Thursday, March 19, 2009

Lessons in Professional Attire

Ok, so pretend you're walking into your attorney's office to prep for your divorce hearing on Monday. What are you expectations about the general sartorial experience you'll be having? Dress shirts? Ties? Tailored Skirts? Hell, it's late in the week... maybe some khakis and a golf shirt? No reason to be totally stodgy if you're not in court, right? But certainly there are some profession norms, right?

Well, I didn't just pretend to walk into my attorney's office to prep for my divorce hearing on Monday. I actually got to do that this afternoon. And when I walked in, an assistant I've never seen before came over to help me. She was wearing a little beret/paperboy hat with her wild little curls poking out from the bottom; a cropped little black denim jacket over a tight shirt, tucked into a black tulle ballerina-ish miniskirt; black leggings; I'm not sure about the shoes; and she was bedangled and accessorized to within an inch of her life. She appeared rather young and was very energetic. And, really, she was just as cute as an inappropriately dressed button. Because, seriously... a tu-tu?! In a law office?! I mean, yeah, that look would work in an art studio. Or a funky architectural firm. Or any number of fashion related establishments. But really... a law office?

Now, the fact that I actually have an attorney- and an accountant- already has me feeling a bit more grown up than I really consider (or want) myself to be. But now I suspect it might actually be true... I've started passing judgement on the choices of "these kids today." And, truth be told, I also suspect that most of the young drivers I see on the road are actually 12 because there is NO WAY they are 16- they look like infants.

Please, someone, tell me I'm not a grown up. I'm already dealing with quite enough. I can't handle that too.

6 comments:

Irish Diplomacy said...

HI! (Here from LFCA) I thought the same thing the other day- walking through a middle school while classes were switching. I am obviously no longer as cool as I thought I was. And those kids cannot be 8th graders-- my chest is STILL not that big!

areyoukiddingme said...

My 8 and (almost) 4 year old nieces dress like that! Without the hat, though.

Sigh. It's so unfortunate when everyone starts to look so young. It makes it much more difficult for me to believe that I'm still young!

Here from LFCA...

Io said...

I find myself yelling at kids to get off my lawn. Until you do that, you are not old.
Um, you haven't been doing that, right?

Anonymous said...

hahaha I hear you loud and C-L-E-A-R!

my ex-firm (large, appropriately obnoxious) had a gaggle of young girls who dressed like penthouse's version of what a legal assistant should look like. Hilarious if it weren't so bottom line lame. I remember one junior assistant had what are called "hooker boots" with sexy crossed stockings. don't think it was appropriate but for two whole days, it was all the support staff talked about. suddenly our floor had so much traffic going by, mostly male, to see what she was wearing!

Ah well, its eye candy and keeps the flabby old partners happy :) I certainly don't complain when the young clerks walk around with rippling muscles carrying supplies about the place! Its sad cause sometimes I see a beautiful young guy and think "what a beautiful son he would be".

DAMN!

Anonymous said...

(p.s. I just realised my comment may have incestuous overtones, yuck! I meant... instead of checking the guy out, I'm busy sighing wishing I had a son!)

Queenie. . . said...

I am in and out of a lot of law offices, and I've discovered something. It's not just the staff in law offices--The 20-somethings coming out of law school don't do the suit thing, and seem completely oblivious to the dress code followed by older lawyers. They dress horribly--purple tights seem to be extremely popular right now, with shapeless black dresses and furry black boots. Oh, the outfits I've seen! You think someone would pull them aside.