Giveaway: Tell Us Specifics About Regional Fashion, and You Could Win a Love Quotes Scarf
This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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.
1. Atlanta
2. Beginner
3. 7 – for a big firm, attire is fairly casual
4. Black or gray suit, skirt or pants is fine. Tasteful jewelry and colored blouses wouldn’t be inappropriate.
5. Jeans are definitely allowed, just as long as they aren’t full of holes.
6. Women at our firm wear peep toe shoes all the time. Same with tasteful sleeveless tops. I almost never see people wearing hose. A post awhile ago touched on not wearing long earrings. We also violate that – I see lots of cute, dangly earrings in our office.
7. Wearing clothes that accentuate rolls, love-handles, cleavage, etc.
1. What city do you work in? Boston Area
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? senior
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? Well, management is a 5, but there is no dress code per se. People wear jeans, but you’d never see a member of leadership in them except on Friday.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) A suit, a suit, a suit. Although people blow this all the time, and I’m not sure why.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Friday is jeans day – nice jeans or casual pants with a nice top, for men and women.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? They all do, the rules here however are unspoken, you will never get sent home or get spoken to, but you will lose a significant level of professional credibility.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Dressing like your 15 year old daughter or sister.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? This is still an extremely judgemental/conservative region of the country, especially the older people who are still in management – my advice for someone moving here would be to look at the senior staff and dress at a level you think would be acceptable to them, looking at your peers or even your boss can be misleading.
Apologies for fail of partial post . . . here is the entire response:
1. St. Louis
2. Partner at mid-sized law firm
3. 10 for court, 6-8 for client meetings in office (depends on the client), otherwise 3 (business casual).
4. Dark knee-length skirt suit with white or cream blouse, hose and closed toe pumps. Conservative jewelry and maybe a nice scarf.
5. Trousers with an oxford and a separate jacket or cardigan, pencil skirt with sweater set, cotton or linen trousers with a shell and a cardigan and sandals in the summer. I am opposed to jeans and shorts during office hours (but well-tailored denim skirts and shirts can be all right if well-accessorized), but when we have an official “casual” day, jeans inevitably result for most of the staff. That is not appropriate in my view unless you are spending the day moving files.
6. Rules vary by firm. At my office, sleveless tops are permitted in the office if you have a sweater or jacket in case a client comes in, peep toes, mules and sandals are common, and hose go by the wayside in summer on most occasions. However, other firms in town are full-time business formal and prohibit sleveless tops in any form, open toes or heels on shoes, going without hose, and so on. Court attire almost always is formal.
7. My pet peeve is clothes that do not appear to be well-taken care of, e.g., hems out, worn heels on shoes, wrinkled suits that look like they were plucked off of the floor. Get a needle and thread (or at least some tape!), a shoemaker and an iron or steamer. I also have a big problem with visible tattoos, toe rings, and piercings other than on the ears in an office setting.
8. St. Louis is pretty conservative in the legal area, but the stores here mostly seem to have either suits for women my mother’s age, e.g. pastels with short sleeves, or St. John knits for the country club crowd, neither one of which is appropriate or cost-effective professional attire. The shops here simply do not cater to professional women who have to dress business formal, which I think reflects the high SAHM level in the area and the dearth of professional women in town. I find it much easier to shop for work clothes in Chicago, New York, or DC.
1. What city do you work in? New Orleans, LA
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 5
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Most people wear conservative suit skits, but colorful tops are definitely acceptable underneath. Also, stockings (ONLY for an interview) are unfortunately a must. I’ve also worn pantsuits with chic accessories (i.e. heels that weren’t black or navy) to interviews with female attorneys and been successful. Male attorneys here tend to prefer it when their female interviewees to look a little more conservative and traditional, at least from my experience. Really, you can’t go wrong with a skirt suit in a basic color and a crew neck sweater (or shell).
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? My firm doesn’t allow jeans, but many do. Now that it’s summer, I tend to wear a more casual skirt (like something linen) with a comfortable but definitely still business causal top–twinsets, and the like. I’ve also worn a “nice” t-shirt (a v-neck from old navy) with the pants I wear for dressier days during the week on Fridays. Sundresses seem to be fine as well as long as they’re not too revealing. If I have to come in over the weekend, jeans are 100% ok, as are flip flops (though I usually wear Sperrys, or something along those lines) and polo shirts. If I was just coming in to hole up in my office by myself over the weekend, I don’t think anyone would care what I was wearing at all.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Covered arms is tough down here, especially when the temperatures go into the 90s and the humidity into the 100% range. I usually wear a blazer into the office in the mornings, and keep it for court and any meetings, but I pretty much ditch it for the rest of the day. When I do this, I have, at times, worn a twinset shell underneath and just been sleeveless most of the day. It doesn’t seem to be a problem at my firm, and I used to do it all the time when I worked for judges (state and federal). Peeptoes are ok here, too, as long as you don’t have that creepy stocking toe going on. Sandals aren’t really, but there are definitely those who push that line. Fishnets, though, would seem REALLY out of place. I think that’s more because it would just seem out of sync with the Southern style, and, let’s face it, fishnets have a stigma. In general, most people don’t wear any stockings on a day to day basis–it’s just too hot.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Women here can be WAY too casual for court. It’s hard to balance professional wear (usually made of wool) and ungodly heat, but you have to deal with it. A lot of women attorneys I’ve seen have shown up to court in linen church suits, which isn’t really acceptable (both in my mind and in that of judges and other attorneys I know).
