Day 7 - How to Impress a Bunch of Lawyers with your Impeccable Fashion Sense

Hello!  Today I'm going to a business meeting with almost two dozen attorneys.  More than that, this meeting is being held at a law firm in downtown Chicago.  So I need to really step up my business attire so that I look appropriate and worthy of respect. 

As a young professional (especially one that looks several years younger than her real age), I really need to make myself look prepared and put together when I go to meetings, as well as actually being prepared when I go.  By showing up at a meeting or a program looking professional, first, it makes me look a little bit older so I look like the law school graduate that I am instead of looking like I might be a high school student who got lost on her way to the model U.N. meeting, and second, it makes me look like I take my job seriously.  By giving my acquaintances the impression that I'm serious about my work, they will take me and the project we are working on together seriously too.

 

Professional and Stylish:

A, H, I, J, 3, 5, 7 13

I kept this outfit very simple.  A basic black suit with a white button down shirt and a black undershirt for contrast.  However, I add a bit of my own style by putting it with leopard print heels, and my black beaded chain.  Not only do they add a little bit of a flair, but the leopard print heels allow me to have something in the outfit that ties together with my brown purse. 

In this outfit, I look put together, professional, but with a clear, intentional style.

Finally, I can make a few slight tweaks to this outfit after the meeting, and I'll have a comfortable and easy outfit to go back home in.

 

The Long Road Home:

A, E, I, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14

I leave my black pants on, but I roll the cuffs for a different look.  I ditch the blazer and the white shirt but I throw on my denim shirt, and I belt it so that I still have a waist.  Tie in my blue shoes and tie my hair back with the blue scarf, and I'm comfy, casual, cute, and ready for a long train trip!

Are you a young professional?  How do you ensure that your coworkers, bosses, and others you work with take you seriously and treat you with respect? 

I get told almost once a week that I look like I'm twelve.  Do you have any tips on how to get people to stop treating me like Doogie Howser and more like the professional I am? 

Please share your tips and thoughts in the comments!