Official Dress
On normal sitting days, the Speaker wears a black silk lay-type gown (similar to a QC's gown) with (or without, in the case of Bercow) a train and a mourning rosette (also known as a 'wig bag') over the flap collar at the back.
On state occasions (such as the Opening of Parliament), the Speaker wears a robe of black satin damask trimmed with gold lace with full bottomed wig and, in the past, a tricorne hat.
The current Speaker no longer wears the traditional court dress outfit, which included knee breeches, silk stockings and buckled court shoes under their gown, or the wig. Betty Boothroyd first decided not to wear the wig and Michael Martin chose not to wear knee breeches, silk stockings or the traditional buckled shoes favouring flannel trousers and Oxford shoes. Bercow chose not to wear court dress altogether in favour of a lounge suit as he felt "uncomfortable" in court dress (he wore morning dress under the State Robe at State Openings). However, there is nothing stopping any given Speaker, if he or she chooses to do so, from assuming traditional court dress or anything he or she deems appropriate.
Read more about this topic: Speaker Of The British House Of Commons
Famous quotes containing the words dress and/or official:
“Jerry: That’s quite a dress you almost have on.
Milo: Thanks.
Jerry: What holds it up?
Milo: Modesty.”
—Alan Jay Lerner (1918–1986)
“Our medieval historians who prefer to rely as much as possible on official documents because the chronicles are unreliable, fall thereby into an occasionally dangerous error. The documents tell us little about the difference in tone which separates us from those times; they let us forget the fervent pathos of medieval life.”
—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)