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? The main theme here seems to be, it is so hot we cannot dress like normal people. This is true about a lot of things–very little about New Orleans is normal. However, I think the key to professional dressing in New Orleans is to make sure to maintain a sense of decorum–you can’t dress like you’re going clubbing–but to understand that everyone else is hot too, and as long as your hot-weather gear is professional, classy, and well-fitting, you’ll be fine.
1. What city do you work in? New York (large law firm).
2. Where are you in your career? Senior.
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 6-7.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Interview suits are very conservative these days. Skirt suits are much more common than pant suits, but I’m sure the interviewers don’t care. Black or navy. Low to mid-height closed-toe pumps, up to 3 inch heels if the style is conservative.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? We are business casual year-round. Non-denim pants (any color from off-white to black, but this is NYC so black is always preferred) with shirt, blouse or sweater. Short sleeves and shells are normal in the summer, although shells are usually topped with cardigans or shawls when walking around the office (in part because of excessive A/C). Peep toes and classic sandals are fine. Dresses may be tailored or not — I see 2 wrap dresses on my floor today. Western boots (polished like any other shoe) are ok under pants. Knee-high boots with knee-length skirts look great and some senior lawyers wear them a lot. Lighter colors and more fun prints in spring and summer. On summer Fridays people tend to dress more casually. No jeans, capris or shorts. The “rules” are pretty much the same for secretaries as for lawyers — my secretary wears a suit every day, but I almost never do. For court or important client meetings, suits are a must, although knit suits are not uncommon for women (and can be much more comfortable when commuting).
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Arms need not be covered, but shells (not spaghetti straps) are usually topped with cardigans or shawls when walking around the office. On hot summer days, plenty of women walk around sleeveless. Slingbacks and peeptoes are fine, sandals too in hot weather with recent pedicures. Maybe 1/4 of the women wear pantyhose. The occasional peek of tattoo doesn’t seem to surprise anymore, and both men and women show tattoos at outdoor summer social events. Low ponytails are very common. Skirts/dresses above the knee are fine, but mid-thigh is too short.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Ill-fitting clothing. Gaps between buttons because the shirt is too tight. Oversized button-down shirts worn untucked. Pants hemmed too short. Too big or too small, it just looks awful and unprofessional. Also, every year we get a couple new junior associates, inevitably from former Soviet bloc countries or South America, who dress way too sexy for the office: peeping lace or sheer fabrics, black fishnet or lace stockings, too much cleavage, skirts too short, heavy evening makeup, too much perfume, wild hair. They figure it out after a few months and start dressing appropriately (and often quite stylishly).
8. What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? In NYC, black is the color of choice. But people can get carried away — if you wear all black every day you look depressed. Hints of color (scarves, shawls, etc) are a good thing. Also, you certainly don’t have to wear the latest trends, but don’t wear old, out-of-style clothing. High-quality ($$$) fashionable heels are always okay, and worn every day by some female partners, so long as they’re not evening wear. It’s okay to take some fashion risks here if you’re not going to court or meeting clients.
1. What city do you work in? Pittsburgh
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 1
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) I usually go with black. Skirts or pants are fine with a reasonable pair of heels. No stillettos or the like.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Yes jeans are allowed. With a nice blouse and flats, you’re golden.
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 don’t know any specific rules, you just have to have options for all weather since it changes so much!
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Not paying attention to how high the slit in your skirt goes.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Sports are huge so make sure you have a Steelers, Pens and Pirates shirt ready, especially if they’re in the playoffs!
1.What city do you work in? Chicago, Illinois
2.Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? mid-level
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?) skirt or pants suit, usually in either blue or black, low heels
5.What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) “casual day” is basically separates, but the general rule is that the separates should be of “suit” quality; jeans are allowed for weekend-work only
6.What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? they all ring true here, although I have seen a fair number of women wearing fishnet stockings with skirt suits on the street
7.What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? inappropriate shoes–from clunky, snow boots in court to too-casual flip-flops or beach sandals in the office
8.(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? A lot of formality is coming back to the Chicago office; even though many offices are still “business casual,” suits on a daily basis are more common than not
1. What city do you work in? DALLAS, TEXAS
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. THIS OFFICE IS 6, BUT MOST OPT TO DRESS AT AN 8 OR 9.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) I THINK MOST INTERVIEWEES STICK WITH BLACK SKIRT SUITS AND MODEST HEEL. WHEN I INTERVIEWED FOR MY CURRENT POSITION I WORE A TAN SATEEN COTTON SUIT AND MY USUAL STILETTOS. IF THEY DIDN’T LIKE THAT, THEY WOULD NOT LIKE MY DAY-TO-DAY WARDROBE.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF DALLAS WEARS JEANS ON FRIDAY. AT MY LAW FIRM, JEANS ARE NOT ALLOWED UNLESS IT IS THE DAY BEFORE A HOLIDAY AND NO CLIENTS ARE COMING TO THE OFFICE. THIS LAW FIRM IS BUSINESS CASUAL, BUT MOST ATTORNEYS DRESS FAR MORE CONSERVATIVELY. THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SUCCEED IN WEARING BUSINESS CASUAL IN A FASHIONABLE MANNER; HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY LOOK DOWDY.
