You may think that you’ve travelled back to the Renaissance when you see the court attire of British judge, but they aren’t just wearing judge wigs and barrister robes in order to play dressup. The tradition of wearing a white wig and a robe dates to the 17th century—and not much of the uniform has changed since then.
The History behind The Wig And Robe
In 1625, an academic paper called The Discourse on Robes and Apparel forever changed the way British high court officials dressed. It was through this work’s influence that the adoption of judge wigs and barrister robes as legal attire was introduced. This paper not only dictated what could be worn as court attire in the courtroom but the conditions and even seasons for each outfit, as well. While today in Canada and the US we are used to seeing the traditional black barrister robes, this was not always the case in the UK, even by today’s standards. 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.
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