As the temperature rises, so does the desire to embrace informal summer fashions. Women are breaking out their strapless dresses and short skirts, and men are starting to sport shorts. While casual summer wear is fine on the weekends, don't yield to the temptation to wear your flip flops to your white shoe firm.

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle conveyed that message to its New York office with a memo sent out last week. In its e-mail making the case for "business casual," the firm reminded associates that pecs are not to be admitted into evidence:

By all means resist the urge to acquaint us with your chest hair. If you think it necessary to impress the ladies with your efforts at the gym over the winter, think again - we are not a particularly good demographic for that.

After that, the memo's author reminds the gents that loose-fitting suits can help hide pounds. We're not sure what that has to do with business casual exactly, and suspect the firm just wanted to try to give equal attention to men and women so as not to appear to be solely lecturing females guilty of summer-slutty fashion sense. (As the Seventh Circuit did last month.)

After the jump, we bring you the full memo, which advises the ladies to "save it for the clubs or the beach." According to the tipster who sent this along, the advice "wasn't well received."

Fashion is always a hot topic here at Above The Law. Last year, a partner at Winston & Strawn got females' panties in a bunch by questioning the length of their skirts. In the fall, our post on suitable interview suits generated quite the long thread.

We seldom tire of talking about short shorts and see-through blouses, and we're not the only ones. The judges and lawyers of the Seventh Circuit weighed in on fashion faux pas at a conference in Indianapolis this past week, reports the New York Times:

The topic was first raised by a United States district court judge, Joan H. Lefkow, of the Northern District of Illinois as the panel discussed good and bad trends in courtroom practice. Judge Lefkow said some women should dress more appropriately in court. According to an article in the National Law Journal and from the accounts of others in the room, she said one lawyer had shown up for a jury trial in a velour outfit that looked for all the world as if she was "on her way home from the gym."

While the lawyer won her case, Judge Lefkow suggested to the judges and lawyers in the room that unseemly clothing in court was the kind of issue that should be the subject of quiet conversation in law firms.

What? Winning isn't all that matters?

Judge Lefkow's remarks led to some not-so quiet conversation during the rest of the panel. The judges voiced their disdain for loud ties, short skirts, and other titillating attire.

Read about their opinions, and share your own, after the jump.

Superstar litigatrix Kathryn Ruemmler, a litigation partner at Latham & Watkins and an Enron prosecutor before that, has been picked to serve as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Obama Justice Department. That title is a mouthful, but lawyers inside the Beltway know it's a Big Deal.

The revolving door between the DOJ and Latham swings again. Ruemmler has traded places with another fierce female litigator: Alice Fisher, who rejoined the firm after heading up the Criminal Division.

As for Ruemmler, the government's gain is Latham's loss. Says one LW tipster: "She's a really good lawyer, and a genuinely nice person. We're very sorry to lose her."

Kathy Ruemmler isn't just a genial genius; she's stylish, too. From the WSJ Law Blog, reporting on a day of the Ken Lay trial:

Speaking of footwear, the boldest fashion statement of the day -- possibly rivaling O'Melveny paralegal Bill Evans's goth getup for the gutsiest sartorial move of the week -- came from the government's Ruemmler. The deputy director of the Enron Task Force, who won convictions against four Merrill Lynch bankers in the 2004 Nigerian Barge case, paired a conservative gray suit with stunning 4-inch bright pink stiletto spikes.

Litigatrix indeed. Just because you work for the DOJ doesn't mean you have to shop at DSW.

There's a lot of diversity in Obama's Department picks so far. Eric Holder, nominated to serve as Attorney General, is African-Amercan. Elena Kagan and Dawn Johnsen, nominated to serve as, respectively, Solicitor General and head of the Office of Legal Counsel, are women.

The full memo about Ruemmler's move, after the jump.

If all the news about lawyer layoffs has gotten you thinking about career alternatives, here's a business idea for you. From the ABA Journal:

Being well-dressed costs money. But for a lawyer, looking tailored and professional in an attractive, well-fitting suit is a worthwhile investment, Tony and Tara Costanzo say.

That message has put the 30-something married couple in business, helping several hundred clients including numerous lawyers in the New York area, order the right clothes without ever having to shop for them....

The Costanzas will meet busy clients as and where needed, and once held a clothing consultation in a courthouse restroom. Then they order the right clothes, in the right size. Ready-made suits start at just under $500; custom-made suits begin at close to $1,000 for men and $1,500 for women.

