Thread: Church worship dress code Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Percy B (# 17238) on :
 
Somewhat light hearted,

.... And by mistake I posted this thread in Ecclesiantics, thinking how we dressed for worship was probably a worship practice.

So transferring the thread to here

Is there a written, or Unwritten, dress code for worshippers at your church? I suspect there is even though we may think there isn't. I also suspect that dress code for worship has changed with society's change on the subject.

I raise this because during a web search for something totally different I came across
This sermon on EWTN the global Catholic network with very clear views on dress code.

Our church doesn't have a dress code but I guess things would be said on too scanty clothing, and I'm not sure about men who kept hats on...
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
All parishioners are expected to wear clean clothes and men shall not wear hats. Even if you are dressed in replica football gear (wihout spikes!) clergy and other parishioners are just happy to see you: that is why we have so many masses on weekends at the cathedral parish here, including two in Spanish.
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
( We don't have idiot rent-a-cops at my church, but we do have a 300-pound sacristan who can deal with troublemakers if need be. )

The rector does require that male lectors and EMs wear long trousers and female lectors and EMs wear skirts below the knee or trousers. The choir has no dress code for women who often wear miniskirts if they're young.
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
My church expects you to show up with clothes on. Though if you DIDN'T, I suspect someone would loan you some.

I've seen some pretty weird ensembles and nobody batting an eye, which frankly surprises me. Last Sunday I sat in the same pew with my old sea-captain-looking-guy (of quotesfile fame), which gave me the opportunity to realize that he does not in fact stop with the crossdressing below the waist. That was some mighty fine lipstick he had on!
 

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Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :
 
Any given Sunday there will be people in suit and tie, dresses, sweat pants, in summer: shorts, T-shirts and thongs*. The main requirement for communion is that there may not be gum in your mouth - yes, this has come up.


*The young people claim thongs are to be called flip-flops and that the word thong means very skimpy flimsies, but I don't agree.
 

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Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
Your young people are correct. At least in this country that's what springs to mind when someone mentions a thong.
 

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Posted by Edgeman (# 12867) on :
 
The only dress code we have for the congregation is that no one should wear skirts that are very short and very tight.(Gender unspecific on purpose. We have had incidents.)

For servers, white longsleeve dress shirt, black pants, socks, and shoes. No jewelry is allowed.
For lectors, only that they should wear something sensible that will allow them to bow to the altar without risking, um, embarrassment. (Yes, we have had incidents in this regard as well.)

But most people tend to dress up a bit- skirts and blouses, dress shirts, slacks and ties, suits and sportcoats occasionally. Some of that is likely tied to class here. We're located in an odd place that lies between wealthy suburbs a couple blocks north and the destitute ghetto a couple blocks south.

Growing up in the poor part of the neighborhood, showing up to church as a male in anything less than a shirt, tie, slacks and shoes was considered beyond disrespectful. I don't think I encountered people dressed casually for church until I attended the first RC mass I ever attended. It was just something we never did. And of course, we also have our own history with church hats as well, something people have written books about.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Years ago when I went to Friends' Meeting, the dress code seemed to be flannel check shirts and shoes like Cornish pasties. And the men the same.
 

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Posted by Haydee (# 14734) on :
 
The dress code (though unofficial) is smart casual, although I've fallen out of bed & put on some trackies & gone without getting any hard looks.

On the whole (generalisation alert) I would agree that the poorer the background of the person (in wealth terms) the smarter the church clothes - and of course here in South Africa there is a strong correlation of race & wealth.

Some of the children seem to have 'Sunday best', especially the younger girls (or perhaps they dress like that everyday?!).

The early, more traditional service gets an older section of the congregation who are smarter than the younger lot at the mid-morning service.
 

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Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :
 
When I occasionally make it to a sunday service the dress code appears to be tweeds and tattershall check shirts, with a tie or cravat for the men. The women are generally smartly dressed, fully sleeved and skirts below the knee, 50/50 for hats. Oddly enough the only person I have seen in a miniskirt and low cut top was a man but fortuantely nobody made a fuss and his dress was far more modest the next week.

Tourists are a different matter though, I recently had to ask a young lady to cover up when she wandered into the church wearing a revealingly low cut t-shirt bearing the slogan "I sold my soul to satan and all I got was this lousy T-shirt". She understood that it would cause offence but was adamant that she had the right to wear what she wanted in church. In the end she threw a plain purple hoodie over the top and all was well.
 

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Posted by Lord Jestocost (# 12909) on :
 
One of our youth who was scheduled to be doing a reading was intercepted before the service and asked to put a top on over her FCUK t-shirt. That's the only sartorial enforcement I've been aware of in over 10 years at that particular church.

