<p>Yes, Pizzagirl! I will add: if the outside temperature is such that you have to wear a coat, pantyhose, tights, and nylons look so-o-o-o much better than bare legs covered in goosebumps :D</p>
<p>As Pizzagirl says, Corporette addresses these kinds of questions really well. Unless you are talking to a judge (they seem to have hairs in the wrong places about their courtrooms), or in some parts of the South, nothing at all wrong with pants. Do make sure that it’s a good quality fabric and that the suit fits you will. Doesn’t even have to be a matching suit, for some industries, just a jacket, pants, and a covered up shirt.</p>
<p>As for pantyhose, I say wear them and damn the nay-sayers. Just make sure they are really sheer. Donna Karan Nudes in my experience beat everyone else hands down. </p>
<p>As for nails, I confess, I don’t like fingernail polish for corporate life. But I learned from a recent blog post that the world is pretty strongly divided on that topic, so to be safe, go with clear and shaped.</p>
<p>Good lord. All men have to cope with are shoes and ties…:)</p>
<p>I’m from the Midwest and the latest trends from the coast take awhile to get here (if ever). </p>
<p>I agree to go get a really good haircut. Also make sure you have expensive but comfortable shoes, quality bag or briefcase, although I doubt you would carry a briefcase to the interview unless you have a specific reason for doing so. Light, but professional make-up, well-groomed nails. The idea of going without pantyhose makes me laugh.</p>
<p>Pick your jewelry carefully. A touch of pearl, a touch of gold, makes a big difference. The women I work with all work hard and have to be ready to stay at it for ten hours. They have to look professional, but practical. On any given day, 75% of the women are wearing black slacks. Look good in the office, step it up just a notch if you are doing a big presentation at a meeting or meeting clients. A scarf dresses up your suit. Nothing too fussy.</p>
<p>Practical, comfortable, professional, durable, quality accessories.</p>
<p>Agree that 75% of the women wear black. I love color and personally dislike wearing my “black suit.” I have one skirted black suit and one black pants suit. It is safe and there are times when I put that “uniform” on but what is it with this black uniform anyway?</p>
<p>Yes, motb, I agree; the black is safe. Doesn’t draw attention, doesn’t show stains, goes with most anything. In fact, it almost seems like a “uniform” here. I went to a show at the Fox Theater in St. Louis, and began counting the number of women entering the theater in black slacks (including myself). It can be part of a formal suit, or wear with a sweater or blouse.</p>
<p>I just think that women are so busy, they fall back on the safe and dependable.</p>
<p>In the legal field, full business attire would always include hose or tights under a skirt. Yes, bare legs (with a skirt that hits the knee or longer) are fine in the office, as are dressy open-toe shoes, but that’s part of business casual. </p>
<p>For an law firm interview, deposition, court appearance, etc., bare legs are not appropriate. You need to wear either a pants suit, or hosiery and closed toe shoes.</p>
<p>It’s possible that in San Diego or Miami, these rules are relaxed, but not in NY, Chicago, Boston, DC, even in the summer.</p>
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<p>I would go with a briefcase over a handbag. Put a portfolio in it, a pad of writing paper and pen, that type of thing. Throw your wallet and keys in there.</p>
<p>The girls in our local high school are following the current trend of NOT wearing panty hose with their rather short dresses at academic functions, like national honor society ceremonies. Many of these ceremonies involve these young ladies seated and facing the audience, sometimes on stage. While some of these young ladies are size 2, some of them are not. I might add that, here at least, it is also the current style to wear very high heels.</p>
<p>The above situation has led to parents being in the uncomfortable position of having to sit and watch these young lades in unfortunate displays of leg-crossing, not made more palatable by the lack of pantyhose. If I were ever tempted to go bare-legged, especially as an over-forty year old, these recent experiences have removed that temptation. </p>
<p>(Also, I live in a humid area. The sound of bare skin being lifted from vinyl is memorable.)</p>
<p>LOL on the vinyl and skin.</p>
<p>I have to say, I much prefer navy to black.</p>
<p>It’s 70 in NYC today, I am wearing a pink jacket.</p>
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<p>I completely agree. I did notice a young female attorney in court last summer who was wearing a skirt suit but was barelegged and wearing (nice) sandals, but that’s still a very unusual sight in my experience.</p>
<p>At least at my firm, female attorneys can go barelegged during the summer and wear sandals (but not flip-flops!) when they’re just in the office. But if you’re wearing a sleeveless dress or top, you’re really supposed to wear a sweater or jacket over it. No exposed shoulders or armpits at the office is a good rule to follow! Of course, with air conditioning, I’d never want to go without a sweater anyway.</p>
<p>I feel sorry for male attorneys who have to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts no matter how hot it gets, even if they don’t have to wear a tie because “business casual” is the standard. It may be OK while they’re sitting in an air-conditioned office, but if they have to go outside, it’s not so OK. Take my word for it, female attorneys can be a lot more comfortable in the summertime. Even though there are definitely greater expectations for women to look well put together at the office. I’ve seen plenty of rumpled-looking male lawyers over the last 30 years, wearing seriously wrinkled (and not necessarily so clean) khakis or suit pants, and shirts with frayed collars and cuffs, and stained ties. I don’t think a woman could get away with the equivalent.</p>
<p>Young women and hose:
Last October I was in Durham and our hotel happened to be the location for law firm interviews for Duke Law soon-to-be-graduates. The young women who were interviewing all wore: dark skirt suits (most were very fitted), hose, and black pumps with 3-in heels.</p>
<p>^
Ha! They were trained well! OTOH by the time they are in their mid-20’s they should have enough common sense on their own!</p>