THE DEAL OFFERS A PRIMER FOR THE MBA ON BUSINESS CASUAL

Red Alert: Men, No Chest Hair and Women, Reveal No More than the Collarbone

September 7, 2000--New York, N.Y.--In days gone by, dressing for an interview or the office meant a standard code to the MBA student, but today this is no longer the case. Business Casual dress, one of Wall Street's newest perks, has thrown a curve ball at the new recruits, who are left to blindly interpret their new executive look.

Recognizing the increasingly troublesome dressing dilemma, The Deal developed a primer on the do's and don'ts of when to sport Business Casual or Traditional Business by consulting with retailers, graduate school career counselors and MBA students entering their second year. The following findings are detailed in "I Don't Know What to Wear," an article featured in Recruiting Tomorrow's Dealmakers, a special report appearing September 7 in The Daily Deal (www.thedailydeal.com).

The Deal's Business Casual Primer

Casual dress was found to be appropriate for a day in the office, but less so when meeting with clients. As a general rule, pants and skirts must be crisply pressed and should be tailored i.e. not too tight or baggy. Jeans, logo-laden or frayed clothing should be left in the closet for the weekend.

Men
Trousers in a range of fabrics from tropical weight wool to corduroy, no jeans or high-waters.

A cashmere or wool pullover sweater can replace a suit jacket, but must be work with a collared shirt. Vests can be worn over a buttoned-downed shirt by the more adventurous.

Women
Sweater sets are an alternative to the suit jacket, but are generally not acceptable for client meetings.

Boots are acceptable with calf-length skirts or slacks; however such shoes as stilettos, mules or open-toed shoes are not considered appropriate.

Slacks paired with sweaters or colorful silk blouses are back in popularity this fall.

The Deal's Traditional Business Primer for Interviewees

The Deal recommends sticking to classic business suits for times when a first impression can jump-start or squash your career. Traditional suits in neutral shades of black, navy and charcoal gray puts both men and women on a similar professional fashion playing field and leaves guess work behind.

Men

Standard white or blue-checked, button-down shirts and conservative ties are best.

Shoes that are the most practical are lace-ups with a toe cap or a plain one.

Women
Skirt suits should be worn instead of pantsuits, with hems that are knee-length or longer.

Shoes considered appropriate for the interview are classic pumps, sling backs, t-straps with moderate heels.

About The Deal LLC
The Deal, LLC is the leading media company charting the deal economy for dealmakers worldwide. The company provides original news reporting, financial data and commentary on a full spectrum of global transactions and the personalities and politics of dealmakers behind the deals. Through The Daily Deal and TheDeal.com, as well as e-newsletters, newsletters and special reports, The Deal, LLC addresses the information needs of the deal community composed of corporate executives, entrepreneurs, institutional investors, financial intermediaries and advisers. Investors in The Deal, LLC, a privately held company, include majority owner U.S. Equity Partners, a private investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and Rustic Canyon Ventures, one of the largest venture capital funds in Southern California.