Ladies- where are you suit shopping?

[ruskiegirl]

Thanks for the input everyone!  ruskiegirl, who perceives them as gunners, fellow students, instructors, or both?  Just curious, because one of my mentors is one of the former deans at the law school I'm attending, who was promoted to the President's office.  She felt jeans, tees and sweats while in school was fine; however, another instructor, who hires from the law school, thinks it is a disgrace to dress that way while going to law school.  Just to put things in perspective, the former dean is a woman, the instructor is a man.  Any more thoughts anyone?

I guess some schools are more formal than others.  Everyone, professors and students alike, dress very informally at Berkeley.  My Legal Writing Prof usually wore jogging pants and a wrinkled white tee shirt.  My Torts professor damn near did yoga as he lectured from the podium.  There's just a general laid-back climate, so those who tend to dress up more stick out.  But when I say people are very laid-back and casual, I am not recommending that you come to class looking like a bum.  Personally, I do not own sweats and I rarely go to class without wearing cute high-heeled shoes and a well-put-together outfit, so I am probably one of the more dressed up people at my school.  I think you just have to feel out the climate at your school and then decide what you will be wearing.  Just don't pull an Elle Woods on us, 'kay?

[YankyKitten]

Awww, nuts... and I had my midrift and cut offs ready to go! 

Just kidding... thanks everyone!  I think I'm going to go semi-casual like I planned.  Now, where to get some cute shoes....

[rapunzel]

I figure law school is my last chance to wear what I want on a regular basis.  Yes, I am decently covered, no holes or unmanicured toenails.  But Bohemian-Renaissance is not going to fly at my law firm.  I am, however, meticulous about appropriate dress for interviews, etc.  My reputation proceeded me at one firm where a guy I had gone to college with who was a 2nd year associate had regaled some partners about the knee-high combat boots I wore in college.  I was glad to arrive at the interview able to aptly demonstrate that I knew how to dress for the occaision ina well tailored suit and pumps.  They gave me a summer associateship and I still wear the boots at school. 

[eem]

If we can get back to suits for a moment...

I was shopping today and ran across a gorgeous suit at Ann Taylor (they said they just got it in and I couldn't find it online, otherwise I would post a link).  It is a charcoal gray with an A-line skirt, but it has a herringbone pattern.  A previous poster said that pinstripes are okay, but is the herringbone okay too? 

Also, I am wondering if I even need another suit right now, much as I like this one.  I am an entering 1L.  I do have a basic black suit, but I am wondering if I should have a second in case I have a couple of days in a row where I need to wear a suit (i.e. OCI one day and a presentation the next day).  How likely is this?  I am pretty short, so it is unlikely that I could just go buy a suit without having to have it altered in some way (the one at AT would need its sleeves shortened), so I don't really want to wait until the last minute to buy something if I'm going to need it. 

Thanks in advance for any responses!

[ruskiegirl]

As a 1L you shouldn't need more than one suit for the school year.  If you are lucky enough to even get an interview with a law firm for a 1L summer gig, one suit should be enough to cover you.  If you're actually hired there, your pay check will more than cover all the suit shopping you will need.  Legal aids, non-profits, etc. tend to be much mroe casual, so you won't need a suit if you work there for the summer.

[twarga]

I also think one basic black suit is enough.  You can pair it with different blouses/jewelry for different looks.

[ruskiegirl]

I also think one basic black suit is enough.  You can pair it with different blouses/jewelry for different looks.

exactly.

[rapunzel]

I am also a big fan of that suit at Ann Taylor's.  I'm waiting for it to go on sale.  I never needed a suit 1L.  I bought 4 for OCI interviews 2L because I didn't want to wear the same suit every day and I wanted to make sure that whatever I wore to the first interview one was different from the second.