Legal attire is made up of a number of accessories in addition to the court gown and wig. These components bring the whole ensemble look of your court dress code together to maximise your authority and professionalism during court hours.
We’ve put together a guide below to help you become more familiar with these additional components of courtroom dress, including information on what they are and why they’re important.
What are the Different Accessories of Courtroom Dress?
There are a few different courtroom dress accessories you’ll need to know about before you start purchasing all the new legal attire for your new job as a barrister, enabling you to always look your best and adhere to the dress code of court.
Court Attire Tabs and Bands
Tabs and bands are worn around the neck. They are a little similar to ties though these are made from two strips of starched white cloth that are attached to the collar. They are worn on the outside of both your formal suit and your court gown.
Tabs and bands are designed to lie flat against the chest. Ours are made from the finest cotton and come with an elasticated fastening for the perfect fit.
Court Attire Collars
The collar on a court gown is detachable, allowing you to swap it out for a clean band or a new style if you want to try something different at your next court session.
Wing collars are popular choices. They are high, stiff shirt collars that are commonly worn above your barrister bands. Collarettes meanwhile often take on the form of a bib with the collar section on top. It is comprised of a white band with two straight pieces of fabric hanging on the chest.
Court Attire Cufflinks
For those wearing shirts underneath their courtroom attire, having a smart pair of cufflinks can help to tie the whole outfit together and help you to finish off your professional and dignified look.
You can select plain cufflinks that match your shirt or add a little extra flair by selecting custom cufflinks or designs that have significance to the law such as cufflinks decorated with the scales of justice.
The History of Courtroom Attire Accessories
Traditional courtroom dress as we know it today dates back to the 17th century. Wigs were popularised by Louis XIV with many court officials following the fashion of the monarchy. And with the fashion of wigs and robes, comes the traditions of additional accessories that bring the outfit together and create a complete professional veneer.
In the time of Queen Elizabeth I, ruffs were worn in place of bands and tabs. When ruffs fell out of fashion, plain linen bands were worn instead. Though these were originally wide, by the late 17th century, they transformed into modern strips of rectangular linen, tied at the throat.
The clerical collar itself has undergone a wide range of historical updates as the years have gone on. The history of the detachable collar in fashion began in 1827 with Hannah Montague, who was allegedly tired of washing her husband’s clothes when only the collar needed cleaning.
This fashion eventually made its way to religion and church services with the detachable clerical collar being invented in 1865 by Reverend Donald McLeod, a Presbyterian minister in Glasgow.
With the strong historical ties between religion and the law, the detachable white band has also become a staple of courtroom dress.
How to Put on Legal Attire Accessories
Wearing your courtroom accessories is an important part of helping you to feel confident and professional while wearing your court attire, helping you to look more respectable and authoritative while carrying out your duties.
How to Measure for Court Attire Accessories
The first step you’ll have to take is to make sure you have the right measurements so that your courtroom attire will fit perfectly, making sure you stay comfortable during long hours on the job.
Tabs, bands, and collars will generally require the same measurements around the neck. Wrap a flexible tape measure around the circumference of your neck, removing clothing obstacles so that you’re only measuring on the skin.
After measuring, add 1 inch to your measurement to allow some breathing room depending on the make of the band or collar. If you want a more relaxed fit, you can add 2 inches to the measurement.
Standard cufflinks meanwhile will generally fit most shirt types while larger cufflinks are designed for wider and thicker fabric. When shopping for cufflinks, make sure you’ve measured the cuff of your shirt sleeve so that you can buy the right size.
Unbutton all the buttons on your shirt sleeve and keep the fabric straight and tight. Measure from the furthest edge of the button hole to the centre of the button on the other side. Make sure to keep the tape measure straight for an accurate reading.
Putting on Your Courtroom Attire Accessories
After you have measured for purchased your court attire accessories to go with your court robe and wig, it will be time to put them on. Wearing the accessories properly will help to accentuate your formal work appearance as well as keep you comfortable so that you don’t feel the need to constantly fidget and readjust your attire.
Wearing Your Court Band
Place the two bands between the wings of your collar evenly and then cross the strings at the back of the collar and back around underneath the flaps. If the strings are long enough, you will be able to tie them into a bow. Afterward, just tuck them away under the flaps to complete the neat and tidy look.
Wearing Your Court Collarette
When doing up your court collarette, place the front piece at the back so you can see the back part in the mirror. Do up the velcro, poppers, or other fastenings evenly before turning the collarette around into its right position.
Tie up the strings on each side to connect the front and back flaps of the collarette and straighten it out before putting on your court robe and wig.
Wearing Your Court Cufflinks
Fold back the cuffs evenly and align the cufflink holes and then attach your cufflinks. There are a variety of different styles of cufflinks that will require different methods of attachment.
- Bullet back cufflinks – twist the bullet back to align with the cufflink hole and after popping the cufflink through, twist the bullet horizontally to the hole to secure.
- Whale back cufflinks – similar to the bullet back, twist the whale back to slot into the cufflink hole and then twist it horizontally to secure.
- Fixed back cufflinks – push the back through the two cufflink holes the same way you would a button.
- Chain link cufflinks – push the back of the cufflink through the top cuff’s holes. Bring the bottom cuff up to meet the top cuff, and push the back of the cufflink through.
- Reversible cufflinks – These are attached the same way as fixed back cufflinks. The cufflink will be secured like a button.
- Ball return cufflinks – these are also similar to fixed back cufflinks and can be attached in a similar way.
- Locking closure cufflinks – Unfold the hinges and put the small back part through the holes on your cuff. Hinge the cufflink after it’s through to lock the cufflink in place.
The Importance of Court Attire Accessories
Wearing court attire accessories allows you to put the finishing touches on your legal outfit, showcasing your dedication to the law and your faith in upholding justice in a formal and professional manner.
Looking after your court attire accessories will enable you to build trust and respect for your skills and expertise, allowing you to inspire confidence and authority and do your best job for your clients.
Legal accessories complete the court dress code, bringing each individual item together and enhancing your professionalism and authoritative image. You can buy accessories for your legal wear today from our Tailor de Jure collection of courtroom accessories.
