December 17, 2019
Blogger of the month : Brianna Jones @lawyersfashion
Think lawyer, but with a modern twist. Brianna Jones is an Australian born and bred lawyer, who, in 2015, took it upon herself to help out working women stuck in the daily grind of the corporate dress code. Bri created her Instagram page (and website under the same name) with the hopes to show women both attainable and aspirational outfits that still meet the strict rules of many professional industries, with a modern twist. Through prints, accessories and tailoring, Bri has helped to transform the wardrobe of the working woman. We interviewed Bri to find out more about the empire she has built, and get to know the woman behind this achievement.
Tell us about practising law, is it really as glamorous and jet setting as Suits has made it seem?
I wish – but sadly not! I often wish going to Court was as easy as it is portrayed in television shows. It would be amazing if you could walk straight into a Court room before a Judge. However, in reality, there are large crowds of people at Court and lots of waiting time before you appear in front of a Judge. Like in Suits, being a Lawyer involved many long hours and lots of deadlines which often meant eating at your desk.
On a positive note, I used to love the opportunity to get ‘suited up’ for Court.
Noticed you’ve recently shifted being a lawyer to working at Porsche in CRM. Can you tell us a little more about this?
Up until last year, I worked full time as a Lawyer in Sydney’s CBD. I worked in the legal industry for a total of 8 years, primarily in Family Law. However in June 2018, after a tremendous amount of consideration, I decided to resign from this role to pursue a different career path. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make but I knew that I wanted to try something new. I’d thrown myself into Law for 8 years, studied my Masters of Law and started a blog around corporate fashion so it certainly wasn’t a decision I made lightly.
Working in Family law was very rewarding but at times, it could be quite isolating. It was not a whole team of lawyers working on the case (like we see on television shows) but rather it was often just me and my client. When I decided on a career change, I liked the idea of working for a brand where employees had a shared set of values and purpose. I performed some casual work for Porsche and loved everything the brand stood for. I am currently working in Customer Relationship Management, which allows me to still utilise some of the skills I developed in Law.
Law and Business is traditionally a very corporate and conventional industry, how did you overcome that with your fashion choices?
While all offices differ in their level of formality, most legal and other corporate institutions have traditional dress codes to abide by so it is important that that you respect that when dressing for work. For me, I prefer to choose classic clothing items that form the basis of my wardrobe and work season after season. Then, I update them with a few key on-trend pieces to inject some personality. For example, you can add a trendy bag (anything by X NIHILO!), statement drop earrings, layered necklaces or a pair of heels. We are all fortunate now, that suits are more on trend that ever, but for me it’s important that you select pieces that stand the test of time and suit your body shape.
When did you decide to start your Instagram page @lawyersfashion?
I started Lawyers Fashion in 2015 whilst working full time as a Lawyer in Sydney. The idea for Lawyers’ Fashion evolved on a sick day when I was lying in bed looking for inspiration on what to wear to work. I realised there wasn’t anything on Instagram in Australia to provide me or others with work wear content. From the very beginning, I wanted to create a page that was aspirational yet attainable. Before too long, I had brands approaching me to feature their clothing and create content for them and I haven’t looked back since! I feel very privileged to work with many of my favourite brands.
What’s your favourite part about running the page? Have you faced any unexpected challenges?
My favourite part of running the page is that it allows me to creatively express myself in ways Law seemed to stifle. My love for fashion and creativity is not something that was new. At University I studied a double degree, Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Visual Arts (painting) and Law.
I love that Lawyers’ Fashion allows me to create content and imagery and engage with people (designers and brands) in a much different way than law could offer. It is my absolute passion!
The biggest challenge I face is time. Running the page and working full time is difficult. Sometimes it is hard to create and shoot content, edit the photos and upload within a desired timeframe.
Have you found any similarities between the world of law and the fashion industry?
The biggest similarity that I have found is relationship building and attention to detail. Where possible, I love getting to know the designers and team when working with a brand. This was also key when I working in Law.
Who takes your pictures?
My Husband, Danny, takes all the photos!
Are you enjoying living in Sydney? Have you seen any differences between the fashion there and here in Melbourne?
I love Sydney and Melbourne equally. They are such different cities but both great. I must admit that I really miss the cultural and fashion aspect to Melbourne, and of course the food. In my opinion, Melbournians tend to accessorise their outfits more than Sydney-ciders.
It’s a known fact that law is by no means an easy career path, what do you do to relax?
For me, I love an early morning walk/run or having a nice glass of wine whilst watching a good Netflix series with my Husband.
Last but not least, what is your favourite X NIHILO bag & why?
My favourite X NIHILO bag is the Eight Mini tan. It is my everyday go-to! It can be dressed up for work and perfect for weekend errands. I also love how the bag can be worn 6 different ways!
Bags of Love,
Jenny
