As Bar Council Approves Wig-Free Court Appearance for Barristers with Afros, Dreadlocks, And Health Needs
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Barristers in England and Wales can now forgo their iconic curly horsehair wigs in criminal courts if the headpieces prove “uncomfortable or impractical,” marking the latest evolution in a sartorial custom dating back nearly 350 years.
The updated guidelines, quietly implemented in July by the Bar Council after a two-year review but gaining widespread attention this October, specifically accommodate hairstyles such as Afros and dreadlocks tied to ethnic traditions. No advance permission is needed, and some barristers have already appeared wigless while retaining the traditional robes and white wing collars. The changes also extend to pregnant women, those experiencing menopause-related heat sensitivity, and individuals with disabilities such as users of bone-anchored hearing aids, although the latter require prior written approval from a review body.
The reform was prompted by a barrister who highlighted the difficulty of fitting a wig over his Afro, underscoring long-standing critiques that the tradition, rooted in 17th-century European fashion, is culturally insensitive and exclusionary, particularly for Black and minority ethnic professionals.
“This ensures that Black and minority ethnic barristers, and others whose cultural or practical realities make wigs unsuitable, are no longer placed in an impossible position,” said veteran London barrister Leslie Thomas, who represented victims of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. “The quality of advocacy and courtroom dignity do not depend on horsehair or on the remnants of seventeenth-century aristocratic fashion.”
The wig tradition traces its origins to the reign of King Charles II (1660–1685). Exiled in France, Charles reportedly suffered hair loss from syphilis and adopted powdered perukes to project regal poise upon his return. The fashion quickly spread among England’s elite, including the judiciary, and by 1685, wigs were enshrined as formal courtroom attire.
Proponents view them as symbols of authority, uniformity, and anonymity, which they consider essential in an era of rising threats to legal professionals. “Let’s save the wig,” urged Robert Buckland, former justice secretary and criminal prosecutor. “You could argue that it goes to something deeper. At a time of failing institutions, let’s remind ourselves that we do stand for some enduring values.” Buckland likened the wigs to “great levelers,” noting that they render all courtroom figures indistinguishable from the ears up, providing a “helmet” for courtroom battles and protecting lawyers from post-trial recognition.
Handcrafted from washed, color-graded horsehair and woven onto a fabric backing a process that takes weeks the wigs can cost more than $800. Suppliers such as Ede & Ravenscroft, which has operated since 1689, have outfitted generations of legal professionals and even provided coronation robes.
Yet dissent has persisted for centuries. In the 1850s, British chief justice John Campbell called the wig a “grotesque ornament” unfit for 19th-century justice. Today, critics describe them as hot, scratchy relics that deter diversity in a profession already struggling with accessibility.
This is not the first concession. Wigs became optional in family and civil courts in 2007, and the UK Supreme Court followed suit. Family courts fully abandoned formal judicial wear for business attire in 2008, allowing Sikh and Muslim barristers to wear turbans or headscarves without wigs. Criminal courts, however, have clung to solemnity, reflecting Britain’s attachment to tradition, much like the bearskin hats of its military guards.
The Bar Council, representing about 18,000 professionals, will monitor the three-year trial period before considering broader abolition, which is not currently on the agenda. Policy head Sam Mercer noted that the profession is “split down the middle,” as family courts’ shift away from wigs sometimes eroded respect for judges, prompting calls to reinstate more formal dress.
Young barrister Samuel March represents this ambivalence. A self-described “failed actor,” he enjoys the gravitas the wig lends to his youthful appearance but laments its discomfort in stuffy, un-air-conditioned rooms and, as a vegan, its horsehair origins. He even created a hemp-based alternative now sold by niche suppliers. Still, March worries that traditions like these could alienate racial minorities or women. “If they are a barrier to accessibility, I think there are more pressing concerns than traditions,” he said.
Ultimately, enforcement rests with judges. “At the end of the day, the judge determines whether someone is dressed appropriately,” Mercer explained. “It’s their courtroom.”
As Britain modernizes its legal culture, the wig’s future hangs in the balance a curly relic of empire-era pomp giving way to the practicalities of a diverse 21st-century bar.
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