Practice Management

Here is my take. If a law student wants to wear a tight blouse that shows off her tramp stamp when she bends over, then so be it. We old, white men gatekeepers of the bar have little else to lighten up our pitiful little lives. I live to be distracted, not that I want my daughter to dress that way for work, but that is a different story.

That was the reason that I found it interesting when the Chicago Bar Association held a What Not To Wear Fashion Show with ?guest judges and fashion industry experts? to critique law students selections for ?professional attire.?

First, I always understood that it is better to speak in positive terms than negative terms. For example, you do not want to tell your kids to not have a car wreck when they go out, as you want to tell them to drive safely. So, why are we promoting what is bad dress as opposed to what is good dress for lawyers.

I have a lawyer friend that refers to the ladies clothing department at most stores as the "sporting goods department". Sure he is a horn dog, but he is not referring to a loose fitting woman's business suit.

Besides, who are we to tell lawyers not to shop at Express, to wear tights, to wear flats and suits with a lot of slack, little jewelry, minimal makeup, no pony-tails, no open toe shoes, dark nail polish, not to wear your engagement ring, not to show your arms, and never to wear pink? We are not the Taliban. The powdered wig section of the bar does not get to tell us how to dress.

Sure, I understand it is about image and image is important. But, we all saw Legally Blond. Everybody dressing like a drone is not always the way either. It is one thing to dress to impress, but to have a bunch of old fuddy-duddies tell young law students and lawyers how to dress to depress is not good either.

My advice is to be reasonable, but be yourself. And, never, ever listen to the Chicago Bar Association on how to dress.