The contest to win a Love Quotes scarf has ended, but you can still help Corporette nail down the differences in regional dress! (If you’re curious about the details of the contest, please click here.)
So: Here are the questions. We can’t wait to start reading the responses…
- What city do you work in?
- Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior?
- How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to.
- What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
- What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?)
- What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!)
- What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
- (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
OK! Hopefully we’ve kept the quiz short enough that we’ll get responses… We really appreciate this, you guys.
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1. What city do you work in? Los Angeles
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? I’m in my fourth year – two years at a firm and two years a tech company – and my husband is a sixth year at a big firm.
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? My current office is probably a 1 (shorts and flip flops are normal), but the law firm I was at was more like a 6.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Black or dark grey suit, shell or button up shirt underneath and conservative shoes – though higher heels seem to be the norm.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? A few law firms have “jeans Fridays” but most seem to just tolerate everyone dressing on the slightly more casual end of business casual. When I was at a firm, I wore the same type of clothes on Friday because I know a lot of partners were annoyed about associates being too casual on Fridays.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Covered arms are a must (short sleeves are okay), a lot of people here wear peep toe shoes, but I know a lot of female partners who look down on that so I’ve always felt it was better to play it safe.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Women who come to work looking like they could be at a nightclub – 6 inch heels, low cut shirts and short skirts are not office appropriate.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? I think a lot of the wardrobe norms vary from firm to firm – I know some firms where peep toes and sleeveless tops are the norm.
1. Santa Barbara.
2. Beginner-Mid Level
3. 4
4. Dark suit, formal (even if we don’t dress that way on a daily basis, you need to show that you can).
5. Depends on the firm! Where I work, casual Fridays spill into the other weekdays, bare feet around the office are acceptable, but still a suit for meetings and court appearances. It seems OK to wear a smart t-shirt under a suit for court; I have seen some women in Court in very casual clothes (brightly colored jackets, floral things) here but it isn’t the norm.
6. Open-toed shoes OK in Court with a small opening and a good pedicure.
7. Attorneys from Los Angeles showing up for deposition in pinstriped suits, when the witness and hometown attorneys are all more casually dressed.
8. There are some very formal firms in town, and some informal firms. As a rule of firm, if you are working for a local branch of a bigger firm, your dress code will tend to be more formal.
1. West-Middle Florida
2. Beginner
3. 7
4. Always a suit. I would wear either and pant/skirt suit. I try to choose something lightweight since FL is darn HOT!
5. Trouser Jeans, nice blouse, heels. You can also get away with a dressier pair of capri pants.
6. Can have open toed shoes, sleeveless is ok for in-office (not in court)…since it’s so hot here, there are also different rules for color/fabric. Like linen and white can be considered staples. Black is not as popular because it’s just so hot and heavy looking.
7. Shorts are NEVER office appropriate (at least by me!) also, leave the athetic shoes at the gym…they are not cute and are not appropriate for the office, IMO.
8. Florida seems to be a little more relaxed overall. It also tends to be all about layering pieces for work. Why? Cause it’s 40 degrees in the air conditioning and 95 outside. It can make dressing for work tricky.
P.S. No pantyhose!
1. What city do you work in?
Woodbridge, New Jersey — one of the top 10 Jersey-based law firms.
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior?
Mid-level, been practicing 8 years.
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10?
I would say probably it’s a 7-8. The men wear suits on days they have meetings, court, or clients coming in. We went to full-time business casual about a year ago. Sport jackets are seen somewhat routinely. However, polo shirts and khakis are also acceptable.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
A skirt suit– a light neutral for spring/summer is just as appropriate, if not more so, than a dark neutral like black, navy, or grey. I interviewed for my position in the summer and wore my light summer suits, but never pants. As for shoes, peep-toe heels would probably be fine so long as the shoe was not overly revealing– an ivory peep-toe spectator-type heel is much nicer with a summer suit.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?)
No jeans! Casual at its worst is a pair of neatly pressed khakis and a polo shirt, but that combo is not seen very often on women- more for the men. As for the women, usually casual entails a dress or skirt with a cardigan or blouse, or a pair of trousers and a button-down. Sometimes a dressy t-shirt is acceptable.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!)
