Y'all... I am not even kidding when I tell you what I've seen girls wear for on campus interviews at my school. We are talking MINIskirts, red patents pumps with matching red hoop earrings, cleavage, bare legs, etc.
The entire fashion show was about two things: 1) INTERVIEWING and 2) BEING IN COURT.
The times when one most be their MOST conservatively dressed. I stand behind all of the comments that I said in the Above the Law piece. A BigLaw interview or a courtroom is NO PLACE for your red patent pumps. Apparently the red patent pump thing really struck a nerve with a lot of ATL readers, and you all think I am some frumpy grandma with no sense of style who wears a burqa every day. Not the case, at all. However, I DO know, which many people fail to understand, when is the time and the place for the red patent pump (and it's rare, which I also understand). Also - apparently some of you are having a really hard time letting go of your giant hoop earrings.
Let them go ladies, just let them go.
I actually do own a great pair of red patent pumps, which I have worn to the office at my old Chicago law firm. However I wore them with a knee length black suit dress over a white button down shirt with black tights. They are a dark red patent with a round toe and a 2.5 inch heel, which is much lower than I usually wear. They're just a little pop of color in an otherwise boooooring outfit that was totally office appropriate - because I wasn't being interviewed, and I wasn't in court.
I don't know why people seemed to run off in the comments and think that I was saying that there is never a time for ruffles or pink or personality! Because honestly, if you knew me in real life, I'd bet "ruffles" "pink" and "personality" would be three of the first words you'd use to describe me.
I wear pink and ruffles to my law firm ALL THE TIME. But not when I have to go to court (either for my law school clinic or for work). And I never meet with clients at this stage in the game, so that's not an issue for me.
For a beautifully written recap of the article and my current thoughts and feelings about it - read this post that my friend Daisy wrote today. She is dead on. Pay special attention to "The Rules of Being a Female Attorney, according to Daisy." Print it out. Tape it to your closet door. Remember it.
And now, I'd like to get back to the more fun stuff. While I personally hope to spend a lot of time in the court room, MOST attorneys don't spend a lot of time in court or in interviews. You spend your time doing attorney stuff. At a desk. Where you don't talk to clients. Some law firms are super casual, some are not. BigLaw is going to be more formal (I'm assuming - I honestly have no idea. I have never worked at a large firm and do not have any desire to do so anytime in the next 20 years).
I have worked at my current firm since January and have honest to God seen my supervising attorney wear something other than jeans ONE time. ONCE. She wears jeans and tennis shoes and a sweater every single day. No jewelry (not even a wedding ring, even though she's married). No makeup. She's been an attorney at the firm for 20 years, she does not go to court, she does not see clients, and she has earned the right to wear whatever the hell she feels like. More power to her.
So now you're saying "Hey, Legally Fabulous, I get it. But I'm fashionable! and pretty! and smart! and I don't want to have to dress frumpy just because I'm a lawyer!"
I give you my friend Kate as the perfect example. You don't have to dress like a frumpy grandma to be dressed appropriately. (You may be wondering why I didn't show examples of my own outfits. The answer to that is that quite frankly, Kate dresses way cuter than I do).
The rules still apply, and Kate follows them beautifully:
- No gaudy jewelry
- No cleavage
- No skirts or dresses above the knee
- No bare shoulders (even in September! In Texas! when it's hot as hell!)
- Makeup is simple
- Outfits are well-tailored and fit appropriately.
Kate used to work at a mid-size firm in Dallas - if you go back to some of her old posts you can see what she wore back in the fall. Now Kate works for a non-profit. Non-profit = less formal, but NOT less appropriate.
Here are some of my favorites of Kate's work outfits:
From the firm days - A perfect "I have to go to Court today" outfit:
Also from the firm days - For a non-court day:
This is one of my favorite Kate outfits from her firm days - mostly because I wear a black skirt, blouse, and cardigan pretty much every day and loooove this ensemble. And also because I freaking adore ruffles:
And here are a couple of her more recent outfits from the days of the non-profit:
I love this dress:
And I love this blouse/cardi combo - as soon as Land's End Canvas puts out another 20% off coupon, it's mine!
So there you have it - Some examples of how to be a fashionable lady lawyer. Thanks Kate, for being an example for me!
Here is Kate's picture blog, if you want to peruse all of her outfits: http://itakephotosinthebathroom.blogspot.com/
And here is the link to Kate's blog - because she's more than just a pretty face in great clothes! She's smart and funny and you'll love her (I've met her in real life - she's great!). http://elefantitasalegres.blogspot.com/
So there you have it - how to dress like a lovely lady lawyer. As always feel free to spout off in the comments or to send me an email if you have a question/comment - legallyfabulous1@gmail.com
And muchas gracias to Daisy and Kate for letting me steal some of their material!
