Dressing for Women Professionals
The law has always been a profession that values and weighs the look that lawyers present to the public. At some point in the past, lawyers became synonymous with white wigs and floor length black robes. This is no longer the case in most countries, but the emphasis on appearance has certainly not been diminished. Lawyers today present an image to clients of professionalism and competence through their choice of professional attire. Clients remain convinced that lawyers are knowledgeable and capable if they are in suits rather than jeans and t-shirts. The same is said for law firms as well. A floor of staff in business wear communicate to the clients that the firm is serious and dedicated to their profession. By wearing professional attire, employees are meeting the standard that the employers and the clients expect.
The professional attire dress code in law firms remains largely consistent throughout firms . Women are required to present a conservative and formal look that suggests professionalism. Traditionally women wear pant suits, dress suits, and business skirts. This is slowly changing as more informality becomes acceptable such as casual Fridays or opening up the dress code. But for now, it is safe not to assume that your firm will allow you to come to work dressed in a t-shirt and and jeans. It is important to also ensure that your choice of professional attire is appropriate to the functions of your position. If you are working as part of a team taking depositions, it would be inappropriate to wear a dress while the other team members wear pants suits probably.
It might also be helpful to learn about the professional dress codes in other professional places, such as banks or accountants. It might be wise to show the same level of professionalism and formality that these occupations do to suggest confidence in your abilities.
Wearing Formal Attire
A traditional dress code for women in law firms typically falls into the category of "business professional" or "professional business attire." This is more conservative than the "business casual" dress code where there is more leeway with meaning and interpretation. Women in law firms are expected to wear conservative suits in dark or neutral colors often paired with heels. Although the color of the suit may vary, most law firms frown on very bright or pastel colors. There are some suit styles that are becoming rather popular amongst women including fitted dresses with a blazer, and the business pantsuit. The traditional pantsuit for women consists of a fitted blazer with a tailored pant. The fabric should be polyester or other blends that give a great fit without being too form fitting. The pant style can be tapered at the ankles, or wide leg. Avoid wearing denim or pants that resemble denim. Avoid any pants that have rips in them, are frayed, or are not clean and free of stains. Professional blouses and tops should be worn under a suit jacket or blazer. Long sleeved tops should be worn to cover the arms. Short sleeved tops are appropriate but see through tops are not preferred. Law firms also frown upon wearing tops that expose the back, or have low cut neck lines. Dresses are also appropriate business attire in law firms. Women are expected to wear closed toe shoes in natural colors. Bright shoes and very high heels are not appropriate. Shoes with open toes are frowned upon in larger law firms. Close toe shoes are suggested.
Professional Garb for Women
When dressing for success in a law firm environment, women often feel pressured to comply with the relatively strict dress codes of their firms regardless of their personal style. For those with a more natural inclination towards the conservative or formal ends of the spectrum, this can be less of an issue. But there are plenty of others out there who may feel they have to choose between dressing like a professional and dressing like themselves. The good news is that you don’t have to take all the personality out of your outfits just because the dress code tends to be more buttoned up. Incorporating elements of your own individual flair into your daily ensembles can be as simple as adding a few key pieces.
Accessories – When you can’t go bold with color or pattern for the sake of professionalism, taking small risks with accessories is an excellent way to keep things interesting. Bright, colorful or patterned scarves can add a pop to any crisp shirt and pant or skirt combination, bringing some fun into an otherwise straightforward look. When working with a classic black dress suit, don’t overlook the power of a colorful or patterned statement necklace. Another chic way to incorporate your unique style into your law firm wardrobe is to add a funky ring or other unexpected piece of jewelry to an otherwise formal ensemble.
Colors – Color choices can be a bit tricky in the legal industry. While most firms balk at hiring an attorney who regularly wears loud colors like neon shades or even just bright reds, at the same time pushing the envelope with colors in subtle ways can help you stand out among the monochrome crowd. For instance, choosing subtle, muted shades like pastels rather than more severe hues like black or bright white is likely to be acceptable while still being interesting. On the safe side of the color spectrum, patterns can help to jazz up the most conservative outfit. Even a classical pinstripe suit can be made fresh and on trend by wearing a trendy pattern like dots or a geometric design underneath with a button up shirt.
Trends – While there’s nothing wrong with dressing within the confines of your firm’s dress code, many workplaces allow for a few subtle nods to popular trends. Incorporate these trends using the proper fabrics and colors without going over the top. Classic tweed cropped trousers are chic whether you wear them in a strict black and white or opt for something a little more visual interest using colors or abstract tweed patterns on a grey background. Adding the occasional slight off-the-shoulder blouse where appropriate or mixing prints with stripes can be perfect ways to work the latest trends into your professional looks.
