Solemn Celebrations Deserve Sartorial Care
At a formal event such an as ordination, is it not okay to throw a robe on over a pair of Dockers and scuffed brown shoes and think that the robe lends you so much dignity that you can get away with it.
We can see your feet. And Dockers is as Dockers does.
Dress up a little, for God's sake. Have a little respect for your colleague, for the congregation, and for the ministry. You aren't any busier than the rest of us who came skidding in from a full day, and you got your invitation to process a month in advance just like the rest of us. Shine a pair of shoes and keep 'em in the car if you must.
And on a personal note to my colleagues who were just shiny gorgeous beings, LOVING your beauty!
P.S. Whoever said you can't wear dangly earrings in the pulpit is over-generalizing. I saw one classy broad wearing a great outfit with danglers. And one of the presiding clergy was wearing fantabulous earrings the size of a baby's head, and they looked AMAZING. You have to know what you're doing.
We can see your feet. And Dockers is as Dockers does.
Dress up a little, for God's sake. Have a little respect for your colleague, for the congregation, and for the ministry. You aren't any busier than the rest of us who came skidding in from a full day, and you got your invitation to process a month in advance just like the rest of us. Shine a pair of shoes and keep 'em in the car if you must.
And on a personal note to my colleagues who were just shiny gorgeous beings, LOVING your beauty!
P.S. Whoever said you can't wear dangly earrings in the pulpit is over-generalizing. I saw one classy broad wearing a great outfit with danglers. And one of the presiding clergy was wearing fantabulous earrings the size of a baby's head, and they looked AMAZING. You have to know what you're doing.
posted by PeaceBang at 10:08 PM
9 Comments:
I would love a longer post from Peacebang on robes and vestments and what to wear with both. Does Peacebang have some tips especially for female clergy? I have money given for a new robe -- recommendations? I wouldn't wear Dockers but I know I have made some bad shoe choices --- usually because I chose the shoes for the outfit beneath the robe and forgot that they wouldn't really do for the robe itself. I can't wear black very well, so I started going with an ivory color for my robes.
I think that was moi, and I will willingly eat crow (organic, fair-trade crow or the tofucrow equivalent) because I violated my own comment the other day with a pair of danglies, not in the pulpit but in a public teachy sort of situation. Dark red and silver chandelier earrings which a dear friend made for me and which I love. It was a folksy crowd and it felt right, and it worked.
I also wore them to a reggae concert recently ;-) but with a whole different outfit.
I saved a bundle of money by finding a great seamstress who was willing to make me a robe (or two) rather than buying one from a prof. company.
I bought all the fabric, had one made (which I can now use a pattern for the second) and it turned out gorgeous.
consider that rather than buying one from a prof. company. plus, then you can get them made in the fabric you want!
Dame O
I attended a very high church/anglo-catholic seminary. Our dean taught us all that black shoes were essential when serving at the altar. Black is the least noticable (what do people where in theater when they do not want to be noticed? Black). He used to tell us that Saint Peter was checking shoes at the Pearly Gates: no black shoes, no enterance.
I think I wore birkenstocks to graduate from divinity school. I'd like to apologize.
Peacebang may or may not approve, but I made my own first robe/alb from a heavy ivory cotton (bought on sale) and a pattern that was really for a Princess Leaia/Queen Amidala halloween costume purchased when a fabric store was going out of business. I am by no means a seamstress, but I did manage to add pockets, and it turned out lovely. Cost was under $50. I belt it with a piece of white rope. I'm using the same pattern for a lightweight black robe, but having trouble finding the time to finish the little details. I think it's final cost was under $10. I love a sale! I never fail to receive very positive comments from parishioners when I wear the ivory alb.
I may be a hopeless redneck in a liturgists court, but I think that the whole beauty of robes is that I can wear whatever I want underneath the robe. Am I wrong?
Here's a questions for PeaceBang--or any of you. I have a lovely ivory robe (from WomenSpirit, although now I'm jealous of all the robe-crafting going on here). Do I wear it with: black pumps (very comfortable), brown pumps (less comfortable, until I can afford to upgrade them), brown flats (comfy but relatively casual), the shoes I wore at my wedding (ivory and covered with flowers and sparkles!). Okay, I'm kidding about that last one, although in my dream world where I am minister/fairy princess it would be perfect. I don't have plain ivory shoes, so forget that... Thank you, everyone!
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