barrister's bands
Two rectangular strips of white cloth, worn as formal neckwear by barristers and judges as part of traditional court dress.
barrister's bands: formal neckwear strips in court dress
Barrister's bands are two separate rectangular strips of white linen or cotton fabric, each roughly 4 to 5 inches wide and 18 to 24 inches long, that hang vertically from the neck as part of formal court attire. They are worn beneath the collar and rest against the chest, terminating at roughly waist level. Unlike a necktie, which is a single continuous piece, bands consist of two independent strips that drape loosely on either side of the torso.
The bands evolved from 17th-century neckwear conventions when wide linen collars and decorative scarves were standard formal dress. As court dress became more codified in the 18th and 19th centuries, the bands solidified into their present form: plain white linen with minimal ornamentation. The fabric is typically a fine, smooth weave that holds its shape and resists wrinkling under regular use. Some bands incorporate a small button or loop at the neck to secure them in position.
Construction and Variants
Most barrister's bands are cut as simple rectangles with finished edges, often featuring a fine rolled hem or bound edge to prevent fraying. The ends may be left plain or finished with a small pleat or tuck. Bands are typically produced from pure linen or a linen-cotton blend; pure linen is preferred because it maintains crispness after repeated wear and laundering. Some practitioners use bands with subtle embroidered initials or monograms at one corner, though plain white remains the standard.
Barrister's bands serve a purely ceremonial function and carry no symbolic meaning beyond formal identification with the legal profession. They are worn in higher courts and formal proceedings; junior barristers and solicitors in lower courts or office settings often omit them. Because they are inexpensive to manufacture and require no complex assembly, bands have remained largely unchanged for over a century. Fabric suppliers in the UK and Commonwealth countries continue to produce them as stock items alongside other court dress components.
The bands require regular cleaning to maintain their white appearance and crispness. They are typically hand-washed or dry-cleaned to prevent damage and then carefully pressed while slightly damp to restore shape. Storage flat or loosely rolled in acid-free tissue preserves them between uses. A working barrister might own two or three pairs to allow for regular rotation and maintenance.