Jury Duty: Avoid Being A Courtroom Fashion Victim

Do you swear to tell the truth, avoid neon colors, and not wear sunglasses as headbands, so help you God? In a courthouse, there is a legal oath as well as a fashion oath. Few people would repeat [Michael Jackson’s pajama-clad court appearance faux pas, but many overlook the less obvious style no-no’s in a courtroom. Whether you’re in the jury box, testifying, or, heaven forbid, the defendant, there are certain rules everyone should follow in front of the (fashion) judge.

1. Swear to wear darker colors. Most attorneys wear black, dark blue, or gray suits and all Judges wear black robes because it looks professional. Brighter colors will attract the eyes of the court onto you and judges don’t like it when the attention isn’t on the evidence.
2. Swear to not wear jeans. Not even black ones or indiDenim custom made jeans. Court workers—receptionists, clerks, court marshals—never have casual Fridays. No matter how stylish and wonderful your skinny jeans look on you, they should not make a court appearance.
3. Swear to leave the shades at home. Although it is a habit during summer days, do not wear your sunglasses as a headband.
4. Swear to lay off the statement jewelry. Less is more in a court of law. Bauble necklaces, cocktail rings, and dangling earrings can add personality to your court ensemble. Just try to choose one piece to wear. Unless it is a wedding ring, diamonds (fake or real) will call unwanted attention towards you.
5. Constitutionally, you have the right to bear arms. But swear you won’t have bare shoulders in a courthouse. The judicial system is very generous with air-conditioning, so wear a sweater or shawl to stay warm and look appropriate.

Check out what Martha Stewart, Winona Ryder, Christie Brinkley, Paris Hilton, and Naomi Campbell wore for their judicial debut! Wonder what Rihanna will wear at Chris Brown’s hearing…