I have been asked to clarify my advice on dressing for orientation.
Reasonable people can disagree on what specific clothes are appropriate, but the idea is that you should look put together and comfortable.
Your clothes should not be distracting, and inappropriate clothes are distracting.
On one message board, a NYU student said that she wore shorts and flipflops to orientation.
And well, while that may be acceptable at some schools, I would like to reiterate my point in plainer language: although you are unlikely to get “into trouble” for wearing flip-flops to orientation, it is not a good idea to wear flipflops unless you receive an email or letter from your school that says “wear flipflops.”
In other words? Ladies, it will not kill you to look cute during orientation.
You don’t have to show up to orientation in stilettos, sporting a bucci bag, and doing the Halle Berry, but save the frump for finals.
It’s professional school, not the beach.1
Now, NYU Law may have people hiking around the city – but that’s atypical for law school.
At UMinnesota, they take the “class picture” during orientation. It’s a picture that gets blown up and put on a wall – and yes, the people wearing khakis and the Jesus-sandals look silly.
But seriously.
Show up in flipflops.
It’s fine.
Just remember that you knew better when you find yourself standing next to this girl.
Again, the idea is to look put-together, and not messy, stuffy, or awkward.
1And while I’m on my bitchy gay rant: no chipped nails please.
Extra Reading: I recommend “First Impressions: What You Don’t Know About How Others See You” for a scientific perspective on how we come across to others. I wish that I had read this book much earlier in life.
32 Comments
Chere
July 28, 2009 at 12:39 amIs this really so complicated?! 🙂 Very nice clarification…it makes me want to go shopping. So excited that autumn clothes are making their appearances!
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:45 amHaha me too! Yay for sweater season.
New Kid on the Hallway
July 28, 2009 at 8:38 amHeh. My school is Very Outdoorsy. And also pretty hot in August. Hence, a different look from what you have here (lots of flip-flops, but I’m not a hater – I like flip flip-flops). But what I want to know is: what’s with all the guys in jeans (and untucked shirts and rolled-up sleeves) and women in skirts/dresses? The women look way more dressed up than the men!
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:41 amJeans and a button down is harder for a guy to mess up, whereas I trust the girls not to mess up a more complicated look. What I’m trying to prevent is someone showing up in highwater khakis and dockers:
Cassie
July 28, 2009 at 8:51 amWe actually have heard from a few students that Minnesotan’s tend to dress up a lot more than what they’re used to back home (especially student’s coming from CA).
If money’s an issue, spend some time in the clearance section at BR. Their summer stuff can usually go year round with the addition of a cardigan or scarf. Otherwise, I’ve been able to find a few great looks (though not long lasting) in the “work” section of H&M for under $60.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:48 amMy female friends buy the more conservative things from Forever 21 for even cheaper…
And while I think Minnesotans think that they dress up more, I think a Minnesotan’s idea of “dressed up” is different than someone from the coast. (This is coming from a Miamian)
Valentina
July 28, 2009 at 9:36 amFor women, at least women who don’t want to look stupid, business casual = heels. All of my dress pants are too long to wear with flats, and I look like I have short legs if I wear flats with any of my dresses. Guys don’t really have to deal with that issue. For business casual, pair slacks with a nice pair of boat shoes or loafers, and you’re good to go. So I can understand how you might not first think “dammit, I have to wear heels” every time the word “business casual” comes up. Anyway, flats look way cuter with a nice pair of jeans. So I think I’ll probably go that route. Completely agree that looking like a slob or a skank is totally inappropriate, though.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:55 amI think it’s my Miami-definition of “business casual”, because I think nice form-fitting jeans are totally appropriate (and even moreso) than the shapeless dark “pants” that people wear.
Valentina
July 28, 2009 at 9:40 amAnd while I’m here with the resident fashionista, what are your thoughts on rompers? Not for law school orientation, but general summer wear.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:53 amI think rompers are inherently ugly, and as with any inherently-ugly fashion, the only girls who can pull them off are rail-thin.
Laura
July 28, 2009 at 10:15 amI don’t agree with all your dressing tips… but your advice did make me remember how much the judging during law school orientation made it feel like being back in junior high school again.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:44 amIt’s totally junior high.
I think we underestimate how significant a preview middle school is to real life.
idwsj
July 28, 2009 at 11:50 am1) Props to whoever can pull off a thin sweater or sweater-vest in the summer without passing out from heat stroke.
I know it can be done. If I tried it, I’d be dead in an hour. I can barely manage it in the winter!
2) I like the advice, but I’m disagreeing on one suggestion. The double popped collar polo. That is…just no. I am starkly opposed!
3) I’m going to rock mc hammer pants. If that’s not business casual, I don’t know what is.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 11:50 amThe thing is, at least in Minnesota and Miami – the AC makes the inside temperature around 60 degrees.
