As I've mentioned, I'm not a traditional student. The last time I dressed up in something other than leggings or shorts was for my college graduation last year. Even working as a long term substitute teacher, I never really shopped for or embraced dressing like an adult.
My youngest and I once joked about how lawyers get to wear gorgeous pumps and fancy clothes. That this career style would be up her alley given her love of all things fashion. I really didn't give it a second thought, even entering law school. Why on earth would leggings and tunics not be okay? (Hint: that style really isn't appropriate for a business school when you are already into your late 30's.)
Fast forward to reading through my Orientation schedule and coming to a screeching halt.
Business formal required for the first evening. Business casual is okay for the second and third evenings.
Somehow, I don't think my one singular decent looking dress qualified as either.
So what is a sensible, mother of three who hasn't really worked in quite a long time to do? Read every single Pinterest-driven result. Then? Shop economically.
First up? Shoes. My Birkenstocks are about eight years old and are truly crumbling. I will never give those up without a fight, but I needed something appropriate. I started my search for a pair of sensible black pumps as I've read that black and nude are staple colors in pumps. Naturalizer fit the bill here. For less than $100, I had pointed toe classic black pumps. Despite great reviews, when you've been wearing sandals for the better part of your adult hood, no shoe is going to be a miracle. I have been trying to spend time walking around my bedroom in the shoes each day to get used to the idea of wearing something with structure. Slowly but surely, I'm winning this battle.
I also picked up a pair of nude pumps, a pair of black flats with memory foam and a pair of brown flats with memory foam. The latter three pairs came from JC Penney and were all under $20 a pair with sale codes!
Next up? Clothes. Okay, so there are a million options out there for suits. And you will *need* at least one to get through your 1L year. My husband and I hit the outlets in Waterloo, New York. Between Ann Taylor, J.Crew, and Banana Republic, I was able to get a starter wardrobe for around $500. This included one suit with a sheath dress, one pants suit, and several pieces that can be worn more casually. The key here was finding pieces that could be put together for maximum return on my investment! If you need a reasonable, nice suit, try outlets first!! Don't be afraid to talk to the associates to find your best size. Ann Taylor has guides to help with fit. Whatever didn't fit exactly however, will be taken to a tailor to be altered. I'm a funky size and shape, so I'll need whatever sorcery that can be done via tailor.
So clothes can be crazy expensive. My new go-to is a website called ThredUP! I have placed at least five orders from there in the past week and I have loved almost every single piece. My favorite pieces? Button down J Crew shirts that I've scored with tags on them for under $10 a piece! Check it out here and earn $10 off your first purchase! http://www.thredup.com/r/L7GPTU (referral link)
Once I started amping up my closet to look more like a grown-up, I loaded pictures of everything into a virtual closet app and started planning out my outfits. It's going to be a long process, but at least I feel a little less like a frumpy mom and more like a hopeful 1L to be!
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