Closet Constructor: Bullish on Banker Vibes

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Welcome to Closet Constructor, a weekly series where I (a style editor) help you (a well-meaning person who likes clothes) discover new, interesting and affordable ways to really start dressin’.

Disclaimer: This Closet Constructor is not investment advice. Unless we’re talking about your wardrobe.

As you probably guessed by the headline, I’ve recently become fascinated with the concept of — for lack of a better moniker — corporatewear. I’m man enough to admit that much of this intrigue was initially propelled by the return of HBO’s Industry, a coked-up, mile-a-minute drama centered around a cast of traders and bankers at one of London’s elite financial firms.

Banker style has long been lambasted as dull, cookie-cutter and overly tailored (see: this perfect New York Times headline from 2009), but Industry’s cohort of financial advisors look sharp and sexy in their work attire, all Cucinelli contrast-collar shirting and shiny brogues, due in large part to the care creators and known jawns enthusiasts Konrad Kay and Mickey Down put into the costuming.

Konrad Kay and Mickey Down, creators of HBO’s “Industry” and former finance men, provide a sublime example of S&P stolen valor.

Variety via Getty Images

This polished, luxe look is a far cry from the standard office uniform much of corporate America has come to know — what with the bastardized business-casual tech chinos and oversized polos — and beyond the near-universal admiration for the ingenuity of Industry, this alternative has struck a cord with consumers in recent years.

Interest in the ‘fits of financial-facing folk has been swirling in the culture milieu for some time — who could forget the (concerning) TikTok-fueled obsession around Patrick Bateman — and it appears to be gaining traction, presumably spurred on by mass leisurewear fatigue and a gaggle of designers pushing the EBITDA agenda. Shopping platform The RealReal’s Annual Resale Report, released last week, revealed skyrocketing demand for C-suite styles over the past year, sometimes by margins far surpassing 200%.

Obviously, as plenty of folks who partake in the financial sector can attest to, the increased presence of Gordon Gekko-esque tailoring and $50,000 watches in the actual workplace is suspect. But much like the Carhartt-centric workwear movement, the bubbling corporatecore is less about the everyday practicalities that branded Patagonia vests and disguised athleisure provide and more about assuming a sartorial mindset, in this case from a wealth of (predominately fictional) swagged-out stock traders. For the trend-conscious shopper, buying into the bubbling banker trend means investing in the fun bits — the pinstripes, sharp lapels and leather briefcases.

No One Has to Know You’re Wearing Lululemon at the Office

Welcome to the era of covert business causal

Naturally, any movement that includes Savile Row tailoring gets a co-sign from me. That being said, when emulating Wall Street’s finest, it’s important to recognize a few things: You can present as fiscally responsible without being overly pressed, and much like investing in crypto, taking yourself too seriously is a fool’s errand. I can’t imagine that many of you are actually closing billion-dollar mergers, Succession-style, so skip the polished cufflinks and $400 haircut. It’s well and good to “give” board member, but do not act like one.

Similarly, while the modern JPMorgan Chase dress code might be depressingly dull, your Jamie Dimon cosplay need not be. Put stock into (respectable) pieces that showcase your personal style — a pair of devilish derbys from London-based Stefan Cooke, a silk tie from Drake’s that wouldn’t seem out of place on the cover of British GQ. And maybe pick up a couple of shares of InsideHook. (This is a joke. We are not a publicly traded company.)

Enjoy the market close…erm, weekend.