Friday, September 16, 2016

How Ladies SHOULD Dress For Jury Duty

Don't you just love checking the mail box and seeing that wonderful jury summons inside? Yeah me neither!!! But, I recently had the pleasure of getting one of these awesome pieces of paper with my name on it. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am *note the sarcasm*, but alas it is my civic duty and as such I'll find myself at the courthouse in just over a week praying I don't get picked. On the bright side it did give me the idea for this post. How many people actually know what's proper to wear to court and what they are better off leaving at home? Judging from my last trip to court, not many. So to help clarify what I thought was basic knowledge I'm writing this general overview of what IS and ISN'T acceptable attire for the courtroom. 


I'd like to start off by saying that every state and county are different so what is acceptable here in my town might not be easily forgiven by the judge where you live. Please always check your county website for dress code rules before heading off to jury duty or you may very well be asked to go home and change. With that being said, I have put together a simple list of Dos and Don'ts that everyone should follow when deciding what to wear to jury duty.

DO
-Dress Comfortably
This should go without saying seeing as the jury selection process is a long one and you don't want to be stuck at court all day in something too restricting.

-Wear Closed Toe Shoes
This one isn't widely known because there are actually very nice and dressy open toe heels but when it comes to being in a courtroom it is always more presentable to not show off your feet or toes.

-Dress In Layers
Every time I have went in for jury duty it was freezing inside the courtroom and I forgot to bring a jacket or cardigan so please don't forget to grab one on your way out the door. I't very uncomfortable to be shivering all day.

-Wear Clean Unwrinkled Clothing
Yes I have seen many people show up to court looking like they just grabbed the first thing they saw off the floor. Please show respect to not only the court but yourself and wash and iron your clothing.

-Wear Nice Pants With A Blouse 
I've been asked many times if jeans are acceptable attire for court and the answer is maybe. In my town they are fine as long as they are a dark color with no holes or stains. In some courts jeans are not accepted at all so this is one of those instances you definitely want to check your county website. 

-Wear A Knee Length Or Longer Dress 
If you wear a dress just remember you are going to perform a civic duty not so the judge and lawyers can get a peep show. You are going to be doing a lot of sitting so wear a dress long enough to completely cover everything when you cross your legs.

Examples of acceptable outfits for court


DON'T
-Wear Sandals Or Flip Flops
While sandals and flip flops are cute and very trendy please leave these items outside the courtroom. Not only are they unprofessional but your feet will get really cold after sitting for hours on end. 

-Wear Offensive Or Political Clothing
This is another one that should go without saying. If your kids can't wear offensive clothing to school what makes you think you can wear it to court. Yes political clothing can be offensive too especially to another person who doesn't share your views so these items are better left at home.

-Wear Shorts Or Tank Tops
This is a big no no even in my small town. Shorts and tank tops are way too casual and makes it look as if you really didn't care enough to dress with respect for the court. Even if they were acceptable just remember the COLD courtroom and don't even bother.

-Wear Hats
To be honest I'm not sure if hats are welcome in any courtroom anywhere. Taking off your hat when entering a building is an old fashioned sign of respect that is still upheld in many places today. 

-Wear Distressed Jeans
I know distressed jeans are really popular and super trendy but it's WAY too casual for the courtroom and the judge will see it as a huge sign of disrespect so it's best to leave these at home. Instead opt for a nice dark pair with no markings or rips like I mentioned above. 

-Wear A Low Cut Top
This also goes without saying. You may like to show off the goods but the courthouse is NOT the place to do it. And sadly yes I have seen this many times. While I don't think the judge will ask you to change your attire because of this one, it is highly frowned upon. 

Examples of what not to wear


When's the last time you were called in for jury duty? What did you wear? Did you see anyone wearing anything from the don't list? I'd love to hear from you so leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Be sure to spread the love and share this post with all your friends. Who knows, you may have a friend that has no idea what they need to wear to court. If you like any of the outfits in the pictures, I've linked them all for you...yes even the ones from the don't picture. LOL I hope this list was able to help you decide what to wear to your next court date. Have a great day ladies and happy shopping :) 

Goodbye for now...Fashionable Tigress

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16 comments:

  1. I live in a small community so dressing like this would be perfect. Hopefully I never get jury duty.

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    1. You've never had jury duty??? You're lucky. This is my third time. So far I've never made it past the initial phase but there's always a first for that. We will see. Yeah some larger cities expect you to dress almost formally. Most people where I live show up in jeans lol

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  2. I love the last one. I actually got summoned yesterday....apparently they don't check if you are a citizen???? Hello, Oh, Canada ring a bell?

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    1. Thanks ❤ Did you really? If you aren't a citizen you will be dismissed just call the court house.

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  3. I love how you included a list of Dos and Don'ts. Great list!

    Keep smiling!
    Molly | www.stylemissmolly.com

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  4. i haven't had jury duty yet but this is definitely a useful article!

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    1. You're so lucky. Hopefully you never have to deal with this headache but I'm glad you found this useful❤

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  5. This post should be sent to many people who appear on Judge Judy and other courtroom shows. Apparently, a lot of people haven't gotten the memo on proper dressing attire. 😳😳

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    1. Thanks Christine😊 I agree. There are so many times I've seen people going into court looking entirely too shabby and like they didn't care what they looked like at all. While it's fine to be yourself people should at least show respect to the court.

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  6. Jury duty is not really the hype in our country but these tips would be handy if ever there comes a time. :)

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    1. You're lucky!! We have no choice but to attend and possibly get picked to sit and listen to a trial for weeks.

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  7. I once testified against a drunk driver (who crashed into and killed my best friend.) I was in college, but I was dressed appropriately. I can't remember what the jurors wore. But I think they were similar to what you described- suitable for the time period.

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    1. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that 😯

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  8. I haven't done jury duty yet, but I've always assumed if I did that I would dress up. Court just seems like the place to do that. :) Great tip about dressing in layers.

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    1. Thanks for saying that! I always thought that dressing up for court was common sense but you should see the way some people show up. It's honestly embarrassing. Layering is a must at court. Glad that tip was helpful 😊

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