Image Is Everything: Dressing the Part for Your Role in the Courtroom

10 February 2015
 Categories: Law, Blog

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Are you serving on a jury, or as a witness? You might be worried about many things: being fair, honest, and helpful. You may even be nervous about the appropriate attire. It can be one less thing to worry about if you plan your outfits ahead of time, though.

Dressing appropriately for court and law offices will make you and the people around you comfortable, and will enable you to be confident and authoritative, no matter your role. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for your new wardrobe.

The basics

Court functions and many legal offices are seen as professional. This means that no shorts or tank tops, ragged jeans, or sweatshirts will be considered acceptable. You'll want to have a neat set of slacks or skirts, and you'll want conservative sweaters or blouses and tops to work for office settings. In court, consider investing in suits.

Both men and women should keep to natural hair colors and nail polish colors to avoid anything particularly distracting. Hair should be kept tidy and out of the face. Remember that this is a quiet, formal setting, and in light of this, you'll want to avoid negative attention.

Keep your personality

When in court, there is a certain rigidity to what is accepted as the uniform. You don't have to feel overly restricted by this, though. Looking put-together and tidy is important, but there's still room for personal flair even with the most conservative of outfits.

Men can consider belt buckles, cufflinks, or ties. Women have options as well, including jewelry, scarves, or makeup. Even a clever color combination can be enough to let you keep some individuality. Consider these options for expressing who you while still dressing appropriately to appear in a court function.

Maintain a good impression

Conversely, you do want to create an authoritative aura that others will respect. Try not to overdo any accessories; conservative is good, and you are less likely to run into trouble if you keep things simple. Low heels for women are best, and neither men nor women should spritz on the heavy perfumes or colognes.

Keep in mind that when all is said and done, the purpose of the law is to make everyone's lives safe and fair. When you participate in a legal function, you want to project that feeling of safety and security to the people around you through your demeanor and appearance. For more tips and suggestions, use helpful resources such as http://www.ourbendlawyer.com.