With school starting this week (or in the next few), I've seen lots of questions about what to wear to law school, what to wear to interviews, what to wear to job fairs, what to wear to law school events, etc.
I can't tell you what to wear, but I will tell you what I wore and give you leads on where to find similar pieces.
What I Wore To Class
This really depended on my mood. I would say that most of the time, I wore "athleisure," a.k.a., lululemon I paid for with student loan money. I found that comfort was key, especially on the days where I was in class/at school for 8-10 hours per day. My commute for the first half of school was 60-90 minutes, depending on traffic, so there was no going home to change (without wasting gas money). Also, Oklahoma weather could be 45 degrees in the morning and 75 by the afternoon. It could also go from 90 degrees to 60 in a matter of hours. I always kept a sweatshirt (or three) in my car.
My all-time favorite lulu pieces that I SWEAR are worth the pr
ice:
Fast and Free 25" - These run a size big
Align 8" shorts - I'm 5'11" so I opt for the longer lengths
I also had other pieces from Amazon that I love and
wear even now:
My go-to shoes for class:
Birks (sorry not sorry) - if you've never owned a pair, they can take a couple weeks of wearing to really break it. I promise it'll be worth it!
New Balance Fresh Foam sneakers - These are super comfy and affordable. I HIGHLY recommend if you walk a lot.
New Balance 574 sneakers - great with leggings or jeans and a cute top!
Hoka Clifton sneakers - Pricey but worth it. I am on my third pair of these. They are my go-to workout/dog-walking shoe.
Starting 2L year, I worked part-time during the school year. There were a few days per week that I had to go from work to class. The firm I worked at 2L fall required business casual. I worked Tuesdays and Thursdays and had class Monday through Thursday that semester. I quickly learned that I preferred dresses and skirts, as I find them more comfortable than pants. I would often wear dresses or skirts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There were some days where I would pack a change of clothes if I was going to have a late night at school.
What I Wore To Interviews
This one might start a discussion....
This one really depends on (1) where you're interviewing, (2) your interviewer, and (3) what you feel comfortable wearing.
Where you're interviewing: Unfortuna
tely, the legal community at large hasn't caught up to the concept that your clothes don't define your "professionalism" or "credibility." If you're interviewing for a government job (prosecutor, public defender, agency, appellate court, etc.) or in "Big Law," then you're going to have to wear a suit or something equivalent.
Your interviewer: If you're lucky, you will know your interview(s) before-hand. If you have attorneys who are under 40 interviewing you for a job mentioned above, then you may be able to get away with something other than a suit, i.e., a nice dress or pants with a blouse. You can also creep on their pages on the firm website and on social media to get an idea of their personal style.
What you feel comfortable in: Hi, it's me, Pink Suit Girl. Obviously, I like color. I like trendy clothes. I also love a blazer with some solid shoulder pads like this is 1985. I'm the reason why 3Ls at my alma mater can't wear bright colors in their composite photos anymore. If you follow me on Instagram, then you've seen plenty of my outfits. I don't own a black, gray, or navy suit. But, I will say, I can get away with this partly because of the work I do. If I did civil defense, instead of Plaintiffs' work, I would probably not be able to get away with bright color suits and trendy outfits.
For my first two internships, I wore the same dark green shift dress and black heels. For the interview I had for my final internship (which turned into my job), I wore a black skirt and white blazer to the first interview and a mustard skirt and white blouse to the second. I got all three positions.
I wore similar outfits to job fairs, too.
What I Wore to Work
As I mentioned the firm I worked from 1L summer through 2L fall was business casual. The second and third firms I worked at were casual. I often have to buy dresses, skirts, and tops in a "tall" size, so I can be limited in where I get my clothes. I also
have a rule: unless it's Target or TJ Maxx, it has to be on sale for me to buy it. I live by that rule. It also probably saved me more money than I've realized. That famous pink suit in the picture above was on sale at Dillard's. It was still $175 for the blazer, pants, and skirt.
Here's my go-to places for work clothes:
- Loft
- Banana Republic Factory
- Ann Taylor
- J.Crew
- J.Crew Factory
All of those places offer petite, standard, and tall. They also offer "curvy" sizing in their pants, which is helpful if you're like me and you're shaped like a pear. (or as Gen Z says, a Pixar mom)
I also swear by Sam Edelman shoes, especially because
they make 10.5:
Loraine Loafers - I have these in 6 colors. They are AMAZING! They look like Gucci, but are a fraction of the price.
Did I miss anything? If you have anything to add, comment below or send me a DM on Instagram!