In the middle of a recession, the Costanzos -- no relation to George -- somehow have hordes of poorly-dressed attorneys willing to pay exorbitant prices for consultations in courthouse lavatories. When the going gets tough, the tough get new wardrobes.

Our tipster remains skeptical:

It seems as though the fashion bar would be much lower these days. After all, your adversaries are probably so worried about losing their jobs that they are likely to be wearing last year's fashions -- or other horrifyingly dated apparel, like a suit from back in the days when men were boldly exploring "skinny pants."

I have a better idea: let's take Michelle Obama's self-congratulatory lead and start a recession-friendly wardrobe consulting business, to dress the desperate -- but still fashion-conscious -- in bargain finds from J. Crew and the Gap.

We leave you with a fashion tip for these troubled times: when it comes to skirt length, go long.

(Or maybe not? See these musings from our little sibling site, Fashionista.)

Consultant Helps Harried Lawyers Avoid Attorney Wardrobe Malfunctions [ABA Journal]
Attorney Wardrobe Malfunctions: Experts Offer Tips on Debugging the Dress Code [NYLawyer.com (registration required)]
Costanzo Clothiers [official website]

A few female readers have asked us to direct your attention to this poll at fashion and lifestyle blog Corporette:

How short of a skirt can a professional woman get away with?

According to the votes in so far, "professional women" can get away with skirts that stop just above the knee. Does the same apply to the legal profession? We'll let you debate in the comments.

Meanwhile, we know that some of you would like every post under the sun to tie into the volcanic meltdown that is Wall Street. According to the "economic skirt theory," women these days should be in skirts that brush the ground. Per a July article from the New York Times:

Although designers always dismiss the correlation between skirt lengths and financial markets as a fashion historian's fantasy, the parallels are striking. Hemlines rose to dizzying heights in the financial and social whirl of the roaring 1920s -- revealing women's legs for one of the first times in recorded history. Then came the bear market and bare was out -- except for low backs on the floor-length gowns that dropped hemlines just before the 1929 Wall Street crash.

Given the way things are going, maybe they'll start designing woman's skirt suits with trains?

Poll: How short is too short for a skirt? [Corporette]
Bulls, Bears and the Bellwether Hemline [New York Times]

Over the weekend, the New York Times had an interesting article about New York judges and their robes. It begins:

In Britain, judges are wedded to a tradition of elegant attire: scarlet and ermine robes, tippets over the shoulders, black girdles and, of course, the crimped, gray horsehair wig.

Minor correction: British judges have dispensed with wigs, except in criminal proceedings.

The article then discusses the robe-wearing styles of various judges. Judge ShawnDya Simpson, for example, "rarely fastens all the buttons and often accents [her robe] with a scarf or necklace," or sometimes dispenses with a robe in favor of a lime-green suit.

Read more, after the jump.

[Ed. note: This post is by guest writer LIAM HILL (no relation to Kashmir), who will be writing a series of posts about fashion and style. Fashion is a popular topic these days. See, e.g., the undershirts post (200 comments).

Perhaps it's because Fashion Week is about to get under way in New York. You can follow goings-on over at our sister site, Fashionista, which will be covering the collections live from Bryant Park.]

With the economic downturn, lawyer layoffs, and pushed-back start dates, I've been wondering about the influence that such turmoil has had on -- what else? -- office fashion. I tend to agree with Mark Twain, who said, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." (Well, unless you're in the middle of Times Square, with a guitar and a cowboy hat.)

Leaner times tend to bring out the Brooks Brothers aesthetic, and business casual once again goes where it belongs -- away. Ties and coats return, flip-flops and "commuter shoes" stay home, and "white shoe" again can once mean white shoe (but only on Fridays). Although many will resist the siren song of a more formal workplace, the trend is inevitable. I know you won't believe me, but apparently those who want to take your job already do. At least according to Turnbull & Asser.

Read my interview with James Cook (pictured), Bespoke Manager of Turnbull & Asser, and share your thoughts on the current state of men's fashion, after the jump.

This post is directed primarily at our male readers. But female readers with opinions about men's fashion are also welcome to chime in.

To read the question presented, see this post by Bess Levin, over at our sister site, Dealbreaker. For one style columnist's take on the issue, see here (but it's a bit of a punt).

Then take our poll below, and share your opinion in the comments. The Dealbreaker post has almost 120 comments thus far. C'mon, ATL readers -- we can top that!

This Is Serious [Dealbreaker]
V-neck or crew? The choice isn't so simple [Memphis Commercial Appeal]

Judges who hold people in contempt, or even jail them, for letting their cellphones go off in court -- e.g., Robert Restaino, Diane Boswell -- may be overreacting.

