1) My schedule is usually jam-packed, so on any given day I have several back-to-back appointments and events that each call for distinctly different looks, and so I need my wardrobe to be able to make that transition with me throughout the day.
2) Even a day of classes is also a networking event of sorts in grad school; my classmates and professors are all going to be my future colleagues when I graduate, so I want to make sure even my day-to-day classroom look is polished.
3) I am one of the youngest people in my class, but I don't want to be thought of that way. Most of my classmates have had careers before coming back to school; many of them also have spouses and families. No matter how old you are, looking sloppy is always going to give off an air of being immature and even a little irresponsible, so by taking my appearance seriously, I think it helps others take me seriously as well.
Basically, I've put together 5 basic looks that together cover pretty much the whole range of situations I might be thrown into on any given day.
Look #1: Day-to-Day
This is the look that I would wear to class or to the library. I also need this look to be able to go out for a casual after-class drink or a coffee or lunch date.
So this is something I might typically wear to class. The dark skinny jeans are from J.Crew, the silk shirt is by Merona, and the cropped cardigan is also from J.Crew. This outfit is comfortable and casual, which makes it ideal for long days in the library, but still interesting and stylish enough to be a step up from what I might wear to the gym. At this point in my life, there's something that just rubs me the wrong way about people rolling into class in whatever they slept in the night before. I feel like you should be able to carve out the 15 minutes it takes to put together something half decent-looking each morning; otherwise, do I really want to hire you as my lawyer? Here's a close-up of the print on the shirt:
I like how the cardigan pulls out the small amount of red in the shirt. I also have this outfit paired with black flats, by Rocket Dog. Flats are necessary because I do a lot of walking around campus. In a colder month, I'd probably wear this outfit with the jeans tucked into flat knee-high boots. Another important aspect of this outfit is its ability to transition (I'll talk some more about this later). If I swap out the flats for heels, lose the big bag in favor of a black clutch, and take my hair out of the ponytail, I'm ready to go out for a drink!
The heels are red patent leather slingbacks by Guess and the clutch is by Jessica McClintock. I could either keep the cardigan on or take it off, depending on what the weather is doing.
Look #2: Business Formal
This is the look I would wear to a job interview or a school event requiring "courtroom attire," like our oral argument competition recently held at City Hall. I purchased my first ever suit this year for summer internship interviewing, and have since added two more suits to my wardrobe that I'll be wearing to the kick-ass summer internship that I eventually landed :).
So, the legal profession has some weird rules about what is "appropriate." Generally speaking, for an interview situation, you're supposed to dress as conservatively as possible. That means either a black, navy, or grey suit and a button-down shirt. In the above picture, I'm wearing a navy suit from Ann Taylor (I also have the matching skirt), a Ralph Lauren button-down (blue and white striped, it's hard to tell from the picture), and black Nine West pumps. Interestingly, what's considered most conservative for female attorneys is a skirt suit. Go figure.
This would be another example of something that I might wear to work (although not necessarily on an interview, depending on what type of place I was interviewing for). This brown suit is by Jones New York (also three pieces), the houndstooth shell is by Liz Claiborne, and the brown crocodile shoes are by Nine West.
Look #3: Business Casual
This look is somewhere between Looks #1 and #2. Personally, I hate the term "business casual" because I think it's uselessly ambiguous; if you asked 10 different people what they considered to be "business casual" attire, you would get 10 completely different answers. I might wear this look to meet with a faculty mentor or to attend a networking fair/event, or out to dinner with my parents. Also, depending on the atmosphere, I might wear something like this to work on a day I knew I wouldn't need to be in court (you always need a suit for court).
I am slightly in love with this outfit, especially the Chanel-esque sweater (I'm a sucker for anything reminiscent of Chanel). This super cute navy and white piece with gold buttons is actually from H&M, and was a total steal. The navy skirt is from NY & Company, the red slingbacks are the same as earlier, from Guess, and I have this look paired with a simple white camisole.
This is another take on the same look. The dress is from Target, the shoes are a brand called XOXO, and I've just accessorized with a vintage gold bangle. I would definitely pair a cardigan with this look too. Even though the colors of the dress are very bright and un-law-ish (we lawyers are apparently expected to be super boring), the fact that the plaid print is such a traditional one I think makes it do-able, especially with a solid cardigan.
Look #4: Out on the Town
This is the look that was easiest to transition from undergrad to grad. Going to school in NYC, there was a lot of emphasis placed on your "going out" look because half the student body was under the impression that they were perpetually headed to a Marc Jacobs runway show. Anyway, the nighttime look is crucial in law school because everything, and I do mean everything, revolves around happy hours. Every student organization, the local Bar Association, and the school itself all host happy hours; generally, there will be at least one per week. I often try to make this look transition from Looks #1 or #3 [like in the second picture in the post] if the happy hour is on a weeknight, and just hop from the library to the bar (my life is wildly exciting). If I have the chance to actually go home and change, I might wear something like this:
You can't go wrong with black! The sequin-banded skirt and the big black chandelier earrings are from H&M, the plain black tank is from Old Navy, the black patent leather pumps are by Jessica Simpson, the black clutch is by Jessica McClintock, and the silver chain bracelet is actually a necklace wrapped around a few extra times.
