Build a Professional Wardrobe, Part I

By Lynnette Baclig

Graduate Fellow

Law Career Development  

As a law student your main focus is likely attending class and spending long grueling hours in the library studying.  Perhaps, your appearance reflects an “I don’t care” attitude because your primary goal is to excel on your law school exams.  You neither have the time nor energy to consider what you’re wearing.  However, the way you dress affects how others perceive you.  Even within the law school community, you are being evaluated by your peers, professors, and even law school administrators.  Your reputation depends partly on your fashion choices.  It conveys your attitude and commitment to becoming a professional.  Also, dressing appropriately can help build your confidence and self-esteem.  So, why not dress to impress! 

In addition to dressing appropriately for class, you should be prepared to dress for off-campus professional experiences such as: an interview for an internship; first day on the job; court appearances; law school events; or even networking events within the legal community.  This can be a challenge because coming up with multiple professional outfits for different situations can get expensive on a limited budget as a law student.  How do you balance the need to “dress like a lawyer” with a bank account that says “you are still a student?”

Build a Professional Wardrobe, Part II to Part IV, discusses how to build a professional collection of quality attire for any business formal or business casual setting while keeping your financial limitations in mind.

Up Next:
Part II discusses business formal attire. 
Part III discusses business casual attire. 
Part IV discusses where to shop for less.