One of my favorite movies is Legally Blonde. And one of my favorite scenes in the movie is her first day of law school when she heads to class in her shiny skirt, bright sweater, plaid tie, pony tail, glasses and of course, with her fuzzy pen. It's cute for TV, but anyone headed back to class this year needs to realize that first impressions count. And Elle's first impression took an entire year to fix.
This is the first back to school season where no one in my family is headed off to school. Over the last 10 years, my husband and I had a combined 30 semesters of college. And for most of those semesters, I got to plan our back to school wardrobes. (Yes, the spring semesters had their own "back to school" planning, because spring attire in Texas is entirely different from August attire.) So since I don't get to plan any outfits this season, I thought I'd share some fashion rules for those headed back to law school--or any school for that matter.
1) Don't be flashy and don't over-accessorize. You do NOT want to stand out from the crowd right off the bat. Professors will pick on a student on day 1. So if they're not picking someone with an "A" last name, they're going to pick the person who does not appear to "fit-in."
2) Don't wear work-out clothes to class. My husband and I went to different law schools, and yet we both reached the same conclusion about girls who wear work-out clothes. They're not married and they don't have much in the way of prospects. Plus wearing sweats is a bad idea because you could be seated next to a future judge. You don't want to be remembered as the sweaty girl with the ugly t-shirts.
3) Don't wear a suit. Suits are appropriate when you have an on-campus interview or if you're actually headed to a job or externship. Other than that, save the power suits for your clients. Your classmates won't be impressed.
4) Do wear a sport coat or blazer. Classy pieces mixed with jeans can make you look serious without looking overdone. Plus, law school classrooms are typically freezing cold. A jacket will work as your own personal thermostat.
5) Do wear skirts (if you're female). Law is historically a man's profession. But I have found that the more feminine a woman presents herself, the more guys will respect and accept her. They don't want you to be one of the guys. They want you to be a classy woman. Your clients want this too.
6) Invest in a good pair of jeans. This is a staple in every college person's wardrobe.
7) Don't wear a shirt with another law school's name printed on it. Not only does this make you disloyal, but wearing a Harvard Law sweatshirt at another school makes you look like a wannabe. Nobody's impressed and everyone will assume you didn't get in. Just because another school sent you a free t-shirt when you got accepted, doesn't mean you should wear it to class. Use it as a sleep shirt.
8) Don't dress offensively. I still remember the girl who dressed like she belonged at a bar. I also couldn't stand the guy who wore the t-shirt with the nasty language on his back. It was the most annoying Constitutional law class ever. Every time I looked at the professor I had to see an offensive four letter word!
9) Be yourself. Stay fashionable. Don't try to be someone you're not.
10) Always dress as if you're going to run into someone important on campus. Since prospective employers and powerful attorneys frequent law school campuses, this is likely to happen. Just don't get caught in your PJ's when the Supreme Court entourage from a 3rd world country arrives. (It happened at my school!)
Just remember that first impressions count. Not only with your peers, but also with professors. You begin building your professional reputation in school. Stay classy. Be friendly. And have an awesome school year!
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