How to Dress for a Banking Job

Co-authored by Alyson Garrido, PCC

Last Updated: March 9, 2024 Fact Checked

Banking is a large industry that employs people in positions ranging from bank tellers to major investment bankers. Attire will vary somewhat depending upon one’s level of employment. But the culture is fairly uniform throughout. Bankers tend to dress professionally, but conservatively, paying close attention to detail and hygiene.

Part 1

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Dressing for the Interview

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Dress at least as well as those employed in your position. If at all possible, you should see how people in the position you are applying for dress on the job. Follow their precedent. Dress at least as well as them. For lower level positions you probably want to even dress a bit better than the standard work attire, though this is not so much the case for higher level positions, because you also want to refrain from being ostentatious.^{[1]
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- It is not common for bank tellers to wear a suit jacket when working. However, if you are interviewing to be a teller, you should. This is also true for women who should wear either a skirt suit or a pantsuit.
- Ask the recruiter about the dress code required for the interview.
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Dress conservatively. Although bankers dress professionally, they are not fashionistas. Dressing in a way that would attract too much attention or make you stand out will work against you.^{[2]
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- One of the most common objections at interviews is smell. Wearing too much perfume or cologne can be a distraction and is frowned upon. Wear little if any.
- Leave the bling at home. Ostentatious watches can create feelings of jealousy. Similarly large, showy jewelry is generally not considered appropriate. Wear something small and simple or nothing at all.
- Don’t try to exploit your sex appeal. It is not considered appropriate to dress in a provocative way. Wear little makeup and stick to shades that are more or less natural.^{[3]
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- Stick to simple patterns, if any. Usually ties, suits, shirts, and dresses of a single, conservative color are best. Refrain from bright colors or complex patterns.
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Clean up. For a banking job you will want to devote less time to finding unique attire than to keeping what you have immaculate. Pay close attention to wrinkles, stains, scuffs, and your own personal hygiene. Banking is about paying attention to detail. Your attire should convey your abilities in that regard.
- Iron everything that you wear to get out wrinkles. If there are any stains or imperfections in your attire, wear something else.
- Shoes matter a lot in the banking world. Have your shoes professionally waxed. If there are scuffs, signs of wear and tear, or if the heels are falling off, buy a new pair.
- Get a professional haircut and manicure. Your hair should be short and you should be clean shaven. Women should have gray hair colored. Wear clear nail polish or none at all.
- Remove body piercings and hide tattoos. These are becoming more acceptable in certain institutions, but until you find out otherwise, assume that they are not considered proper professional attire.^{[4]
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Stick to the standards for men. Men in the banking world are typically expected to wear a handful of items. Usually these items are even expected to be of a standard color. These are as follows:
- Wear a business suit that is gray or navy blue.
- Stick to a blue, green or red silk tie without patterns. The tie should come down to your belt buckle. Do not let it hang below the waist or sit far above it. Stick to a standard knot, like a Windsor.^{[5]
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- The prototypical shirt in the banking world is a long-sleeve white shirt. Light pastel colors are increasingly considered acceptable as well. If you go this route, be sure that it matches with the tie. For more information read how to match colors of a tie, suit, and shirt
- Your pants should be the same color as your suit. Make sure that your pockets are not budging with keys or your wallet. Your socks should be the same color as your pants and your shoes should be the same color as your belt.^{[6]
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Stick to the standards for women. As with men, there are a handful of standard outfits that are worn in banking. Stick closely to the guidelines and you should not have any trouble.
- Wear a skirt suit or pantsuit in navy-blue, black, or gray.
- Stick to a white or light-blue blouse. The blouse should have a high neckline and long sleeves.
- Wear skin colored hosiery. Carry a spare, in case it tears.
- Wear low-heeled closed-toe dress shoes. The shoes should match your belt. A brief case is considered more professional than a handbag.

Part 2

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Dressing for the Job

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1
Read the dress code. Familiarize yourself with your company's dress code and dress for your banking job based on those guidelines. The dress code will give you a good understanding of how you're expected to look and ensure that your wardrobe meets banking and company standards.
- The dress code will make you aware of the minimum requirements of the job. You should also observe your peers and verify that you are dressing in a way consistent with the local norms.
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Ask about casual days. Ask about casual days within the company or bank branch. On casual days it's often appropriate to wear clothes that would otherwise be considered too casual for the banking industry.
- Casual Fridays are not as common as they once were, but they do exist even in high-level investment banks. Barclays has instituted a policy whereby jeans and t-shirts are acceptable on Fridays. Jeans and t-shirts, however, are generally considered too casual even for a casual Friday.^{[7]
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Dress for bank employment by starting with comfortable shoes. You'll be on your feet a lot, so choose shoes that can have inserts placed in them to absorb shock and cushion your feet. Stick to closed-toed, low-heel dress shoes.^{[8]
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You should dress for a bank job neatly, cleanly and conservatively. Iron out any wrinkles, tuck in your shirt and don't wear anything stained or ripped. A client or customer that sees these details will change their opinion about you and your bank for the worse. Mend or replace these items so they don't make you look sloppy or unprofessional.
To look professional at your bank job, eliminate any body modifications like piercings or tattoos from your client's line of sight. Keep ear piercings tasteful or small, remove facial and tongue piercings and cover tattoos with pants or long sleeves while you're at work.
Check shirts and sweaters to ensure that they cover your stomach and midriff without exposing too much cleavage. Be sure that your skirts are an appropriate length for the workplace by not wearing any that don't at least reach your fingertips when your hands are down at your sides. Anything shorter, or with a slit that goes higher, isn't appropriate for work attire.
Most of the details of your attire should vary little from what you wore during your interview. If you are employed as a teller though, you might not be expected to wear a suit jacket once you start on the job. Observe what others in your position wear. For any higher ranking position, assume that you should wear a suit jacket and that your attire should vary little from what you wore during your interview.

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Can I wear white socks with a black suit (as a woman)?

Community Answer

You could, but I would only recommend doing so if your pants are long enough to hide the white color. If you don't, it will be very obvious that your clothes don't quite match. Otherwise you may want to consider wearing flats or heels without socks.

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Do bankers wear jeans?

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It depends on the company's dress code, although most banks do not have dress codes that allow for casual clothing like jeans.

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Can bankers often have creative looking makeup and hair?

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That would depend on the bank you're working for. If it's a cooperative, a funky-style bank, then they might not mind. However, most banks are very conservative and prefer the staff to dress accordingly. Check your bank's clothing policies.

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