I like the suggestion of a fitted or wrap dress. Very polished and professional look. I especially like a well fitting wrap dress – think they are figure flattering.
In general I would avoid florals unless it is a blouse under a suit jacket.
“I especially like a well fitting wrap dress – think they are figure flattering.”
IF you have the figure to flatter. 
Seriously though, a great wrap dress can look nice but not everyone has the figure for it and fitted nature is not appropriate to every office setting or industry.
OK, wrap dresses just flat out do not work for me. I love wrap dresses and crisp white wrap blouses (very Coco Chanel) on other women but for me no. I am too busty (that is not a humble brag) for the dresses, and too short. Just makes me look dumpy.
I’m much more in the vein of nice pencil skirt and tailored jacket or cardigan.
My main goal is to not look dumb (or desperate). 
I’m hyper-aware of the fact that dresses and skirts are very in right now among professional women because I’m having health issues that cause swelling and other issues in my legs so I’m stuck with pants these days. So I’ve been paying close attention to this and I have very much noticed that dresses/ skirts are overwhelmingly favored these days among younger, fashionable professional women. I’m fairly fit-looking and relatively thin but I feel very dowdy these days in my pants.
Don’t worry, @nottelling, given fashion trends just wait another year or two and pants will be back.
^^I even noticed that a little bit among the trendy moms in SoFla @nottelling. Think you are on to something there.
Dresses generally do not favor me. I’m much better with skirts.
“Do women outside of ‘House of Cards’ still wear matched suits nowadays?”
Good lawyers do.
If you’re in South Florida, I’d wear a simple day dress with a blazer or shaped jacket. If no one else is wearing them, you can hang it up.
I love wrap and surplice styles, but shift or A-line silhouettes work just fine, too.
Oo, all the dresses are 40% off right now at Ann Taylor! Hmmm…
Thanks @Hanna! I moved from SoFlo this past summer. But still in Florida.
Do you think it’s strange for someone with a JD to get an MBA much later?
Years ago, I loved working in HR. I love business. I’m not sure an MBA is worth the time or $$ (in my situation), but I’m interested enough to go check it out especially since it’s so close to where I live.
I also think dresses are easier and more comfortable. With a pencil skirt and blouse I am always worried the blouse is bunching or becoming untucked. Then if I have to tuck or pull the blouse down I am then checking that cleavage is totally covered. So much work. I like the ease of a dress.
"Pants are out, " - I really don’t know a thing about fashion or the MBA world. But I’m gonna speculate that pants are the better option when it puts the person their comfort zone. (Nice pants outfit of course… not talkingj jeans here).
About 10 years ago I had to prepare for a major career change (Intercompany division change or layoff). I went to talbotts and got a blue suit plus matching pants plus a cream sweater set with blue trim. At the time, probably the skire/suit was the better choice, but usually I wore the sweater set with pants or skirt. I just felt more at ease in it. (Disclaimer - I am in a semi-techie field) .
In my experience female lawyers (litigators) still wear matched suits to court, mediations, and arbitration hearings, but not for day-to-day work in the office or to client meetings. Depositions are a mixed bag.
Hemlines are down this season.
Do you people not see what Hillary is wearing? Monochrome pant suits. I don’t think you can claim they are ‘out’ for the business woman. Yes, she looks like a Tellytubbie sometimes, but if she can wear pants, we can wear pants.
Just because someone has a walk-on-water professional resume, doesn’t necessarily mean I want to dress like him/her.
NO to the Tellytubbie look. And NO to Angela Merkel’s pastel pantsuit at the G20 Summit:
Thumbs up to Theresa May’s red dress and Park Geun-hye’ red coated pantsuit.
Wear any business attire that you think you look great in. It’s confidence, and not your outfit, that projects success.
I’m a thin, very fit woman, but just about the only pants that look good on me are skinny jeans, which would not be okay for an event like this. So I’d wear a fitted sheath dress, sleeveless to show off my hard-won arms. 
That would make me feel powerful. But pants? I’d feel dowdy because I have a relatively short torso.
So try on a few of your best outfits and see which one makes you feel comfortable and not in the least self-conscious.
I think pants can look great for office wear. But I really favor the slim or cigarette leg style. Don’t like wide or baggy legged pants on women or men --very dated and unpolished look. Theory has a line of pants that work really well - slim leg and very tailored. I stay away from the Ralph Lauren line sold in department stores for that reason. The pants are just too baggy. They have a Black Label line available online where the dress pants are cut much slimmer.
A pair of well fitted pants with a matching or complementary jacket and the right blouse can look fabulous. Add a belt for a little accent and a dressy pump and you are good to go.
i actually thought slim pants were on their way out and wide legged pants were trending again - at least based on articles and reports I’ve read.
Yes, I’m glad I didn’t send my flare leg jeans to Goodwill
@doschicos I keep reading that they are trending as well but I am not seeing too much of them in stores nor on other women. I could not wear them in any event due to having a petite frame.
I’m 5’9" and wide leg pants with a fitted waist look good on me. But I love the ease of a dress 90% of the time.