Dress professionally, please!!

[Lorraine Brazil @ BrazilCo]

I've been a depo reporter a very long time. I was taught early on to always dress professionally.
I am always glad to see a fellow court reporter in a law firm or office. Lately I keep meeting very friendly
court reporters, but I am shocked to see what they are wearing, i.e., open-toed shoes, (flipflops) spaghetti straps, etc. Please consider what you are wearing. You are representing all of us! You are not on your way to the beach. You are a professional! Save the cutesy stuff for going out. Am I the only one or does this bother anybody else? Help.....

[Lisa Williams]

I agree with Jessica regards dress as an official. When I first moved to this community and began my officialship, I was really overdressed in my "depo" clothes in comparison to the locals. After almost a decade my wardrobe is not nearly so nice. Government employees should not dress too well! However, I'm talking primarily about quality and not about modesty, but I'm sure my wardrobe would not fly in federal court. Too much color.

[Christi]

For the person who said I demean the whole profession, thanks! I do my best!

However, for the record, not wearing pantyhose is certainly not a new thing and certainly not unprofessional. And also for the record, the "capris" I wear are more like a flowy skirt with wide flowy legs, not cargo-pant-like sporty things.

Besides, I'd rather represent my profession with my skill and my professional ability to create an excellent record, which is more than I can say for quite a few quote/unquote reporters' work I've seen.

[Jessica K. Belcher]

I agree, Teri. To each his own. I also think that attorneys (to some extent, lol) are smart and don't just assume that every reporter is cut from the same cloth, either. It's like when some attorneys don't dress appropriately in court. When I see that sometimes, it just reflects negatively upon them, not the other attorneys. Judges don't think that way, either, and that's what counts, I guess. If a person chooses to dress a certain way, that's them. It's their choice.

[Teri Finney]

Amen, Brenda. You rock. I'm not screaming.

[Brenda Rogers]

I don't wear suits. I wear skirts and tops/blouses, pants and tops/blouses, dresses, and, yes (ready for the screaming), nice capris, below-the-calf length, all often with jackets. But not always.

I wear open-toed shoes, closed shoes, sandals, thong sandals, but not flip-flops (which I consider not the same thing).

I think location counts for a lot. If you're working with attys who show up in jeans and rolled-up sleeves (and I do frequently), a $300 suit can look really out of place.

[Teri Finney]

One more thing. I think it would be nice if people would watch how they speak to fellow court reporters, whether they agree with their thoughts on attire or not. Being discerning is fine. Do what you feel good about and don't worry what "everyone else" is doing. Speaking down to someone for their thoughts on a certain matter doesn't help lift that person up. That should be what we do, lift other reporters up, not try to drag them down with our words. You can state your opinion without being rude and condescending. Just my opinion.

[Teri Finney]

Well, I think open-toed shoes are fine and I don't think business suits are a must at all, especially when half the depos I show up at, the attorneys are wearing jeans. I think looking professional is important, and I would never condone tank tops, but I have to be comfortable when I write to do my best, and suits are not comfortable for me, especially in the summer. In the fall, I wear them intermittently. I think as long as you look nice and your demeanor is professional, you are on the right track.

[Diane Hickman]

I too have met a friendly and competent reporter (female) wearing beach attire at a depo. I was flabbergasted. I was appropriately dressed, so hopefully I set a silent example for her. I can only hope. And I do wear shoes with exposed heels but with straps, never flip-flops. Pant suits are good too. I feel very comfortable and sometimes I dress better than the lawyers. One time I was even mistaken for the laywer.

[Patricia Babits]

Troll doll collection??? OMG That is too funny. I don't even want to know what Littlest Angel dolls are.

I almost always wear pant suits because it seems awkard placing the machine when I have a skirt on. LOL

[Katy Cuellar]

No offense, Christi, but capri pants and bare legs are not professional. You can hate me if you want, but that's the truth. When you dress like that, you demean the whole profession.