raising the bar; U.S. Attorney Danya Perry wouldn't make a case for staid and stuffy.

Byline: Lynn Yaeger

When Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya Perry was in private practice, she got to wear all kinds of things, from adventurous Armanis to delectable Dolce & Gabbanas. "My clients back then had plenty of money," she jokes. But now that she's employed by the U.S. Attorney's office, flashy, for better or worse, is out. What works these days are ensembles she describes as having "clean lines and pretty, simple, basic colors," like tailored pantsuits and straight skirts.

After all, going before a jury is a little like being onstage. It's important to dress the part, which means chic but nonintimidating. You don't want the jury fascinated by your sweater; you want them to concentrate on what you're saying.

Which doesn't mean that the Chanel skirt Perry wears here could not find a happy home in her existing workplace wardrobe. "You pretty much know what you can and can't get away with," she explains, defending the ability of a couple of Chanel tops to blend with impunity. "They fit so well; they're comfortable and glamorous all at once, and the lines are so beautiful," she says. A case could certainly be made for a Chanel 2004 fitted jacket in an exaggerated houndstooth or the house's avidly feminine take on boucle-if paired with a plainer fabric or shape, and easy on the baubles. "I wouldn't wear the full-on Chanel with fancy jewels ...