The same can't be said for Judge Janet Booth, of Garrard County, Kentucky. Judge Booth just sent a woman to jail, for three days, for wearing short shorts to court.

This was completely justified. Short shorts do not belong in court. Nor do they belong in the office.

Fashion lesson over. Class dismissed.

P.S. And if you're a guy, don't forget to wear a tie to court -- especially if you're arguing before the Federal Circuit.

Judge jails woman for wearing short shorts [On the beat in the Bluegrass]
Note to West Coast Lawyers: The Federal Circuit Requires a Tie [WSJ Law Blog]

Earlier: Shorts Crack the Code [Dealbreaker]

Alabama state court judges: they love themselves some Ten Commandments.

Just like Roy Moore, former chief justice of Alabama, Judge Ashley McKathan thinks the "higher law" has a place in the courtroom. Four years ago, the county circuit court judge had the Ten Commandments embroidered on his judicial robe. Presumably it's a silent reminder, to himself and to those in his courtroom, of the Really Big Judge upstairs.

Now he's in trouble with the American Civil Liberties Union for invoking the Big Judge in the courtroom again -- this time out loud. The ACLU has filed a complaint against him with the Judicial Inquiry Commission for violating ethics rules and the U.S. Constitution. From CNN:

The ACLU complaint said McKathan dropped to his knees and prayed aloud during a court hearing in February. He told the 100 people in the courtroom that he was not afraid to call on the name of Jesus Christ, witnesses said, and ordered all to join hands and pray, according to the complaint filed soon after the hearing....

In response to the complaint, McKathan told the Mobile Press-Register for a story Thursday: "Whatever comes of all that, I'll continue to have peace." Quoting Romans in the King James version of the Bible, the judge added: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose."

Amen.

Complaint against judge praying in court [CNN]

We've noticed that the comment thread on the cold offers post has morphed into a fashion advice column. Here are some of the on-campus interview attire questions that have been posed:

-- Is a light gray suit a bad choice for interviews? Dark brown shoes, black, or either?

-- What suit colors are acceptable?

-- For females, do you have to wear a button down under your skirt suit, or can you wear something else?

-- Skirt-suits v. pants suits?

We pajama-wearing ATL bloggers are no longer well-versed in the world of suit fashion, but Corporette has an advice post on interview fashion, in response to a query from a 3L. Their advice for the ladies:

Choose a dark suit. A black or navy suit is always more conservative than a brightly- or lightly-colored suit, and if you have to buy something inexpensive then it will hide the imperfections in the fabric and the seams.

Buy a skirt suit.... Be sure you pull a chair over to a full-length mirror and practice sitting in the skirt suit; you want to see what the interviewer will see and make sure you look appropriate and tasteful.

Is this to prevent a Basic Instinct moment?

Additional fashion tips, after the jump.

[Ed. note: This post is by EXLEY, one of the finalists in ATL Idol, the "reality blogging" competition that will determine ATL's next editor. It is marked with Exley's avatar (at right).]

As anyone remotely familiar with the law knows, the devil is in the details. Similarly, it's the little things that can sometimes make or break a long day at the office. A mouse with a trackball that refuses to roll in a particular direction, for example, or harsh bathroom lighting that gives everyone's reflection a sickly, ghoulish, glow can really mess a girl up. And a half-nod of recognition from a usually impassive lobby security guard can make a dude feel like the office is his second crib.

The dog days of summer present their own set of potential pet peeves.

The major complaint we've heard from female associates is that offices are too damn cold in the summer. Of course, offices are probably the same temperature year-round, but the coolness is more tolerable in the non-summer seasons when people wear warmer clothes. When it is as high as 90 degrees outside, however, it is impossible to commute to work in wool slacks and a sweater set without suffering heat stroke and/or being fingered as a crazy person (especially if wearing a pair of ostentatious cross trainers). Physical and mental health issues aside, it just feels good to be able to change it up sartorially once in a while.

Unfortunately, those who indulge in summer apparel sometimes need to store additional layers of clothing at work or snuggle under company-issued fleece at their desks. And forget about drinking an ice coffee or Jamba Juice inside! You'll need a parka and a hunting cap to be able to do that.

Is your law firm unbearably cold or hot this summer, and have you been able to do anything about it? We've heard suspicions that the thermostats in individual offices at Skadden's New York office don't really do anything at all, and that the office is kept cold "for the computers." Sounds ominous.

