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Barrister Legal Dress

Upcoming BTC student here, dedicated to the criminal bar, looking for some advice on buying court dress. I have my gown and collar already, does anybody have any buying advice on the wig side of things? Things to look out for or avoid?

Thanks!
Buy secondhand: it's cheaper and you don't look new
Reply 2
Avatar for Hirstlaw
Hirstlaw
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Original post by one_two_three
Buy secondhand: it's cheaper and you don't look new

Definitely! Have been looking on eBay so far but they're rarely posted from what I can tell, heading to London this month to have a browse at Stanley Ley and Ravenscroft - hopefully they've got secondhand sections!
Usually they will have a good selection of secondhand wigs. Chances are that if someone is getting rid of their wig they are not going to be putting it on eBay but selling back to the outlet that they purchased it from.
Reply 4
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Hirstlaw
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Original post by one_two_three
Usually they will have a good selection of secondhand wigs. Chances are that if someone is getting rid of their wig they are not going to be putting it on eBay but selling back to the outlet that they purchased it from.

Great stuff! That's reassuring, thank you!
Do you have a pupillage offer already? You really don’t need a wig and gown until you start second six, and definitely not before you do the BPTC! It’s nice that you’re excited but honestly, save your cash and get it later.
Original post by one_two_three
Buy secondhand: it's cheaper and you don't look new

People don't judge the experience of a barrister by what their wig looks like. Even if you have a wig that's old everyone will know you're new due to almost literally everything else about you. But that's not a problem. There's nothing wrong with being a new barrister. It's where everyone else started.
Reply 7
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Blayze
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Original post by legalhelp
Do you have a pupillage offer already? You really don’t need a wig and gown until you start second six, and definitely not before you do the BPTC! It’s nice that you’re excited but honestly, save your cash and get it later.

Agreed. Depending on where you end up you won't need it till even later tbh.
Original post by Hirstlaw
Upcoming BTC student here, dedicated to the criminal bar, looking for some advice on buying court dress. I have my gown and collar already, does anybody have any buying advice on the wig side of things? Things to look out for or avoid?

Thanks!


Per the above responses, you don't actually need it until you start second six. If you have pupillage secured you could buy now, I guess, but it will just sit around until your pupillage (unless you want to wear it around the house in your own time). I guess your set might want you to use it for any exercises they might run in first six, if you have it by then, but presumably they'll tell you if so. In any case, buying now makes no sense whether or not you have pupillage secured, and buying before you have pupillage secured makes no sense at all.

My buying advice on the 'wig side' is to just go to E&R and get a new wig. You're probably only going to do it once so you might as well just go for it, unless it's really going to break the bank. They run some kind of package deal on the wig and gown iirc. They'll do you an engraved wig tin to boot if you fancy it.
Reply 9
Avatar for Hirstlaw
Hirstlaw
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Original post by TimmonaPortella
Per the above responses, you don't actually need it until you start second six. If you have pupillage secured you could buy now, I guess, but it will just sit around until your pupillage (unless you want to wear it around the house in your own time). I guess your set might want you to use it for any exercises they might run in first six, if you have it by then, but presumably they'll tell you if so. In any case, buying now makes no sense whether or not you have pupillage secured, and buying before you have pupillage secured makes no sense at all.

My buying advice on the 'wig side' is to just go to E&R and get a new wig. You're probably only going to do it once so you might as well just go for it, unless it's really going to break the bank. They run some kind of package deal on the wig and gown iirc. They'll do you an engraved wig tin to boot if you fancy it.

I totally understand where everyone is coming from with the wait until pupillage responses, the reason I'm thinking wigs at the moment is my family has decided it will be my graduation present haha! Plus it definitely has its inspirational values until I get to pupillage!

And definitely, I'll be taking a trip to London this month and I'll have a look at E&R and Stanley and weigh up the options!

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