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’M IN TEXAS, WHERE IT IS VERY HOT IN THE SUMMER. I STOPPED WEARING PANTYHOSE YEARS AGO AND OPT FOR BARE LEGS. I THINK THE MAJORITY OF YOUNGER WOMEN DO THE SAME. OF COURSE, WE ROCK TIGHTS IN THE WINTER. ARMS ARE OUT, BUT MOST WOMEN KEEP A JACKET WITH THEM “JUST IN CASE.” DRESSES HAVE BECOME COMMONPLACE IN LIEU OF SUITS IN THE WORKPLACE.
7. 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? PEOPLE CONFUSE “CASUAL DAY” OR “JEAN DAY” WITH “WEAR WHAT YOU WOULD AROUND YOUR HOUSE DAY.” I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE WHO DRESS FINE MONDAY – THURSDAY, BUT ROLL UP TO WORK ON FRIDAY LOOKING LIKE THEY JUST CLEANED THEIR HOUSE.
8. As a full time paralegal, and part-time wardrobe consultant, I think there is a thick line between being conservative and boring. I believe woman can be feminine and fashionable and be taken seriously in the workplace. I think (in Texas especially) woman are able to use their femininity to their advantage, in a non-demeaning manner.
1. Chicago
2. mid-level
3. 5 (business casual, business for special events and high-profile visits)
4. skirt suit, black or navy, closed-toe heels
5. no jeans, khakis and polos OK, capris OK
6. open toe OK (no flip flops)
7. revealing tattoos, showing too much skin
8. follow the boss’s lead, dress in layers/for the weather
1. What city do you work in? Portland
2. Where are you in your career — Beginner
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 5
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Nice blouse , black pants
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? Jeans are allowed
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Covered toed shoes
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Bulky blouses
1. What city do you work in? Philadelphia
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Mid-level (6th year)
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 3
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Black suit, heels
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Everyday is casual day. In winter, pants and sweater with boots or flats. In summer, capris or skirt with twin set. Jeans are allowed. Usually just on Friday or when raining :)
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!) No flip-flops, generally all women cover their arms.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? None
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
1. What city do you work in?
Tampa, FL
2. Where are you in your career?
Summer associate (cut me some slack, I’ve lived in this area my whole life)
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10?
6-7
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region?
Black skirt suit, but with a top that has a bit of color
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region?
skirts/slacks and blouses/(light-weight) sweaters, but often with fun colors and prints
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned don’t ring true to your region?
closed-toed shoes – peep toes are definitely ok, though strappy shoes still aren’t
pantyhose – not that many women wear them (it’s the heat!)
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
an attorney wearing a cotton jersey dress and strappy heels to court!!
8. What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
it’s the South, we tend to be just a little more laid back around here :)
1.Birmingham, AL
2.Senior??? I guess 10 years makes me senior.
3.I’d say a 5-6. No jeans unless you are going out to inspect something on a worksite with a client or expert. No one wears a suit unless they are in court/depo/meeting. If you wear one, everyone in the hallway will ask you where you are going.
4.It is has been a while since I’ve interviewed, but I’d say dark suit (navy, black, dark grey). Conventional wisdom in law school was a skirt with hose, but at this point in my life I might do pants just to avoid the whole hose issue.
5.No denim. No Flip Flops. No shorts. Guys wear khakis and polos almost every single day. Women wear whatever–within reason and the aforementioned rules.
6.Closed toe shoes, covered arms, dark colors only–all that is out the window. It’s about a million degrees here with near 100% humidity most of the summer. You have to layer because it’ll be 60 degrees in your office, but you’ll be sweating by the time you get to your car.
7.Flowery or churchy dresses in court.
8.The worst problems I’ve had dressing have been being eight months pregnant in the summer and working. Someone should do an article on that. . .
What city do you work in? Winston-Salem, NC
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Senior
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 4 (admittedly unusual for a law firm in this city)
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Very conservative, neutral-colored business suit, or skirt & jacket.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? Most law firms in this area frown on jeans, but ours doesn’t. Typical corporate/legal business casual attire would more likely to be khakis and sweaters.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Despite being in the Bible belt, cute open toe shoes are acceptable, and Michelle Obama-style arm reveals are okay, too — with a shell-type top, no skinny straps at work.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? The biggest gaffe is likely great-looking women in suits that would otherwise be incredibly chic and professional — if the blouses weren’t cut so low or the skirts weren’t cut so high. Too much make-up is another frequent trip-up in an area of the country where people grew up with big hair and heavy mascara.
What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Many of us are clinging to pantyhose — so despite the closings and cutbacks at many hosiery apparel plants, someone is buying them!
