Fashion critique of female lawyers in bar newsletter brings sexism complaint
Image from Shutterstock.
Two stylists who criticized a “style drought” among female lawyers in California’s Marin County have created a storm of controversy.
In an article published in the Marin Lawyer (PDF), stylists Jill Sperber and Susana Perczek said they checked out lawyer styles after hearing “that female lawyers in Marin are not winning their cases in the Style Department.” The Marin Independent Journal, CBS San Francisco and KMBZ have stories.
The stylists said they observed 20 female lawyers and “only one was a style ‘go.’” That lawyer “jazzed up her basics (albeit all black) with visual interest (sparkly necklace, jeweled flats),” the stylists wrote.
The others “wore mostly nondescript black pants (we counted a few skirts) with button downs or blouses in white or muted tones. Some didn’t bother with jackets. Few wore accessories.”
Some even committed fashion offenses, including a “Burgundy velvet blazer in spring, not worn ironically,” and a “tight knit striped miniskirt with mismatched stripe blazer over neon blouse, and teetering mules.”
The authors advise lawyers to avoid “sky high stilettos” and “stiff oxford button downs” that are “unfriendly to curvy torsos.” Colors other than black get their endorsement, as does wearing accessories.
Mee Mee Wong is executive director of the Marin County Bar Association, which publishes the Marin Lawyer. She told KMBZ that the style article generated the most response among those published in the June newsletter.
Prosecutor Yvette Martinez criticized the critique as “blatantly sexist” in letter to the editor that will be published in full. “We are strong, educated, dedicated, and vocal,” Martinez wrote. “Did you really think that we would thank you for the unsolicited fashion advice and skip off to the mall?”
Martinez said her fashion icons are Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. “They wear black robes to work every day, and it suits them just fine,” she said.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Formal office attire is a must at this law firm; name partner says younger lawyers should take note”