Any theories on why offices spend so much money blasting the AC in the summer and possibly lowering employee morale? (Perhaps it's a way to awaken associates from the depths of summer associate food coma, or to indirectly discourage skimpy clothing.)

Summer attire can also chafe against firm dress code policies. Despite the perennial push for "city shorts" by what seems like every single women's apparel retailer, are there any firms out there that actually allow employees to wear shorts to work?

Of course, even the uncontroversial short-sleeve dress shirt can raise issues if it reveals a tattoo, or three. A partner with such a predicament writes:

I'm a 50 year old lawyer in NY, a partner in a law firm. I have tattoos on my arms with images and the names of my two children and my wife.

Check out what happens when he rolls up his sleeves, and share your own summertime firm life experiences, after the jump.

In Flint, Michigan, they've launched a crackdown (hehe) on low-slung trousers. For an informative graphic and commentary, see here.

Someone please notify this guy. Thanks.

Best Newspaper Graphic Ever! [Supreme Dicta]

No, the message below did not come from Winston & Strawn partner Thomas Mills. But our correspondent seems to share some of Mr. Mills's concern over the way that professional women dress these days. The focus is on footwear:

Can we talk about "commuter shoes"? During Barbri, I took the Metro to GW [in DC], and last week I attended some of the sessions at the Mother Hub at 1500 Broadway [in New York]. I have noticed that women have no fear of wearing any old, non-matching, disgusting, flip-flops, shower shoes, running shoes or slippers to work. (My favorite look is the black pantyhose, mid-calf socks, and bright white running shoes.)

I saw these women then walk into buildings of prominent law firms, sometimes without even changing their "CS's" first. Is this acceptable? I understand the need for comfort, but damn, they look terrible.

Well, at least they're not as bad as Crocs.

The last time we offered fashion advice, on the subject of appropriate attire for weekend work, we got lambasted for being out of touch. Also, unlike paralegal / drag queen Jenna Saisquoi, we lack expertise in women's footwear (although we're working on it).

So this time around, we turned to an expert. We presented the reader's inquiry to Natalie Hormilla, editor of ATL's sister site, Fashionista.

Read her response, and offer your own opinion, after the jump.

Res ipsa loquitur; we'll keep our commentary to a minimum. Click here to access a short video about Antonio Haynes / Jenna Saisquoi, "Paralegal by day, drag queen by night." Fabulosity!

Some commenters will surely have irreverent observations. We say: Caveat commentor. Are you sure you wanna mess with Ms. Jenna Saisquoi? Paralegals are talented at hunting people down -- and Ms. Saisquoi has an impressive set of guns (and bazookas).

P.S. At the start of the video, Haynes mentions that he won't mention where he works as a paralegal. Consistent with that, please don't identify or speculate about his legal employer in the comments. Thanks.

Paralegal by day, drag queen by night [Rochester Insider]

Check out the fabulously fun attorney bio page of the North Carolina-based Van Winkle Law Firm. Each of the attorneys has a normal bio, featuring practice highlights and professional affiliations. But the firm has decided to liven up some of their lawyers' profiles with links to an alternate bio -- click on the "Meet [Lawyer Name]" link at the bottom of the page -- which reveals the attorney's hobbies, likes and dislikes. (Okay, there aren't dislikes, but there should be.)

Each attorney with an alternate bio has dual photos. One is the staid, professional photo, and the other is a "character photo," giving visual clues to their interests outside of work. It reminds us of playing dress up with Barbie and Ken dolls.

For example, this one goes from boring lawyer to crazy biker!

Witness the other transformations -- note that you can click on each image to be taken directly to the featured lawyer's webpage -- after the jump.

Summer associates, hopefully this thread has no relevance for you. But for everyone else out there, here's a question for your consideration: What should you wear to work on the weekend?

That's the subject of discussion over at Corporette:

It's the Aughts, and Blackberries and the Internet mean most work can be done from home. Still, there are times when there's just no way around it and you've got to go in. This presents a special challenge: you want to look cute, cool, hip -- but you've also got to look professional. If the hours are long you're going to want to be extremely comfortable. Odds are good the air conditioning will be at full blast, so you also want to be warm.

We've found a bunch of great jackets that have a structured look to them, yet they're made of fleece, jersey, and other fun fabrics -- they're almost as comfortable as your old reliable sweats. With a nice (non-ripped) pair of jeans, and a cute pair of closed-toe shoes (or even nice sneakers) these can maintain your dignity, broadcast your cool, and protect your comfort.

To see the super-cute ensembles they've assembled, click here.

