Judicial Wigs

British judges still wear white wigs inherited from the 17th century. Originally, this fashion comes directly from the royal court and European aristocracy. But in courts, the wig ends up taking a particular function: partially erase the individual behind an abstract figure of authority, almost theatrical, supposed to represent the impersonal continuity of law.

Wigs appear massively in European elites in the 17th century, notably under the influence of Louis XIV. In England, magistrates and lawyers progressively adopt this aristocratic fashion. But while wigs gradually disappear from daily life in the 18th century, they remain present in courts.

Their function then becomes symbolic. The wig transforms the judge into an institutional character detached from his private personality. The individual seems to disappear behind an abstract continuity of justice. This aesthetics also participates in the staging of British judicial power. Black robes, heavy fabrics, and white headdresses create an extremely codified atmosphere destined to impress trial participants.

Wigs were traditionally made with human hair or powdered animal hair. Today still, some British jurisdictions continue to use these headdresses despite regular debates about their modernity. For their defenders, they protect the psychological anonymity of judges and reinforce the ceremonial seriousness of the hearing.

This survival shows how much legal systems often use costumes, architecture, and rituals to produce an impression of historical stability well beyond their simple practical function.