BPP has told students taking the Bar training course that they will be penalised during their advocacy assessment if they wear short skirts, "Kinky boots" or other attire deemed unsuitable.

The list of prohibited clothing was set out in a manual given to students and reproduced in the table below. BPP put the most important points in all caps to emphasise that suits should be DOUBLE BREASTED or 3-PIECE, and that shirts must be done UP so as not to reveal your disgusting devil's pillows. But boots for women are OK. As long as they don't have straps or stilettos or colours, which could send BPP's mind to the bad place.
 

  


 A BPP spokeswoman in Amish dress told RollOnFriday that it was "exceptionally rare" for any student to be penalised. She said that the guidance was given as "good preparation for practice" because it listed clothing that "could adversely affect the advocate in court". She added that "the list has not been revised for a long time" (1811) and that it would be "reconsidered before the next publication"

 

 

 BPP pass  

 

 

 

BPP fail 


The manual, first reported by the Legal Cheek blog, states that students can also be docked points for scruffy hair, dirty clothes or if their appearance is "generally poor". And it forbids the soap-dodging grotbags which BPP knows are infested with lice and STIs from wearing "inappropriate" jewellery. The number of points to be deducted if a student puts their hands in their pockets is to be determined "by how long the hand is in the pocket, and whether it is one or both hands". 

 

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Comments

Anonymous 20 April 18 09:55

And people actually pay for this? Can’t imagine what the quality of teaching is like if they think this is ok.

And who the hell under 40 wears a double breasted suit??! Laughable!

Anonymous 20 April 18 11:10

For court, this is generally accurate. Nothing wrong here.
Maybe insisting on double breasted or three-piece is a bit much.

Anonymous 20 April 18 19:44

And the BBC spun this as rampant sexist behavior by BPP. Seems to me both more does and don't for men and all simply common sense!

Anonymous 01 June 18 15:37

I've been in court and seen another barrister be totally shot down by a judge for not dressing 'appropriately', it was fairly embarrassing. These things do get taken into account; it's court after all and is not known for its forward-looking or relaxed atmosphere.

I agree with 10:10 however, no need for three-piece or double-breasted, as long as your shirt isn't showing too much at the bottom of your jacket, you should be alright.

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