When was the last time you saw lawyer or judge wearing a powdered wig? While this isn't a tradition you'll find in America, in England wigs remain an important part of formal courtroom attire for judges and barristers — the term there for lawyers. Many of the judges and barristers who wear wigs in court say the headpiece — also known as a peruke — brings a sense of formality and solemnity to proceedings. Like many uniforms, wigs are an emblem of anonymity, an attempt to distance the wearer from personal involvement and a way to visually draw on the supremacy of the law. Wigs are so much a part of British criminal courts that if a barrister doesn't wear a wig, it's seen as an insult to the court. Barristers must wear a wig slightly frizzed at the crown, with horizontal curls on the sides and back. In addition, there are two long strips of hair that hang down below the hairline on the neck and sport a looped curl at each end. Different types of lawyers, though, have distinctions in the style of wig. A judge's wig is similar, but more ornate. It's a full wig, from a slightly frizzed top that transitions into tight horizontal curls that range several inches below the shoulders. Most wigs are made of white horse hair, but as a wig yellows with age, it takes on a coveted patina that conveys experience. Horse hair may not seem like a particularly precious material, but pair specialty hair with an age-old craft of styling, sewing and gluing, and the resulting wigs aren't cheap. A judge's full-length wig can cost more than $3,000, while the shorter ones worn by barristers cost more than $500.
