What does a hip young thing wear in court?!

[littlehalo]

My job is normally community and/ or office based but is now taking me into the courts.

I'd like a nice pencil skirt suit (or similar) but sites like TM Lewin make me want to cry. I'm 20-something, size 6/8, 5ft 4 (but live in heels), nick named 'the clothes horse', please tell me I'm not destined for bland colours and frumpy cuts for the rest of my working life!

I'm not actually averse to grey or black but I would want to 'lift' these colours with nice blouses or camis.

To give you an idea of my usual style, I like bold pieces, love Vivienne Westwood, winged eyeliner etc, not frightened of print.

Any suggestions would be great, thanks in advance.

I was a solicitor doing a lot of magistrates work until a career change 7 years ago. If you are a social worker you will not be expected to dress in the same way as the legal representatives and provided you are smart and decent you will be able to get away with a more relaxed style. Dresses in dark prints or jersey dresses with a jacket are a good way to go. When I was pregnant and got very hot in court I used to wear a dark T shirt dress with a navy jersey jacket over and a chiffon scarf and pearls and looked very dressed up when I really was not - a jacket adds a bit of gravitas to any outfit.

I am not sure about that outfit for court. It is the tight cut and skinny trousers. It is trying rather hard IMO to give yourself individuality clothes-wise when the last thing you want to do is stand out for your clothes.

I think it will make you look young which detracts from the seriousness of your role.

I don't agree that you have to dress conservatively to be taken seriously. High fashion is fine. I have known plenty of professionals who look fashionable. I have done court work with very glamourous females and I felt a frump because I was doing the conservative trouser suit. At the time I felt you had to conform because I was young and just starting out but now I wish I'd had the balls to dress up a bit more. It would not have affected the outcome of the case.

Just don't look like you're going to the dancing.

I am now fairly glam at work and I am taken seriously. Be yourself, you are obviously interested in fashion.

I think it will make you look young

This is a valid point - to take the argument to the other extreme, I am absolutely not going to try to look older. Fact is, I am on the young side and at the lower end of what the role usually demands in terms of experience. I fully expect that somone will try to have a pop at some point, I need to head this off with a robust, confident response. The superficial stuff is just window dressing, this is where my practice really must speak for itself.

The only 'window-dressing' trick I might employ is wearing my glasses as opposed to contacts. I genuinely do have dreadful eyesight so shouldn't feel too much of a fraud!

Thanks for all your advice ladies, I'll be thinking of your various viewpoints when hitting the sales!

Probation always look a mess tbh. Any advance on that is good.

Some nice VW bits in the sale here...

Cos

Hobbs