In 2017 a new uniform emerged for men employed by the financial industry: fleece/ puffer vests, dress shirts, slacks, and dress shoes. The unadorned look was first documented by the Instagram account Midtownuniform, and it became the signature outfit of “finance bros.” Finance bros are the latest “corporate subculture” to come out of Wall Street, but they are far less fashionable than previous corporate subcultures like Yuppies. 

On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by delineating the elements of finance bro fashion before speculating where trends in casualization might lead things. They then note that “quants” (quantitative analysts) have even lower professional standards for their appearance. Amongst other things they discuss how finance bro fashion began to bleed into politics in the 2020s, how finance bros fueled the “bowl slop” trend in fast casual dining, and how the vulgarity of Finance Bros was depicted on Succession. 

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Four lads in jeans meme

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Recorded on 9/22/2025