1. Portland, Oregon
2. Beginner, mid-sized firm
3. I’d guess the office is around a 6 for attorneys and a 4 for staff.
4. I wore a pantsuit to both of my interviews–one black and one a sort of tan. I did see several women interviewing in skirt suits, though. I’m a big fan of the brightly colored non-button-up shirt under my suits, but most nervous entry-level types are still wearing collared shirts to interviews, I think.
5. Pretty much every day is semi-casual; the classic Portland woman’s outfit is black or gray pants with some basic top–no jacket, nothing fancy. Although women definitely wear suits to court, the judges in Portland know they’d probably have to cross a picket line the next morning if they dared to ask a female attorney to wear a skirt. Portland strikes an odd balance; it doesn’t take kindly to old-school rules (like no tattoos, no drinking before noon), but we also have a lot of old-school industry here (or at least represented by Portland attorneys)–farmers, loggers, etc.–and they want their attorneys to look like attorneys.
6. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a stylish woman under the age of 40 wear a pair of stockings in the workplace. They’d (we’d) all much rather wear pants, then sneak in some bare legs under skirts in the summer. Many (sometimes those who shouldn’t) wear open-toed shoes, and I’m only concerned about covering my arms when I really haven’t been working out lately.
7. Portland has, I’m convinced, a disproportionate number of large-breasted women without mirrors. It’s really bad. I’ve mastered the safety-pin-closing-the-button-gap, so should everyone else. I’ll come over and show you.
8. The best thing about Portland is that almost everyone is way happier and more laid-back than anywhere else I’ve lived. Many workplaces’ dress codes could be summed up as “not jeans.”
1. What city do you work in?
Pittsburgh.
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.
One.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
Conservative neutral suit and shoes.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?)
Jeans are definitely allowed! Just anything nice and in good repair – nothing too revealing.
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, covered arms – do not apply.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
Too much make-up!
1. Lansing, Michigan
2. Beginner
3. 1
4. Dark suit, closed toe shoes. Pant suits are tolerated, but my career services office encourages skirt suits.
5. My office is atypically casual, so it’s hard for me to say. I think jeans are probably not acceptable at other firms.
6. Pantsuits seem to be totally accepted here. It’s way too cold to worry about skirts in the winter.
7. Rumpled or cheap-looking suits, especially on men.
What city do you work in? Rural central Illinois
Where are you in your career — beginner
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? There aren’t any men in my office of 4, but I would say a 6.
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Dark skirt or pants suit, white or pastel blouse. Close toed shoes, flats okay. No perfume, light jewelry.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? Jeans and a blouse.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned don’t ring true to your region? None of the rules ring true here for women. It can be as casual or dressy as you want as long as you are reasonably modest.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? In gov’t work with large cattle calls of families, the lawyers always look much nicer than the “clients” so no particular gaffe stands out. Some judges keep medical booties at the door to their courtrooms so women in flip flops can cover their feet.
What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Overall there are very few women attorneys in my day to day travels. The ones that are around are mostly working moms who wear little make-up and generally slacks and blouses to court. I keep a black jacket in my car for more formal judges. In the summer I don’t wear a jacket or hose to court because often the courtrooms are 85-90 degrees and I’m there for hours.
1. What city? Philadelphia
2. Where are you in your career? Mid-level position–legal/nonprofit
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 6
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Black, navy or charcoal wool, well-tailored suit. Conservative skirt or pants. White or blue blouse. Glasses.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? No jeans unless firm policy allows. Knee length shift or polo dress with flats; slim-fit chinos with flats and a button-down. The operative word is “tasteful.”
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Peep toes are fine pending firm policy and a pedicure, but never in court. Sleeveless is fine at your own desk with your jacket/cardigan over your chair, but never in meetings/in court.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Young female attorneys wearing overly frilly/revealing suits from stores like Bebe (Try J.Crew, it’s down the street!). But the flip side as well: female attorneys who are afraid to embrace reasonable expression of femininity through good grooming and tasteful jewelry/suit cuts.
Oh! And memo to interns/summer associates/young attorneys: neither tights nor leggings qualify as pants.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? Many more conservative government offices and judicial chambers have unwritten “rules” that require skirt suits for women, even now. Also, seersucker is completely appropriate for any occasion outside a courtroom from May to September.
Additionally, it seems the men are trying their hardest to negotiate the undershirt waters–and their choice indicates their hometown. Men on the preppy main line or Philadelphia proper will generally wear undershirts that don’t show; men from New Jersey who work in the city will go without. In my personal opinion, the resulting chest exposure is inappropriate in a northeastern urban professional office setting.
What city do you work in? Charleston, WV
Where are you in your career — Rising 2L, Summer Associate at a law firm.
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 its about an 6. Some male attorney’s wear khaki’s often. And most don’t have their jacket on unless they have a client coming in or they’re going to court.
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? – Black suit, white shirt, black closed toe heels.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? For senior attorney’s may wear jeans or khaki’s, but I usually just wear dress pants and a cute top on friday.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Most of the female attorneys don’t wear hose, which I found to be very very strange. But as a summer associate I wear them daily.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? There are alot of bad suits out there. Lots of weird patterned blazers with plain pants.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
1. What city do you work in? Memphis, TN
2. Where are you in your career — mid-beginner (3 years in)
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 2-5 depending on department
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Skirt Suit with a colorful but conservative top.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are allowed at my agency. Other corporate offices allow khakis and flats.
