And while on the subject of what is and what is not appropriate for those in official positions…
Those of us who are not magistrates or judges (or in a similar position where a particular sort of gravitas is required) can wear whatever we please.
We can wear clothes that are inappropriate for the occasion, for our age or for our figure. We can wear clothes that are inappropriate for our job and then be brought up short by our human resources manager.
We can wear things that make us look ridiculous, cheap or try-hard. And we can leave our hair in a total mess. And it doesn’t matter, and generally, it’s nobody’s business.
If it makes our organisation look bad, or reflects negatively on our employer, you can rest assured that we will be told to get our act together.
These are photographs of 50-year-old Magistrate Consuelo (Scerri) Herrera walking down Republic Street on her way to work, sitting in judgement over others at the Courts of Justice.
Some people will argue that her sartorial judgement does not affect her judgement at the bench and is not relevant. That is not the point.
A magistrate must command respect. It is self-defeating to put on a black garment in the courtroom and try to command respect behind a high desk when you have just walked down the length of Malta’s main drag looking like this and with people staring at you and taking photographs to send to this website.
A party with friends? Fine, though quite frankly, I can’t picture any of the other woman magistrates or judges got up like that for a night out, and in fact I have never seen any of them wearing anything other than clothes appropriate to their age, shape and position, except for Miriam Hayman during a brief spell of extrovert activity some years ago, from which she has now recovered.
But in Valletta on the way to work, and where the general public can see her, a magistrate should be wearing something more sober and far less, well, revealing.
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Transport Malta should take note.
Which begs the question, was she always like this? And if so, who thought she was fit to sit in judgement of others?
[Daphne – 1. Yes. 2. Alfred Sant and George Abela during the short-lived Labour government of 1996 – 1998.]
Dignity gone to the dogs.
The first time I saw this magistrate was years ago during an enquiry into an accidental death.
Two women turned up, one wearing sober black trousers and a jacket, and the other wearing a micro-mini.
We all assumed that the one in the black suit was the magistrate, and the one in the micro-mini was her assistant. It was the other way round.
Her advantage is that there’s enough surface to notice the pattern.
Here’s some more if you like the style.
http://www.pinterest.com/leloupblanc/jungle-pattern/
This must have been what the skin of a Titanoboa looked like.
After it constricted and ingested a baby hippo. On second thoughts, strike the baby part.
If she had a good cheval mirror and some sense she would be wearing an ghonnella to work.
Attakk fahxi kontra l-Magistrat. Wasal iz-zmien li ntuha promotion ghal Imhallef.
A camouflaged bus. Interesting.
Urban Brick? More like Urban Briksa or Urban Kantun tad-disa’.
Mercedes Alaya, a 50-year-old judge in Spain: https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=mercedes+alaya&sa=X&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=TdWcU7zsIvCZ0QWTooGAAQ&ved=0CBwQsAQ&biw=1111&bih=611
[Daphne – The poor woman is very heavily photographed, isn’t she.]
I would say she is heavily photographed.
The fact that she is trying to uncover corruption is merely a coincidence, isn’t it?
Minn wara tidher tal-biza is-sitwazzjoni, mela minn quddiem kemm hija aghar.
“Mutton dressed as lamb” they say.
Or mutton dressed as an elephant.
I totally agree with you. When I worked in a managerial position I tried to look my best and wear good clothes in order to gain respect. The way we dress says much about us.
And you want the people to respect the courts?
Is that Kim Kardashian?
Arriva are back again
I am in agreement with your views. Note that this was not a one off for this magistrate. A few weeks ago I was in court and she was wearing a leopard-print dress – totally inappropriate to the office she holds.
Herbert Ganado in his book Rajt Malta tinbidel’ describes how once he was called in front of the head of the courts (who was his uncle) because he had been reported as walking down Kingsway (now Republic street) not wearing a hat.
“Anything where it looks like you didn’t take the time or make the effort comes across badly,” says Dr. Baumgartner. “The worst clothing is the kind that tries to undo, ignore or hide where or who you are, or the kind that shows you didn’t pay attention to your body/age/situation … Any clothes that prohibit you from doing your job well sends the wrong message.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2012/04/03/what-your-clothes-say-about-you/
AND if you throw in the concept of enclothed cognition the whole issue becomes scary for those passing through the legal system and the legal profession as a whole.
She probably reckons that sobriety is only for judges and is trying to make the best of it until the “taghna lkoll” promotion that is due to her, comes her way. She knows that its bound to, sooner rather than later.
I am trying to give the benefit of the doubt, though the problem remains of a trollop being a trollop.
This confirms that the expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” is a whole load of bo**ocks”. Qabda hammalli u injoranti !
Looks more like a shopper at Walmart than a judge.
You are right, DCG.
One must stay in role and dress in a proper manner.
It’s called dress code and all or most companies have this.
We have a picture dress code posted in the office of what the proper dress should look like.
If this person worked in our office this would not be a proper attire and would be sent home to change.
What kind of message are we giving to see a magistrate in our law courts dress this way.
[Daphne – At least we agree on this one, but I would much rather you didn’t address me by my initials. It’s quite rude.]
Good Lord she looks just like one of the many colourful characters I meet while at work in the city.