Back to black

In the not too distant past, lawyers in Nova Scotia were only permitted to wear black or brown shoes when they attended court - any other colour could have resulted in a tongue-lashing from the bench, which is never the way you want to start the day in court. While I don't know this for certain, I suspect that the rule was probably established sometime during the 60s or 70s when baby boomers started showing up for court in flashy coloured footwear, shocking the staid legal establishment into acting to try to maintain some degree of professional decorum.

I also suspect that this rule was finally tossed out as a result of lobbying by the ever-increasing number of female members of the bar. Because, while most women lawyers still tend to be relatively conservative in their choice of clothing (black, blue or grey suits continue to prevail), their footware is where they often make a personal statement - it is not unusual to see red shoes paired up with a grey suit walking through the halls of a downtown law firm.

The rationale for this shoe habit is that if they get called into court on short notice, the judge will be able to see what they are wearing on top - and it better be suitable, ie. conversative - but won't be able to see their feet, planted firmly under the counsel table. Even though the black or brown shoe rule may no longer be in place, it is not uncommon for a judge to frown down upon a lawyer who has taken too much liberty with the unwritten rule of conservative courtroom attire.

Needless to say, Kate and I both own a closet full of white blouses and black suits - when I left private practice to open my own legal research and writing business and started working from home, I swore I would never wear a black suit again.

In the spa industry, black clothing is also standard, but for entirely different reasons than in the law. Black in a spa is versatile, doesn't get stained from the products and makes the service team easily identifiable. What Kate and I have come to realize is that many spa industry professionals tend to use means other than their shoes to let their personalities shine through. We have met with - and in many cases hired - spa professionals with pink hair, plantinum blonde hair, shaved heads, nose rings, lip rings, eyebrow studs, tongue piercings (that one always distracts me) and a myriad of different and fascinating tattoos. The personalities definitely come through loud and clear and in most cases I didn't even notice their shoes because there was too much else to look at.

I'm getting used to the "body alterations" and I can appreciate the art in the tattoos. Tattoos and body piercings have become mainstream and  I suspect it's only a matter of time before this trend makes its way into the courtrooms in downtown Halifax, if it hasn't already. As it becomes more frequent, I can't wait to see whether the older legal generation - who were, by the way, the ones wearing the funky footwear in the 70s - decides it's time for new rules about professional appearance in court.