Fashion ideas?

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Most law firms, however, have really lightened up their dress codes, however. We routinely see lawyers on the street wearing casual wear or jeans. They only dress up if they have court. My boss has asked them about it and they maintain that most (though presumably not all) of their clients prefer that they're casual. My boss just can't get his head around that though.

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I think this must be regional. In my last larger firm, we got rid of the no "panty hose always required" for women rule in 2008 or so. At that firm, suits are still required M-Th and still strongly encouraged on Fridays (lawyer friends have been called out for wearing skirts/tops/heels in lieu of a suit). Overall, lawyers here still very much wear suits or at least very nice business casual most days. Jeans - not in most large firms and only in the smaller firms on Fridays for the most part.

Of course, opposing counsel showed up for a superior court hearing in a long knit skirt, form fitting long-sleeved t-shirt and knit "arty" vest (t-shirt material). I don't think the look worked period. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that for Court. If I'm in Court (or mediation, or arbitration, or....) I'm still in a suit.

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Originally Posted by lph

That sounds like me, except I don't need to wear branded stuff much. Can you get away with wearing just a button or a pin? Or a cap or something else small? Or maybe just carrying a tote bag or briefcase with the brand name prominently on it? That would give you a lot more leeway with clothes.

We have some branded stuff too that I hate, but wearing it is optional. I try to look professional when we're out travelling, but luckily in my line of work professional equates rubber boots and goretex jackets ;)

Anyway. The hippest mom - and new grandmom - I know at work is also a cyclist, and wears lots of knee-length, colourful dresses. Not frilly feminine ones and not closefitting sexy ones, but semi-fitted, artsy detail, fun Pippi-like dresses without looking childish. A bit like some of these: www.desigual.com. And colourful shoes and boots. She looks fantastic.

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OK, that's the second time you've posted a link to a clothing site that left me drooling! It's probably a good thing I live where I do (where 'fashion' is often a new color fleece jacket!) or I'd be soooo broke! There were a lot of really cute, really unique pieces at Desigual. (the other one you shared that I loved had a lot of color block and retro looking dresses, if I remember correctly).

I do like the branded pin idea though. I'm throwing that one at marketing to see what they say. Worst case, maybe there is something I can put together for myself at zazzle or something (using company images)...

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Originally Posted by Blueberry

I think this must be regional. In my last larger firm, we got rid of the no "panty hose always required" for women rule in 2008 or so. At that firm, suits are still required M-Th and still strongly encouraged on Fridays (lawyer friends have been called out for wearing skirts/tops/heels in lieu of a suit). Overall, lawyers here still very much wear suits or at least very nice business casual most days. Jeans - not in most large firms and only in the smaller firms on Fridays for the most part.

Of course, opposing counsel showed up for a superior court hearing in a long knit skirt, form fitting long-sleeved t-shirt and knit "arty" vest (t-shirt material). I don't think the look worked period. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that for Court. If I'm in Court (or mediation, or arbitration, or....) I'm still in a suit.

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I was not a litigator, but an IP lawyer. I was the first woman to wear pants at my firm. I think it was in the early 90s or late 80s and the pants were a pantsuit kind of thing. When I retired the women lawyers thanked me for busting that barrier. Before that, it was suits, with matching skirt and coat, usually with a tie, and certainly hose. I hated those floppy ties we wore in the mid 80s. Felt like a Christmas present.

I also was the first to wear tights under a dress or skirt. Winters were cold in Minnesota. :) And odds are, the first to wear a pair of jeans. As the years went by I felt that as the senior woman I could dress as I pleased as the men would be mortified to criticize me. So, I always was gently pushing the barriers.

But the time I retired, about three years ago, there were lawyers at my firm that I still only ever saw in a suit, but there also were a fair number who were pretty casual. Though jeans were quit rare and usually only on lawyers that were just stopping by the office for a bit. The range of dress for women was all over the place, from a sweater with black or brown pants (which kind of was my uniform before I retired) to dresses to full blow suits.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Thanks for correctly the website name! But at least I now know where to go for custom millworking! :D

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I will have to look at this website - and the one LPH posted!

It's funny, just home from a mediation and as I was reading the question I started formulating in my head almost the same response as Indy. Right now, I'm wearing one of about 8 identical above the knee skirts in different colors which I have gotten from Nordstrom over the last year, Pikolinos boots and a funky fun top. The skirts are Halogen, good quality, not too much $ compared to other stuff there. They go with anything.

I get by on the staple of a pencil skirt and tights/boots in winter and boots or pumps with no tights or hose in the summer. Pair it with a funky or sophisticated sweater or top depending on the circumstance, and I'm good to go.

