Get All Access for $5/mo

A Texas Lawyer Started an All-Pink Branded Business to Clap Back at Male Colleagues Who Told Her to 'Dress Conservatively to be Taken Seriously' She's making waves on TikTok.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

TikTok via @attorneymartinez
TikTok via @attorneymartinez

What's deemed as "appropriate" when it comes to corporate office attire has certainly changed over the past few decades. But in the legal industry, however, the rules are still traditional, i.e. conservative suits are usually required and expected.

But one attorney is going viral for flipping the script on her mostly male colleagues and changing the norm for how female attorneys are expected to dress.

Can Barbiecore make it in the courtroom?

In a video that's been viewed over 5 million times, Immigration Attorney Kathleen Martinez shared a photo of herself at law school graduation from Thomas Jefferson School of Law captioned: "Working for male attorneys who told me to dress conservatively so I could be taken seriously" as it flips through a series of photos of Martinez dressed in all back work outfits.

@attorneymartinez #lawyer #pink #OLAFLEX ♬ tiptap foot transition - yonn don ✨

The shot then switches to Martinez and three of her colleagues dressed in bright pink hues, suit jackets and all, which states "So I started my own firm with a pink brand and took/stole their clients in the process."

"I chose pink because it is my favorite color, and it embodies femininity. The legal field is historically conservative and male-dominated," Martinez told Entrepreneur. "We often refer to traditional law firm culture as a 'boys club.' I often felt like I had to dress in an understated fashion so that my male employers could focus on my capabilities as an attorney."

Martinez's virtual law firm, which services all 50 states and is based out of Texas, is entirely branded pink — from the company's website to marketing materials.

Commenters rejoiced at Martinez's clap-back to her male colleagues, calling her Elle Woods from Legally Blonde and praising her commitment to breaking norms.

"BRAVO LADIES," one commenter wrote alongside a clapping hands emoji. "Thank you for being an example for us! Keep fighting and onward girls!"

"I would 100% pick y'all from a client standpoint," another said excitedly. "Ain't nothing like a strong woman IN PINK."

To Martinez, the color choice was representative of everything she wanted to change in the industry, namely that what you wear or how you brand yourself doesn't define how successful you can be.

@attorneymartinez #lawyer #pink #OLAFLEX ♬ Perfect Day (From "Legally Blonde") - Fuchsia Boom Band

"When I started my firm, I chose to brand ourselves with the color pink to break the ceiling limiting smart, professional women from expressing themselves. We embrace our femininity and it hasn't prevented us from success," Martinez said. "Our clients find that we stick out from other immigration lawyers and our clients specifically remember us because of our pink brand, billboards and advertisements. Female clients hire us because they like our feminist agenda and can relate to us when it comes to gender inequality and discrimination."

Barbiecore indeed!

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Business News

'Jaw-Dropping Performance in 2024,' Says a Senior Analyst as Nvidia Reports Earnings

Nvidia reported its highly-anticipated third-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

Business News

'Do You Sell Cars?': Tesla CEO Elon Musk Trolls Jaguar Rebrand on X

The team running Jaguar's X account was working hard on social media this week.

Business News

Looking for a Remote Job? Here Are the Most In-Demand Skills to Have on Your Resume, According to Employers.

Employers are looking for interpersonal skills like teamwork as well as specific coding skills.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.