Couture-At-Law: Exquisite Wardrobe Essentials

Now that you have successfully landed the job - thanks in part to your outstanding choice of interview attire- it is time to put thought into building a professional, polished, and sophisticated work wardrobe that will reflect your sound judgment and ESQuisite personal taste. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a law student intern, the key to creating a work wardrobe is to build a foundation using classic, versatile, and functional pieces that will convey the desired image for your workplace.

First to consider is dress code appropriateness. Appropriate attire depends on client interaction and the responsibilities at hand. Take a look around the office to assess the situation. Is the environment über professional or is it business (casual) as usual? If you aren’t quite sure, the rule of thumb is dress up, not down. It is much better to be dressed very professionally, than too casually.

Savvy Shopper-At-Law: Building Your Clerkship Wardrobe 101

So, you are a 1L and you obtained your first clerkship. It is prestigious, but it pays very little. Currently, all of your clothing consists of quirky college t-shirts and worn jeans. So how do you begin creating a work wardrobe on a budget?

Savvy Shopper-At-Law is here to help! With a few core pieces, you can create two weeks worth of working wardrobe choices. Additionally, by choosing these purchases wisely, you can save hundreds of dollars and precious time in the mornings. The following pieces can be combined to create at least two weeks worth of work clothing:

• One skirt suit
• One pant suit
• One cardigan set
• Two blouses
• Two shells
• One cardigan set
• One shift dress

Now, here are the five rules on pairing these pieces to create savvy, successful outfits: 

(1) Make your suits and tops forgettable and make your accessories memorable.

Couture-at-Law: How To Dress for Success on an Interview

Ed. note:  Couture-at-law appears as part of Ms. JD's Writers in Residence publications. Every day we will be featuring content from our WIR's monthly columns. More information about the WIR and the 2010 WIR posts is available here. 

We have all heard the warning: "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." No where is this statement more applicable than when interviewing for a job.  Regardless of how stellar your credentials are, the first judgment a potential employer makes is going to be based on the image you present.  Therefore, you want to wear an outfit that is polished and professional, thus shifting the focus of the interviewer away from your appearance and back to where it belongs - your stellar credentials and accomplishments. With that said, I suggest observing the guidelines below when choosing interview attire.  

• Suit on Mute. The legal profession is, at its core, extremely conservative. With this in mind, choose classic interview suits in solid, muted colors, such as dark greys, navys, or blacks. The suit should also be well tailored, fit comfortably, and be an appropriate length.
• Pant Suit vs. Skirt Suit.  There is still debate as to whether or not a pant suit is the most appropriate choice for an interview. Because the legal profession is so conservative, the best option is still a skirt suit. That’s right, I said it! Sexism, feminism, and all other ‘isms’ temporarily aside, the general rule is that skirt suits convey a more professional, conservative image than do pant suits. While I don’t necessarily agree, I do say that if you want the job, stick to convention and wear the skirt suit. The skirt should be knee-length or slightly above the knee and should drape over the body. If you experience difficulty sitting, walking, or breathing while wearing the skirt, it doesn’t fit.
• The Top Spot. A crisp, white, button-down business shirt is a powerful and sophisticated choice. If you prefer a more feminine silhouette, an appropriate alternative is a solid cami worn underneath the blazer. Regardless of the top you choose, be mindful of the fit- tight, gaping, or revealing tops should be avoided at all costs.
• Shoes Matter. Next, and equally as important to creating a polished and professional overall look, are the shoes!  Choose closed-toe shoes with a moderately high heel, again, in muted colors. Be sure to have your shoes polished or shined prior to the interview.  A potential employer will not be impressed with scuffed, shabby shoes.
• Accessorize Wisely. Go for nondescript, modest jewelry, such as small pearl or diamond earrings, a simple understated necklace, and one ring. You want to grab the interviewer’s attention with your words, not blind her with your bling.

Putting on Heels

While getting ready this morning, I listened to a piece on NPR, Workers Dressing Better To Hold On To Jobs:

The recession is changing the workplace in many ways. Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway says many workers are kicking it up a notch with dressier work clothes and more formal e-mails. Kellaway tells Renee Montagne that's because employees are trying to hold onto their jobs.

Listen to the piece here.

In her Financial Times column, Lucy Callaway has argued in the past that dressing to impress lifts spirits and increases productivity. She advocates for replacing Casual Friday with High Heels Fridays:

I have a friend who has just been appointed to a senior managerial job and her first decision has been to launch High Heels Friday. Early soundings suggest that this is going to be popular with her female staff.

The Interview Suit

Companies like Men’s Wearhouse and Tahari are reporting an upswing in suit sales, particularly for those classic navy or gray pinstripe styles they classify as “interview suits.” Arthur S. Levine, known as the suit king of Seventh Avenue (who now designs a collection of women’s career clothes in a joint venture with Mr. Tahari), said he sold 1.8 million outfits this year, almost 10 percent more than he had expected.

Corporette Roundup

Recent columns and polls at Corporette:

Patterned Tights

Dressing Professionally if You’re Busty

Professional Women and Tattoos

Knee-high Boots in a Professional Capacity?

Is Toe Cleavage Unprofessional?

Over at Women Lawyers Back On Track, there's an interesting post on something I admit I never even considered: is it unprofessional to wear shoes that show "toe cleavage"? As reported by the Memphis Daily News, a group of 16 judges and attorneys met at the Tennessee Supreme Court to discuss a dress code for attorneys. The meeting "included an impromptu modeling of shoes to determine if either pair represented 'cocktail shoes,' and if they did, whether they were inappropriate or disrespectful to the courts. It also included questions about how much arm is too much for a woman to show." The meeting was "the result of some judges being offended by too-short skirts, too much cleavage or too much arm being shown, and running shoes being worn in the courthouse." Judge Kay Robilio stated that "it's not as if sexism is dead" and that a woman's attire can play into the problem: "it’s important for a woman’s message to get through intellectually. And it’s important from my perspective that no one’s attention be diverted from the power of representation, which has to have its credence in a well-reasoned argument.”

The meeting resulted in this proposed dress code: “All attorneys should wear appropriate attire. Men shall wear coats, ties, slacks and appropriate footwear, which does not include athletic shoes or shoes without socks. Women shall wear professional and conservative attire, such as dresses with jackets, suits or pantsuits (with appropriate tops), and appropriate footwear, which does not include cocktail shoes or sandals or athletic shoes.” Nicole Black pointed out that her "favorite part of the rule is that the attire for women is specifically described as 'conservative.' For some reason, men need not dress 'conservatively'. Presumably 1970's style leisure suits would be perfectly appropriate for men to wear court."

Women only attorney-client events

The blog "Above the Law" has this snarky post today about a woman only attorney-client event that centered around designer shoe shopping.

Okay, disclaimer #1: I love shoes. I'm addicted to designer shoes.

Sexy Legal Advertising

By a 2L at NYU School of Law

Back in November, a minor controversy erupted in Boston over an ad placed by Jiwani, a maker of custom-tailored suits, in the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (here is a link through Abovethelaw.com to the picture

Is this ad in the same vein as the Clinique ‘cum’ shot discussed by Frank Herbert in the New York Times (see his October 16, 2006 editorial “Why Aren't We Shocked?” discussing wide-spread misogyny in our society)? Is the woman in this ad a mere sexual plaything?

Lone Skirt in a Sea of Pants

By a Second-Year Law Student

Interview season can be a tough time for 1-Ls. They have white resumes and short transcripts, and they feed on the crumbs left by their 2-L peers. Landing a firm job is a challenge for any 1-L, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other classification.