The robes worn by judges are just about the most distinctive working wardrobe in existence. But that's not altogether surprising: after all, not many uniforms have had seven centuries to evolve.
Court dress
We probably all have a perception of what a judge looks like, whether lifted from caricatures, or from films and TV – possibly someone in a red gown and a long wig. But, in reality, most judicial office holders simply wear a business suit when sitting in court. Where judges do wear robes in court, this section explains the types of dress worn.
Recent developments
Lord Chief Justice announces reforms to court working dress.
Link to court working dress media release
History
Strange as it might seem now, when judges first started wearing robes and wigs they probably wouldn’t have stood out on the street. Read more about the history of court dress
Examples of court dress
This section gives a few examples of the different styles of judicial robes and court working dress. See samples of the judicial robes and court dress