<p>I have found that a couple of the j Crew jean fits suit me well - but my great find yesterday was a pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans for $5 at a consignment store that actually fit me (and are only one size up from my D’s). She will be shocked when she sees me in them.</p>
<p>My D1 is a big Anthropologie fan, and I have actually found some cute things for myself from there. I especially like Ella Moss since the fabric is so comfy. They are opening a store here soon so I will practically live there!</p>
<p>I usually wear a Chicos or Coldwater Creek outfit to the office if I am going to the theatre or a concert afterwards, they are good for both without having to change.</p>
<p>I am assuming that the OP is going to the West Coast…my CA girl SIL got me into the Athleta and Sahalie brands as well, I have to get most of their stuff mail order but they are a good blend of active and casual to yoga/workout</p>
<p>In honor of this thread I am wearing a Chico’s skirt (black and white print, but it’s pretty) with a red Chico’s Traveler’s mock turtle cap-sleeve shell and a black cardigan from Loft. Red patent leather flats. It works and is comfortable.</p>
<p>Here’s a question: Do y’all wear open toe shoes to work? There are two female attorneys in our office who are older than I am and neither of them has ever worn open toe shoes to work. I do, as does everyone younger.</p>
<p>It is rare that I wear open toe shoes to work. If it’s a very casual Friday and hot I have done this maybe 4 times in twenty years. I have sandals that have closed toe. Interestingly, a bunch of “ladies” came to our HR director and complained about some of the shoes that some of the other ladies in the office were wearing so out went the dress code memo (open toes are “banned” in our official dress code). Slingbacks and sandals with closed toes are OK. Fortunately the “nylons” rule died about 5 years ago. We have a “professional” attire office that is business casual, eg no jeans, no shirts with words, nothing revealing, nothing too short or too tight, collared shirts for the boys, “keep a jacket handy” type rules. I’ve noticed the women are starting to wear trouser jeans with jackets and I’m guessing that is passing muster, but the first time someone shows up with the lighter color “jean stitching” it’s going to be all over I suspect. Our office is conservative and very self policing with highly opinionated people who will complain. Summer is definitely more casual than fall/winter/spring. Offices are wildly different in what is acceptable or not. I would say if you feel uncomfortable or that people are “looking” at you, they probably are and you might have crossed a boundary. If you are comfortable and others start doing what you are doing you might be just fine…at least until the “memo” comes out LOL.</p>
<p>We wear open-toed shoes/sandals all the time at our company, but we are pretty casual. No jeans (except Friday), no shorts, no t-shirts with words… I try to look a tiny bit professional most days- if I wear a polo shirt I will have a blazer handy. Part of it is because our conference rooms are like the North Pole.</p>
<p>We are “business casual”, with jeans allowed on Fridays (of course, the old real Texan guys wear jeans whenever the heck they want). Among the guys on any given day you’ll see suits on those going to court or to a meeting and maybe khakis and a polo on some other guys. The women tend to be more dressed up all the time, with mostly dress slacks and jackets but a fair number of skirts/dresses. The ones that have the hardest time with “business casual” are the women just out of school…what does that mean? If you’ve just spent all of college and law school in shorts and flip flops, then khakis and a knit top will feel dressy to you.</p>
<p>There is a whole lot of freedom in being a female lawyer in the 21st century. When I first started work in the 80s, the men somehow felt entitled to comment on the women’s clothing and appearance. As time has gone on, they’ve realized that doing that may get them sued, so now they are loathe to comment on appearance. (We’ve had a few young women whose attire was way too casual and the guys have always made the women partners talk to the young ladies about it.) As a result of the guys fear of discussing appearance, I truly feel like I can wear whatever I want to work. Of course, I dress quite conservatively, but it’s a great feeling!</p>
<p>I usually wear Merrells to work, so I am obviously not to be trusted on the subject of shoes, but I don’t have a problem with open toed shoes. I have to wear stuff that looks neat, but that won’t get ruined if I end up rooting around an attic or crawling under a deck. Today my outfit was jeans (just 505s), a white t-shirt with a fancy neckline and a linen jacket from LL Beans. And the Merrells. I think I looked okay and I got the job. :)</p>
<p>As I said previously, my male-lawyer boss pads around in his socks, so I feel perfectly OK in my MBT sandals, Naot sandals or other comfort shoes. I think the south is more casual on the whole. I honestly think I look better at my most casual than some of the larger men with their gut spilling over their belts and shirt buttons popping open.</p>
[quote]