I’ve actually found that at my firm the rule is really that if a woman looks good and the ensemble is tasteful, it’s fine. Open toed-shoes and sandals are fine for casual days. Bare arms are not an issue (I bare mine all the time!). Capris/cropped pants– as long as it is tasteful and looks good. A skinny girl can even get away with fishnets in a small weave with an appropriate length skirt. However, there’s a double standard- if you are heavy, older, or not attractive, I think people would be quicker to say that something is not appropriate.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
Black sheer (or worse, NAVY!) pantyhose in the daytime. Buff (or my favorite “Bare Bisque”) exists for a reason– a suit should be worn with sheer neutral (not suntan) hose. Patterned stockings or tights are ok with casual skirts or dresses, but not formal suits.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
We get away with more in NJ than our NYC neighbors, but a lot depends on your personal style, and of course, seniority. Personally, my look is ultrafeminine- I wear dresses or skirts every day, with high heels, and usually pearls or diamonds. A dress with a jacket is just as acceptable as a suit. I think the overall “put-togetherness” of a look is very important in assessing how businesslike it is– following the rules verbatim is fine, but you can certainly get away with bending the rules if you do it with style.
1. East Coast: Mid-Atlantic
2. Beginner
3. 8/10
4. Dark suit, pants or skirt–either’s fine. Conservative shoes, hair, accessories.
5. Definitely no jeans. Casual would probably be men without jackets, women in a dress and cardigan twinset, etc.
6. Most women wear collars outside suit jackets. No on the peep toes, although I’ve seen quite a bit of color in terms of shoes (i.e. watermelon patent leather with a conservative tan-colored suit); sleeveless ok around the office, everything else must be in order and professional looking though. I’ve seen women wear their hair up, down, pony, etc, just seems like it’s all polished, no matter what. Common theme: be professional, be yourself, don’t wear something that will make anyone else uncomfortable.
I’ve never seen cleavage, which I consider a good thing.
7. It really bugs me when men wear their ties too short.
8. The city itself where I work is definitely not all that chic, so I find it interesting in some ways that office decorum is taken so seriously. That said, in this part of the country (i.e. this state) self-identifies as southern in some ways, which I have always enjoyed.
1. South Florida
2. mid-level associate
3. 8 (required to wear suit M-Th)
4. black/gray conservative skirt suit, closed toe shoes. Florida is still very conservative in law firm dress – perhaps to shake the “Miami Vice” stereotype.
5. Friday casual is consistent with the conservative image Florida firms tend to convey. Dress is generally twinsets for women, polos for men. Most young female attorneys go home and change, or bring a change of clothes to work, before happy hour, transforming into fun flirty dresses. The men usually stay in their casual work attire, but maybe undo a couple buttons on top.
6. All female attorney friends stopped wearing panty hose to work after the first 6 months. It’s too hot, and hose are too inconvenient, for us. We would only wear hose to an interview. I wear peep toes to work, but they are Cole Haan, so I wouldn’t exactly say I’m bucking the conservatism. Straight out open toe, open heel sandals are generally frowned upon. I wear short sleeve shirts (Brooks Brothers, still conservative) because I walk to work and it’s quite frankly too hot most of the time to wear long sleeve shirts. Most of the times, the top under our suits is sleeveless.
7. Women trying to fit into the South Florida stereotype with pastel suits.
We live in a very wealthy community, but that doesn’t mean that all the attorneys down here are making Wall Street salaries. I’d say the average young female associates stays pretty loyal to Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, and department stores brand suits. These brands allow us to maintain a conservative image to our clients while not breaking our piggy banks.
1. What city do you work in? Dallas, Texas & Austin, Texas.
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner.
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 7.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Suit—skirt or pants with appropriate pumps.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) No. A “casual outfit” would be general “business casual” wear or “Sunday Best.”
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) Covered toes do not ring true. You see peep-toe (pumps and flats) all over the place, though “sling back” shoes would probably still be inappropriate if a majority of your foot was showing. Also, the pantyhose rule. Here in the south? We only wear hose in the winter. I’ve interviewed in skirt suits without panty hose, and I’ve still received offers. Most women wearing skirts will not be wearing hose unless they’re going to court, and I’ve even seen women at court without pantyhose. We abhor it here. When its 100+ degrees outside pantyhose ain’t happening. Ever.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Short skirts and inappropriate colors. Shiny silver suits are not appropriate for an interview. Skirts that fall more than a dollar bill’s length above your knee are in appropriate. This isn’t Ally McBeal. Dress like a freaking professional!
