Summer and Casual Dress

Summer is just about here, and suddenly the hot topics of conversation seem to have turned once again to:

• Is casual dress in the office OK?
• What if you have a home office?
• How should you present yourself when you’re out of the office?
• Does ‘dressing up’ really make you more productive?
• Do you dress in a certain way for clients? Why?

On June 5, 2008, the Wall Street Journal’s WSJ.com On Style column was entitled, “Bare-Legged Ladies: Hosiery Reveals Wall Street Divide” discussing whether hose should be worn by professional women. The on-line article was also accompanied by a video in which New Yorkers are asked about their opinions on the hose-no hose debate.

While I grew up with the idea that hose were essential if you were to look professional, the trend here in New York has been away from wearing hose, particularly in the summer. I see many very professional women in the courthouse and out, who have given up wearing hose. I haven’t seen or heard much backlash from it. Personally, if I can get away without wearing them, I definitely don’t – especially in the summer. See Nicole Black’s take on this issue in her post, “Toe Cleavage: Offensive to the Legal Profession?” on her blog, Women Lawyers-Back on Track.

On the Women’s DISH blog (the blog of the Downtown Women’s Club), one blogger notes in a post entitled, “Does she or doesn’t she?” :

As more companies are going to business casual, pantyhose has fallen by the wayside.  All in all, I consider this a good thing.  I’m sure the inventor of pantyhose must have been a man.  That being said, what’s the alternative? Bare legs?  What sort of shoes do you wear then?  I don’t think sandals or heaven-forbid, flip-flops are appropriate in an office?  Well, there goes wearing skirts then.

All of these questions strike me as somewhat amusing at this point, since it seems to me that it’s been quite some time that professional women have been wearing business suits (yes, the ones with skirts) with no hose, and wearing the same closed-toe shoes they wore when they wore hose.

I hear that the popular Solosez list serve has included much discussion on the issue of casual dress and pantyhose. The Wall Street Journal forum on this topic contains numerous entries from men and women alike about what is appropriate attire. (For the man who insists that he started wearing hose to keep warm and that they really aren’t uncomfortable and you just have to shop around, I suspect he’s never worn hose in the NYC subway in 97 degree heat and high humidity).

Other list-serves have been actively debating these issues as well. Over at Solomarketing, the summer casual issue sparked an ongoing discussion about what ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ be worn to the office -whether you see clients there or not.

Why do pantyhose and other clothing related topics receive so much attention? How you’re groomed and what you wear are very personal decisions, but they certainly convey something about you, your personality, and about what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with. The bottom line is that you need to know yourself and your audience.

There are fewer and fewer hard and fast rules these days – although whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is a matter of your perspective. Some people think that if they’re in a suit, they get more done, they project a certain image or authority within the office and both they and their employees take their jobs more seriously. Others feel that wearing a suit makes them uncomfortable and restricts their productivity.

Some people are more productive and alert in the morning, while others can get more done or are more focused in the afternoon. Some are more able to focus on the task at hand or think critically when dressed in traditionally professional clothing. Others can concentrate better in more casual attire. Know yourself – and keep testing. Sometimes, just taking a ‘break’ from your normal habits helps boost your productivity. So if you’re a traditionally more formal dresser, dressing more casually occasionally may be a welcome change. By contrast, or work in an office in which you rarely see clients but you notice that you accomplish less if you’re dressed down, perhaps putting on more traditionally ‘professional’ attire might help change your mindset.

You need to consider your audience. If you’re going to court and the expectation is that attorneys appearing in court should be wearing a suit in order to be taken seriously in your jurisdiction, or in order to express respect for the court, counsel and litigants by all means, wear a suit. If your highest value clients expect suits from their attorneys, you should make sure that you dress accordingly. But some attorneys find that dressing a bit more casually helps put their clients at ease and helps create the impression that the lawyer understands the client and the client’s problems.

One final note, which you’ve probably heard from me before: often, your clients are a reflection of you. Not every client is the right ‘fit’ for you or your practice. Your personality, work ethic and values are somewhat reflected in your style of dress. Your brand or image is reflected in your appearance. For the most part, clients that are comfortable with you will be comfortable with your style of dress. That being said, casual dress is no excuse for poor grooming or patently inappropriate attire under any circumstances. As this article from Lawyers USA notes, appearance always counts – make sure that the image you’re projecting with your attire and grooming habits is the one you want your clients to see.

What are your thoughts about summer attire/causal dress/hose or no hose?