Female Fashion and Professionalism
In addition to basic style choices, women can be mindful about how their dress code compliance is influenced by seasonal considerations. Generally, a shift from summer to fall is a pretty low-maintenance wardrobe transition, as long as you are equipped with a strategic layering system. Winter usually brings new warmth challenges, but gives you the reward of the extra-breathable comfort style as well as modern leather unlined and perfed styles. In the warmer months, fabric renovation may be needed.
The most obvious seasonal issue for women is the difference in fabric weight. In the summer, the lightweight fabric may become sheerer, to the point where it may no longer meet the dress code. In the fall, the waffle- or honeycomb-pattern fabrics are very on trend but also offer some breathability. In the winter, in addition to the leather and perfed items mentioned earlier, CG Commercial’s brands, such as E. J. Samuel, offer many high-quality wool suiting options with seasonal patterns.
As warmer months break, it is not just the fabric weight that may need to be revisited, but it’s also the need to review your seasonal colors. The winning combo from a color perspective can be pairing lighter colored blazers with darker colored pants, skirts, blouses and dresses. This method also opens up flexibility for mid-season transition; you can coordinate a new blazer with last year’s all black performance fabric suiting .
Beyond fabrics, seasons create a multitude of style rules. Some are optional, some are strict. Regarding footwear, wear winter boots in winter, summer sandals in summer, black tights only in winter and spring, nude or brown tights only in summer, spring and fall (meaning those fall and winter colors, patterns and textures won’t have to wait until next year). It’s a good idea to be aware of local preferences within the seasons. Some counties and courts have their own temperates (for example, the Central District of California, Southern District of New York and Kansas differ by county). Others are more flexible or stricter than the color patterns themselves (for example, Raleigh-St. Andrews). For example, when the New York City temperature might be 65 degrees, the Southern District of New York is still at 55 degrees. The NYC bar wanted to establish a uniform code and tried to mandate that black or dark blue tights were to be worn all year. Several fashion outlets commented on this stating that wearing dark colors in the heat is more uncomfortable than wearing lighter ones. Women attending the bars were given their pink tiny pamphlet version of the uniform code. During discussions about it, one prominent attorney defended it by stating, "By God, whatever you put on my woman will be tasteful."
Dress Code Disparities
When a violation occurs, it is usually very clear. For example, if a woman shows up at work without a blouse or top of some sort, and HR has not blessed that attire as appropriate, there is no ambiguity. However, HR still must exercise discretion in addressing the violation. It is particularly important to be sensitive to any potential cultural issues. Is the employee from a culture that does not require certain clothing items? Has the employee make an effort to wear some form of the disallowed item? Remember, there is a difference between "not my style" and "there is a construction site nearby and I don’t own any safety shoes."
In the end, when in doubt use common sense, and err on the side of treating women the way you would like to see a new female attorney treated if she arrived at the door in inappropriate attire.
Attitudes Towards Gender Issues in Dress Codes
Gender perceptions play a key role in dress code evolution and enforcement in the workplace. It is common for women to struggle to make the same sartorial choices as male counterparts. While the boys club enjoyed decades of privilege, women were expected to maintain a dressier effeminate appearance. Heels, pantyhose, and blouses took the place of sneakers, jeans, and hoodies while women silently swallowed the sexism and did their best to navigate the discriminatory trends. Historically, gender barriers existed that are still present today. Compounding the issue, attorneys are not immune to the effect of these restrictions. Women have been a driving force behind recent developments in gender equality, working diligently to combat the gender discrimination that has plagued the profession for years. Most commonly, women are judged according to body type, and appropriate attire can differ based on the shape one’s body. For example, an hourglass figure may be allowed to dress more revealingly than someone with a pear shape. Similarly, color may help someone pass through security when a tight dress fails to provide sufficient cover. While similar issues arise for men, gender biases dictate how women are judged. Though women are on the frontlines of establishing new freedoms , men still benefit from an age-old double standard. The same rules do not apply to men as they do to women. Despite improvements, women in leadership positions are still fighting to climb the ranks of highly exclusive clubs. When attending social functions, a woman may choose to wear a cocktail dress or skirt because it is widely accepted that players are expected to wear black tie. Unfortunately, the dress code evolves with the trend, and women are still expected to follow a conservative dress code, while men are free to wear shorts and sneakers to play golf and attend sporting events. While the aim of gender equality is to point out the unreasonable practices that have perpetuated a system of inequality based on gender, businesses and employees still tend to favor one gender over another. To combat the harmful effects of the double standard, efforts should be made to create a dress code that is gender-neutral. Employees should not feel obligated to wear clothes dictated by home office, and such rules should not apply only to one sex. If employers and employees want to create a better workplace, they need to come to the table as equals and demand that the double standard be abolished.