Queen's Counsel is an office, conferred by the Crown, that is recognised by courts. Members have the privilege of sitting within the inner bar of court. The term is recognised as an honorific. As members wear silk gowns of a particular design (see court dress), appointment as Queen's Counsel is known informally as "receiving, obtaining," or "taking silk" and QCs are often colloquially called "silks". Appointments are made from within the legal profession on the basis of merit rather than a particular level of experience. However, successful applicants tend to be barristers, or (in Scotland) advocates with 15 years of experience or more.