Judicial dress varies by country and level of the judicial system, but long robes are common. Red and black are popular colors, while pink and purple are worn in some branches of the English judicial system. The 1780 Judges’ Decree in England and Wales influenced many judicial styles around the world. Some countries have modified their robes for political or practical reasons, while others have done away with the tradition entirely.
Court dress is a style of clothing worn by legal professionals when working in their official capacity. Although the exact style varies between countries and levels of the judicial system, long robes are a common basis of judicial dress. The style and color of the tunic, as well as various accessories such as wigs or medallions, have gone out of fashion throughout history.
Today, many judicial robes are red or black, regardless of their country of origin. Stories vary as to why these two colors were adopted. Black robes are said to have come into use in 1970s England during the mourning period for Queen Mary. Red is a color long associated with people of power in many countries around the world. In South Asia, many high justice robes are embroidered with gold to show prestige. In some branches of the English judicial system, pink and purple robes are worn.
Arguably, many judicial styles around the world were influenced by the 1780 Judges’ Decree in England and Wales. Prior to that time, judicial dress was loosely regulated, and judges’ robes could be black, red, or green. Horsehair wigs were optional. Following the decree, all judges serving in England and Wales were required to wear black robes and wigs during court proceedings.
Many British-occupied countries ended up adopting this style of court dress. In former British colonies, such as Hong Kong, judges still wear the gown and wig. Although court dress styles generally change slowly out of respect for tradition, some modifications have been made due to political pressure when those countries became independent. Other times, changes are made for convenience; Many African cut dresses are lightweight simply because the entire ensemble would be too hot for most people to wear in such weather.
There are also some cases of a judiciary modifying its robes to suit itself. United States Chief Justice William Rehnquist added yellow bars to the sleeves of his tunic after being impressed with the style in a play he had seen the night before. Since his successor wore a black robe, this practice has not become traditional. In 2008, the Lord Chief Justice of Great Britain, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, created a simpler style of court dress that eschewed the elaborate wig, bands, and collar.
One or two countries have done away with the tradition of wearing elaborate judicial robes entirely. In Greece and Scandinavia, for example, a suit is fine to wear during any legal proceedings.
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