'Comfort and style aren't mutually exclusive'

Is your style appreciated in the office?

I think so; no one has ever told me otherwise and there are no looks of horror.

Who is the most fashionable lawyer
in your office?

Amanda McAlister in the family team: she always looks great and is not shy of bold colours.

Who is your style inspiration?

This varies with age. I tend to follow designers rather than individuals.
By the time you’re in your 40s, you really should know what suits you rather than taking a look from someone else.

What’s more important, comfort
or style?

I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive.

What’s your favourite brand?

At the moment, Ted Baker. Smart or casual, the current range is novel, interesting and colourful; more importantly, it fits as if it is bespoke.

How long has DDF been implemented
in your firm?

It is very recent for me. The last Slater and Gordon office I worked at in Charlotte Street only had dress-down days occasionally to support a charity. When I moved to the Deansgate office, DDF was
a weekly event. I hope it continues when the three Manchester offices combine into the grand new Mosley Street office over the next few months.

Do some still see DDF as an Americanism?

I hadn’t realised it was American. In my last firm in Oldham, office attire had changed gradually over the 26 years I had worked there until most days were smart casual.

What’s your biggest fashion faux pas?

It was as a result of a practical joke. I attended my school prize-giving having been told that we were collecting our prizes from the office (and then going to the pub) rather than the grand event that had been staged.
I turned up in jeans and a jumper to find my ‘friends’ all in brand new suits. I had to go up on stage to collect my prize from the headteacher. I have tended
to overdress ever since.

What’s the worst item a colleague has ever worn?

It has to be our Christmas jumper day... I can see why the Americans call it “ugly sweater day”.

How long does it take you to get ready?

Not long at all. I tend to buy a combination [of clothes] in one go; that saves time in a morning as I know which items go with each other. Lacking a fine head of hair saves time, too!

What effect does DDF have on office morale?

It is visibly positive. People seem more relaxed in non-traditional office clothes.
It is interesting, too, that people don’t opt
for the scruffy but instead add more personality
to what they wear.

With remote working becoming more of a feature
of the modern working life, will formal office wear become redundant in the future?

I don’t think it will for lawyers. Court dress will remain
for all those who regularly appear before judges.
There will always be clients with
whom a lawyer will be suited. Well-fitting suits with a good shirt and tie combination can’t be beaten for first impressions. SJ

Keith Etherington is a senior associate and civil mediator at Slater and Gordon

@K_Etherington

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