8. What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Since it can’t be reiterated enough—pantyhose. WE HATE THEM.
1. Greensboro, NC
2. Beginner
3. 6
4. Black skirt suit with pumps and nude hose.
5. Jeans are okay for the gents, but the ladies are usually in slacks. Shoe choice is pretty liberal, though I probably wouldn’t wear flip flops.
6. Definitely keep those arms covered, and usually a jacket or wrap of some sort over the blouse. Peep toes I notice on Fridays, but no other day. Hose is definitely optional, I never wear it!
7. Not sure, it’s only been a year!
8. Although North Carolina is the south, the cities are pretty liberal with women in pants versus skirt suits. Though you should stick to the skirt for your interviews, and before some older judges, you can generally count on your slacks for the rest of the time.
1. What city do you work in? Los Angeles
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to.
I’d say 5. We wear suits for court, but solidly business casual otherwise.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
Dark colored suit. Pantsuits are fine for women, with a closed-toe, dark-colored pump.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?)
We have casual Fridays. Jeans are fine, but the rest of the outfit is relatively tailored–no t-shirts.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!)
Peeptoes are fine within business casual. I think male business casual is also a little less conservative in terms of colorful shirts (not just white or pale blue). It’s still entirely conservative for court, though.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
Not knowing your audience. I saw classmates go on interviews with very conservative New York firms in brightly colored skirt suits. One in particular was a vintage pink suit — appropriate in some areas, but not at the places she was interviewing that day. Similarly, I saw another girl at an event at the White House in a straight-up cocktail dress. Just putting a blazer over it would have made it a little short and tight but not completely unacceptable.
1. Richmond VA
2. I am a second year associate at a medium sized law firm
3. My office is a 10–VERY conservative
4. A typical interview outfit is a gray, navy, or black skirt suit with matching solid colored closed toe and closed heel pumps
5. For my profession, a casual day would be khakis and a twinset but definitely not jeans
6. Basically all rules apply here! it is very conservative in the old dominion–that being said, seersucker suits are very acceptable in the summer, as is white or linen.
7. The biggest gaffe in my opinion is wearing ill-fitting or too-tight clothing. HOWEVER, women in my firm have gotten in trouble for wearing capris, backless shoes that “flop” down the hallway, and nail polish that is not clear or light pink
8. What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? There are definitely subsets of the legal culture that relax the rules–I am talking about civil litigation here for the most part that is very formal. A lot of firms don’t require suits every day, only for court appearances. I think it has a lot to do with firm culture.
1. What city do you work in? Kingsport, Tennessee
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Mid-level (partner in a law firm, 10 years of practice)
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. 8
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Appropriate is a skirt suit (any color) or pantsuit (any color), heels (open toes are fine if appropriate for the season/outfit), and hose. My answer is different if you were to ask what we actually get, especially from law students.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are allowed, but whether that is acceptable for casual day depends on who you ask and where they’re going after. It is not uncommon to see the attorneys wearing tennis shoes, especially if they are leaving for a weekend trip after work. For the most part, we expect our employees to wear calendar-appropriate attire. If you’re going to be in your office all day working on a court filing, then jeans, a polo and tennis shoes/flats/slides are fine. If you have a meeting with a client, then you should dress accordingly (i.e., if the client will be in a suit, so should you.)
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) For office attire, the only true rule is no flip flops. That rule becomes harder to enforce when you see more of the “decorated” sandals that are only really flip flops that have been shot with a bedazzler and had a leather sole attached. In courts, open-toed shoes are really not favored; you can wear the cropped, 3/4 sleeve jackets provided you have a tailored skirt or pair of pants to match.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Ladies wearing sleeveless tops on casual day (or under their suit jackets) that show their undergarments through the armholes.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
Since I live in the South, the perception of a lot of candidates appears to be that the laid-back lifestyle translates into sloppy or inappropriate attire for interviews. I’m continually amazed by the intelligent, driven women candidates who think that an Ally McBeal-length skirt with no hose is the way to make a good first impression.
1. What city do you work in? Chicago.
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Second year.
