Suited or Not for FDA?

Hi everyone,

I''m new here.

I have a FDA this week and I''m trying to decide what to wear. I''m unemployed from sickness and seeking maintenance from a high earning spouse who is playing dirty and aggressive.

I was planning to wear a dark suit, nothing too showy, understated professional/smart but my friend who''s a lawyer (not divorce) said wearing a suit sends the wrong message as it''d look like I mean business and the court''s reaction would be to tell me to find a job.

She thinks I should go for a dishevelled look or wear a simple black dress (not suit) which shows the tremendous stress the divorce has placed me under.

I''d really appreciate your thoughts. Does appearance matter? Does suit imply I can''t seek maintenance? If I look dishevelled, does that lower prospects of maintenance when my ex and I enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle?

I have too much to worry about and don''t want to be worrying about what to wear.

Thank you

I would have thought you dress respectful for where you are appearing and smart as well as comfortable.

Maybe dress as if you were going for a professional job interview.

So your choice of dark suit would be ideal. Although with courts being "old school" I would have thought a skirt would be better. But I am a man what do I know

I have a wardrobe of professional clobber from when I had a job, but for my first two hearings, in summer, I wore a cotton dress, and for my final hearing black jeans and smart jumper.

I figured I wasn''t there to work so I decided to be comfortable, wearing clothes which were smart and I knew I looked good in.

I''m not convinced that anyone would bat an eyelid at your clothes providing you weren''t scruffy.

Thank you both very much! Two different thoughts but appreciated. Would be interested in which way other people go for. x

Poor but honest would be my recommendation. So something obviously not brand new or designer but smart enough to show respect. High street rather than high end.

Hadenoughnow

My mate took his his shirt off during the final hearing threw it across the room and said, you have everything else you may as well have the shirt off my back.

It didn''t go down well

Agreed with hadenoughnow. You don''t want to look as if you have money! I went to FDA in a simple summer dress, minimal make up and jewellery. Ended up with 90% assets and a substantial pension share in return for a Clean Break