How to Dress for the Courtroom as a Defendant, Party, or Witness
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We've talked a lot about how to dress for the courtroom, the boardroom, and other Very Important appearances in the past — but we haven't expressly done a whole post on it. So let's discuss!
How to Dress For the Courtroom As a Lawyer
We just did a major post on courtroom attire for female lawyers — please check it out! We've also talked about it a lot in the past, including whether you can wear “interesting” suits to court, what to wear for a month in court (or a long trial in general!), how to stay polished when dealing with metal detectors, and (a while ago now!) whether you can wear flats to court. We've even talked about some finer points of women's professional attire in general, such as whether you should unbutton your blazer to sit, the best coats to wear over a suit, and whether your shirt collar should go in or out of your blazer.
How to Dress for Court as a Defendant or Party
Follow your lawyer's advice here — they know the judge and situation far better than we can. You can never go wrong with a classic suit, though — some of the most affordable suiting options we recommend are these…
Our Latest Favorite Affordable Women's Suits
Some of our favorite budget-friendly interview suits for women include stores like Banana Republic Factory*†, J.Crew Factory*†, Mango*, and Express†, as well as widely available brands like Anne Klein Executive, Vince Camuto*, Calvin Klein*†, and Tahari ASL. For a vintage vibe, check Amazon seller Marycrafts*. (* = some plus sizes also, † = petites)
Dresses are another great option — they're a one-and-done look that can be really polished. Note that for court you should not wear a sleeveless dress or top until you know the situation — some more conservative and old-fashioned judges may take offense.
Great Dresses with Sleeves and Pockets
As of 2024, some of the best work dresses with pockets include M.M.LaFleur, J.Crew, Lands' End, Elie Tahari, and Boden… Some of our latest favorites are below! If you're on a budget, Quince has a great basic, this business casual Amazon dress has pockets, and Amazon seller VFShow has a number of dresses with pockets! Both Amazon and Etsy make it pretty easy to find dresses with pockets, as well.
Our Latest Favorite Work Dresses in General
Some of our favorite sheath dresses include these:
Some of the best dresses for work as of 2025 include options from J.Crew, BOSS, T. Tahari, and Lands' End. For really affordable options, check out Quince and Amazon sellers Miusol or MUXXN (both with vintage vibes). We've also rounded up the best plus-size dresses for work!
Polished Sweater Jackets
Sweater jackets may be appropriate if a blazer feels too formal or “not you” — some of our favorites include these:
Some of our favorite sweater jackets for the office as of 2025 include M.M.LaFleur (the OG, the jardigan!), L'Agence, Summersalt, J.Crew, Modern Citizen, and Jenni Kayne. For budget options check J.Crew Factory and Quince.
How to Dress for the Courtroom as a Witness
If you're a witness, there are very few rules — in general, whatever counts as business attire for you is fine for court. If you're testifying on behalf of a party, check with the lawyers for your side; they can best advise you on the particular rules and guidelines for that particular judge and courtroom.
In GENERAL, broad strokes, you may want to think twice about wearing the following, just because they can be considered Very Casual and inappropriate for court:
- open-toed shoes like sandals
- sleeveless tops or dresses without a sweater or blazer on top
- denim (particularly any ripped denim)
- anything that makes noise, such as an armful of bracelets or loud shoes
- anything that shoes too much skin or unexpected skin — if you need a special bra for the outfit it probably isn't appropriate
Stock photo via Deposit Photos / davidgn.
