can speak from experience that they are some sturdy *******.

I know what you mean about cheap things falling apart, but I am looking for the optimum really, without breaking the bank I guess. I am not super vain, but I can appreciate nice things and good quality.

I am quite a large creature... any shoes with tank armour so they don't dissolve beneath my mass? :awesome:

Reply 598

JakeF