"I share the lament and disgust about the general level of associates' attire"

The latest flap in the legal profession recently were remarks by a biglaw partner lamenting how biglaw associates dress too informally. I will not opine about whether they do indeed dress too informally. But obviously, there are certain firms where casual dress is the norm (e.g. Quinn) and other firms (e.g. Wachtell) where business formal is expected everyday and there are firms somewhere in between (most firms).

But the comment that seemed to get the most flap was how this biglaw partner was partial to expensive $3,000 suits. And a bunch of associates responded that they can't afford nice suits because they make only $160,000 and not the millions of a partner, and hence they are forced to dress casually.

All I know was that when I was at the evil legal enterprise last summer and when the partners would take me along to court, I definitely saw prosecutors and (gasp!) federal public defenders in nice suits, even though I'm pretty sure that they don't make what a 25 year-old 1st year makes.