Starting Out Totally Clueless
So I realized my court outfits sucked. Seriously. Looked like I raided my dad’s closet from 1998. Baggy suit, weird tie, shoes scuffed enough to look homeless. Clients probably wondered if I even passed the bar. Embarrassing. Decided I needed a style upgrade, stat. Step one? Actually figuring out what ‘looking like a competent lawyer’ even meant. Hit the web hard.
The Shopping Disaster Phase
Armed with zero practical knowledge, I went shopping. Big mistake. Felt overwhelmed immediately. Got a navy suit, right? Wrong move number one: bought it way too big. Thought it looked “comfortable.” Spoiler: It looked sloppy. Bought some shirts too – collars swimming around my neck like life preservers. Ties? Picked a bright pink one because why not? Grabbed cheap, plastic-y shoes that squeaked with every step. Total. Fashion. Nightmare. Wore the whole getup once. Felt like a walking trash bag. Never again.
Actually Paying Attention (The Hard Way)
Time for Plan B: stop winging it. Really studied how other guys in court looked sharp. Paid attention to details:
- The Suit Fit: Shoulder seams gotta sit RIGHT where your shoulder ends. Not hanging off, not cutting in. Found a tailor – best investment ever.
- The Shirt Collar: Should just barely touch your neck, no gaps! No more choking or feeling like a kid playing dress-up.
- The Tie: Width matters! Thick ties looked stupid on me. Aim for about 3 inches at the widest point. Simple patterns work best (stripes, small dots).
- Shoes: Ditched the plastic. Real leather. Brown or black. Polished them. Suddenly looked like I gave a damn.
Also learned what NOT to do:
- No loud patterns on the suit – looks cheap.
- No crazy tie colors in court – save that for the company party.
- No mismatched socks – navy suit demands dark socks, not white athletic ones!
Putting It Together (Trial & Error)
Took this info back into the wild. Shopping became strategic, not desperate. Felt like a mission.
- Started with basics: One good charcoal grey suit, one navy blue. Single-breasted, two buttons. Classic.
- Got shirts that FIT: Mostly white, some light blue. Slim fit (but not tight!). Non-iron helped – mornings are brutal.
- Ties bought on purpose: A couple nice solids (dark blue, burgundy), some subtle stripes. Silk feels good, looks good.
- Shoes: Found comfy oxfords. Brown for navy, black for grey. Polished them religiously.
Tried on EVERYTHING. Moved around. Sat down. Buttoned the jacket. Stood up. Does it pull weird? Does the shirt bunch up? Does the tie knot look neat? Small details started making sense. Found myself checking my reflection more carefully before leaving the house.
Where I’m At Now (Still Learning!)
It ain’t perfect, but it’s way better. Walking into the courthouse doesn’t feel like a walk of shame anymore. Clients seem more comfortable, weirdly. Jury might even think I know what I’m doing!
- The charcoal suit + white shirt + dark blue silk tie is my go-to for serious hearings.
- Navy suit with a light blue shirt and a burgundy knit tie? Solid, slightly less formal vibe.
- Brown belt ALWAYS matches the brown shoes. Obsessively.
Biggest lesson? It’s about fit first. Doesn’t matter if it’s designer or discount. If it drapes wrong, you look wrong. And less is more – simple colors, clean lines, good grooming. Feels good not looking like I got dressed in the dark anymore. Still tweaking things, but hey, progress is progress!