Alas, the Corporette outfits are just for ladies (and maybe Divljan Shatterhand Steele). What about for men?

Our view would be that "extra-casual" business casual would be acceptable if you have to go into the office on a summer weekend. For example, you can probably get away with khakis or cotton trousers -- even if normally business casual means dress pants or wool slacks -- and a polo shirt. Just err on the side of a shirt with a collar.

We wouldn't recommend ripped jeans and a t-shirt. You never know what workaholic partner might be prowling the halls on a Sunday afternoon. Rodge Cohen, holla.

But that's just our view -- and maybe we're out of touch, since we've been working from home for the past few years. Feel free to agree or disagree, in the comments.

Update (4:55 PM): Kids these days. They have sexually explicit IM chats on public computers. They enjoy wrastlin' with the partners. And based on the comments thus far, they wear whatever the heck they want when they go into work on the weekend.

What to Wear To . . . Work on the Weekend [Corporette]

This may not happen to men, but many a woman has put on an outfit and discovered later that it is more sheer than she realized in the dim light of her home. In sunlight, or in an office's bright fluorescent glow, the underthings suddenly become visible -- if one is lucky enough to be wearing underthings. Usually, a good friend will point this out to the inadvertently scandalously-clad woman.

A reader sent us an excerpt from a recent deposition transcript, currently making the rounds by email, which apparently captures an occurrence of just this sort. It seems that the not-to-be-named lawyer, aka "Ms. B" (pictured), did not have a good friend to point out the sheerness of her attire.

Instead, an expert witness did so, at the end of a long deposition. Then "Ms. G," counsel to the witness, echoed her client's concerns.

The exchange got a little testy. Check out the depo transcript, after the jump.

There was some ambiguity about the professional fate of Robert Somma, the Boston-based bankruptcy judge who was arrested for drunk driving while wearing a black cocktail dress, fishnet stockings, and high heels. At first he said he was resigning. But after a groundswell of support, Judge Somma reconsidered his resignation.

We were hoping for his return. Sadly, it looks like that won't be happening. From the Boston Globe:

US Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Somma, who resigned after his arrest on a drunken driving charge in February and then tried to rescind his resignation, will not be coming back, federal court officials said this afternoon.

"The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Judge Robert Somma have agreed that he will not resume service on the United States Bankruptcy Court for Massachusetts but is leaving to pursue other endeavors," the Office of the Circuit Executive said in a one-paragraph statement.

We wonder: Was Judge Somma strong-armed into staying away from the bench, by those killjoys on the First Circuit? Stay tuned. Somma's lawyer, Robert Carpenter, told the Globe that "we may have our own statement to come out next week."

As for those "other endeavors," we're curious. Will he become a widely acclaimed drag performer? Or move to Florida and become a television judge? Or maybe combine the two, and become America's first cross-dressing TV judge?

P.S. We're all in favor of drag performance. In fact, we've been described as "the blogging equivalent of a very talented drag queen" -- one of our favorite compliments ever.

Update: Judge Somma is now in private practice in Boston. See here.

After drunken driving arrest, bankruptcy judge agrees to leave [Boston Globe]
Somma: On the Bench or Off? [Legal Blog Watch]

We heard through the grapevine that Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the D.C. Circuit gave ATL a shout out during a Federalist Society lunch earlier this month. According to our tipsters, "his biggest advice to any summer associates in the audience was 'don't show up on David Lat's blog, Above the Law.'"

Well, the first summer associate tale of 2008 has made its way into our tips inbox from Atlanta. A summer associate at Alston & Bird decided to share his quirky sense of humor and alter ego with the rest of his summer class. Our tipster explains:

[This e-mail] was sent by an Alston & Bird summer... (as his cross-dressing alter-ego Divljan Shatterhand Steele) to the entire Atlanta summer class. The email, besides being super weird, is pretty innocuous. However, the pictures on his Facebook account could give him some serious trouble -- besides the multiple pictures of him dressed in drag as his alter-ego, there is a picture of a pie with a gummy-bear swastika...

Needless to say, the email has already been widely circulated. A&B has a progressive reputation, but this might be a bit much. Given the current state of the market, Alston might be regretting hiring such a huge summer class (look at the recipient list, which likely only includes the summers who are working the first half) in Atlanta. This guy isn't doing himself any favors.

The bizarre e-mail, involving tarot cards and multiple personalities, is available after the jump. If you've been wondering about the history of neckties, you'll definitely want to check it out.

We have redacted the SA's name and ask that you not identify the person in the comments. Feel free to refer to him as "Divljan" only. Thanks.