Calling all Louboutin Lover Lawyers and Just Plain Louboutin Lovers...Help!!!

Ayala

Ayala

O.G.
May 17, 2008
1,899
231
#1
I think I have mentioned it in passing that I am currently a 1L student. Having started my 2nd semester, it is now time to start thinking about summer internships, clerkships, and whatnot.

My Contracts professor from last semester offered me a Research Assistant position part time, but also wants me to get some real world, non-academic experience.

I have my heart set on a Federal clerkship (though its probably a snowball's chance), but nonetheless I will be doing real law work this summer with people that probably will not appreciate my 70 multi-glitter Pigalles.

Besides the fact that I have no business attire at all, and live in jeans, I started to panic when I was trying to think which of my Louboutins I would want to make my go too work shoe. I only own four neutral, responsible pairs: black calf Rosella flats, brown calf Biancas, black kid 70 Sharkas and brown patent 70 simples.

I have two concerns with my choices:
1) They are not summery enough; Too dark and dreary
2) It will be too hard to find suit colors that will go with both.

So I figured that since I am going to have to buy clothes anyway...why not get shoes too, lol. :whistle:

I was thinking maybe a nude. But, if I buy nudes I want the boutique nude and not the department store beige. I probably do not want to walk on a greater pitch than 100s. I'm not sure what styles that limits me to.

The long and the sort of it is I would really like to hear your opinions on what a law internship appropriate shoe choice would be.

Thank you so much in advance!
 
#2
So... You have to be (feel) sexy, feminine and maybe hype witout posing as a fashion-brainless-victim ? As a thread said it recently.. Stilettos may have power. But if you look for something 'formal' maybe than decolettés (nude or kid ) would do. I would avoid anything exotic or too colorful as well (even though EB python/lizard or yellow suede are just remarquable textures and materials) So yeah.. no glitter, no strass, no exotics, ni sequins, no silver specchios (VG !) no studs (!) ans that's pretty much it. In my opinion.. Generaly, avoid designs you could suffer from.. Pigalle, or Declics are hell yes AMAZING but after 4 or 5 hours of work what's happening ? I'd say, nothing over 120..

Just take it easy. You're a lady before a woman of law and you have the right to feel desirable or 'perfect' in the front of the mirror !

Overall
Colors: Black/Browns/Nudes ...
Designs : VP (any tip color.. a little touch of fantasy is not to ban =), decolette, simple, bruges, mouche, gabin, lillian, helmut, hai, piaf, ronrons ... see ? Plenty of beautiful choices and I'll leave it to the girls to keep this list going on !

Good Luck Ayala ! :heart:
 
#3
Ayala said:
I think I have mentioned it in passing that I am currently a 1L student. Having started my 2nd semester, it is now time to start thinking about summer internships, clerkships, and whatnot.

My Contracts professor from last semester offered me a Research Assistant position part time, but also wants me to get some real world, non-academic experience.

I have my heart set on a Federal clerkship (though its probably a snowball's chance), but nonetheless I will be doing real law work this summer with people that probably will not appreciate my 70 multi-glitter Pigalles.

Besides the fact that I have no business attire at all, and live in jeans, I started to panic when I was trying to think which of my Louboutins I would want to make my go too work shoe. I only own four neutral, responsible pairs: black calf Rosella flats, brown calf Biancas, black kid 70 Sharkas and brown patent 70 simples.

I have two concerns with my choices:
1) They are not summery enough; Too dark and dreary
2) It will be too hard to find suit colors that will go with both.

So I figured that since I am going to have to buy clothes anyway...why not get shoes too, lol. :whistle:

I was thinking maybe a nude. But, if I buy nudes I want the boutique nude and not the department store beige. I probably do not want to walk on a greater pitch than 100s. I'm not sure what styles that limits me to.

The long and the sort of it is I would really like to hear your opinions on what a law internship appropriate shoe choice would be.

Thank you so much in advance!
Click to expand...

I don't think the Bianca's are work appropriate for the internship you are describing. That being said, you have a basic brown and black pump. That is easy to match. Just a few pencil skirts and blouses and you are all set.

I know I saw some lower heeled nude shoes at the Horatio boutique. I would call them and ask them what they have. I don't remember because I don't really wear low heels, but I saw some stuff.

HTH!
 
#4
Ayala said:
Besides the fact that I have no business attire at all, and live in jeans, I started to panic when I was trying to think which of my Louboutins I would want to make my go too work shoe. I only own four neutral, responsible pairs: black calf Rosella flats, brown calf Biancas, black kid 70 Sharkas and brown patent 70 simples.
Click to expand...

The Simples you already will definitely work, even in summer. Any of the styles that come in 85mm are a possibility. Anything with platforms might be dicey depending on the office.

Law offices are like any other professional office--what's appropriate depends on the office culture and how "front-facing" (i.e. in front of clients) you're going to be. Jap's suggestions on wardrobe are good. Personally, I survived several early years with two pairs of basic black pumps, 3-4 pairs of black dress pants, a couple of skirts, dressy tank tops in a range of colors and a nice cashmere cardigan sweater.