Ah, the lovely pencil skirt. How I wish I could wear one but sadly, I am not cut for pencil skirts. A-line? Fine...but there is nothing pencil shaped about me! :p

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

I think I just spent too much time wearing nothing but jeans and an Ibex Shak

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Hey! That's what I wore to work today!

I spend a lot of time on my knees in order to get eye to eye with kids so the knees of my pants and the tops of my shoes get worn out. And every day is a messy day for us. If the kids aren't at school, I wear something a little nicer, like good jeans and a sweater with no spots. :)

I do have a pencil skirt that I have never been quite brave enough to wear. Bright red. Leather.

It may be "professional" but I'm not in that profession!

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

Ah, the lovely pencil skirt. How I wish I could wear one but sadly, I am not cut for pencil skirts. A-line? Fine...but there is nothing pencil shaped about me! :p

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I would have thought that, too. Seriously - hips that belie the fact that I had to have a C-section because things were too narrow inside. Nothing narrow on the outside here - all curve. But it works.

Funny because A line just hides the fact I have any waist at all. :p

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

:p

You win. !!!

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Right.

:D

My middle school encourages "professional attire". A lot of the male teachers wear ties. I wear skirts more frequently in warm weather, but during winter it's easier to wear pants- dress pants or something like khakis. Fridays we can wear jeans and school shirt (tee or polo).

I often find it really difficult to find clothes that fit or flatter- even when I'm willing to pay $$, (which I can't afford to do most of the time). At 5'1" and with a generous bust and very short waist, a lot of clothes are just not proportioned for my shape. Even petite sizes seem to be cut for much longer torsos and fewer curves. Pants are generally easier to find, especially since I've lost weight. And shoes! A bunion/arthritis in my foot eliminate about 90% of all shoe styles as impossibly uncomfortable- especially narrow toes and high heels.

All that said- this discussion is making me want to go shopping for a some new clothes.

Check out www.ruelala.com and www.gilt.com

You can find great sales(some things are still crazy on the pricing, but if you get it right you can get amazing clothes for a fraction of the cost!)

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Originally Posted by azfiddle

My middle school encourages "professional attire". A lot of the male teachers wear ties. I wear skirts more frequently in warm weather, but during winter it's easier to wear pants- dress pants or something like khakis. Fridays we can wear jeans and school shirt (tee or polo).

I often find it really difficult to find clothes that fit or flatter- even when I'm willing to pay $$, (which I can't afford to do most of the time). At 5'1" and with a generous bust and very short waist, a lot of clothes are just not proportioned for my shape. Even petite sizes seem to be cut for much longer torsos and fewer curves. Pants are generally easier to find, especially since I've lost weight. And shoes! A bunion/arthritis in my foot eliminate about 90% of all shoe styles as impossibly uncomfortable- especially narrow toes and high heels.

All that said- this discussion is making me want to go shopping for a some new clothes.

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Do you ever get any of your clothes tailored to fit? I know it's easier said than done, but Stacy and Clinton (of What Not to Wear) strongly urge women to use a tailor if they have unusual proportions. That said, as a short- legged gal myself, one of the reasons I don't buy a lot of pants is that I hate to get things altered, so I wouldn't fault you for not going that route yourself. Obviously, it can get expensive, but there are some stores out there (Nordstrom maybe?) that will make some alterations for free.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Do you ever get any of your clothes tailored to fit? I know it's easier said than done, but Stacy and Clinton (of What Not to Wear) strongly urge women to use a tailor if they have unusual proportions. That said, as a short- legged gal myself, one of the reasons I don't buy a lot of pants is that I hate to get things altered, so I wouldn't fault you for not going that route yourself. Obviously, it can get expensive, but there are some stores out there (Nordstrom maybe?) that will make some alterations for free.

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Yep, Nordstroms and Banana Republic both do alterations for free on full priced items and for a fee on sale items.

When I worked in retail and was dressed to the nines every day (by requirement), I'm fairly certain I put my tailors' kids through college. It was awesome because I could buy stuff that really wasn't my size off a clearance rack and he could fix it for me for a fraction of what it would have cost to buy it full price. I wish I could find someone similar here. I can hem my own pants and all the 'curvy' styles out there these days have helped. My problem is that if a jacket or dress doesn't fit, I just don't buy it because I am afraid to tackle waists. That's usually where things don't work (if they fit my generous behind). That's why I don't own any pencil skirts even though I seriously long for one!

Hmmm....maybe finding a tailor/seamstress should be my first order of business.

If it helps at all GLC, I buy a lot of my skirts slightly on the larger side because I do have a bigger butt and thighs than the rest of my frame might suggest. So, they end up sitting low on my waist. With a sweater one, you can't really tell though. Perhaps that's something you could do with skirts, too. I find that a lot of skirts don't have to fit as "just so" as pants do.