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. 4 – no jeans, but men wear polo shirts sometimes and no one really thinks twice.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Skirt suits and pant suits are both acceptable. Suits are typically a basic color like black or dark grey, possibly with subtle pinstripes. Basic pumps – nothing too flashy and definitely no toes. Heels are fine, but not too high.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Friday is technically “casual” but jeans are still definitely not allowed. For most people I never notice a difference between Friday and any other day. As noted above, the most casual men generally get is khakis and a polo shirt. Women can get away with relatively casual dresses and skirts since the fact that it’s a dress or skirt makes it look a little dressier. But it still needs to be work appropriate. Women are also fine with a dressy t-shirt, especially if you wear a cardigan or cute jacket over it.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) Peep toes are definitely fine here. Bare arms are also fine, as long as the rest of the shirt is conservative (i.e., high neck, no thin straps, etc), no need for pantyhose with skirts, big jewelry is generally ok, as long as it’s not too over-the-top and I’d typically only see one statement piece at a time (which is just good fashion), having long hair and wearing it down is common, also frequently see women with colors worn outside the jacket, and weekend wear can be very casual
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Too much cleavage. It’s probably frustrating if you’re well-endowed and you can’t wear the v-neck that looked great on the small model without busting out, but come on people.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
1. Southeast
2. Beginner
3. 5
4. Dark skirt suit (black or gray)
5. Definitely jeans–but no shorts, flip flops, etc.
6. You can certainly wear peep toes, and sleeveless or cap sleeve. Pantyhose are worn only in court or for comfort (painful shoes, for example)
7. Administrative staff sometimes take casual day a step too far, wearing logo t-shirts, shorts, and flip flop type sandals.
1. I work in Oklahoma City, OK
2. Beginner
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 6/10
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? For men, it is a black suit. For women, it’s also a conservative suit, black is probably best. Dark closed-toe pumps are pretty appropriate. Occasionally, some women will wear slacks and a sweater to an interview, but I don’t imagine they last too long.
5. A casual work day would probably be jeans and a nice top with heels for women. Jeans, dress shoes and button up or polo for men.
6. I see a lot of women wearing peep toe shoes to work, and it gets very hot here so there are also a lot of 3/4 length and short sleeve blouses.
7. For some reason, when summer rolls around in OKC, most people forget what appropriate dress attire is. I’ve seen a lot of women lately wearing picnic-type ensembles to the office; a lot of summery dresses (think floral patterns usually reserved for sunday brunch) with strappy, heel-less sandals. The women look much less like they are going to the office, and more like they are dropping their kids off at soccer practice in Stepford, USA.
8. Most women don’t wear suits on a daily basis. Usually a nice shell jacket and skirt or slacks will do. Oddly enough, men who hold the same positions as women in the same company are much more likely to be spotted in a business suit during the week, and even after hours. The women are pretty fashion-conscious, but the men have some catching up to do. If you took a stroll downtown during lunch hours, you’d be inclined to think that the city was hosting the Pleated-Pant Olympics.
1. Washington, DC
2. Senior
3. 5-9. “5″ in the burbs, “9″ downtown.
4. Dark suit – either pants suit or skirt suit. A senior person could get away with “separates”, but definitely something office-formal and conservative. Hose and closed shoes, in my opinion.
5. Varies, but my office is business casual all the time – no jeans ever. Senior people are more formal.
6. Covered arms are essential not because of conservatism, but because of ubiquitous over-air conditioning. Senior people tend to wear pants or skirts/hose and closed-toe shoes. Junior people dress more casually.
7. Too short skirts, too tight clothes on junior people. We’ve had to speak to several of them over the years.
8. When I first moved here in the late 70′s, I thought all the women on the street were flight attendants – they all wore navy suits and bows around their necks. It’s gotten better since then, but it’s still a very conservative place.
1. I work in Sycamore, IL.
2. I am a beginner in my career.
3. My office has a conservative level of 10.
4. The typical interview outfit would be Dark – Either Black, dark gray or navy.
5. We don’t have casual day in my office, because we are regularly in court. However, when I see people dressed casually, it is usually khaki or gray pants (or skirt) and a button up shirt or, for women, a nice sweater or sweater set, or a sweater over an oxford shirt.
