Why barristers wear wigs

When sitting in Westminster Hall — at the time the home of the courts of law — the mantle was not worn; this was now saved for ceremonial wear. And grey taffeta was becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to the pink taffeta used on summer robes. Plain linen bands began to be worn at the neck, in place of the ruffs associated with Queen Elizabeth I. These were originally wide collars, but by the s had become what we see today: two rectangles of linen, tied at the throat.

Bands are still usually worn with a winged collar, rather than the turn-down collar seen on a typical shirt today. Sometimes changes to the court structure itself have had a major effect on what is worn by judges. This led to a new dress dilemma; trial judges in these courts were used to wearing plain black silk gowns. These judges were allowed to keep the dress code they were used to, and even today, black silk gowns are worn by judges in the Chancery, Probate, Admiralty, Divorce and Family Divisions.

When county courts were created in the black gown was also worn. However, in Judge Woodfall suggested that a new robe — similar to those worn by High Court judges — be introduced. A violet robe was chosen, faced — to distinguish it from the violet High Court robe — in lilac or mauve taffeta. A lilac tippet and black girdle also formed part of the costume, which due to wartime conditions did not become compulsory until A full violet hood for ceremonial occasions was added in , and the creation of the Crown Court in led to the introduction of a scarlet tippet, to be worn during criminal trials.

However, this was not compulsory; judges could choose to wear a black gown instead. Seasons and the type of legal case determine the colour and style of robe British judges wear.

Barrister robes of violet, green, black, and scarlet have served different purposes through the years, though the color requirements have fluctuated many times in the last few centuries.

But What About Judge Wigs? The fashion trends of the 17th century helped judge wigs work their way into courtrooms too and the headpieces were fully adopted as proper legal attire by with just as many strict rules as robes. In America, strangers line up to enter courtrooms as spectators of high-profile proceedings. Those who can't be there in person watch live-streamed versions on televisions and tablets.

And when there's downtime from real-life court battles, many turn instead to pseudo-fictional primetime portrayals. But when was the last time you saw lawyer or judge wearing a powdered wig?

While this isn't a tradition you'll find in America excepting historic re-enactments , in England wigs remain an important part of formal courtroom attire for judges and barristers — the term there for lawyers.

Many of the judges and barristers who wear wigs in court say the headpiece — also known as a peruke — brings a sense of formality and solemnity to proceedings.

Newton adds that barristers' counterparts, known as solicitors, meet with clients outside the courtroom and are not required to wear wigs. Like many uniforms, wigs are an emblem of anonymity, an attempt to distance the wearer from personal involvement and a way to visually draw on the supremacy of the law, says Newton.

Wigs are so much a part of British criminal courts that if a barrister doesn't wear a wig, it's seen as an insult to the court. Barristers must wear a wig slightly frizzed at the crown, with horizontal curls on the sides and back.

In addition, there are two long strips of hair that hang down below the hairline on the neck and sport a looped curl at each end. Different types of lawyers, though, have distinctions in the style of wig. A judge's wig is similar, but more ornate.

It's a full wig, from a slightly frizzed top that transitions into tight horizontal curls that range several inches below the shoulders. Most wigs are made of white horse hair, but as a wig yellows with age, it takes on a coveted patina that conveys experience.

Horse hair may not seem like a particularly precious material, but pair specialty hair with an age-old craft of styling, sewing and gluing, and the resulting wigs aren't cheap. Wigs may have fallen out of general men's fashion over the centuries, but when wigs first made their appearance in a courtroom, they were part and parcel of being a well-dressed professional. In the 17th century, only the elite wore powdered wigs made of horsehair. Those who couldn't afford the elite garb but wanted to look the part wore wigs made of hair from goats, spooled cotton or human corpses.

There was also a steady trade that involved living people who sold their long hair for wigs, though horsehair remained the ideal. But why did powdered wigs come on the fashion scene in the first place? Why top one's head with an itchy, sweat-inducing mass of artificial curls? Blame it on syphilis. Wigs began to catch on in the late 16th century when an increasing number of people in Europe were contracting the STD.

Without widespread treatment with antibiotics Sir Alexander Fleming didn't discover penicillin , the treatment for syphilis, until , people with syphilis were plagued by rashes, blindness, dementia, open sores and hair loss.