What I Wear to Work: Brandon, Government Trial Attorney

Welcome to “What I Wear to Work.” A series on, you guessed it, who wears what to work. Would you like to be featured? See the bottom of this post for instructions. Brandon D. is a recently married trial attorney living in Houston, TX (but will forever be a New Yorker). Brandon has been wearing suits and sportcoats to work for the better part of a decade, so he appreciates the insights into quality-yet-affordable style options for which Dappered is known. When not at work, he enjoys traveling with his wife, lounging with his dog Charlie (she’s half-Chihuahua/half-Dachshund, which has the added bonus of being known as a “Chiweenie”), and the weekly trip to Costco.

The Sportcoat: Lands’ End Tailored Fit Comero Italian Wool Navy Blazer – $179.40 when 40% off. When I’m on trial, I of course wear a suit. But when I’m not, and most days I’m not, this is the move. Well-reviewed as a workhorse blazer, it fits off-the-rack better than most do after tailoring. Since many attorneys just don’t know how to dress, getting the fit right sets you ahead of the pack.

The Pants: Banana Republic Aiden Slim Core Temp Chinos – $58.80 when 40% off ($98), or J. Crew 770 Straight-fit Pant in Stretch Chino – $68, or Lands’ End Tailored Fit Wool Year’rounder Dress Trousers – $53.97 (when 40% off) (several colors). I only need a jacket for court or witness meetings, so I can get away with wearing the same one for several days since my jacket spends most of the day on a suit valet. But pants? Yeah, I have to (and am happy to) wear a different pair every day.

The Shirt: Lands’ End Tailored Fit Solid No Iron Supima Pinpoint Spread Collar Dress Shirt in White or Light Blue – $32.97 when 40% off. You can’t go wrong with a Nordstrom Smartcare Trim Fit option, but these fit me best and can be purchased in bulk without requiring me to throw my credit card out the window.

The Tie(s): The Tie Bar Solid Texture Ties – $19.00 (several colors). Boring? Sure! But if a government attorney is supposed to be boring, lean into it. And if you prefer more variety but want to stay on the conservative side, start here.

The Socks: Brooks Brothers Merino Wool Ribbed Over-the-Calf Socks in Navy, Grey, and Brown – $10-$14 (when on sale). In my personal experience, these are hands down superior to their Nordstrom counterparts. But they’re also much more expensive except during Brooks’ Semi- Annual Sales (around Christmas and Father’s Day).

The Shoes: DSW Aston Grey Leu Oxford – $71.99 (when 20% off). You’ll be on your feet throughout the day, so invest in a solid pair of Goodyear welted shoes when you can. But since you’ll need many pairs of shoes to avoid wearing out the ones you have, DSW is a strong place to start. And don’t forget the Dr. Scholl’s inserts!

The Belt: Johnston & Murphy Dress Belt – $69.50. Presently, I have three belts from J&M. I’ve had each of them for almost a decade. And they still look great and do the job. Don’t forget to match your belt to your shoes.

The Watch: Casio DW-290 Sport Watch – $31.99. If it’s good enough for the best trial attorney in the world, it’s good enough for you.

The Bag: No bag! In law school, they tell you that you need a bag to get around. Where else will you put your files? Well, if you work for the government, your office and the court(s) you appear before are probably in the same building. If you happen to forget something you need, it’s a minute away. So save the money you’d spend on that Filson bag for when you get to private practice, then you will need a bag.

A huge thank you to Brandon for submitting his What I Wear to Work. Head over to LinkedIn to discuss this with your coworkers or follow Dappered if you want to see these in your feed. If you want to take this for a spin, send an email to joe@dappered.com with who you are, what you do, and what you’d like to submit. To be featured, we’ll need a picture of you at work, as well as the details on what you’re wearing/usually wear on the job. Final image will have to be cropped down to 1500—840 pixels, so, keep that in mind when shooting. Landscape mode please, and let’s keep anything from the chin up out of it. Note that sending an email with your picks and a pic doesn’t guarantee publishing. Be yourself! And get your employer’s permission if you’re gonna get specific with your place of work.