And the popped collar is for the gay-boys.
Valentina
July 28, 2009 at 1:23 pmThis thread and comment streak is awesome. I’m going to keep it going. While we’re commenting on the clothes above, I have to say that I’ve always been opposed to short-sleeve button downs. I think long sleeves rolled up are a much less geeky look.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 2:36 pmI think there’s a place for the short-sleeved button downs, especially if they are plaid (for the whole Urbanoutfitters look).
Also, I think the short-sleeved button-downs look good if they are form fitting and the top 3-or so buttons are unbuttoned. It doesn’t have to be a Homer-Simpson/Geeksquad look!
Laurie
July 28, 2009 at 3:49 pmI wish I had read this before orientation my first year. I came from academics and showed up in a T shirt, jeans, and Tevas. Of course, also being clueless, didn’t pay much attention to those around me either.
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 6:49 pmWell, it also depends on what you’re comfortable with. I know girls who wore heels to orientation and then strolled around in sweatpants for the rest of the year…which…heh. And let’s not forget girl-who-doesn’t-wear-shoes.
Valentina
July 28, 2009 at 4:07 pmI just read the updated NYU thread on TLS and apparently we have to wear color-coded t-shirts. If we’re really walking around NYC, HOW FUCKING EMBARASSING! I’d almost rather endure heels…
And I guess you’re right about short-sleeve button downs being acceptable if they are tight and buttoned down, a’la the very metrosexual look. However, the look you described means no undershirt, and no undershirt means chest hair popping and the overall appearance of being about to hit up a club. I feel like that’s not really appropriate for law school orientation?
Jansen
July 28, 2009 at 6:48 pmI’m bad about the chest hair…my taco meat is usually showing.
Dee
July 29, 2009 at 3:42 pmI work for the federal government so you have to be almost always have to be in Business casual. Some good places are Victoria Secret (online), Asos (also online) but when in doubt H&M will always have a great selection of business attire. ALSO thrift stores sell some of the best business casual clothing plus its a lot cheaper
I tend not to go to forever 21 for business wear because the material, to me, isn’t quality but I buy a lot of regular clothes and accessories from there.
Good Luck you guys going to orientation in a few weeks
Dee
BennyAbelard
August 2, 2009 at 9:11 pmSo I have seen these posts linked for the second time on the law school roundup and thought I would post.
At my orientation 2 years ago, I’d mess with saying my school was a T25 and all that but for anyone who cares it is Illinois, I think that you would have really stood out wearing khakis and a button down.
I wore shorts, and I would say that the large majority of men wore either shorts or jeans. Women may have done a bit more, but there were plenty of shorts and jeans for them as well.
In most of the U.S. it is hot in August and if I have to choose between being the guy so stiff that he wears a button down to orientation or being comfortable and not sweating like a pig I know which I will choose.
I think that these threads have been largely determined by the idiosyncratic preferences of the blog-owner, and I would not really recommend taking them as gospel advice for other schools.
Jansen
August 2, 2009 at 11:35 pmThis website is all about my idiosyncratic preferences. Welcome.
Amanda
August 3, 2009 at 12:33 pmHa, at my law school orientation, nearly everyone showed up in flipflops, jeans, and some sort of summery casual shirt. The one dude in business casual wear became “that guys” for the rest of the year… but since he turned out to be a gunner, (though a nice guy outside of class!) it served as a warning.
Jansen
August 3, 2009 at 4:56 pmI think people are misunderstanding my use of business casual — it’s really shorthand for “put together” (In Miami, nice jeans and a button down was business casual.) And I don’t know where this perception that a button down with rolled up sleeves is somehow hotter than a t-shirt.
law:/dev/null » Blog Archive » NCCU Law 1Ls: What to Expect at Orientation
August 9, 2010 at 12:39 am[…] Jansen (a 3L @ UMN Law) has this excellent post on Orientation fashion advice. And if you happen to be a lady, Huma Rashid (a 3L @ John Marshall Law) has an entire category of […]
whatareyousimple
August 15, 2010 at 10:10 amI wish this had been part of the mandatory pre-orientation reading at my Law School… Day one had one too many girls with havaianas and daisy dukes and boys with jersey shorts and backwards caps. Thanks for the blog, I love reading it!
Jansen
August 16, 2010 at 12:01 amEek. Classy!
law degrees
September 30, 2010 at 4:47 amThe mixed bag of styles that showed up to orientation was hilarious: from suits to beachwear. You could count the people that looked ‘put together’, as you put it, on one hand. Never seen so little common sense among a group of students before, aspecially those looking to obtain their law degrees …my uni should have sent this post around to all of the students before orientation.
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