What on earth is her ladyship wearing? The sartorial shambles of Britain’s formal garb

Whoever designed the first lady chief justice’s coming-out ensemble needs to go back to the drawing board, writes Mary Dejevsky

Dame Sue Carr was made to look like a cross between Santa Claus and an ill-dressed bishop (PA Wire)

Now, I could not be more delighted at the fall of another male bastion, with the arrival of Dame Sue Carr as the most senior judge in England and Wales. But I must admit that when I saw the pictures of the lady chief justice, as per her formal title, alongside the justice secretary, Alex Chalk, my first thought was not of the landmark achievement for women, but of the sartorial shambles on display.

Just look at the pair of them as they left Westminster Abbey after the annual service that marks the start of the legal year.

Take the justice secretary first, in his lord chancellor’s get-up. The robe, with its brocade decoration, is fine, but far too short for his height – he would seem to be quite a tall guy – and his wig sits strangely. Did he look in a full-length mirror before he set off? Might he perhaps need a valet to check his camera-readiness before public appearances?