Clothes make the man, or woman. Indeed, as Mark Twain glibly quipped, “Naked people have little or no influence in society.” What does this mean for the modern lawyer? Insights spoke to two lawyers-turned-stylists, Laura Chong, director of 400 Co., and Ryan Fisher, director of Black Jacket Suiting, for ‘her vs his’ style guide for the fashionable lawyer.
Both Chong and Fisher presented at a recent College of Law event for Queensland alumni, to assist recent graduates with personal branding and style.
We asked Chong and Fisher what were the top mistakes made by men and women in terms of personal style and fashion in the workplace.
Laura Chong named failing to tailor to body shape as the top fashion mistake of professional women.
“It all starts with the subtle details, and that means a seamless fit and a suit that has a little sass of its own,” said Chong. “You don’t want threads hanging or buttons falling loose. You don’t want a jacket two sizes too big that looks like you raided your mum’s closet. You need tailoring and seamlessness that looks like you’re saying, ‘I’m meant to have this job.’ Lash out on a good one, because it’s one of those things worth investing in.”
Ryan Fisher agrees. “Men need to dress for their body shape,” said Fisher. “The notion of ‘work with what you have’ comes into play; unfortunately we can’t all look like the models in fashion magazines.”
For men, Fisher also noted poor suit fit as the major style mistake men often make. “Little mistakes, like not realising that a jacket needs to have the shoulders fitted correctly first, or with trousers, the thighs can lead to overly tight or baggy fits of their garments. Alterations can be your best friend. Subtle changes are minimal in cost but have a dramatic effect on your overall appearance.”
For women, Chong felt many women failed to personalise their outfits. “Whichever outfit you go with for the office each day, remain true to who you are,” advises Chong. “Your clothing should have personality too, so that your employer knows who you are before you even open your mouth and wow them with your wit!”
To help determine your fashion personality, Chong advises considering a few key points, like whether you prefer prints, florals, stripes? Do you like dresses or pants? These answers will help refine your approach to workplace fashion.
Being too flashy is a problem for some men, according to Fisher. “We see this a lot with the younger professional. You don’t want to walk into a meeting vastly out dressing your senior partner. Dressing down doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” said Fisher. “Sticking to less bold colours in the right environment can be used to your advantage.”
Women, conversely, can often fail to stand out with statement pieces. “It’s all about having that statement piece in everything you wear that sets you apart from the crowd and makes you memorable,” advised Chong. “You can choose one item to be your signature statement piece or mix it up from outfit to outfit, day to day. Whether it’s a statement pencil skirt or blazer or some killer heels, make sure it stands out and says, “This is me!” When you look at the movers and shakers high up in the corporate world, most have iconic statement pieces they use to set themselves apart.”
Both have unlikely makeover stories from their experiences in fashion.
Laura Chong said that quite recently, a young woman came to her boutique, worried that as her family had no legal backgrounds, she came from a public school where most of her friends were still working in casual food and retail positions.
“She came in store in shorts and singlet and told me she had no idea what the dress code was for work other than to wear a suit,” recalled Chong. “She had recently graduated and was interviewing with a number of top tier firms. We dressed her head to toe, and even gave her some sophisticated chic looking pieces that she could use for casual Fridays.
“She came in a few weeks ago to let me know that she got a job at one of the firms and felt so comfortable for her first week of work because she had her whole wardrobe sorted.
“Some of our clients are very successful women who now insist on wearing 400 Co. to every boardroom meeting or court appearance. I regularly receive emails from clients who say how much wearing 400 Co. empowers them, that they feel it is more than just clothing – it is a way of life. It is very humbling to know that the 400 Co. mission of dressing “ambitious, driven and inspired” women has come to fruition.”
Ryan Fisher recently helped a young Real Estate agent find his feet, fashionably speaking. “He was struggling to attain clients and close deals to move to a commission only agent. We started him off with two suits both with two trousers so he could get ample use from them and four shirts and six ties to give him diversity of options. We saw the client six months later and he informed us that he now was a commission only agent, and that he constantly gets complimented on his attire from clients and at open homes.”
As for simple, lasting fashion advice, Laura Chong proffered this:
Stick to the four ‘S’s, and you can’t go wrong.
- Seamless tailoring
- Style that is personalised
- Statement pieces that will ensure you stand out
- Strut like you are the boss (you need to carry the clothes rather than the other way around, and do it with confidence).