Blog 13

Research question:
How does fashion choice impact the assumption and credibility of a female lawyer in the courtroom?
In the courtroom is it more important to be true to yourself or to address the opinions of other court room officials such as, jurors, judges, other attorneys, etc.?
How does court room assumptions on women's fashion choice effect the female lawyer herself and the presumptions made in the court room?

All of the above data and questioning will be acquired using how a law student thinks shes perceived in the professional court room environment. I chose to question female law students because they will become the female lawyers and attorneys who may some day be faced with the above problems.

Why this study is important:
By using the opinions of the future female lawyers to address these questions, it will hopefully open the eyes of these attorneys and allow for them to make a differecne and possible change their habits. The double standard place upon women in power, especially those in chosen supposed male dominated fields, is ultimately holding back women's potential in the hopes of reaching true equality in all aspects including the work force. Women to this day are still paid 77 cents on the dollar in comparison to a man, with the addition of that lesser salary, they additionally have to focus on the  sexism that is associated with fashion choices and how a woman is perceived based upon their appearance. Women are at a clear disadvantage. This analysis will hopefully allow for the clarity and justify the need for change that is necessary in order to create equality, at least in the terms of clothing and staying true to your own style, for women in the courtroom.

Category's of Analysis:

Analysis of the lawyers/ law students own clothing, hair, accessories, body type
    in the court room and in leisure time
   (may also look at how ethnicity plays into how a woman should dress)

What a female law student perceives the role of  a female lawyer should be in the court room
   Do you think a woman who is "put together, has it together"
   Is a woman who wears more expensive clothes "Worth" more
   or
   Dose more attention to appearance mean less attention to work and ethic

A lawyers relationship to the case
  Is it something they are passionate about
  Is the judge preferential to a certain dress... should that effect how the lawyer dresses
  Is the case something that needs to be looked at in a certain light
     is it an abuse case
     is it a case that concerns at trial

Look at what law student thinks in terms of how she should dress
    from ones own experience have they experienced anything similar to the situations discussed
    how has it effected the person
    if you could wear what you wanted would you
   

Connection to Research Source:

The research source Beyond a reasonable doubt: one size does not fit all when it comes to court room attire for women by Maureen A. Howard talks about how there are different types of female lawyers. Each type of lawyer has to understand herself and her attire, in understanding herself and committing to it, the lawyer also has to understand that that means she has been typed. In being typed it implies when doing one thing you cannot do the other, committing to one type is at the discretcion of the attorney but the lawyer has an audience and has to appease them. I becomes a moral dilemma between staying to ones self and their chosen style and addressing and submitting to the reality that you are judged on your appearance.

Research instruments:
Interview protocol
Questions asked
Photo analysis of clothing
Ananlysis of research source