Once you know you’ll need legal attire, it’s time to go through the process of being fitted for custom robes and any additional court attire that you’ll require. We’ve discussed before how important it is to get properly fitted legal attire, so that you not only look professional, but are comfortable as well.
Attending a fitting for a long, black robe used in the legal profession is a rite of passage for lawyers and judges, and serves to mark both academic and professional accomplishments. Because court attire is a part of the legal profession, investing in custom robes and legal dress items will ensure you have quality pieces that will wear well and last a long time. The pieces you will need to maintain include a waistcoat, robe, wing collar shirt, tabs, and pants or a skirt.
Tips For Keeping Your Court Attire In Good Condition
For those who will be needing legal attire such as custom robes, the following tips will help you make sure that you always have professional looking court attire ready to go and that your pieces hold up over time. Be sure you take the time to find a dry cleaner that you trust so that you know your items will be properly cleaned and can be returned in a timely manner.
Robes And Waistcoats
While you won’t have much choice when it comes to selecting your legal robe and waistcoat, you do have choice on how to store and care for them. Once your measurements have been taken and your custom robes are ready, always hang them up when not in use. This may sound like an obvious tip, but you’d be surprised how many professionals leave their robes rolled up in the velvet bags robes are often carried in.
If you always hang your robe and waistcoat when not in use, you won’t need to dry clean or press them as often. The quality wool used to make custom robes helps them to hold their shape extremely well. If you don’t hang them, your robes will become wrinkled and you may feel rushed to get them ready for your next court appearance.
Shirts And Tabs
If possible, buy several shirts, two pairs of tabs and a tab case. Even though tabs don’t get dirty easily, it’s a good idea to have a spare pair just in case. A tab case enables proper storage and saves you from inadvertent damage or misplacing your tabs.
Having a shirt for every weekday will make life much easier during long trials. When you are being fitted for your shirts, request an extra millimetre or so in the neck for comfort. In order for your shirts to remain looking crisp and fresh, don’t store them in the plastic bags they come in, as this can cause discolouration over time.
Skirts And Pants
Again, in order to always be prepared, it is worth investing in two pairs of pants and/or skirts. The court stripe skirts and pants that are part of your legal attire are not the same as the ones you would wear in the office. However, this means that you might as well leave them in your closet unless you need to wear your court attire. By reserving your pants or skirts to be used only when required, they will last much longer and you’ll always have a clean, pressed skirt or pair of pants when headed off to court.
Custom Fitted Legal Attire In Canada
Maintaining professional looking court attire starts by investing in quality pieces right from the start. Harcourts provides professional, high-quality custom robes for both Canadian and international clientele. Our superior workmanship means that your legal and judicial robes will be individually cut, sewn, and tailored in our downtown Toronto workshop. To find out more about our custom robes, contact us by calling 416.977.4408.
