# Is there a mandatory SCOTUS dress code? Could a female justice add colors to her robe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 8, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345 "2009-09-08T22:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/21 "2009-09-09T08:29:36Z")
Are the robes custom or are they the same robes used in other venues? ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/22 "2009-09-09T09:29:51Z")
Obligatory Monty Python link ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/23 "2009-09-09T13:05:09Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > All this time, and no one’s mentioned that Rehnquist specifically added four yellow stripes to his robe in homage to Gilbert and Sullivan’s _Iolanthe_? I thought that he was moonlighting for Adidas. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/24 "2009-09-09T13:13:15Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Does she have to wear a robe at all? No, but it’s customary. The U.S. Supreme Court has no written rule about it of which I’m aware. **jackdavinci** , other than the late Chief Justice Rehnquist’s, American judges’ and justices’ robes are essentially the same, except for some minor stylistic differences. There is also some variation as to cost and material. In our court, it’s customary for a new judge’s former coworkers to pitch in to buy him his first robes, which are then ceremonially presented when the judge is sworn in. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/25 "2009-09-09T19:43:06Z")
> [@grimpixie](#): > > Obligatory Monty Python link Jesus that was 40 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/26 "2009-09-09T20:00:35Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Why only women? I think those robes could be faaaaaabulous, darling, with a few sequins and feathers. > Roddy [We are what we are…](http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080718/stage-50-26/cage-aux-folles_l.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/27 "2009-09-09T20:07:43Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > [We are what we are…](http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080718/stage-50-26/cage-aux-folles_l.jpg) Now that’s a supreme court I could really get behind! Roddy ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/28 "2009-09-09T20:12:42Z")
Supreme STYLE! I SO love the costume design for the original _La Cage_…it’s like Sergeant Pepper meets Close Encounters… ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/29 "2009-09-10T11:55:02Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > What’s up with Canada? Why do their Supreme Court Judges have to dress like Santa? Does that mean if you have a case before the Supreme Court, you should leave milk and cookies? Milk and cookies? Ha! Single malt - that’s the ticket! The judges only wear the Santa Claus robes for formal occasions, like the swearing-in of a new justice of the Court, or the Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament. They used to wear them on the first and last day of term, but don’t follow that practice any more. They also used to wear them for appeals in capital cases, but since Canada no longer has capital punishment, that’s also fallen by the wayside. Now, they just wear the black robes similar to those worn by QCs, with a long-sleeved vest with heavy cuffs, plus a white shirt with tabs. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/30 "2009-09-10T12:46:27Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Uh oh… You might want to tell most of the [world’s judiciary](http://www.filibustercartoons.com/judges.htm). I like the Spanish robes, & the simple robes in former Warsaw Pact countries. The Commonwealth robes are a bit much, & the German Constitutional Court judges look like Cardinals. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/31 "2009-09-10T13:01:02Z")
Puerto Rico wears the Spanish robe (with the white lace cuff, minus the breast crest), with a broad front placket that’s sometimes velvet, sometimes plain fabric. Who knows if we could lobby Sonia to add that accent. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345/32 "2009-09-10T20:30:08Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > I thought that he was moonlighting for Adidas. All Day I Dream About Supreming? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-mandatory-scotus-dress-code-could-a-female-justice-add-colors-to-her-robe/509345.md?page=1)