On exiting lock-down I came out sporting a beard, what has now been widely coined as the “Coronabeard”. One I am now quite fond of and has become what I refer to as my “lock-down legacy”. As a long-standing head shaver and now reformed chin shaver, I previously always felt a bit featureless in the way I presented myself. After walking away from my previous career in the printing industry to study law, I took a leaf out of Dame Enda Everage’s fashion bible. I dumped the contact lenses and took to wearing glasses again, or what Dame Edna refers to as “face-furniture”.
You will be pleased to know that I did forgo the horn-rims and daimantes that she pulls off so well, however I did go for the thicker frames to give my featureless face a bit of bling.
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So now that I have reintroduced hair back into the look, the challenge now is to get the balance just right. How much head hair is too much head hair? So (keeping it seemly and above the neckline here folks) should the carpet match the curtains, or is foregoing head hair in favour of the beard an appropriate professional look?
As a student this isn’t so critical, but come the day I enter the legal profession I will need to give a little more consideration as to what extent face fuzz is considered professional.
2020 has seen a lot of adaption as to what is now considered appropriate attire and presentation. Leading up to our mooting and negotiation assessments at university, the dress code given by our assessor was the standard suit, collar and tie for the gents, while the instructions to my female colleagues was “if you can see up it, down it, or through it – then it is not appropriate”.
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As it transpired these assessments were conducted via Zoom, so we may as well have been wearing leopard skin and ugg boots from the waist down. I recently did have a laugh out loud moment to hear of one office wit and company Christmas party organiser who made the theme for their 2020 Christmas party “Zoom Attire”.
What is appropriate professional attire has become the topic du jour of late with Green Party co-leader James Shaw making reference to the Speaker, questioning the merits of wearing a necktie in Parliament.
I also have to say that I was then a little taken aback to see Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi wearing his trade-mark cowboy hat in Parliament and thought it odd that the Speaker let it go unchallenged. But then to see his fellow co-leader wearing a top-hat, it did give some reverence to days gone by when wearing a formal hat in Parliament harked back to the original Westminster style of Parliament we adopted and adapted in New Zealand.
The beard is something both traditional and contemporary. We did see a few years ago Nándor Tánczos sporting his beard and dreadlocks in Parliament and of course it goes without question that those representatives as part of Sikh and Islamic community can sport a beard and appropriate headwear.
Let us also not forget that the previous Minister of Justice, Andrew Little, also sported a beard.
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So the question now becomes, at least for the legal fraternity, is it time to shed the “pale, stale, male” reputation, especially given that the lawmakers of our own country in our own Parliament are doing so?
The appropriate beard for a lawyer would largely come down to style. A fairly full, traditional and conservative look would probably be appropriate. However, the hipster, horseshoe, goatee, gunslinger, Van Dyke, soul patch, chin strap, Verdi or the mutton chops may be a great look for the High Street barista, but not for the High Court barrister.
Also, would a proper beard actually give you the edge in court? The beard does impute an air of scholarly wisdom, particularly when trying to convince a jury.
And what about as a graduate looking for his first gig? For myself of mature years this is not so much of an issue, but for the much younger wet behind the ears graduate, would sporting a beard be an advantage or a detriment? The jury is still out on that matter and it would largely depend on the recruiter. Although, if he were to be so lucky as to strike an associate or partner who is also a beardo, then he is in the club.
But it goes without saying, avoid the neckbeard at all costs.
Source: https://tholansonnha.com
Category: lawyer
