THREADBARE IMPRESSIONS: FASHION IN THE WORKPLACE

by ELIJAH BULLIE STAFF WRITER

“Dress for success.”

“The clothes make the man.”

In film, television, and ads, expressions like these sing the same tune: What you wear matters, not just to yourself, but to those around you. Although the pressures of appearance are by no means unique to the legal field, in a profession with dress codes spanning from powdered wigs to jeggings, it’s no wonder the question of “what to wear” causes a flurry of worry for many professionals. Paired with ever-accelerating cycles of trends and rapidly evolving socio-political implications in presentation, uncertainties are inevitable for any legal professional, particularly those historically marginalized from the legal industry. The tension of attire in the legal field is most immediately observable on the basis of class. We all have a mental image of the shark lawyer: sharply tailored suit, shiny patent leather shoes, maybe Ray-Bans if they’re feeling dangerous. While the reality for most legal professionals may not be as glamorous as HBO’s Suits, there is a standard dress code. For socio-economically disadvantaged individuals, the bar of fashionable presentation may be just as difficult to navigate as the Bar Exam itself. The vast disparity between the luxury looks of highclass professionals and the outfits of your average J.D. Joe can be discouraging; however, relief is rapidly approaching. As older employers leave the workforce, the millennial wave gathers momentum, bringing an onslaught of equity.

Sarah Landrum argues in Forbes that “yes, one of those new consensuses seems to be an ever-wider appreciation for less formal attire. In some ways, it was inevitable— relaxed social “decency” standards mean we don’t need bonnets, hats, ankle-length dresses, stockings, overcoats, or gloves anymore.” As professionals presently aged 20-40 become the dominant demographic in the legal field, historically strict standards of physical appearance are loosening, allowing those without the capital for conformity to finally fit in.

The trouble with knowing what to wear stems from constantly changing dress code “norms.” Long gone are the days of skirts for ladies and trousers for men. Just as our

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