6. I find that most women will wear open-toed shoes, even though the older men probably don’t like it. Many private attorneys (as opposed to goverment attorneys) will come to court without a blazer.
7. The biggest gaffe I have noticed repeatedly is winter footwear. Pink uggs or moonboots should not be worn to court!
What city do you work in? Chicago
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? mid-level attorney
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. 7
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) dark grey, black or navy skirt suit. pumps, no peep toe.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) lawyers here generally dont have casual friday. fridays before holidays tend to be casual, with men wearing polos/khakis and women wearing trouser jeans, bouse, heels.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) peep toes are quite common. most women adhere to the no bear arms rule.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? older women with clothes from twenty years ago and ill-fitting/dowdy sweaters– I just dont see how they are work appropriate
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? it seems to be less formal than ny or dc, but still fashion-conscience and “professional”
1. Washington, DC
2. Mid-level to senior (11 years out of law school). Been in both a firm and gov’t, so will speak to both.
3. 8-9 for both firm and gov’t during the year; summer is much more casual with my agency. We go business casual M-Th and casual for Fridays, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. People get really, really casual then … but usually, it’s the lifers who have been here 20+ years, are settled and have no one to impress.
I will admit to having gotten less formal at the firm over time. When working crazy hours, it was hard remaining motivated to wear better (less comfortable) clothes.
4. Dark suit (navy, brown or black), pants or skirt doesn’t matter. Closed toe shoes and hose. Suits look awful, IMO, without hose.
5. At my agency, people wear jeans on Fridays. At my former firm, jeans were rarely, if ever, seen — except on those denim for charity days where you pay $x for the privilege of wearing jeans on a Friday. I can’t fathom wearing jeans in DC from around April to October, too bloody hot. Will rarely wear nice trouser-style jeans with flats (NOT sneakers) and a business casual top on a Friday in the late fall/winter if I know my day will be easy/low-profile.
6. I see a lot of sandals around, and wear them for much of the summer. But these are leather, with some kind of heel. Closed-toe shoes in DC in the summer == hot, hot, hot.
7. Gaffes — usually interview-related. People, an interview isn’t the time to be too creative. I remember arguing with a friend about whether she should wear open-toed shoes or sling-backs to her summer associate interviews. It’s a couple hours out of your life, closed-toe pumps won’t kill you (nothing a relaxing pedicure won’t cure, LOL).
8. I’m from Boston originally; it took me almost 10 years to get comfortable wearing skirts and dresses without hose. Here, it’s a given — too bloody hot.
1. What city do you work in? Washington D.C.
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to.
I would say a 6. Men wear dress shirt and tie (but no jacket is required), and women wear skirt suits, or pants suits, and occasionally the cardigan, separate, etc. Men are also spotted in nice polo shirts once in a while and women are never in boring colors. No one is ever in shorts or flip flops.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Dark suit, usually black. I spot more pants suits than skirt suits. I think more younger people around my age (25) gravitate toward pants suits because black pants are in every young person’s closet. And if your prospective employer wouldn’t hire you because you’re NOT wearing a skirt – you don’t want to work for that person anyway, right?
Conservative shoes to be safe. Nothing too high, nothing difficult to walk in either, in case you get a tour of the building. Nothing says unprofessional like losing a shoe.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are definitely allowed, but nice ones and with dressy flats, heels or dressy sandals, not flip flops. The idea is always to look tailored, not like you are running out to the grocery store.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) I’ve never seen a rule against peep toes or bare arms. I think the fashionable Washington women know how to work their best assets in a professional and modest way. I don’t think a little cardigan over a shift dress is unprofessional, but when it’s 90 degrees outside, one can hardly be expected to keep the cardigan on during an outdoor lunch meeting.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Since I’m more or less in the beginning of my career, I’ve noticed many women dressing too down, and too inappropriately. I’ve had coworkers who wore spaghetti strap tank tops to work, with bra straps shown..coworkers who have worn skirts a little too short, and coworkers who were dressed simply too casually for work, even for a business casual office.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? I think D.C. gets a bad rap, fashion wise. We have extremely fashionable men and women, and just because the city seems more “serious” (probably due to government presence) doesn’t mean we don’t like to have fun! D.C. women embrace their peep toe shoes, fanciful prints and cuts, and still look professional and stylish, and even glamorous, which is essential to being a woman in the workplace.