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 AOK. It gets pretty sweltering in summer in the South so almost everyone wears sleeveless but NO Spaghetti Straps. Capris are ok but definitely no suit shorts.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Lingerie tops with Suits.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? When the heat is bearing down, a lot of the wardrobe rules seem to relax.
What city do you work in? Chicago Suburb
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner/Mid-level (5 years)
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. (9.5 – 10)
. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) (Black/blue skirt suit with closed toe pumps)
. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) (No casual days! If people don’t have to go to court they won’t wear a suit, but it is always professional. People wear jeans on the weekends and on holidays when they come in)
. 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!) (All the typical rules ring true, however, some of the younger attorneys don’t always wear pantyhose and they wear flip-flops or even SLIPPERS when they come back from court. It’s TERRIBLE!!!)
. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? (Not wearing pantyhose … wearing ill-fitting suits, wearing head to toe white (not in a funky cool way) wearing wrinkled suits, men wearing short sleeves shirts with ties)
. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? (It’s super cold here in the winter so we do see a lot of sweaters, some good, some bad. Even though it’s the ‘burbs, people tend to dress pretty formally.)
What city do you work in? New York
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? 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. It varies – if we go out to clients it would be 8 – 10 and in the office it would be 7.
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) A suit with closed in toe shoes. The color would be dark.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Casual day outfit on a weekday would not involve jeans. It would be shoes (not too strappy but could show toe), a knee length skirt or pants, and a top, with a cardigan. Definitely no jeans.
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 have been thinking about these ‘rules’ since I started reading this blog a couple of weeks ago. No one in my office wears tights / pantyhose in the summer months. It is technically a rule in our office that we should wear them but everyone ignores the rule. I mean for god’s sake, it’s hot outside and it is no longer the 80s. Pantyhose are beyond ugly. Also, we all wear peep toe shoes. Also, we bare our arms on occasion – all shift dresses are sleeveless and the look is ruined by adding a cardigan in most cases. Heavens above we are very naughty!!
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? I actually think that the guys at the associate level dress badly. They wear cheap shirts and don’t ever think to wear a suit or add a tie when the occasion calls for it.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
What city do you work in? Chattanooga, TN
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. 2-6, depending on the department. I work at a utility, so it is engineer-heavy
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Dark pants suit, color underneath, conservative closed-toe shoes
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Dark tailored jeans, conservative knit top or casual dress
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 and wearing hose year-round aren’t an issue, especially in the summer when its very hot outside
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Improper fit, especially with suits. If you pay for a suit, you may as well make it fit correctly!
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
1. City:
Madison, Wisconsin.
2. Career Level:
Beginner/Mid-Level (graduated in 2005)
3. Conservative Scale:
4-5. I could wear jeans every day, if I wanted to. My firm is small, the partners don’t care, and one of the secretaries regularly wears leggings/yoga pants. I feel like everyone will judge the firm as being crappy because of their lax dresscode, but the truth is that these guys realize that as long as you’re dressed well for clients and court, it doesn’t matter.
4. Typical Interview outfit:
Black, grey or navy suit; doesn’t matter if it’s a skirt or pants.
5. “Casual day” (weekday) outfit:
Jeans and a nice sweater or shell.
6. Established “rules” that don’t ring true:
Madison is a pretty relaxed market and provides a large spectrum of “appropriate” dress. Open toed shoes and even strappy sandals won’t get a second look. However, due to the generally casual mentality I’ve noticed that people shy away from more fashion forward outfits–for example, wearing a belt over a cardigan will get you funny glances in the elevator bay. Otherwise it is generally a business casual environment where even bare arms are accepted.
7. Biggest gaffe?
Flip flops (with unmanicured feet, no less!) in the office, clothes that are too tight/too loose, and pants that are too long/too short.
8. Other comments about the region?
As an East-coaster, I came out to Madison because the market seemed to provide a much better work/life balance. I continue to believe this to be true. As compared to my friends in other NY or DC firms, I seem to enjoy a more relaxed, collegial environment with generally stress-free weekends. All-in-all I believe the slight pay-cut to be well worth what you gain in sanity.
1. City: Washington, DC
2. Level: Beginner but management level
3. Conservative level: Probably a 7 – I rank it a bit higher even though it’s business casual because we are a non-profit and conservative by nature… couple that with the fact we’re in DC and I am sure to be prim and proper in the office.
4. Typical interview outfit: Definitely a dark suit – this area is nothing but dark suits, it sometimes feels like. Skirt or pants.
5. Casual Day: Still polished and put together – jeans might happen but they have to be done very nicely – clean, not too tight.
