Andy Doctoroff, Litigation — "I love
casual summer. I'm more efficient when
h e nose-to-the-grind-
I work in comfortable clothing." He
keeps a suit in the car for court.
Initially, Doctoroff was upset at spend-
stone attorneys at the vener-
ing money on a new wardrobe. "I only
able Detroit law firm of
wardrobe in 20 minutes. "I got two pair
had golf shirts," he says. But one night
he went to Nordstrom and bought his
of pants, a sport coat, a bunch of shirts
Honigman Miller Schwartz
and some socks. It turned out not to be
so expensive." Doctoroff proudly wears
the same pair of shoes every day.
and Cohn are coming to
terms with a new code in
When he invests in a suit, Doctoroff
has it custom-tailored from a clothier in
Boston.
the office — an everyday,
business-casual summer
dress code. This typically
buttoned-down group is
arguing the merits of a work-
day minus the suit and tie.
Herschel Fink, Media law —"I resisted
the casual thing but have come to like
it. I don't come casual most days
because I represent news organizations
and they have emergencies, so I often
So goes the office uniform of the
21st century. Slightly relaxed seems to
be the trend,.with the workplace envi-
have to run to court. It definitely proj-
ects an air of professionalism if you
wear a suit."
Fink admits he can pick out his own
ronment determining the degree of
suits, but defers to his personal shopper
casualness. It seems the dot-corn cul-
shopping. He buys his suits at Neiman
ture created a new look for tomorrow's
leaders.
The folks at Honigman, however,
are faced with a dilemma common to
law firms and other professional work-
(his wife Annette) for casual clothes
Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, but can
find casual attire anywhere from
Neiman's to the center table at Costco.
His sea green silk shirt is from Cover Up
in Orchard Mall. When the office went
casual, he adds, he even had to pur-
chase a new sock and shoe wardrobe.
places. They move through several
environments in a workday and want to
feel comfortable that their dress match-
es the culture of the environment
they're visiting. They must present one
image in a courtroom and another in a
meeting with a casually dressed client.
While getting dressed in the morn-
Ken Gold, Environmental law — "The
ing used to be easy — a dark suit,
world is going casual, even blue-blood
white shirt, conservative tie — now the
law firms. No one wants to be a stick-
attorneys must invest in a completely
new wardrobe. And most keep the
jacket and tie in the office, for emer-
gencies.
We asked some attorneys to give us
their opinions on the pros and cons of
casual dress. For the most part, the
jury's still out. But here are the argu-
ments:
in-the-mud. We all want to be cutting-
edge." Obviously, Gold loves the sum-
mer casual policy. If fact, he argued for
it. "I get more work done when I'm com-
fortable and casual," he says. He admits
it was an investment, but he'll get lots of
use from his new wardrobe. He shops
with his wife, Linda, who advises him
on how to dress.
Gold likes Hudson's and Saks Fifth
Avenue. He favors patterned socks, and
owns three pairs of shoes. "It's awk-
ward not knowing when to be casual,"
he says. "Unless you know, wear a
suit."
• AUGUST 2000 • STYLE AT THE JN