Why Do British Lawyers Still Wear Wigs?
people.howstuffworks.com
In the late 17th century, wearing wigs became a common practice in law. But why has it endured for so long?
    • Hawke@lemmy.worldEnglish
      43·
      3 months ago

      That might be wigs in general, probably not specifically their use in the British legal system.

      • delirious_owl@discuss.onlineEnglish
        46·
        3 months ago

        Wigs began to catch on in the late 16th century when an increasing number of people in Europe were contracting the STI. Without widespread treatment with antibiotics (Sir Alexander Fleming didn’t discover penicillin, the treatment for syphilis until 1928), people with syphilis were plagued by rashes, blindness, dementia, open sores and hair loss. The hair loss was particularly problematic in social circles.

        This fucking culture, man. People getting dimensia and going blind, but if they loose their hair then their friends abandon them.

    • tehWrapper@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      3 months ago

      It was also a thing of class since white powdered wigs where taxed more if remember right. Cant have the poor people looking pimp in white wigs!

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      38·
      3 months ago

      If you’ve ever been inside a British courtroom, you’ll discover that they regularly act dumb, too. Lots of pomp and circumstance, but its still the same clueless, vulgar assholes under the hood.

    • demuxen@lemmy.worldEnglish
      31·
      3 months ago

      I think that’s intentional. It proves their dominance. I mean you have to go to them and they are wearing something very silly and you have to pretend it’s not silly, and if you don’t they will harm you somehow.

  • Nastybutler@lemmy.worldEnglish
    47·
    3 months ago

    Welp. Considering it does none of those three things, maybe it’s time for them to go the way of the buggy whip

  • njm1314@lemmy.worldEnglish
    39·
    3 months ago

    I know people are here going like “it makes them look silly.” Good. Lawyers need to feel like they look silly. This is a group of people that needs to be taken down a peg every single day. If judges and lawyers can be made humble just a little bit we all benefit in society.

  • delirious_owl@discuss.onlineEnglish
    29·
    3 months ago

    Wigs are so much a part of British criminal courts that if a barrister doesn’t wear one, it’s seen as an insult to the court.
    …
    Most are handmade from 100 percent horsehair, though there are synthetic versions available today, too. Horsehair wigs aren’t cheap, either, especially when they’re handmade and combine an ages-old craft of styling, sewing and gluing. A judge’s full-length wig can cost more than $3,000
    …
    Those who couldn’t afford the best garb but wanted to look the part wore wigs made of hair from goats, spooled cotton or from the hair of human corpses

    This is the stupidest and most disgusting thing I’ve read today, thanks.

    • lud@lemm.eeEnglish
      5·
      3 months ago

      Hair is already dead and animal hair (can’t remember which animal) is also used for the best brushes used for painting. IMO as long as the hair is washed which it obviously is, it’s not really disgusting.

        • lud@lemm.eeEnglish
          2·
          3 months ago

          Again, hair is dead.

          And honestly if you are referring to the animals (which you are, otherwise you wouldn’t say “beings”) they likely wouldn’t have been born in the first place if humans didn’t like their hair.

            • lud@lemm.eeEnglish
              3·
              3 months ago

              Yeah no shit Sherlock. That has nothing to do with taking the hair of dead people though.

              If I’m dead you can take whatever part you want and use it for medical purposes or wigs I guess. I don’t really care, because I would be fucking dead.

      • Cypher@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        3 months ago

        The Siberian Weasel’s hair is used in kolinsky sable brushes for water colour, and sometimes acrylic painting.

  • Jimmycakes@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    3 months ago

    We need to stop treating courts and judges like they are sone mythical magical place and judges are mini little emperors in their mini little kingdom. It’s just a fucking place people need to go to handle their business. Why the fuck should everyone stand because the guy showed up for his job. All this shit is too much and judges are increasingly out of their minds

    • shimdidly@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      Its all a façade because the system is designed to screw you, and grind upon the face of the poor. Justice? More like just-us.

  • sundray@lemmus.orgEnglish
    11·
    3 months ago

    to bring formality, solemnity, and anonymity

    That’s exactly why Rip Taylor wore a wig, too.

  • Sho@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    3 months ago

    Amazing cause it does all of those things so damn poorly. You’re thinking of Diamond encrusted ivory full head masks instead