British lawyers follow the tradition of wearing head wigs, which is regarded as a symbol of power and respect for the law. In fact, not wearing a wig is perceived as an insult to the courts. British lawyers and judges wear wigs to portray their formality in the courtroom and to pay homage to legal history.
Anonymity and Equality: Wigs can serve to create a level of anonymity and equality among judges and lawyers. When wearing a wig, individual identity is somewhat obscured, allowing for a focus on the legal proceedings rather than personal characteristics.
The concept of the powdered wig emerged in France the mid 17th century. King Louis XIII was the man first responsible for the trend, as he wore a wig (original called "periwig") to cover his premature balding. As the trend began in royalty, they developed an upper-class, conservative status.
Throughout the centuries, UK judge wigs have played a pivotal role as symbols of authority within the legal system. When a judge dons the wig, it signifies a transition from their everyday identity to that of a legal arbiter. This symbolic transformation instills a sense of gravity and impartiality in the courtroom.
Eventually, though, wigs fell out of style in the US, and unlike in England, American judges and lawyers decided not to keep them.
In addition to robes, judges have generally worn a short bench wig when working in court (reserving the long wig for ceremonial occasions) and a wing collar and bands at the neck. All judges in criminal cases continue to wear these traditional forms of dress, which are described in more detail below.
However, by the time of the American Revolution, wigs were out, replaced by a trend for powdering one's natural hair. While it's true that wigs were a major status symbol early in the second half of the 18th century, by 1800 short, natural hair was all the rage.
In countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, judges and lawyers still wear the British-style judicial wigs that were imposed on them by the colonial rulers.
There have been many theories propounded on that issue. Some say the robes provide a symbol of the authority and power of the state conferred on the judge. Others suggest that robes foster uniformity among judges. Still others offer the theory that the black robe enforces the important concept that justice is blind.
Washington himself did not use wigs, instead preferring to dress and powder his natural hair in the style of a wig.
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe are the only Presidents I can find evidence for having definitely wore wigs.
I'd later learn that Windsor had donned wigs and hairpieces through most of her Carry On movies. Her locks, she said, were naturally very thin. But it didn't matter that her do wasn't real. No one else did it the same.
By 1663, wigs began to be very full bottomed, large, heavy and artificial looking. Charles II wore a black un-powdered wig. These styles required men, even Charles II, to shave their natural hair to achieve a good fit (Peterson schools and FE College's, 2014).
Judges' wigs — also called bench wigs — look similar, but are typically more ornate. They're fuller at the top and transition into tight curls that fall just below the shoulders. Here you can see the difference between a judge's bench wig (left) and barristers wig.
solicitor, one of the two types of practicing lawyers in England and Wales—the other being the barrister, who pleads cases before the court.
Members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President subject to the approval of the Senate. To ensure an independent Judiciary and to protect judges from partisan pressures, the Constitution provides that judges serve during “good Behaviour,” which has generally meant life terms.
Collective noun for judges – Panel or Bench.
The Chief Justice calls the session to order and, as a sign of the collegial nature of the institution, all the Justices shake hands. The first order of business, typically, is to discuss the week's petitions for certiorari, i.e., deciding which cases to accept or reject.
Under men's judicial robes, judges usually wear white shirts with neckties. Under female judiciary robes, women may usually wear blouses. But in the summer, it's not unheard of for judges to wear golf shirts, casual t-shirts, and then they just put their judicial robes over the clothes.
Supreme Courts Judges
An exception is when they are hearing evidence from witnesses in first instance cases when they will wear a crimson robe with darker red crosses. The crosses on the robes are relics of rosettes and ribbons that formerly held the gown together, but are now simply decoration.
Judge Judy hasn't been an actual Judge for decades. On her show, she acts as an arbitrator for people who have agreed to arbitration rather than appearing in real court. As such, her robes can be any color she wants. Actual judges traditionally wear black to reflect the solemnity of their office.
The wigs aren't solely an aesthetic choice, either. They're “part of the storytelling,” Rosheuvel told Netflix. As Queen Charlotte grows into becoming the imposing matriarch we know from Bridgerton, fashion helps to create the regal aura around her.
Bald patches were considered “undignified” and wigs soon became a very practical way of hiding those issues. England's King Charles II, who was a cousin of Louis XIV, was showing common symptoms of syphilis when he started to wear a wig. Almost by accident, wigs also solved another common 17th-century problem: lice.