Dressing for Law School

Living my best Elle Woods life in a still traditional profession.

The legal industry has certainly become more progressive in the past decade or so. There are so many other branches of the law that one could lean into, and even trial lawyers are getting more experimental with their court looks.

I will admit I feared what conservativism awaited me when I started applying to law schools. I knew I wanted to get my degree and become a lawyer, but I have never been willing to sacrifice my personal style.

Law school is of course different than a legal career. There is much more room to experiment with casual (or not-so-casual) dress before deep diving into the professional space. However, I will note that law school (and likely any graduate program) has an air of professionalism that translates into most students' wardrobes.

I am a proponent of getting dress up every day. There are multiple reasons for this, the most convincing of which is simply that I have a closet overflowing with clothes that I have yet to wear. This, of course, begs the question: how does one dress for law school?

I have a few go-to rules when it comes to picking outfits every day. In considering what to wear, I note the usuals: weather, professionalism, comfort, etc. But I also consider which pieces I have overworn or not worn enough; what colors look best on me; what pieces have never been paired before.

1. Show the back of your closet some love.

The biggest thing for me lately has been to make a concerted effort to wear my least loved pieces in my closet. By this I mean both the pieces I bought a while ago and realized I do not love anymore and pieces that I have forgotten about and thus have not worn enough.

In a more professional, conservative setting, there is a temptation to cover up, or dress in a suit every day. In college, I wore leggings and an oversized hoodie every day -- partially because I was lazy and partially because I was hungover pretty much always. However, I made a promise to myself that in law school, I would use every piece in my closet.

This is definitely a challenge.

As most graduate students in big cities, I am painfully broke. Therefore, I cannot afford to keep up my nasty habit of online shopping multiple times per week in the spirit of "treating myself." My financial woes have pushed me into really making an effort to make the most of what I have already spent money on in the past.

Take this look I put together last week. The skirt is relatively new, but everything else is at least two or three years old.

Long-sleeve: Forever 21 (2017)

Vintage Harley Sweatshirt: Beyond Retro, London (2019) Skirt: Asos (March 2022) 'Rowena' Boots: Sam Edelman (2019)

I am a proud outfit repeater, and I would be remiss to try to get away with claiming I have never paired these two tops together. However, I have yet to style them together with a super feminine skirt and springy boots, and I think it works. I am big on pairing masculine and feminine pieces together to offset each other.

Not only has this method of reduce, reuse, recycle helped my bank account, but it also helps the environment. I am pursuing a law career so that I can become an advocate for the environmental and human rights atrocities that occur through the fast-paced production sequence of the fashion industry.

I am guilty of not always practicing what I preach, but a goal for all of us style-lovers should certainly be to run through our closets once more before clicking 'purchase' yet again.

2. Do not be afraid to experiment with colors and patterns.

Pattern-clashing is not for everyone. It is definitely for me. Throughout the past year or so, I have developed a love for bright colors, color blocking, and pattern-mixing. All black fits just do not do it for me anymore.

In dressing up every day, I have come to realize how much I appreciate COLOR. Especially in lieu of the colorful trend palette this Spring, I have taken a liking to greens, purples, pinks, and combinations of all three!

My favorite pieces in my closet right now include a Kelly Green oversized blazer, a beautifully tailored pair of Sage Green dress pants, and a fabulously chunky pair of purple kicks. No, I do not wear all of these together (though I would not put it past myself).

I have never been one to shy away from a little attention here and there, so it it worth noting that dressing the way I do in a city like Boston gets me a stare or two on my daily walk to school. But, in a professional environment like law school, the impulse to dress more modestly is nicely balanced by vibrant colors and patterns. In other words, I compensate for a little less skin showing by making style statements in other ways.

In undergrad, I was a big fan of skies out thighs out (and boobs and legs and décolletage). As a more mature woman at the ripe age of 24, I have learned that a tailored look with less skin showing can be just as flattering.

For example, this green suit, lovingly (I hope) dubbed my 'Joker suit' by some of my classmates, is undoubtedly a statement. Here, I paired it with a high-neck crop top and chunky sneakers to neutralize the norm-core implication of a full suit.

Oversized Blazer: Nasty Gal (2021) High Waisted Wide Leg Pants: Nasty Gal (2021)

'Get Real' Crop Top: Motel Rocks (2022)

I would also pair this suit with a basic tee and a colorful chunky sneaker. The point is, there are no bounds to dressing vibrantly. There are certainly days when I wear an outfit that is too bold for some palettes. The great news is I am dressing for myself!

3. Comfy and casual is cool.

With all of this being said, I love a sweatsuit moment for school. At the end of the day, school is just that. It is a place for education, and there is no pressure to dress up if you do not want to. Sometimes when I wake up and the Boston chill is especially sharp, a sweatsuit is the only thing I can manage to put on.

My cardinal rule in wearing sweats -- or any athleisure for that matter -- to school is to keep is consistent. By consistency I mean coordination. I would steer clear of mismatched sweats and instead opt for a matching set. Or if I want to wear just an oversized hoodie, I will pair it with jeans or tailored pants of a similar hue. For example, I would wear an oversized white hoodie with light wash jeans and a narrow combat boot.

My favorite sweat suits are from Hanesie. My best friend started this brand last year and has reached incredible levels of success in that time. I may be biased, but I truly do love Hanesie sweat sets, as you can see below.

If I am going to wear sweats to school, I will typically pair a matching set with a chunky sneaker and some form of up-do.

'Be There for You' Hoodie: Hanesie (2022)

'Be There for You' Joggers: Hanesie (2022)

Nike Air Max React Sneakers: The Real Real (2021)

Teddy Coat: Asos (2021)

Notice how I coordinate colors while mixing in different textures here. Even though I'm in comfy clothes, the look is chic and tailored because of the tapered ankle on the pants, oversized sneakers and jacket, and slicked back hair. The different sizes and materials balance each other out and create a dynamic, yet casual look.

What's the bottom line?

Dress in what is comfortable for you! Some days, I go full Elle Woods for school in girly hues and flouncy skirts, while other days entail much edgier street style looks. There is no dress code at my school, but I know I feel much better and more productive when I look more put together.

I may get totally exhausted after this first year of law school and come back next semester in a t-shirt and leggings every day. But for now, you can catch me walking to and from school in my best (and craziest) looks five days a week -- and if you're lucky, you will likely see me trip and twist an ankle in the middle of Beacon Street in a pair of new platform boots.