Over last weekend the media picked up on updated court dress guidance that was circulated to the Bar in July. The headlines incorrectly suggest that the new guidance marks a major change and that the tradition of wigs is being “axed”.
The court dress guidance for counsel is developed and agreed between the Bar Council and senior judiciary. It sets out what clothing is generally expected and acceptable and where adjustments may apply but makes it clear that the management of proceedings in court is a matter for each judge.
The most recent updates to the guidance were made in response to a couple of queries we received as to whether dispensations for religion and belief extended to race and ethnicity. We therefore set up a working group in late 2022 to consider court dress in relation to all protected characteristics.
Exemptions to wearing wigs were already in place for religion and belief, for example for those who wear turbans or headscarves. The updated guidance, published in July 2025, extended dispensations, where required, to race, sex and disability for a trial period of three years. The guidance includes provision for barristers to request dispensations on the grounds of disability, pregnancy or menopause.