You may understand the importance of making a good first impression, especially for someone as important as the Missouri family judge hearing your divorce case. Well, the first thing a judge may assess you on is your appearance, which includes your clothing. While they cannot base their final judgment solely on your apparel, it is nonetheless more important than you may initially realize. Without further ado, please continue reading to figure out what outfit you should wear to your divorce hearing and how one of the experienced St. Louis County divorce lawyers at Stobie Family Law Group can guide you on this.
What is appropriate attire to wear to a divorce hearing?
Simply put, “court appropriate” attire generally means business casual or professional attire. Overall, this clothing can be categorized as neat, modest, and neutral. To get a better picture of what this means, below are examples of acceptable male and female-centric clothing to wear to a divorce hearing:
- Acceptable traditional male outfits:
- A suit and tie with closed-toe shoes.
- Dress pants with a button-down shirt and closed-toe shoes.
- Slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toe shoes.
- Acceptable traditional female outfits:
- A tailored pantsuit with a blouse and modest heels.
- A modest dress with closed-toe heels or flats.
- A pencil skirt with a blouse and closed-toe heels.
What should I try to avoid wearing to a divorce hearing?
If you are still lost on which direction you should take with your courtroom outfit, it may help to first consider which types of clothes you should avoid altogether. As far as male-centric clothes go, you should avoid wearing shorts, jeans, tank tops, graphic tees featuring explicit language, hats, and open-toed sandals or flip flops. For female-centric clothes, you should not wear anything too revealing or too flashy.
What if I don’t own the right clothes for a divorce hearing?
You may not have a profession that requires you to work in an office setting, understandably causing you not to own any business casual or professional attire. Then, with your litigated divorce case already shaping up to be expensive, you are likely hesitant to drop a lot of money on a new wardrobe for your multiple court appearances. Rest assured, there is no need to feel frazzled at this time.
One solution is to shop for discounted prices at thrift stores and select articles of clothing that can be mixed and matched to produce multiple outfits. Or, you may ask your close friends and family members to borrow some of their clothing. When in doubt, though, you may be able to pull clothes from your own closet that are clean, well-maintained, neutral, and simple. These are arguably the characteristics that matter the most.
Another easy way to elevate your overall appearance is to ensure you are well-groomed before your divorce hearing. For men, this may mean being cleanly shaven and having neat hair. For women, this may entail avoiding excessive makeup, strong fragrances, flashy statement jewelry, and having their hair dyed a non-natural color.
To conclude, to ensure you put your best foot forward when entering the courtroom for your divorce proceedings, please consult with one of the skilled St. Louis family lawyers from Stobie Family Law Group. We are willing to answer any questions and concerns you may have regarding your upcoming hearing, no matter how minor you may think they are. So call us today.