Seem like pretty simple fashion rules to me. I'll never understand why people seem to have lost all sense of what is appropriate in any given situation. Great pictures.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2010/04/12/so-what-exactly-should-female-attorneys-wear/
ReplyDeleteYou know this doesn't just apply to a law office although I understand why you've got that spin.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of what not to wear and they make such a point of showing women how to be classy, fabulous and individualistic WITHOUT being trashy, slutty, or otherwise innapropriate.
Great post!!
not totally freaking out but I wore my red pumps, hot pink pumps, silver pumps ect to court all summer AND I was not the only one. There were other attornies dressed similarly. Yes we were a littley flash but not the worst. There was an attorney who wore white cowboy boots and hat (umm I live in Boston), a paisley suit ect.
ReplyDeleteAlthough to some extent I agree with the conservative thought process I think its nice to have something to distinguish yourself... but this comment is getting too long. I am gonna blog about it tomorrow.
I thought it was a great article.
I wish they had had this fashion show in the city my law school is in. Some of the stuff I saw walking down those halls was ridiculous. I love a good pair of red patent pumps just as much as the next girl, but the only time I'll wear them to work is if I'm wearing black pants and a boring top, then it's just for a pop of color and all you see is the toes, not the fact that I'm pretty much wearing hooker heels.
ReplyDeleteAt my old work place (not a law firm) you had to wear pantyhose. Everyday. No matter the weather. It drove me nuts. I do admittedly go stocking-less to work, but never on court days, and only if I'm wearing a longer skirt or dress. If it doesn't hit my knee, I won't wear it to the office unless it's with black tights.
Women really do need to be more conservative in the workplace, for lots of reasons. I wish someone had taken the time to tell the girls at my law school that!
I actually surprisingly have similar rules that my friends get frustrated with because as an engineering major I am around boys 24/7 so I cannot wear cleavage bearing things to class and would not wear red stilettos either.
ReplyDeleteHi, I've commented before but I am officially delurking myself to introduce myself-I'm a chicagoan, and a 2L at Michigan State law.
ReplyDeleteSo, um, really, NO pink EVER at court? ever? what about a cami underneath a jacket that covers your entire chest area? (ie: no cleavage showing and only a tiny peek of the pink cami). Do I really HAVE to wear a white shirt under that? I got this sort of ugly-ish (but comfortable) suit from JcPenney from my mom for my birthday, and the only way I have found that it doesn't make me look like a 70 year old lady is to wear a colored cami underneath (and the cami may have a tiny bit of sparkle). The camis I have are straight across (rather than sweetheart neckline), and the jacket covers so much that there is literally maybe 2 inches of pink (or purple) showing.
also, never ever express? even if the skirt makes to the knee and there is no cleavage? they have some cute button-down tops, and also some good suit pants.
this is helpful advice because I, like you, plan on spending lots of time in court and pretty much no time in the office. (I want to be on the prosecution side too!)
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ReplyDeleteLittle Chicago Girl... The comments regarding suiting from Express not only speak to the cut of the suits but the fabric as well. Ideally with formal business suits, you want to look for mostly wool blend... I'd bet you a Buffalo Nickel that most of Express' offerings are polyester, but use your best judgment! You want all of your suit pieces to be tailored and made of high quality fabrics. Check out the sale racks at Banana Republic if you're on a law student budget - I have 2 suits from BR that I bought at the outlets as a baby 1L and I still wear them 5 years later.
ReplyDeleteAlso... I think there's a place for brighter colors in court... I have a pink shell that is 100% silk and I believe I've worn it with a plain black suit and classic black pumps to court before. It's not a "statement top" - but more of a pop of color under a very, very conservative suit. BUT NO SPARKLES. Rhinestones and/or sequins should NOT appear in your professional wardrobe. I have a jacket that has some silvery thread woven through it and I wore it once to work when I had not meetings with clients or courts scheduled and we had a firm sponsored cocktail event after work.
i wouldn't sweat the feedback- ATL commenters are always snarky.
ReplyDeletebut one thing that i was thinking, maybe its regional. being southern myself, i know our culture loves bright vibrant colors. i've been to court and i've seen defense counsel show up in a lime green suit jacket during a capital murder trial. she did tone it down with a black pencil skirt and black pumps. i didn't find it out of line and no one made any negative comments.
oh, but one thing i was going to add... when there's not any guidelines, some people just don't know when to stop! for example, during exams people just show up in whatever they feel like- pajamas, too tight pants with VPL... whatever. its like you're looking at peopleofwalmart.com!
ReplyDeleteSince I disagree I posted as a response: http://www.beingagrownupblows.com/2010/04/fashion-police.html
ReplyDeleteI think you have great advice, I just respectfully disagree. :-)
Thanks for chiming in Kate -
ReplyDeletelittlechicagogirl - nowhere did anyone say no pink at court. I think a pink camisole or button down under a dark suit is fine for court. Should you probably stick with a paler pink instead of an electric bright pink? Of course. I'd say pretty much ANY color is okay under a dark suit, as long as it fits properly, is buttoned to an appropriate button (no cleavage), and if it is a button down that you make sure it doesn't gape at the buttons (like Daisy said, double stick tape is your friend when wearing a button down).