1.What city do you work in?
Sacramento
2.Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior?
Mid Level
3.How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to.
6
4.What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
Blue or Black Suit — skirt
5.What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?)
Not jeans, but Khakis and a nice shirt are fine. Men wear jeans on Fridays sometimes.
6.What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!)
It gets hot here, many women wear sandals and sleeveless dresses, especially when outside. Also often skirts and dresses without pantyhose in the summer.
7.What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
Many women, especially younger women dress too sexy for work. By that I mean shirts too tight, skirts too short, and especially, tight shirts and short skirts combined (usually with really high heels). Older women tend to wear their pants too short and shoes too ugly. (As someone who is a fan of comfort shoes I really strive not to commit this gaffe.)
8.(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
We have more freedom in California. Many good lawyers wear dresses and colors, and even colored dresses!
1. San Francisco
2. Beginner
3. 6
4. Suit–black, navy, gray. Skirt or pants is fine. Mid-high closed toe heels. Underneath the suit jacket–button down or shell of any color seems accepted.
5. A non-Friday, non-meeting with clients day: slacks and a sweater or a skirt and twinset are my go-to outfits.
6. We’re not supposed to wear jeans on Fridays, but some people do. But nice, trouser-like jeans, not jeans you’d do yard work in. We’re also not supposed to wear open-toe shoes, but people wear peep toes as long as they’ve had a recent pedicure.
7. I’ve seen some women wearing “formal shorts” or those ridiculous wide-legged capri-length trousers….not good. I also saw another attorney (not from my office) wearing denim knee-length shorts and sparkly silver sandals. It was a Friday, but still!
1. What city do you work in? Raleigh, NC
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Mid-level
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. I’d say a 6-7; one partner & some associates generally wear suits & are more dressy, but others are casual & wear khacki’s and button ups (esp. on Fridays). We have options!
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) To play it safe in the legal profession, I’d say it’s a black or dark colored suit with a skirt (so as not to offend the oldsters) and close toed, conservative heels (but not “stripper” height!).
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are not allowed. For men it would be khaki’s and a dress shirt, and for women nice slacks with a pretty blouse or caridgan/top combo.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? All the women here are free to wear bare arms (and we’re all fit so it’s not offensive to the eye); most women wear open toed shoes because it’s hot in the summer. Also, it is rare to wear panty hose in the summer at my firm, because it is so hot!
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Most of the women attorneys in my area look sharp. But I do notice on the rare occassions when they don’t and the offenders seem to commonly be those clunky 90′s style shoes (or worse, shoes that are scuffed or chewed up on the heel), hair that is not maintained (unkempt, messy and in need of a style), brown 1980′s panythose, and ill-fitting clothes (pants too long or short). Professional women need to look the part!
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? NC is a fairly laid back place to practice law. I think the acceptable dress code for women attorneys in the state largely depends on whether or not you work for a small, medium or large firm. The smaller the firm, the more causal the dress can be. You should be careful not to wear a pants suit to court (at least in the civil litigation arena where I practice) because some older judges here look down on women in pants suits! Skirt suits are always a safe bet!
What city do you work in? Philadelphia
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Senior
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 7
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Skirt suit, close-toed pumps, nylons, white or blue collared shirt, pearls.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are allowed. Showering, regrettably, is also optional.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) We totally wear peep toes, although not to court. Covered arms are encouraged, although not required. We’re still working on the hose thing – they’re highly encouraged, although many junior associates are making good headway at breaking that.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Too many. Too-tight clothing, strappy sandals and no hose with a skirt, cropped pants.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Philly, for all of its wild sports fans, is a conservative banker-type town. Therefore, the more conservative, the better.
1. Washington DC
2. mid-level to senior
3. 7-8
4. Dark skirt suit, knee length skirt, conservative blouse, small post earrings, maybe some pearls or an understated necklace. Always hose, and closed toe pumps.
5. No jeans, ever, even on weekends. Casual is dressy pants and a sweater set.
6. Almost all of them apply, to be honest. Err on the side of conservative here, until you get the lay of your particular office.