I honestly think I look better at my most casual than some of the larger men with their gut spilling over their belts and shirt buttons popping open. [/qupte]</p>
<p>I’ve always thought that a few of our folks should receive a memo that says, “Business casual applies to everyone but you.” Fortunately, the larger guys have figured out that they look a lot better in their woven dress shirts than in a knit polo. There’s one guy (brilliant tax lawyer, of course) who pretty much looks like a homeless guy when he’s casual…he has scruffy hair and a very gaunt face. I think he (or his wife?) realized this, because he wears suits almost all the time.</p>
<p>I will wear open toed shoes in the summer as long as they have a back strap and have some straps that cover some of the foot. Now in fall, because I’m not ready for the TOTALLY covered shoe, I frequently wear a couple of “peek” toed shoes.</p>
<p>MofWC, my sympathies. I keep a down vest, a warm cardigan and a pair of fingerless gloves in my cube, because our conference room is nicknamed “The Meat Locker” I’m absolutely positive that I look ridiculous in these items, but it surely beats dying of hypothermic shock.</p>
<p>Roshke, you liked Style Evolution!! Isn’t it the best? When I got out of what I call the “PB and J” years I made a concerted effort to dress better and she’s really helped me alot. Thing about her suggestions is that shes take womens’ differing body types AFTER 40 under consideration…very realistic. Love the way she jabs at the Housewives of Orange County “look”…and her references to muttons vs lambs.!! A great read and the book fits in a purse for shopping.</p>
<p>Lol at the office stories!!! I’m wking pt time in a law office – everyone is in jeans & khakis unless there’s a deposition.</p>
<p>missypie–funny about the tax attny. I used to date a brilliant tax attorney who worked at a firm full of scary smart folks. The stories he’d tell about attire & various (bizzare!) eccentricies would curl your hair. Then I worked at the govt and no one cared – some attnys would wear Disney sweaters & matching earings if they weren’t in court. And, they were very smart attorneys! I couldn’t bear to be super casual & always wore my little suit.</p>
<p>Nowdays it’s much, much more flexible for women, so true.</p>
<p>PS On the ‘cold office’ thing – at my past two (contract) jobs I’ve had heaters blowing on my feet the entire time! Sometimes I’ll even wear a puffy coat sitting at a desk. Guys are never that cold, and they usually run the thermostat…</p>
<p>And then there’s the loony tunes who teach at law schools. One of the profs (a noted UCC expert) wore the same outift of sage green sweater, white button down and maroon tie (that hung down below his sweater by about three inches) every single day. About the middle of my second year he got a new sage green sweater and wore that one every day.</p>
<p>I guess 'cause it’s a cerebral (ideally!) profession? Esp if you are in the writing end. What you look like doesn’t matter that much, just what you produce/write/do.</p>
<p>That’s one thing I always did like about law. You can gain some traction by getting older/more experienced – not be booted out, unlike say a news anchor, model or actress!!</p>
<p>A few years ago we did a major office remodel where we’d move everyone off one floor, remodel it, move them back, etc. IN our swing space, I got the office that had been formerly occupied by a very overweight guy who was always hot. I don’t know how that guy had rigged the thermostat - the building guys could never fix it - all that summer I wore three sweaters and gloves at my desk.</p>
<p>I LOVE that! My first baby weighed 11 lbs and I remember saying I was so glad I wasn’t a lingere model! </p>
<p>I am old enough to be the mother of some of the people who work for my clients, but hey, in an “advising role” it’s just fine if they think of me like their mom. It’s a whole lot easier to be the only woman in a room full of guys at 51 than it was when I was 27.</p>
<p>One (accidentally) very smart thing I have done is to make friends with the little guy who handles the electrical work/thermostats etc for this entire huge office building. (aside- he used to be a big deal in the music industry, which is not uncommon in this city). He is a funny little guy but EXTREMELY helpful and he will drop everything and come up to my floor if I email to say we are too hot or too cold. So- I’m good except for the conference rooms, and I will take a coat on occasion.</p>
<p>Here’s a story for the lawyers and other women out there in the business world. My client was hosting a closing dinner at 6 pm on a weeknight to celebrate the completion of a large transaction. About 16 people were invited, including 5 women. I was going straight from work (I live about 45 minutes from downtown). I was wearing a brand new jacket (from Zara) and dress slacks. At about 3 pm, one of the other invited women called me and said, “Just wanted to tell you that we’re all wearing dresses to the dinner.”</p>
<p>What man has EVER received an equivalent call? My decision was to drop everything, race home, shave my legs, find an appropriate dress and drive back into town for the dinner…OR, wear what I was wearing. I opted for the latter, but did step into the office of our (well dressed female) managing partner to ask her if I looked okay. JEEZ!</p>