Business casual in Houston Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

I am from up north but heading to Houston as a 2L SA this year. The firm I am heading to is business casual and I never saw anyone wearing a suit in 100+ person office (or any Houston office I had a callback with).

Could any past Houston SA/current associates chime in on their typical attire so I can be prepared wardrobe wise this summer? It looked like dress trousers and a dress shirt were the norm. Thanks in advance.

[BigZuck]

Hi all,

I am from up north but heading to Houston as a 2L SA this year. The firm I am heading to is business casual and I never saw anyone wearing a suit in 100+ person office (or any Houston office I had a callback with).

Could any past Houston SA/current associates chime in on their typical attire so I can be prepared wardrobe wise this summer? It looked like dress trousers and a dress shirt were the norm. Thanks in advance.

Alligator if you're feeling fancy but for a SA it's probably better to play it safe and just wear your normal leather cowboy boots

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

I am from up north but heading to Houston as a 2L SA this year. The firm I am heading to is business casual and I never saw anyone wearing a suit in 100+ person office (or any Houston office I had a callback with).

Could any past Houston SA/current associates chime in on their typical attire so I can be prepared wardrobe wise this summer? It looked like dress trousers and a dress shirt were the norm. Thanks in advance.

Alligator if you're feeling fancy but for a SA it's probably better to play it safe and just wear your normal leather cowboy boots

I don't even own cowboy boots lol

[kalvano]

Slacks and a button-up, generally. Bring a sport coat and tie just in case. Also, you'll need some sort of portable fan device because Houston is miserable.

[Right2BearArms]

Hi all,

I am from up north but heading to Houston as a 2L SA this year. The firm I am heading to is business casual and I never saw anyone wearing a suit in 100+ person office (or any Houston office I had a callback with).

Could any past Houston SA/current associates chime in on their typical attire so I can be prepared wardrobe wise this summer? It looked like dress trousers and a dress shirt were the norm. Thanks in advance.

Alligator if you're feeling fancy but for a SA it's probably better to play it safe and just wear your normal leather cowboy boots

I don't even own cowboy boots lol

Get some. Seriously. A good pair of boots will last forever, and they are perfectly acceptable footwear in most if not all Houston offices.

Otherwise, business casual is business casual. Button up shirt and slacks. Don't get too worried about whether you should have a pocket or not, and button down collars are perfectly fine. I would suggest buying non-iron shirts which can be worn more than once between washes/pressings (though you wont always want to with the heat).

[RaceJudicata]

For Houston, invest in some good undershirts. Also, have a suit to hang in your office -- may never use it, but better to be prepared if you ever get randomly invited to court/meeting/whatever. As for regular clothes - slacks and button downs.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks so much to each of you that replied. This is pretty spot on with what I was expecting. I'll be in a transactional practice group so I'll keep a suit in the office just in case, but will probably never need it. Also, will be trying to beat the heat!

[BigZuck]

OP here. Thanks so much to each of you that replied. This is pretty spot on with what I was expecting. I'll be in a transactional practice group so I'll keep a suit in the office just in case, but will probably never need it. Also, will be trying to beat the heat!

I did the same as a SA but never had to wear a suit my whole summer

And don't wear snakeskin boots, it's tacky IMO

[Right2BearArms]

OP here. Thanks so much to each of you that replied. This is pretty spot on with what I was expecting. I'll be in a transactional practice group so I'll keep a suit in the office just in case, but will probably never need it. Also, will be trying to beat the heat!

I did the same as a SA but never had to wear a suit my whole summer

And don't wear snakeskin boots, it's tacky IEveryone'sO

See bolded above. Snake skin is a No. Alligator is fine, but if you want to be subtle, Ostrich is best I think.

[Anonymous User]

I work as an associate in Houston, know people at almost all the firms around town, every single one is business attire, suit and tie except Friday. Just pointing out in case you interviewed on a Friday or something, but even the smaller firms around town are full suit as far as I know.

[texas1100]

Suit and jacket coming and leaving office.. take jacket off when you get to office

[Anonymous User]

I work as an associate in Houston, know people at almost all the firms around town, every single one is business attire, suit and tie except Friday. Just pointing out in case you interviewed on a Friday or something, but even the smaller firms around town are full suit as far as I know.

JW Houston is business casual

[Right2BearArms]

I work as an associate in Houston, know people at almost all the firms around town, every single one is business attire, suit and tie except Friday. Just pointing out in case you interviewed on a Friday or something, but even the smaller firms around town are full suit as far as I know.

JW Houston is business casual

A growing number of the bigger firms are as far as I know. I only wear suits for closings. Wore jeans, boots and a polo shirt today. One of our partners regularly wears fishing shirts on Fridays.

[Anonymous User]

I work as an associate in Houston, know people at almost all the firms around town, every single one is business attire, suit and tie except Friday. Just pointing out in case you interviewed on a Friday or something, but even the smaller firms around town are full suit as far as I know.

JW Houston is business casual

Interesting. I know BB/NRF/LL/VE/Bracewell/AK, etc. are all business. I guess some smaller offices are more relaxed about it. I would still show up to work the first day in a suit just in case, it is very easy to take off a tie and jacket and be "business casual" if you notice you are the only one in business attire.

[favabeansoup]

I'm in Dallas. Majority I can think of are business casual if they want to be. Some people wear ties with their shirts, even if they don't "have" to. I personally wear a tie (no suit) because I had a weird lunch conversation with an older partner in my first week about how he hated the growing trend towards business casual.

A lot of people have a suit in their office, but almost no one wears one during the day unless you are in lit going to court for something. Lots of firms have casual friday which is actually casual (jeans, polos, etc.) not just business casual.

Is Houston really that much more formal?

If someone is in corporate especially, I think formal business is just the stupidest thing.

[BigZuck]

I'm in Dallas. Majority I can think of are business casual if they want to be. Some people wear ties with their shirts, even if they don't "have" to. I personally wear a tie (no suit) because I had a weird lunch conversation with an older partner in my first week about how he hated the growing trend towards business casual.

A lot of people have a suit in their office, but almost no one wears one during the day unless you are in lit going to court for something. Lots of firms have casual friday which is actually casual (jeans, polos, etc.) not just business casual.

Is Houston really that much more formal?

If someone is in corporate especially, I think formal business is just the stupidest thing.

Ditch the tie and tell the partner you think lawyers shouldn't look like waiters

This isn't tough stuff. Oh, and no snakeskin dude, come on.