6. Rules: Hosiery tends to be a generation thing – most people steer clear of too much skin (if they’re smart), however since the attire leans so conservatively, I’ve seen more creative shoes. There are definitely lots of wellies when it rains as well.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
I would say the worst would be age appropriateness – I’ve seen a lot of people (young and old) that dress too racy or too casual and don’t seem to take a professional mindset.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
My biggest pet peeve – commuters who wear full out athletic sneakers with business wear. I get that it hurts to wear the heels but there are enough stylish flats to avoid this horrible eyesore.
1. Cincinnati, OH
2. mid-level
3. 5 (business casual)
4. Dark pant suit or skirt suit, possibly separates. Closed toed shoes.
5. Pants or a skirt and a shirt or sweater. Dresses are ok, as is a more “feminine” look (floral skirt, etc.). Lots of cardigans b/c of the office climate. Shoes on the more fashionable side, sandals are fine. I typically don’t wear t-shirts to work, even under a cardigan. No jeans. Today I am wearing a full skirt, a short sleeve sweater, and 3″ sandals.
6. Bare arms hypothetically ok, but I rarely see more than a cap sleeve. No hose required.
7. Visible underwear! Not just pantylines, but garments visible through clothes. Wear lined clothing or proper undergarments.
What city do you work in? St. Louis, MO
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Beginner (associate at a mid-sized law firm)
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.
6-7. It would be a 10 for someone going to court or possibly meeting with a client; jeans are never allowed.
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) I always wear skirt suits, because I think they look better, but I know women who have been hired by big firms after wearing pants to their interviews, so I believe either is fine. I once wore a dark brown suit to an interview and received compliments from the attorneys interviewing me.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans are never allowed for my law firm, and we don’t have official casual days. Attorneys dress according to what they have scheduled for the day. I usually do pencil skirts and a cute top for a regular day in the office, and black skirt suits for meetings with clients.
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!) Lots of people wear open toed pumps to work in the summer. Covered arms aren’t required.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
Older women who think dressing appropriately for work and wearing cute clothes are mutually exclusive. To me, partner-level women who look like they’re still wearing the same clothes they wore to work in the late 80’s look just as bad as someone who is wearing something too trendy. You can find apparel that’s both cute and tasteful. Also, I hate, hate, hate those bulky loafers that some female attorneys wear. Seriously, they look like they’re some sort of orthopedic creation for people with leg problems.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
I disagree with the commenter who said you can’t find good workwear in St. Louis. I’ve purchased most of my work basics at Banana Republic and J. Crew, but I’ve also found cute Theory, Nanette Lepore and Trina Turk suits at Saks and Neiman’s. Oh, and I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing anything from Talbot’s. Also, I’m a lawyer, but when I see the women who work for our corporate clients, they tend to always be dressed a little more on the stylish side in comparison to how most attorneys dress. I think women in business can get away with a little more.
1. What city do you work in? Anchorage, Alaska
2. Where are you in your career — mid-level?
3. How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 8
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Suite and since we’re in Alaska, probably more pants than skirts. Colors can vary but keep it conservative.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? Alaska is more casual and some organizations (even state workers) wear jeans but if you have clients, jeans are a no-go.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Since our winters are so long, when summer is finally here no one wears black and gray any longer, we wear long business shorts and skirts, sometimes we lose the jackets to our suits, we wear peep toe heels and even toss out the panty-hose until winter returns.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Here in Alaska, there’s no way around wearing snow boots to and from the office and when you visit clients. Having said that, it’s necessary to spend the money on a quality pair both chic and professional. No visiting clients in moon boots, ladies…save those for sledding. Multi-colored knit gloves and scarves should be worn on weekends or after hours and not with the business attire.
8. What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? A trench coat for spring is absolutely necessary and also a professional, long warm coat. Tights are a must here if you want to make use of the skirts in your wardrobe and wear them during winter.
What city do you work in? Philadelphia, PA
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? 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. 8-10 for the men, 6-10 for women. Most of the men wear suits and some wear nicer dress pants and shirts but no ties.
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Dark suit – pants or skirt, pumps.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Business casual for women – dress pants, heels, cardigan sweater or collared shirt.
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!) In an office setting, ok to shoe arms, wear peep toed shoes, trendy pieces. In court, the conservative suit stands true. Attending depositions, I would say it depends on the location – small office deposition you can get away with business casual, depositions of physicians, experts or if I’m producing a witness, definitely a suit. Peep toed shoes don’t matter in the region.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
Women attorneys who do not pay attention to their clothes – out of date clothing, inappropriate season clothing, ill-fitting clothing. You can look professional 100% of the time whether you are in a suit or in business casual. Even if you can wear jeans to the office on Fridays – dark trouser jeans with heels and a nice collared shirt or cardigan will give you a professional look and you can go out after work for the start of the weekend!
1. What city do you work in? San Francisco, CA
2. Where are you in your career — Beginner (summer legal intern!)
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. Based on your numbers, it’s a 10; but the women have more leeway; slacks and tops, sweaters, skirts and knit tops… so maybe a 8/9?
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) A suit, skirt or pants, in black, navy, or gray. (I interviewed in light gray, wearing black wedge mary janes with argyle socks.)
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) A casual day in SF probably does allow jeans.