Good luck! My eldest wants to go to law school after her undergrad, but she's aiming towards corporate law.
 
#5
Starting out, I would definitely go conservative. Simples are perfect, IMO. Feel out the environment before your push limits. I'm not a lawyer, but I could see how this field is not one where you want to overstep (so to speak :P) especially when you are new.
 
#6
I'm not sure my opinion will be popular, but I think you need to get in there and check out the culture of the firm first, before you rock your CL's there.

My first law clerk job between my 1L and 2L years was with two well respected, but older, lawyers. I think that CL's would have been a little too flashy for them, even the lower heeled ones. So, (if I had any pairs at the time) I wouldn't have worn them.

I guess for me it really depends more on who you're working for.

That being said, I think the sharkas and the simples would be the most versatile. I wear black or brown almost every day.

Good luck!!! :biggrin:
 
#7
I was recently at a upper scale lawyer office and the female attorney had on CL's with a black pencil skirt. She looks very classy, she was wearing black kid decolettes.
That said, I think the nudes might be overkill and a bit flashy. Maybe camel kid decolettes or simple 85's instead. Your sharkas, rosellas, and simples sound perfect. BTW, CL boutique SCP has the sharka 70's in camel kid on sale for $357 and those be perfect IMO if they have your size left.
Good luck.
 
#8
I am a lawyer who works at a large international law firm. My office is business casual, but more geared toward the business side. I agree with Jap in that brown Biancas are NOT work appropriate. As some of the other women stated, I would keep it to the Simples, Decolletes, or Pigalles 85, or Decoltissimo. Nude shoes won't be flashy, but you should get them in a basic, classic style. I do not wear hose in the summer, so I feel that a true nude shoe would be fine with bare legs as a summer associate at a firm.

With that said, I had a few friends work as a research assistant to professors in law school and they primarily wore casual clothing. However, I am sure this is something you'd want to discuss with your professor/supervisor. Nonetheless, I can understand wanting to build your wardrobe for your 2L summer when you will be working in a firm. I say, keep it basic during the summer, and once you are a mid-level associate then you can break out the fun colored CLs. ;) HTH!
 
#9
It's somehow funny to know what to wear and what not to wear depending on the career you chosed =)

What if you're selling your own chocolates ? Exotics allowed ? =D
 
#10
As usual, dukeprincess is spot on.

I also work in a large (US) office of an international law firm. I wear Louboutins most days. My shoes are not all conservative, by any means, but anything overtly sexy or with a huge platform like the Bianca is not appropriate.

My "workhorse" shoes are black kid Simple 100s and nude patent Simple 100s. I'm wearing brown kid Insectikas today. Any classic pump is fine.

Edit -- I will mention that I'm a mid-level associate, and I've had female partners comment on my shoes -- not that X pair is pretty or that they particularly like Y pair (though I've gotten those comments too) but specifically that I wear Louboutins. The comments haven't been negative, but I could see how they could be -- or even if not, how I might be uncomfortable with that sort of attention. So I'd start slow and gauge the culture at your particuar firm.
 
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#11
I am an attorney and practice criminal law and civil litigation. Our office is not very conservative and I do wear my black patent Cortinettes and am planning to wear my Pigalle 120 now and then with more conservative suit but only in the office.

But I would never go to court wearing CL's. That would simply be too flashy for our judges.

As an intern I would go with neutral and classic styles. Good luck to your studies and your internship :smile:
 
#12
Hi - I'm a partner at a fairly conservative law firm in Boston. I pretty much stick to 70 mm Simples (I'm wearing the brown patent today), but I will go has high as 85mm. Beyond that, it's gets a little unprofessional for some law offices. If I were you, I'd consider getting black patent and a good neutral color that blends with your skin tone. I'm asian so my neutral is a caramel brown. That color really pops with black and nude hose. I think it's funny when the old-timers in the office who wouldn't know a pair of CLs if they tripped over them give me compliments on the "really nice shoes".

Good luck with the job search!
 
#14
I work at a pretty large firm downtown nyc specializing in corporate/business law, which means I spend 90% of my time in my office, and very little time seeing other people. Prior to this job I worked doing construction litigation and labor law, and appeared in court or for depositions almost 4 days a week.
Court is an entirely different environment than being in an office, IMO. Open toed shoes are a big no-no, and I would hesitate to wear a heel higher than 85mm. I did wear my patent Decollete with a pantsuit now and then and never had a comment from a judge, but 100mm would be the absolute max. And believe me, I've seen judges call out women for being dressed inappropriately in their courtrooms.
Now that I'm in a more business casual environment, I push the envelope slightly. I regularly wear my nudes (pigalle 70s, clichys, triclos and yoyo 85s) which I view as conservative shoes now! I've even worn magenta patent horatios and purple suede declics, but I did so after I spent a few months observing the environment.
I think with the exception of the Biancas, the other shoes you listed will be fine in any law environment. Simple 85's are also a great conservative shoe. I would hold off and see where you end up and what the others are wearing before you invest in shoes you may not feel comfortable wearing.
And wow, there's a lot of lawyers on here!
 
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