What to Wear to Law School Classes

I can’t believe today is the first day of my 4th week of law school. Where did the time go??

I’m sure you’ve heard a million times that law school is a professional school and as such you can’t wear frat shirts and Nike pros to class anymore like you did in undergrad. This is partially true; it is a professional school and while you can’t look like a sorority girl who just did the walk of shame to class you can be comfortable and you can wear leggings but there are some unspoken rules, guidelines if you will.

Don’t get me wrong I loved wearing my oversized frat t shirts and spandex to class too but there’s a time and a place for everything and law school is not one of them.

If you’re gonna wear leggings make sure 1 they’re not see through, please for the love of all things make sure they’re not see through and 2 wear a shirt/tank and cardigan/sweater combo that ensures your backside is covered, at least partially. I tend to wear leggings with a tank top or t-shirt and wear a cardigan or Jean jacket on top to make sure my butt is covered and also to keep me warm in class.

The other part to looking professional is grooming. I prefer to have at least 2 of the following 3 going for me if not all 3; outfit, hair and makeup.

So if my hair is done (curled, not my natural texture which is wavy/curly) I can get away with not wearing makeup if I have a decent outfit on, so I wear jeans and a blouse these days. If my makeup is done and my hair isn’t, aka today, I also go for a blouse over jeans or leggings to make sure I look a little more put together.

If my hair and makeup is done I tend to opt for a more comfy, leggings outfit as long as my rules above are covered.

The first week of school I did all 3 and if I’m up early and feeling good I’ll do all 3 every once in a while because the more put together I look the better I feel and its important to be feeling your best in such an intense environment.

On Fridays I may wear pretty shorts and a shirt or blouse since I only have one class, but I do not wear jean shorts and I make sure they’re a little longer in length.

As for shoes, I tend to wear sandals and sneakers the most; I reserve flats for more business casual days. Open toed shoes are ok just make sure you’re not wearing flip flops, like beach ones, nicer sandals are ok.

You’re going to notice that your classmates will more or less follow these rules and some will just go the comfy route and others will go the business casual route (or a suit) every day; you do what you feel is right – hence why it changes for me depending on the day and my mood in the morning.

Of course some days all these rules go out the window and I look like I just rolled out of bed, especially on zoom, because no one wants to wear business casual at home but for the most part I try to look presentable in case I have to meet with someone or run into someone important or that I want to make connections with.

I think as long as you feel you look put together that’s all that matters, law school is a professional school because your professors are experts in their field and they can give you connections and opportunities and you always want to put your best foot forward. Also you never know who is visiting your school on any given day, and you never want to be caught off guard.

I hope this helps those who are curious about the all important what do I wear to class conundrum, thanks for reading!

xo Kayla