Bare legs - sensible for summer or unprofessional?

[Issymum]

I'm a lawyer and my assistant is a paralegal (a mix between a secretary and a lawyer who is hoping to qualify as a solicitor in a couple of years time).

We were discussing in a girlie way, what we would wear to the office in the summer. My view is trousers work best in high summer, otherwise one has to wear tights because bare legs (however smooth, slim and tanned) look unprofessional. Her view is that bare legs are fine, providing they are smooth, slim and tanned. She of course possesses such a pair and I don't.

I wouldn't make an issue about it, but I'm just wondering if I'm being hopelessly stuffy or if she, by being too informal, might undermine her professional credibility.

One for the Mumsnet Arbiter of Good Taste.

[WideWebWitch]

Haven't read the other responses Issymum but I remember Cosmo telling us that "bare legs are for the beach" back when I was 20 something. I think things have changed now and your assistant is probably right. BUT most offices have air con, rendering bare legs unnecessary, bordering on inappropriate I'd have thought. Ooh, I'll see what everyone else says now! I have white, fat, awful legs so will stay in black opaques as long as humanly possible!

[WideWebWitch]

Agree about open toes, there's something very personal and a bit yucky about seeing someone's naked feet in the office I think.

[Sponge]

Depends on the einvironment but I'd have thought bare legs were a no for solicitors work, and if you're going to wear tights then showing your toes has to be out as bits of tight showing looks awful. I wouldn't do feet showing with trousers either.
Sleeveless is OK if a smart dress or possibly a decent sleeveless shirt but not anything t-shirty IMO. Just keep your arms down .

[triceratops]

No bare legs if meeting clients IMO and suits should have jackets. If the men in the meeting turned up in shorts and no ties you would consider them to be too casual.

[motherinferior]

I think you should try hot pants and flipflops. With halterneck flimsy tops.

I'm the inferior one in this village, beachyhead.

[hatmum]

Have never thought that my feet would be offensive in the office! Live in long (ankle length) skirts and pretty sandals in the summer in the office.

[Lonelymum]

I just hope that if you come down on the side of tights, you work in an air conditioned office. I can remember every year there would come a day when I wore tights to work and it became really hot and I would end up peeling the tights off in the loos or in the car on the way home and the relief would be fantastic! After that, I wouldn't wear tights again for the rest of the summer. But then, I was a primary school teacher and a certain sleekness of appearance isn't always required when you are mixing with sticky fingers, glue and chalk (yes, chalk when I began!)

[hatsoff]

have you lot not got any work to do? high powered lawyers and all you can do is chat about tights and sleeveless tops. I thought you spent your evenings reading interesting judgements not giving yourselves pedicures. Glad I work with a bunch of hippies who spend the summer in long floaty skirts and flip-flops. Though as part of my post baby career renewal plan I have a no flip-flops summer resolution to match my no jeans winter one. You can see I'll go far.

[cod]

Message withdrawn

[Twiglett]

depends on the job - if a formal discipline, like law, then definitely unprofessional

[cod]

Message withdrawn

[motherinferior]

This is when I start feeling enormous relief that I am a slacker in an Improper Job.

[cod]

Message withdrawn

[Lonelymum]

Know what you mean MI. I was just thinking myself, there is another advantage to being a lowly teacher rather than a high paid lawyer (aside from the ludicrously long HOLIDAYS that is! )

[soapbox]

I'm an accountant working in practice and I would say no to bare legs, open toed sandels (sling backs with covered toes are fine). Sleeveless tops just about ok if worn under suit jacket.

Having said that I have seen all sorts in my time!! I once had to be the person braking the news to some poor girl that mini skirts and bare legs are better suited to teh beach than the office! Although the clients (male) seemed to quite like her


TBH the air con in the office at at mosts clients is so fierce these days that going bare is inviting a severe case of frostbite

[donnie]

this thread is a real eye opener, I had absolutely no idea that being hosiery free is sometimes considered unprofessional or too casual, I just can't understand it! in the teaching profession we wear any old crap ( not really ! but don't need to go for the whole suit thing). I can only bear to wear tights when it is mid winter.Are men allowed to wear short sleeved shirts?

[Prettybird]

remids me of the time that dh was told, "... but you're different - you wear coloured shirts! !" as an expplanation for why he didn't 2fit" in Glasgow Junior Chamber. The West of Scoltand "porfessional" class (ie accountants and lawyers) is very conventional - whereas dh was a West of Scoltand business man and couldn't give a stuff about protocol.

[HRHDuchessofPeahead]

hello issy!
rules inculcated into me at school:
#1 NEVER have bare legs in a work or smart social occasion
#2 NEVER eat or drink in the street
#3 ALWAYS cut an apple or pear into quarters, core and peel it before eating.

I've given up on #3 (funny, that) but deep down I do think the other two are probably right. I'm sure it is v oldfashioned though...

PS are you on for the alumni thingie? go on go on go on go on

[soapbox]

Donnie

The problem is that many of the rules are unwritten - so yes where I work men can wear short sleeved shirts but I would be very surprised if they climbed very far up the greasy career pole

[DickWhittingtonsCat]

I hate the tights thing as I am incapable of keeping anything less than 40 denier ladder-free for more than 2 hours. I have now given up and if the skirt is on or below knee then I don't wear tights in the summer (obviously if I were in court I would wear tights and also shirt with collar). I also think that your suit has to be very formal and smart. However, not wearing tights is such a hassle too as you have to make sure your legs are so smooth and also moisturised and also your feet and toenails look smart. Also, your shoulders and arms have to be looking great, if you wear a sleeveless top, and no bra straps should be visible, so it really adds to the time in the morning. OTOH it is nice to dress up sometimes and get compliments and this never happens on the day when you are hairy and tatty and hence wearing old woollen suit, thick tights, looking rather sweaty with makeup melting, and getting a headache, in August heat with no air conditioning. Who knows whether it undermines my professional credibility more to look frumpy and too hot and uncomfortable, or bare-legged but well groomed?!

[Twiglett]

you can tell she's posh - she used the word 'inculculated' in a sentence

[Twiglett]

whereas I cannot even copy it over properly

inculcated

[fastasleep]

What on earth? Undermining professional credibility by having bare legs or short sleeved shirts?! Honestly I wonder about these people who have jobs sometimes.

[mummytosteven]

as a former solicitor I can confirm the utter stuffiness of the legal profession's sartorial code (apart from the few enlightened places where you can dress down unless seeing clients/court)

the other professional solution to the tights in summer problem is IMHO stockings. (of course if they fall down or the suspender belt shows then possibly they just might detract from your professionalism)

[fastasleep]

I wear stay up stockings...would I get a reputation?