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? I have seen bare arms and peep toes, and also plenty of senior female attorneys wearing skirts well above the knee.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? In my 3 day career? One of the other interns showed up on day one wearing a track suit jacket…
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? I wrote the intern coordinator to ask what the dress code was; she replied “no jeans, no tank tops, and no flip flops.”
1. What city do you work in? – Chicago, IL
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? – Beginner, entry level municipal government
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. – Really, really depends on the dept. even though we’re all on the same floor. The dept. that interacts with the public, the men and women both wear suits every day. The depts. that have moderate interaction with the public, the men wear suits and the women wear business casual. The depts. that lurk in the back wear corduroys and sweater vests. I wear business casual everyday, which tends to be black pants and a button-down shirt or a sweater with a pair of black pumps.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) — Black pant-suit, colored shirt, pumps (with heels not over 2 inches).
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) — this office and the past office I worked in did not have casual fridays. Of the offices that I have visited for interviews on Fridays, dark blue denim seems to be the way to go.
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!) — Bared arms are okay, especially for shells that are then worn under suit jackets for meetings. Colors tend to be muted. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything hinting at cleavage. The lowest cut shirt anyone wears is a very modest v-neck sweater. As its always so cold here in Chicago, I’ve never noticed any shoes other than flats or pumps.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? — In clothing? Too tight pants and too short skirts. While I love going out at night just as much as everyone else, there are certain styles and clothes that really should stay in the closet until after work is done.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? — Chicago’s really eclectic when it comes to work clothes; in general, after thinking about what I see when I walk to work everyday, things tend to be more muted and less experimental, but also more laid back, when compared to say New York.
What city do you work in? Northwest IN bank, Investments
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? beginner, first year
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.
This should be a 10. Guys wear suits everyday and women are supposed to…but during summer months women can go without nylons. (yay!!) We can wear open toed shoes all year, just can’t be really brightly colored.
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
Black, navy, pantsuit (though I wore a skirt suit to mine) with a colored shirt, not necessarily collared ( I wore shells), pumps with hosiery.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) No jeans…just your typical casual Friday– sweaters, khaki-type pants and button-down shirts
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!)
Mentioned this before…during summer can go without hose, and open toed are ok. In summer, the Friday before a holiday (Memorial, 4th of July, labor) we can wear capris.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Just your generally ill-fitting, cheaper clothes. Yes, you can get great pieces at the lower end stores, but I think we all know what I mean here.
(Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
1 – NY metro area (NY-LI-upstate-CT-RI) – regional responsibility
2 – senior (23 yrs practicing)
3 – 6: attorneys in suits but business casual permitted when not in court or with clients, support staff and paralegals are always allowed business casual. Casual Fridays – jeans permitted for all.
4 – Black or dark suit, light colored shirt. Pants or skirts equally suitable. Neat shoes, any style as long as no toes showing (peep toe might be OK)
5 – Jeans with button down or sweater. We discourage tee-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. even on casual Fridays.
6 – Cleavage has really been out there this past year. Seems everyone is pushing the envelope more & more. Also, I find that in the heat of the summer, more shoulder is OK to show, such as taking off a jacket to reveal a skimpier shell-type shirt than in the past. Hose have really gone by the wayside and the company I work for (conservative insurance co.) finally did away with the “hose rule” about 2 yrs ago.
7 – Too much cleavage – you could accuse me of jealousy, since I have none to show off! – but I really feel it’s gone too far. Leaving something to the imagination is a much better strategy, IMHO. And you still need to dress for clients, no business casual unless it’s a known client and you are doing something such as going out to the client’s plant to view a machine.
8 – Another business casual gaffe in my book are the ankle pants. If they’re tailored, made of dress material and paired with appropriate shoes, I’m OK with it….but I see too many women sporting pants that are more like pedal-pushers, and too casual looking. I have given feedback to both paralegals and lawyers in my offices that they should reserve these outfits for casual Fridays, not regular workaday attire.
What city do you work in? Roanoke, VA
Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Mid-Level
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 8
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?) Dark skirt suit, pumps
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Nice pants or skirt and a twin set.
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 women do not wear hose.
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? I’m amazed at how many people consistently wear clothes that are too tight/small for them.
1. What city do you work in?
– Houston
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior?
– Mid-level (out of law school for five years and at this firm for three)
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.
– Six generally; however, it is a 10 for the women. My office is strange because the men are almost business casual but all the women wear suits every single day except Friday.
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?)
– black or gray suit, hose, closed toe shoes. And I am almost positive it would make a difference to my firm if women showed up in a pantsuit.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?)
– on Friday during the summer we dress down quite a bit; however, I still bring a jacket to the office in case of a meeting. It just isn’t full on suits. Some of the men actually wear jeans on Fridays, but I have never seen women attorneys do so (only staff).
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!)
– open toes shoes are fine, and most the younger women wear skirt suits with no hoes (almost all the older women wear hoes). I have never seen sleeveless without a jacket. you take off the jacket at your desk, but put the jacket on to leave the office – even if only for a RR break.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career?
– young women wearing too short skirts and tight clothing – either suggestively or because the put on too much weight. buy a bigger size, ladies!!! the older women wear too much jewelry here in the south.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention?