The other side of the coin: Does anyone think that most (young) male attorneys want to dress the way they do? Or is it that they feel they must? How would the Mohawk I'd like to sport go over? What if I went without a coat or without a tie?
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is a big difference in styles and options for the two genders, but truth be told, male attorneys typically are wearing a "uniform."
On a lighter note: I recall that the Navajo Nation’s Rules required men to wear either a coat and tie, or traditional garb. Under the doctrine of expressio exclusio, I took that to mean pants were not required.
I agree with Legally Fabulous 100%. I work in research for a large hospital and therefore dress conservative (I work with doctors and our corporate sponsors). My fiance is a lawyer. he comes home telling me these horror stories about what women and men wear to court and to meet clients in. He was raised by his single mother so it is not like he is some raging anti feminist trying to get women back into the kitchen. There are times to wear fun clothing and there are times that it is just not appropriate. No matter what sex you are.
ReplyDeleteI'm so on your side here. Feministe was nasty for no good reason, and clearly they are not lawyers. This is a very conservative profession, and, even if it were not conservative, it is still a PROFESSION. Not a job. So we dress professionally.
ReplyDeleteSome of the rules for court/interviews should generally apply to everyone regardless. Especially the "wear things that fit you" idea - not too tight (must still be able to sit, bend, & generally move without busting a seam or muffin top) and not too loose because really who wants to look like a shapeless blob? Nobody.
And OF COURSE there is a time and place for patent red pumps. DUH. But an interview ain't it. At least not in the legal profession. Biggest Pet Peeve: ladymags that show you how to dress professionally for creative-type jobs. Just as all chick-flick stars work in magazines and advertising and art galleries, apparently all ladymag readers do too. Sheesh.
After reading this blog and Daisy's on this subject, I agree and disagree with different aspects of women's workplace attire. However, the main point that I think needs to be stressed is we, as women attorneys or in other professions, need to fight against the male-imposed standards of the work place. They were imposed at a time where women were not held as equals. Today we absolutely SHOULD be held as equals. And this notion of women's workplace attire is just one of the aspects in which we are not equal. We should not have to dress so as to ensure that men aren't distracted by our bodies. If they're distracted, it is their fault, not ours. And if their distraction helps me win my case, then so much the better.
ReplyDeleteDress conservatively, use your common sense. But do so under the rules and dictum of THIS day and age. Not 1950. For the last 30 years, women have come a long way in the workplace. However, there still needs to be change. We should not just lie down and accept the male-imposed standards and say "one day, they'll change, but for now you have to follow them." Instead CHANGE THEM NOW!!
I loved it!
ReplyDeleteI think one big thing that people need to keep in mind is that it varies regionally and by your individual workplace.
But you are right...you don't have to look like a nun or a shrew, but you certainly ought not look like a naughty lady lawyer centerfold, either. Use some common sense!
And I had to add my biggest pet peeve...women who wear cheap polyester button down shirts that are way too tight across the chest to the point that I can see the color and fabric of your bra, along with the fact that you have a leftover tan line from your latest vacation.
ReplyDeleteGross. And totally inappropriate for ANY (well, maybe not any...) work place.
In case you hadn't heard about this blog, I think she has great advice on what to wear around the office.
ReplyDeletehttp://corporette.com/2010/04/13/what-not-to-wear-chicago-bar-style/
@Amie, what are you talking about? Jill is clearly a lawyer.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. Delurking to say I agree totally. I'd add the following rules: 1) never show your toes, and 2) no muffin tops.
ReplyDeleteEvery female law student who wants to run with the big dogs needs to read "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office." Carry on!
There's a whole lot of gray area between dressing like a street hooker and dressing like a 1950s church maiden though.
ReplyDeleteAt least there should be. No hate on Kate for posting those pictures, but seriously, we SHOULD be beyond that kind of outfits in 2010.
Generally I agree, but the comments about dressing conservatively so as not to tempt the men in the office are of the super-offensive, "girls don't dress too slutty or you'll get raped" variety. There are a lot of good reasons to dress conservatively at work, but worrying about men's self-control is not one of them. They are grown-ups; they should be able to take care of that on their own.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, "don't temp the men" is a very very bad reason.
ReplyDeleteI'm french, I live in Paris and I work in big law firm. Since it's appropriate to the season, to my day (client or not client)and to a work place (even on friday in a french law firm, jeans aren't really tolerate) I wear what I want. I don't let men or women tell me what to wear.
And yes sometimes I wear a cleavage or red pumps. And so what ? I don't look like a slut and men haven't lost their self control yet !
I like this blog and I love the shoes in this blog thanks for sharing this blog
ReplyDeleteI am fashion and shoes lover
I love Fashion and shoes in shoes i like
ReplyDeletelong boots that gives me style and trens
she's a braggart
ReplyDelete