Another look...This navy jersey dress is from H&M, the pink pumps are from Nine West and the clutch is from NY & Company. My favorite part of this outfit is the peacock feather clip from Urban Outfitters. It's a really pretty touch that makes the whole outfit just look a little dressier. I could wear this simple comfy dress to class with flats or sandals and a little jacket or cardigan and then switch out to these accessories for a dinner date or a happy hour.
Look #5: Sophisticated Evening
This look is the least frequently used in my arsenal but extremely important in its own right. I have now been to 3 different semi-formal/formal functions surrounding my law school career, and just like every other function connected to law school, it's really just a networking event disguised in cocktail party clothing. The events I've been to thus far have had judges and prominent local attorneys in attendance, and so a look for that evening needs to be slightly different than what I might normally pick out for my sorority formal in undergrad. I think one of the most important forms of dressing for every woman to master, regardless of her career path or lifestyle, is how to dress for a formal occasion in a way that makes her look elegant, powerful, feminine, and classic all at once. I am an adamant believer that true feminism is not necessarily being able to claw your way to the top of a male-dominated profession by being "one of the boys," but to do so while still retaining her femininity. However, it is a huge challenge to find that center line between an outfit that is too showy and sexy (and has everyone wondering whose date you are, instead of which firm you're from) and one that is too dowdy, matronly, or worse, manly (i.e. 90% of the suits you've ever seen Hillary Clinton wear), which makes me feel like I've had to sacrifice being a woman in order to be taken seriously.
This dress, by Kenar, has some beautiful, feminine details, like the ruffles at the neckline and the tiered hemline. I also love the deep purple color, and the back of the dress:
However, I think the dress has a professional presence to it because the color is not too flashy, the hem is long enough, and the neckline is high. Here, I have it paired with pearl earrings and a pearl bracelet, and nude patent leather pumps by Steve Madden (seriously, these shoes might be the most comfortable pair I've ever owned).
Other essentials:
Pearls:
I think every woman should have at least one strand of pearls in her jewelry box, real or faux (as long as they're well-made). Putting on a strand of pearls instantly polishes any outfit, and can be a simple way to transition a look for different occasions. In terms of the transitional look, I've spent the last 9 months commuting to school about an hour in each direction, so once I came into the city for the day, I was staying there until everything I had to do was accomplished. That frequently meant making sure I was appropriately attired for a day's worth of events, meetings, and social events. The experience has made me a huge fan of tiny touches that can have transform an outfit, like a piece of jewelry or a cardigan, but can be safely tucked away in a bag or locker until it's time to dress up or down. A pearl necklace is often just the ticket. A set of pearl studs, or very short dangle earrings, is also a must-have for the same reasons.
(http://www.advicesisters.net/uploaded_images/pearls-703061.jpg)
A Trenchcoat:
There comes a time in every girls life where she needs to ditch the vinyl windbreaker and upgrade to something a little more chic. I can think of very few things I feel to be as timeless and effortlessly fashionable as a really great trench. The key to doing it right is in the tailoring; the length of the sleeves, the length of the coat itself, tie-waist v. belted, the placement of the vents in the back, the style of the collar- all of these things will differ based on your build and height. My trench, pictured below, is by Coach. Tan is obviously the "traditional" color for a trench (although I am definitely in the market for a black one now!), but the lining is a really beautiful peachy coral which gives it a little something special. Along the same lines, a pair of neutral rainboots, in black or dark brown, are also a good idea for anyone who commutes in the city, like me. I am a huge fan of bright colors and normally would jump at the chance to pick a pair of wacky, crazy boots (case in point: my old pair which were hot pink), but the legal profession is a bit too staid for that apparently, so I'll be updating those soon.
THE Bag:
I have been known to blow an entire summer's income on a really lust-inspiring bag. More than once. I know, it's terrible. But a bag is another easy way of changing the whole look of an outfit without changing anything else. However, now that I'm a burgeoning professional, I needed a "work bag." Before beginning my search, I made a list of functions I needed this miracle bag to be able to handle: large enough to fit my laptop but slim enough that I wouldn't be taking people out with it as I walked down the sidewalk, lots of organizational elements but not too heavy and weighted down to make for comfortable carrying, and neutral enough to appear professional and match with any outfit but cute enough that it wouldn't make me want to hurl just looking at it. Clearly, I need this bag to work as hard as I'll be doing. I highly recommend making a list like this to anyone on the hunt for a work-friendly bag because I struck pay dirt in the very first store I visited- I was able to tell the saleswoman exactly what I was looking for so she was able to show me bags that would serve all my needs. My bag is pictured below. It has a nice zippered center section for my laptop, as well as two side compartments with different pockets for my cell phone, writing implements, wallet, etc. Also important: there is a zippered back panel for anything I might want/need to have with me but don't want to run the risk of having it accidentally fly out of my bag as I take out paperwork or something.
such style and poise is only matched by Jackie O. LBK is a flashionista (patent pending) in the classroom, courtroom, and bar!!
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