Law firm dress codes can be as important to some firms as the hours billed – well, almost. However one London law firm, Berwin Leighton Paisner, warned new lawyers on the firm blog to avoid red bras, trashy heels and visible panty lines.
“Nothing ruins an outfit like bumpy lace showing through your top or bulges on your bottom,” it said.
So what did the firm recommend was appropriate apparel for the firm?
They suggested women invest in a “neutral T-shirt bras and non-VPL knickers”, while dresses should be no more than “one Bic biro’s length” above the knee nor should they show more than “half an inch of cleavage”.
“You have one day, or at the very most two weeks, to make an impression and you don’t want that impression to be ‘does he understand how to use an iron?’ or ‘nice to know she likes red bras’.
“You don’t have to be devoid of personality but, as with all things in life, you have to know what the rules are before you break them.”
It said women were advised to wear black three-piece suits with nude patent shoes that make the wearer’s legs look “miles long”. However, it warned against “trashy” heels, which should be saved for nights out.
The blog author, whose gender is also unknown, said there is “no excuse” for wearing trainers for the walk to work.Men were told to avoid black suits, skinny ties and coloured shirts with white colours: “You are not an estate agent from Chelmsford,” it said.
Bosses at the firm swiftly took the blog post down, saying it was “inappropriate” and had been created by a junior member of staff: “The blog was created by one of our trainees,” a spokesman said.
“We do encourage our trainees to blog and they still can. But we did take this one down.”
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