Attorney job interview- Pantyhose or no?

[Anonymous]

Wear them. Lucky for you, it isn't supposed to be hot.

[Anonymous]

This question is more complicated that it appears. I used to always wear pantyhose to interviews and meetings, etc. As a result, I was told that doing so made me appear out of date. So now I don't wear them in the summer, but still do in the fall and winter.

Are you all seriously saying that you'd consider the no-hose look, even with closed toe shoes, a negative factor in a summer job interview? Also, the pantsuit idea can be somewhat of a trap also, as some older partners still consider a dress suite more appropriate, just because it looks more formal.

Sounds like I need to re-assess.

[Anonymous]

"Ssit" not "suite"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This question is more complicated that it appears. I used to always wear pantyhose to interviews and meetings, etc. As a result, I was told that doing so made me appear out of date. So now I don't wear them in the summer, but still do in the fall and winter.

Are you all seriously saying that you'd consider the no-hose look, even with closed toe shoes, a negative factor in a summer job interview? Also, the pantsuit idea can be somewhat of a trap also, as some older partners still consider a dress suite more appropriate, just because it looks more formal.

This is OP. Thank you! This is exactly the thought process I had. There is something about pantyhose that seems kind of out of date and pants suits definitely don't solve the problem because some older lawyers (the female federal judge I clerked for, for instance) don't like them either.

I'm surprised by the number of posters who think this is a no brainer. I can tell you that most younger women do not wear pantyhose ever. I was on the hiring committee at my old firm and maybe 25% of female candidates under 30 wore them for interviews.

Anyway, I bought the sheerest hose I could find at Nordstrom in the color closest to my actual skin tone. I'm sure they'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, I may just be a big dork, but I go to court a few times a month, and would feel creepy wearing a skirt suit and no pantyhose. I haven't interviewed anyplace in many, many years, but would feel weird at a hearing/oral argument with bare legs.

Court attire = pantyhose. Interview attire = court attire.

[Anonymous]

I'm a federal prosecutor. I'm in court almost daily. In the summer, I don't wear pantyhose except for jury trials. Most of my female colleagues do the same. People who actually go to court a lot don't think pantyhose are required court attire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This question is more complicated that it appears. I used to always wear pantyhose to interviews and meetings, etc. As a result, I was told that doing so made me appear out of date. So now I don't wear them in the summer, but still do in the fall and winter.

Are you all seriously saying that you'd consider the no-hose look, even with closed toe shoes, a negative factor in a summer job interview? Also, the pantsuit idea can be somewhat of a trap also, as some older partners still consider a dress suite more appropriate, just because it looks more formal.

This is OP. Thank you! This is exactly the thought process I had. There is something about pantyhose that seems kind of out of date and pants suits definitely don't solve the problem because some older lawyers (the female federal judge I clerked for, for instance) don't like them either.

I'm surprised by the number of posters who think this is a no brainer. I can tell you that most younger women do not wear pantyhose ever. I was on the hiring committee at my old firm and maybe 25% of female candidates under 30 wore them for interviews.

Anyway, I bought the sheerest hose I could find at Nordstrom in the color closest to my actual skin tone. I'm sure they'll be fine.

Good call. Being perceived as "out of date" shouldn't enter into the equation here, esp if this is truly a conservative firm. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Same poster as above. I can promise you that no judge can tell from the bench whether I'm wearing pantyhose or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a federal prosecutor. I'm in court almost daily. In the summer, I don't wear pantyhose except for jury trials. Most of my female colleagues do the same. People who actually go to court a lot don't think pantyhose are required court attire.

But you wear them for jury trials. Why? Because it's the most conservative option when you're going to be scrutinized by a jury of people you don't know. Kind of like an interview.

Our practices are different. I'm usually in an appellate court for oral argument, so not suprising that we'd have different ideas of what "court attire" consists of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a federal prosecutor. I'm in court almost daily. In the summer, I don't wear pantyhose except for jury trials. Most of my female colleagues do the same. People who actually go to court a lot don't think pantyhose are required court attire.

But you wear them for jury trials. Why? Because it's the most conservative option when you're going to be scrutinized by a jury of people you don't know. Kind of like an interview.

Our practices are different. I'm usually in an appellate court for oral argument, so not suprising that we'd have different ideas of what "court attire" consists of.

I don't disagree that OP should wear them to her interview. I was making the point that "court attire" does not necessarily mean pantyhose, and OP isn't crazy for asking the question. It's not as obvious as wearing panties, as one PP suggested.

[Anonymous]

I am a male lawyer in biglaw who has interviewed lots of people. Before this thread came up, it would never have occurred to me to notice or care whether a woman was wearing pantyhose. It seems some older folks consider it scandalous to go without, but it seems old fashioned to me to put them on. This isn't Afghanistan. You're legs are not naughty parts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? who wears pantyhose?

+1

+1
I am glad I am not a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a male lawyer in biglaw who has interviewed lots of people. Before this thread came up, it would never have occurred to me to notice or care whether a woman was wearing pantyhose. It seems some older folks consider it scandalous to go without, but it seems old fashioned to me to put them on. This isn't Afghanistan. You're legs are not naughty parts.

I think a male lawyer that notices these things will care more about the shape of said legs. A female lawyer that'll get catty over this will probably expect a woman to wear pantyhose.

[Anonymous]

I just do not understand how one can have bare feet in closed-toe shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just do not understand how one can have bare feet in closed-toe shoes.

with Hello Kitty band-aids.