An etiquette expert says “the more flesh you expose, the less credible you appear” when you front court.

Her comments come after a woman, charged with drink driving, appeared before a Sydney magistrate in a tiny pair of denim shorts.

The magistrate told her the outfit was completely inappropriate and asked the 37-year-old if she had a jumper to tie around her outfit during the hearing.

So should there be a dress code?

Etiquette expert and founder of The Good Manners Company Anna Musson tells Ben Fordham “we should 100 per cent have a dress code”.

“It’s called a suit and this is etiquette 101 for going to court.”

But Ben is cutting the woman some slack.

“If she was going to the beach or a barbecue, it would’ve been the perfect look. There’s nothing wrong with short shorts.”

Ms Musson doesn’t quite agree.

“We want to appear as respectful, and respectable as we can so that we get a good outcome.

“For women, we must cove up,” she says.

“For men and women equally, the more flesh you expose, the less credible you appear.

“Whoever you are, cover-up.

“If you’ve got your arms out, and worse, your legs out and your mid-drift out, it’s very distracting and we are drawn to those items… it’s very distracting.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview