What To Wear As A Lawyer - How To Dress As An Attorney / Solicitor

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SHOP THE VIDEO:

As you know, first impressions count. According to a 2000 article of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the outward appearance and what you wear is a top factor and how you're perceived by others.

So what should you wear?
Let's start with a hallmark of a lawyers wardrobe which is the suit. I'm wearing right here right now single breasted, go with a notched lapel, ideally you have some cuffs at the bottom or you can go without a cuff maybe you want pleats maybe you just want an iron crease. Overall, a two-piece suit is a good way to start.

As an attorney you want to wear neckwear. Traditionally it's a necktie. I would stay clear of bowties because they're a little too flashy. Of course you should choose the right tie. So forget all the 90s ties and the hand-me-downs from your uncle's because they look very dated and not professional.

In terms of colors, tones of red, burgundy, navy and blue are best. Alternatively you can go with other subdued colors such as maybe a bottle green or a very dark orange or yellow. If you want to maybe even a very dark purple. In any case you want subtle and not bright. Stay clear of shiny satin ties because they make you look cheap.

No attorneys outfit is complete without proper over the calf socks. A lot of lawyers out there wear short socks that expose their calf. Not only is it unprofessional but nobody wants to see your exposed leg hair. The golden rule is to pair the color of the socks with a pair of your pants and your suit. The problem is it's very difficult to match because there are hundreds of shades of navy.

With accessories, the same rule applies as with all other things in a lawyer's outfit. Keep it simple. If you wear a French cuff or double cuff shirt go with simple cufflinks in gold or silver. Stay clear of precious stones, maybe semi precious stones in multiple colors as well as enamel. It's simply over the top.

The ideal pair of gloves for a lawyer is not black but gray because it provides a contrast. It pairs with everything that you have in your wardrobe. At the same time, it's not is boring as black. It's always professional and understated. For a selection of nice cashmere scarves and grey gloves please check out our shop here.

When it comes to shoes I think most lawyers underestimate their impact. When it comes to suits, you can have a $5,000 bespoke suit but if you wear it with cheap shoes it ruins the entire look. Apart from oxfords and derbies you may also want to investigate a monk strap shoe or maybe a double monk strap shoe.

Now I'm not saying you have to invest $500 in your dress shoes. You can find Goodyear welted ones starting at $200. But in general the more you pay the better the leather, the more comfortable and the better the last so you're comfortable all day. The first pair of shoes you should invest in is a black cap toe oxford shoe.

Oh one more thing, you're a lawyer so wear a proper briefcase and skip the backpack. That makes you look like a boy and really cheap and it's inappropriate.
#whattowearasalwayer #professionalmen #notsponsored
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Gentleman's Gazette

[henriquefalleirosmareze]

I'm a lawyer and enjoyed this video. Here in Brazil lawyers don't usually wear pocket squares and wear just a basic tie knot. Some of them wear cufflinks. The eldest wear suspenders.

[ThatGUY]

I'm a 28 year old lawyer in Missouri and I must say it amazes me how many of my colleagues should probably watch this video. Like most professions, the practice of law has become more casual in recent decades but when it comes to court at least you should either stick to solid colors (the lightest you should ever consider wearing would be a medium grey) or if you have a pattern make sure it is subtle (and by this I mean you have to be standing next to the person to really see the pattern in full).

[rogernobbs]

This is inspired! I've worked at two London law firms, one big and corporate, the other much smaller and very traditional. At both I often wondered why the PAs (including the male ones like me) were mostly better dressed than the lawyers, who earned much more and also faced the clients. In truth, the dress code conundrum has become more of a minefield with the introduction casual wear. The best dressed lawyers, both male and female, tend to be the one who follow the classic rules, but it does also depend on what your clients are like. No point dressing up to see Zuckerberg or Musk, but if you are seeing Buffet or Soros it might be a good thing.

[markmcpanda]

I love this type of video that connects fashion with occupations. I would love to see one for real estate agents. It’s important for us to come across as neat professionals who can handle such large transactions but at the same time unpretentious. We also need to be comfortable with certain elements of our job as well, putting out signs, etc.

[smrazvi]

As a lawyer in a common law country (Pakistan) working in litigation, we’re required by law to wear a black coat with a black tie! But I love the variations in this video. I usually pair up with suspenders, maybe a Grey pair of pants or a charcoal colored suit entirely.

[ashleyblood-halvorsen]

lol when he said "you don't want to be like a cartoon character who wears the exact same thing every day". Clearly has not met a barrister. Black suit every day; the cufflinks change of course.

[stillif]

this is great! I'm transitioning from advertising to law and this really addressed my insecurities around my wardrobe.

[jhallig]

Raphael does such a fantastic job with these videos. The attetnion to detail is fantastic and he has so much information and guidance to provide. A perfect example of someone that found a way to make a living doing something they love, ie; trading in clothes and accessories and now with the wonderful videos.

[geektome]

As a 20+ year lawyer, I would disagree about not wearing black suits. Most lawyers, especially litigators, have at least one black suit, and the overwhelming majority of their suits are dark colors. In fact, in law school, the joke was, in a room full of gray suits with a single black suit, you know who the lawyer is. It is a very conservative profession and black or other dark colors are very conservative.

[Mr.Ciobanu]

again..outstanding videos..i have a cousin who is a lawyer for 2-3 years now..definitely will show him this video

[brianrussell]

One of your BEST topics ever. How about plain clothes detective? Shirt with tie four days a week and casual Friday's . Fridays are easy. Jacket out of the office is required. Clothing and equipment. This may not be your expertise but boy i wish you could do one! Im lucky because i get to apply what im learning from your videos almost daily. Keep up the great work!

[fuzzfoot]

Very enlightening. I would like to see this type of video for retail/sales as well as teachers/educators. I enjoy this series of videos!

[gentlemansgazette]

Aer you a lawyer? What do you wear to work?

[harshtiwari]

Please, please, please Mr Schneider, Can we have a nice long video on court dress through the ages in the common law world as well as in your country of origin and other civil law jurisdictions. The history is very interesting and quirky, and it will definitely have a great audience, with people learning about jabots, tabs, winged collars, wigs, bumfreezers, etc

[PayneMaximus]

Nice video, Raphael. I'm not a Lawyer, but an Engineer, and I was wondering how much of this translates into it, as well as for most "traditional" careers.

[amanhasnoname]

Shoes are an important point. I heard jurors complain about an attorney's cheap looking shoes. When they are noticing your shoes they are not listening to your client's case.

[BigBrownSwag]

The best thing about this channel is its clear subjectivity... but all the tips are correct.

[benjaminharrisongray]

Actually, I've known quite a lot of lawyers that have worn brown suits, usually a chocolate brown or chestnut, with off-white shirts. In the southern U.S., very light grays are common with bright red ties.

[oliverbrinkmann]

I am a lawyer in Germany and really appreciate this video as many of my colleagues dress quite shabby and neglegant. A lawyer always has to sell seriosity in his business so a decent garment is important. By the way: in Germany there is no such thing as a "casual friday" but I like the idea of showing that the weekend is near by a slightly more casual business look.

[IllinoisTrafficAttorney]

I'm sorry but this is not really accurate to dressing like a lawyer AND fitting in. If I had a nickel for every attorney I've seen with a bold, over the top tie, I could retire. Sport coat and odd trousers are a very common look. Shoes are rarely of any quality and even those who do wear shoes of quality don't even realize it. Many lawyers have their own personal style. One guy dresses as a cowboy with bolo ties, cowboy boots, and a cowyboy hat in the western suburbs of Chicago. Another wears long bold chalkstripe double breasted suits with primarily Steve Madden shoes and a souped up Cadillac. Our state bar association president perpetually wears bow ties save for when he does jury trials. All of these guys are wonderful people and skilled attorneys but it goes to show just how much diversity there is in acceptable dress and truth be told, each of them rock the hell out of their own personal styles (they carry themselves in such a way that it works very well for them). In many ways, you are right about how attorneys should look but its important to remember that fitting in matters and to future lawyers, know your environment and recognize that the diversity of dress is far more broad than you would ever imagine.