7. Cleavage, heels too high – okay, I have been guilty of both of those. Also those suits with shorts – wtf?
8. Most people here are not attractive enough to make much of trendy fashion..
1. NYC
2. Beginner — law clerk
3. 1-10 depending on who is doing the dressing. Working in court, you see everything. Overall I would say that it’s somewhere around a 6, less so if you are outside of court. But even in the court room, I have see women attorneys show up in knee high boots, etc.
4. Dark suit, preferably solid (not- pinstripped, etc.). I prefer skirt, buut I think either may be fine. Relatively low heel or flat. Definitely closed toe (but — gasp — I have worn slingbacks!)
5. As far as I know, no casual day officially exists, but I’ve noticed that Fridays and the days before a holiday tend to be more casual. Also, for many clerks — when their judge is not there, it’s often jeans & a polo day. I have yet to wear jeans to work and the one time I switched into jeans before leaving, I definitely felt a bit weird.
6. People in court tend to run the gamut, and I won’t cite their typical attire as necessarily appropriate. But, I definitely see peep toes frequently and if the shoe is otherwise conservative and feet are well groomed, I wouldn’t characterize it as a problem. Also, I think a distinction between sleeveless shirts and short sleeves is worth noting — I don’t think anyone would have a problem with capsleeves outside of the actual courtroom.
7. Gaffes:
1) heels that are too high — you shouldn’t look like you’re playing dress-up as a sexy lawyer.
2) stockings when your legs are not perfect — I know there’s a lot of debate on this but I think the rule is basically if you can get away with not wearing them (i.e., the way you legs look in nude hose is pretty much how they look naturally), by all means do so in the warmer months (unless, of course, its an interviews or other ‘better safe than sorry’ occasion), but for most of the women I see — hose are a necessity.
3) the collar outside the jacket — again I notice a debate but it just always screams “dated!” to me and why would you want to look like a time travelling professional?
4) accessories — it always strikes me as odd when people wear a suit with a backpack ( I am thinking of mostly men) or other inappropriate bag, or when women wear athletic shoes to/from work when there are so many non-obvious ways to be comfortable (has no one heard of flats?)
8: Other comments:
We’ve all definitely gotten more casual, especially the younger workers but just because you can get away with something at work doesn’t mean that you should. Ultimately, you might not get fired for wearing something inappropriate or too casual, but you won’t necessarily get very far either, and that can be even worse in the long run.
1. What city do you work in? [Silicon Valley]
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? [mid-level]
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. [1]
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) [suit, any neutral color, skirt or pant; shoes: as long as they're dress pumps, a peep toe probably wouldn't raise any eyebrows]
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) [Jeans are allowed every day, on weekends anything goes. Management has been trying to convince new associates that they should avoid jeans and open toed shoes, but unsuccessfully; partners wear jeans.]
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) [People go around with uncovered arms, just no spaghetti straps, and just about anything goes with shoes (some attorneys even wear flip flops.)]
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? [Uggs; low-cut blouses; too-high heels; unbrushed hair; men showing chest hair]
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? [I've been to several depositions where the attorneys don't wear suits, just business casual, or perhaps the men wear a sport coat.]
1. Chicago, IL
2. beginner
3. 6
4. Skirt or pantsuit, depending on how conservative the firm is. Grey, black, or navy
5. Some places allow jeans, but mostly khakis/chino-type pants
6. I’ve had bosses that did not allow closed-toes, but that was rare. No flip-flops whatsoever (I know, but you’d be surprised…). Not a lot of bare arms.
7. People attempting to wear flip-flops to work. I also had a friend who tried to wear the long shorts/capris to court, and her supervisor made her stay in the office. Ouch.
8. I don’t know if it’s a regional thing, but — I have had 3 female attorneys in supervisory positions say they never put a woman in front of a jury wearing pants.
What city do you work in? Charlotte, NC
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Mid-Level
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. 4
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Skirt with blouse and blazer, generally black, with pumps
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are allowed. Today I was wearing black capris with sandals and a black sleeveless top embroidered with white flowers.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) It’s so hot and humid in the summer open toed shoes or sandals, sleeveless tops and no hose are normal and accepted.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Overly casual for a job interview, i.e. no tie or even a collared shirt for men, borderline trashy attire for women.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? At formal events everyone seems to wear black or shades of gray even at Christmas. I showed up at a Christmas play wearing red and stood out much more than was comfortable. It was Christmas for heaven’s sake!!
