OCI Outfit Questions (women) Forum

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eggshellskull17

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OCI Outfit Questions (women)

Post by eggshellskull17 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:38 pm

So I've been doing my research re what to wear for OCI. I'm coming to the conclusion that ideal would be a black skirt suit, maybe with hose, and low black heels.

I am curvy on the bottom and have a fairly large bum and I am worried about wearing a skirt. I have a nice, conservative black skirt from Ann Taylor but even in that I feel like my butt is noticeable. I've worn it at my summer position but I would be worried about wearing it during my first interview because I want to err on the side of caution and be super conservative. it might be ok but I am not sure. (like how some tops are appropriate on smaller-chested women but not on larger chested women - I am wondering about that regarding skirts)

Should I look for another skirt? Or just err totally on the side of caution and wear pants? (although the consensus on past TLS threads seems to be that skirt suits are preferable)
I'm at Columbia interviewing for CA firms. Are hose necessary?

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Wild Card

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Re: OCI Outfit Questions (women)

Post by Wild Card » Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:40 pm

Can't advise you without pics of your "fairly large" bum, from every imaginable angle. Thanks.

Men don't care what you wear. Just don't expose too much skin.

kay12345

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Re: OCI Outfit Questions (women)

Post by kay12345 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:14 pm

The whole skirt suit thing on TLS irks me to no end. If you feel more comfortable in pants, then wear a pantsuit. I only wore pantsuits last summer at OCI because I think they are more stylish, more flattering (I too am curvy and think a cigarette pant suits me way more than a pencil skirt) and and more comfortable. I had no trouble securing callbacks and offers. Moreover I simply don’t buy the argument that pants are somehow inappropriate for women. (1) It’s 2018 and (2) they tend to cover more than a skirt or a dress would anyway.

Good luck at OCI!

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BeeTeeZ

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Re: OCI Outfit Questions (women)

Post by BeeTeeZ » Thu Jul 26, 2018 2:31 pm

If you think you look "sexy" in your outfit, don't wear it. Conservative hair and makeup can mitigate this concern.

nixy

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Re: OCI Outfit Questions (women)

Post by nixy » Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:54 pm

kay12345 wrote:The whole skirt suit thing on TLS irks me to no end. If you feel more comfortable in pants, then wear a pantsuit. I only wore pantsuits last summer at OCI because I think they are more stylish, more flattering (I too am curvy and think a cigarette pant suits me way more than a pencil skirt) and and more comfortable. I had no trouble securing callbacks and offers. Moreover I simply don’t buy the argument that pants are somehow inappropriate for women. (1) It’s 2018 and (2) they tend to cover more than a skirt or a dress would anyway.

Good luck at OCI!
This is all correct, but fwiw, the issue with what’s appropriate isn’t about how much is covered up, it’s about women wearing “men’s” clothing (there are probably law partners out there who can still remember when girls couldn’t wear pants to school/women in pants got turned away from fancy restaurants. Heck, I had a prof who worked for DOJ in the 90s and couldn’t wear pants to work).

So yeah, it’s a dumb distinction and people should feel free to wear pants to OCI. But if there is a question about what’s most conservative, for women it’s still a skirt. I just don’t think that the most conservative possible outfit EVER is required to succeed at OCI.

(I also don’t think that a skirt is automatically more vavavoom on a woman’s bum, although obviously that doesn’t go to your comfort level exactly.)

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