Why do lawyers wear black robes (even when they're not judges) and those antiquated wigs in England?

-- In Britain and other commonwealth countries, and even in non-British countries, Wigs & Robes are worn by Judges and Barristers (NOT solicitors), and in senior courts only. No Wigs & Robes are worn in the Magistrates court or children's court.

-- Different Wigs & Robes are worn by different level of judges and barristers.

-- Anyone with a degree can wear a academic robe and in some universities in Britain an undergraduate student is required to wear a "bachelor" robe. Academic robes can vary -- a bachelor robe has a long sleeve while a Masters has a short sleeve and PhD robes can vary widely. Senior academic robes also vary as do robes that come with certain knighthoods.

It is not antiquated and emphasises the seriousness of the proceedings in the most serious cases. Perhaps you aren't aware that this is only done in the most serious 3% of criminal cases that go to Crown Court. The other 97% are handled in magistrates' courts where no robes are worn. Wig, gown, white bow tie and bands is only worn by barristers, not solicitors.

Why does anyone wear a uniform in the USA? Same reason - you know who they are and it emphasises the job over the individual. Why do your judges robe if it's antiquated?

Tradition, we like it that way.

UK

Tradition.........

It's just a tradition here.  

Most lawyers like that tradition, some do not.

It will probably change in the near future, but for now, it's just the way we do things here.By the way, they take them off when dealing with children's cases, as do the judges, so as not to intimidate them.

because they are gay

Because they are judges.