1. Philadelphia
2. Beginner – biglaw attorney
3. 6-7 (firm bigwigs wear suits nearly every day; “normal” men are in slacks and dress shirts, no tie).
4. Black/gray/navy suit – really doesn’t matter skirt vs. pants but wear the pantyhose for the interview. Shell or blouse in whatever color is most flattering without being a distraction (nothing too bright or distinctive a pattern). Pearls or other simple accessories. Black closed-toe heels.
5. We don’t have “casual days” but on summer Fridays, people dress a little less formally (regular khaki fabric as opposed to dress slacks for the men). Never denim unless coming in on the weekend.
6. Peep toes are certainly acceptable, both with tights in winter and pedis in the summer. No going sleeveless though and I don’t see many dangly earrings (statement necklaces are much more common, though). Low ponytails are everywhere, especially on rainy or hot days.
7. Cleavage. Wearing clothing that, while not inappropriate for being revealing/too tight, belongs at the PTA (Talbots long printed skirts, or other floaty floral items, I’m looking at you). Keeping the same long hair from high school for the next 20 years.
8. A fairly conservative city, but not necessarily boring. Female partners and associates seem to go to extremes a bit – either having exactly 2 weeks worth of outfits and repeating or really making an effort to look professional, feminine and stylish (maybe they also read Corporette!).
1. Atlanta, GA
2. Beginner at my career
3. 6 – we dress casual, but no jeans unless it’s Friday
4. Usually suit, maybe more black and grey’s w/ some color.
5. Slacks, skirts, can be casual. No jeans.
6. We don’t have any ‘rules’ like that at work – as long as it is not innapropriate.
7. Wearing things that are too short or too tight.
8. You need to dress for the position you want – I never dress too casual because I want to be taken serious, not that I am just there until the next job.
1. What city do you work in? Waterloo, IA
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Mid-level, 9 yrs out of school
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. 7-8 (The managers wear coat without tie, most folks wear nice 2-pieces)
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Black suit, white shirt
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) No. Casual Fridays only once in a while to support a charity
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Women managers sometime wear flat shoes, but toes are generally covered. No sleeveless either.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Blouses or shirts that aren’t ironed well.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Still relatively conservative work environment.
1. Zurich, Switzerland
2. Midlevel, corporate communications in international corporation
3. 7
4. Pantsuits. Closed toe shoes, sling-backs are considered appropriate during summer. Hose if wearing skirts. Generally dark colours, black/grey/navy
5. We don’t have casual days.
6. Skirt suits are very rarely worn by younger women. Generally understated jewellery, not much make-up.
7. Too much cleavage, visible underwear under low-rise pants or sheer blouses, ill fitting and outdated clothes, long fake fingernails. Our CEO once sent an employee home to change because you could see her string through her white pants.
8. Banks/Financial services are more conservative than other sectors. Quality and statement handbags are very relevant.
Preface- Oh, yeah, I am relocating so I am hoping there are posters from my new city!!!
1. What city do you work in? – DC Suburbs, in-house
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? – Mid-level heading towards senior
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Let’s say it’s a 10 if the men wear suits every day, and 1 if the men can wear jeans if they want to. Mon-Thurs 5, heading to 6/7, Friday 1
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) – Navy/black suit, pants are okay, but skirts preferable, simple top, closed toe black pump
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans and top, tennis shoes permitted but usually high end, or loafers
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? (I.e. — I’m from Ohio and we all wear peep toes to work!) – Most apply but neighboring legal communities (Baltimore/NoVa) less conservative, however, DC is becoming much more fashion conscious so I’ve seen more daring looks
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Inappropriate clothing at outside the office, but work related events, the occasional associate whose watched too much Ally McBeal/The Practice
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? As mentioned, I thin DC is trying to be younger, hipper and more fashionable, also, I am a big fan of dresses, and have never had any sideways glances…
1. Aspen, Co.
2. Beginner.
3. 1.
4. Black suit (pants or skirt) w/pumps.
5. Jeans and an sweater.
6. All of them (but I still appreciate all the advice).
7. Not paying attention to what your superiors wear.
8. Practice specialization makes a big difference in culture and expectations, litigation vs. family law v. ip law. Aspen is extremely casual, you can show up to work in your ski gear if it’s a powder day.
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