– the older ladies wear very colourful suits, but the younger ones seem to be more conservative. I think most of the bigger shops here in houston are more formal. most of the young women wear pearls on a daily basis . . .
1. San Francisco
2. Advanced beginner (3 years out of law school)
3. 1, to be honest. At both firms where I’ve worked, jeans, and yes, even shorts are acceptable when there are no clients around and no court appearances. I do not think this is the norm.
4. Typical interview outfit is a dark suit (pants or skirt, doesn’t matter), UNLESS you are told that business casual is OK – which has happened to me, from time to time. In that case, I wear a nice sweater and trousers.
5. Casual day outfit is definitely jeans, though at least female attorneys tend to stick to nicer jeans (trouser jeans). At one of my workplaces, jeans and ratty sneakers were acceptable and worn by both partners and associates.
6.Open toed shoes are fine, as are skirt suits without hose at all ages (though no skirt suit with open toed shoes). Women typically do wear cardigans where needed, although the cardi can be short-sleeved.
7. Biggest gaffe is definitely women of all ages wearing the wrong cut pants (and sometimes jackets) – not just too tight, but also just plain unflattering for the body in question.
8. The Bay Area generally is really casual at times – it is quite common to see attorneys out of suits in a deposition (men without ties, sometimes a jacket, sometimes not). Have seen women in nice trousers or dresses in that situation, and men in a blue button down and trousers or even khakis.
What city do you work in? New Orleans, LA
Where are you in your career — mid-level
How conservative is your office, scale of 1-10? 6
What is a typical interview outfit for your region? Gray skirt suits and closed-toe low heel pumps.
What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? It depends on the employer, some allow jeans, others do not. A typical casual outfit would be conservative pants/skirt and a blouse.
What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? Arms between shoulder and elbow okay, peep toes okay. It is always wise to have a suit jacket in the office in case something comes up. Some judges expect women to wear skirt suits in their chambers.
What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Inappropriate tops/blouses/shells, skirts that are too short, heels that are too high, clothes that are too tight.
What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? The legal market in New Orleans is generally conservative, but whether one needs to wear a suit every day or more casual attire will be on a case-by-case basis.
1. What city do you work in? Washington, DC
2. Where are you in your career — beginner, mid-level, senior? Senior 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 (Upscale business casual for all but meetings with agency officials – in which case formal suits are required.)
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) Dark neutral pants suits with complementary blouse (not a T-neck unless polished and with a high neck). Pumps (no higher than 3 inches) and good handbag. In summer, lighter colors are fine but again should be neutrals (gray, beige). Skirt suits are fine as well, but not obligatory. You can skip stockings only if your heels and toes are covered.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) Jeans would be fine on the weekend (although not “weathered.” A dark wash is always safe.) Only some companies allow jeans on casual Fridays, so it’s safer to wear casual slacks. Sweaters or polo shirts are good. T-shirts should be plain, good quality, and worn only if you also have a jacket to throw on when going out to lunch.
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 arms if your arms don’t rival Michelle Obama (unless it’s really, really hot, and you’re carrying a sweater or jacket to cover up if you need to). Sandals without stockings are fine for those dog days of summer, but wear them with slacks or a long skirt if your legs aren’t perfect. Be wary of very high heels. If you wobble in the least, you won’t be taken seriously. Any perfume should be undetectable at 2 feet distance.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? Showing cleavage. Nothing stops your career advancement faster.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? In government and business contexts, don’t be afraid to be a little stodgy. You can’t go wrong wearing St. John, Jones New York (the neutral shades), Brooks Brothers, Talbots. Don’t even think of wearing “city shorts.” In DC, you never want to look like a sneakers and t-shirt wearing tourist – even on Saturday if you’re in town to work or shop. If you want to rise to senior positions, ask yourself if Candace Bergen would be comfortable in the outfit. She’s an excellent gauge (think Boston Legal and Murphy Brown).
1. What city do you work in? Boston
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. – About 6 or 7, depending on the individual – I moved from a big to a small firm. The big firm was notably more casual (a 4) except for meeting clients
4. What is a typical interview outfit for your region? (Color? Skirt suit? Shoes?) – Black or gray pant or skirt suit, plain colored shirt, pumps.
5. What is a “casual day” outfit (weekday) for your region? (Are jeans allowed?) – Sweater with slacks and nice shoes (cotton khakis are OK, jeans are not)
6. What established “rules” that we’ve mentioned — covered arms, covered toes, etc — don’t ring true to your region? – We frequently wear peep toes or open toes, sleeveless shirts are OK if it’s hot in the summer, and most female attorneys do not wear hose.
7. What’s the biggest gaffe you’ve noticed repeatedly in your career? – For attorneys – new female attorneys often wear too-short skirts. Older male attorneys often wear old, worn-out shirts that are fraying at the cuffs – ugh! For support staff – the 2-piece floral polyester outfits are rampant.
8. (Optional) — What other comments do you have about your region do you care to mention? – Fleece outerwear is OK to wear for your commute – you don’t need a fancy coat. We also are proud to wear our Sorel boots in the winter (again, for the commute)
OK! Hopefully we’ve kept the