(前言) 美國法律人與西裝 - 西裝

美國法學院學生如何穿西裝?　美國律師如何穿西裝？ 我又穿什麼西裝?　
在美國的社交場合又該穿什麼？我想藉由這個系列分享我對這些問題的ㄧ些看法。

首先，簡單的介紹自己，我目前就讀於美國中西部(Midwest)的一所法學院，
現為法律博士(Juris Doctor)一年級生(1L)。讀法學院前，我就讀於美國東岸一所
大約有6000人的大學。從我開始穿西裝到現在已有快十年了。我在讀高中時開始對
西裝很有興趣也開始在某些場合穿西裝，到幾年前在大學時每天上課穿西裝而有了
「西裝男」的外號。很正常的，這個外號也跟我到了法學院。

台灣人常說在台灣沒有什麼機會穿西裝。就連因為工作而較常穿西裝的上班族，
在越來越多公司不再規定員工穿著下，能夠不穿西裝就不穿。對此，西裝愛好者則說:
「什麼場合都有其適合的西裝—穿西裝是個lifestyle。」無可否認的，近年來越來越少
人在當需要穿到西裝時知道該如何穿西裝。

美國法律業是眾所公認型態轉變非常慢的職業之一。從好幾個方面來看，不管是大型律師
事務所(Big Law Firm)資深合夥人(Senior Partner)的年紀、種族、性別分佈還是對
科技輔助的接受度，律師業似乎總是跟在時代後面。但是相反的，就本系列文而言，
律師業卻是當今美國少數對服裝較有高度要求的職業。以我的經驗，除非人在ㄧ些特殊的
經濟樞紐(如華爾街)，當我穿著西裝在美國街上走，人們往往認為我是位律師。
我法學院的一位「法律研究與寫作」(Legal Research and Writing)教授就曾經說過:
「律師自今上法院還會穿西裝打領帶是一個多年既定的習俗也是尊敬法院的表現。」

藉由這個系列文，我想分享我對同學、教授、執業律師穿西裝的ㄧ些觀察以及我自己
穿西裝的習慣。希望各位會覺得這個主題有趣以及吸引人。如果各位有什麼特別想知道
的問題或是主題，還請各位不吝嗇的跟我建議。

以下為我目前想討論的幾個主題，皆為從一位法學院學生的觀點出發：

1. 法學院學生如何穿西裝
2. 教授及執業律師如何穿西裝
3. 我如何穿西裝
4. 面試穿什麼
5. 社交場合穿什麼
6. 如何應付負三十度的冬天
7. 配件搭配
8. 展望未來

因為學期還沒結束，我目前沒有打算固定更新這個系列文，但是我會盡量找時間努力的寫
文章的。

最後，因我長期待在國外，國文不免生疏，如詞不達意還請見諒。
以下附上先寫好的英文原版。

How do law students wear suits? How do lawyers wear suits? How do I wear
suits? What is the appropriate attire in different American social settings?
In this series, I attempt to give some perspectives on these questions as a law
student studying in the United States.

To briefly discuss a few relevant aspects of my life, I am a first year (1L)
JD student at a US Midwest law school, previously at a small East Coast college
for my undergrad. I have been regularly wearing classic menswear - suits - for
several years now. In college, I garnered a reputation of being the "suit guy"
among my peers and professors. Now several months into law school, it is safe
to say that moniker has followed me here.

So often, people in Taiwan lament on the lack of opportunity to wear a suit
regularly. Even those who work in a corporate setting, under the influence of
increasingly casual workplace, avoid wearing suits whenever possible. Menswear
aficionados - in response - would say one does not need an opportunity to wear
a suit, that menswear is a lifestyle. I find that the menswear circle has grown
increasingly concentric and centripetal these last few years, while the
non-believers are getting more excluded, whether by volition or by compulsion.
It is undeniable that universally few people are still fluent in the rules of
formalwear.

In many respects, the legal profession is slow to change - for better
or worse. One only needs to take a look at how many senior partners at Big Law
Firms are still white, male, and very senior and how unreceptive the industry
is to technological change to deduce this. However, for our purposes, men in
the legal profession are still expected to wear suits and ties both at work
and in court. A Legal Research and Writing professor at my law school once
said, "People still wear ties in court, out of respect for the court and as
a ritual." In this series, I offer some observations on the people in the legal
profession wearing suits.

It is my sincere hope that this series will be interesting and insightful
to you. The following is a list of topics I plan to cover. If there is
anything in particular you would like me to discuss, please do suggest it to me.

1. How do law students wear suits?
2. How do professors and practicing lawyers wear suits?
3. How do I wear suits?
4. What to wear to a job interview?
5. What to wear to a networking event?
6. How to wear formalwear in the winter?
7. Accessories
8. A look to the future

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