I heard from a friend who was there that the person in charge of the kids' stream at New Wine once had to have it explained gently that his "bring your daughter to the slaughter" t-shirt was inappropriate.
 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
The church I go to has everyone coming (not the vicar, curates, musicians, etc) dressed in whatever they feel comfortable in and not "formally" in any way. We are never told what to wear. And a man could be dressed in female clothes and a woman in male clothes. Some children sometimes are dressed in angel clothes.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
People used to wear smart clothes to my church - the men with ties and some of the women with hats. I remember when the last hat wearer (a woman in her 40s) joined the choir, so wore a uniform and dropped the hat. Since then, the trend has been towards more casual clothing for anyone not in the chancel or sanctuary, although older worshippers often still tend to wear jacket and tie and women wearing smarter skirts than they perhaps would on weekdays.
 

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Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
I dress smart during the week for work and casually at the weekend, including for church. Long shorts (not dress) would be fine, and t-shirt. I wouldn't wear just a singlet alone, though I might wear one to and from church and throw a light shirt over for the service.

I can see myself dressing up for church when I'm older and am not dressing smart during the week!
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Newcomers and visitors to my church tend to dress more smartly than regulars, possibly because it's an Abbey and people think this is what is required of such a place. Older (over 70ish) regulars tend to dress smarter than they would during the week, but most other people wear whatever they feel comfortable in or what will suit their previous/next activity (mucking out stables, fishing, gardening, sailing). I don't recall any cross-dressing occurrences, but I can't see it being a problem. Less than 1% will wear a hat, although that sometimes changes when it gets colder. One of our communion servers (no uniform) occasionally wears a lovely sparkly blouse which picks up the spotlights very well. I wish I could have been at a recent big gipsy wedding (along the lines of the C4 series) because, from what I've heard, regular church dress codes were certainly stretched although everyone was dressed magnificently.
 

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Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :
 
No dress code as such at our place: some wear shorts in summer, which is something i can never bruing myself to do. (In my fogey youth I never felt able to wear plus fours to the college chapel, either, and not because, as you might think, all right minded people would have laughed me to scorn. )
Slight tangent: when we moved to Cardiff from south London some 10 years ago, there was a womens clothes shop in a fairly upmarket (and rather white) suburban shopping street that advertised 'Caribbean wedding wear'. It took me some time to work out that, to my disappointment, this meant what you wear to go and get married on the beach in Barbados rather than the kind of vibrant colours, leg of mutton sleeves and big hats that I'd seen West Indian ladies wearing to weddings etc where we'd come from.
 

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Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:
Is there a written, or Unwritten, dress code for worshippers at your church?

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Pyjamas and sometimes a drip-stand.

I'm a hospital chaplain.
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
I thought the sermon was a bit pompous.

I tend to dress casually because I feel 'at home in the Lord's house'

Most people over 50 dress casually at our place but the teenagers and 20 somethings tend to wear suits.

An odd generation divide.
 

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Posted by ken (# 2460) on :
 
I can't say I've been taking notes, but my feeling about our congregation is that there are ethnic differences overlaid on the class ones. White people and Asians tend (with many exceptions) to dress down - jeans and trainers and T shirts quite common; older West Indians tend to dress up, younger ones dress down; and Africans (the majority of the congregation) are very varied. Nigerians will wear shiny colourful robes on special occasions, which can get quite spectacular.
 

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Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Firenze:
Years ago when I went to Friends' Meeting, the dress code seemed to be flannel check shirts and shoes like Cornish pasties. And the men the same.

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quote:

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Originally posted by no prophet:
Any given Sunday there will be people in suit and tie, dresses, sweat pants, in summer: shorts, T-shirts and thongs*. The main requirement for communion is that there may not be gum in your mouth - yes, this has come up.


*The young people claim thongs are to be called flip-flops and that the word thong means very skimpy flimsies, but I don't agree.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:

I raise this because during a web search for something totally different I came across
This sermon on EWTN the global Catholic network with very clear views on dress code.

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quote:

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Originally posted by shamwari:
And I wonder how many shipmates would not dress up were they invited to an audience with the Queen at Buck Palace.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Adeodatus:

quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:
Is there a written, or Unwritten, dress code for worshippers at your church?

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Pyjamas and sometimes a drip-stand.

I'm a hospital chaplain.

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Despite being very thankful not to need a hospital Chaplin, I would like to attend church in my pjs. Especially the 8am service because it'd be easier to go back to bed afterwards!
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I wear jeans and a T shirt, but I make sure they are my best jeans.



[ 13. September 2012, 20:11: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
This has come into my mind as I've been seeing what some people wear in our church - the Africans often wear their beautiful African clothes, and the Chinese ones and others wear theirs, and so do the Indian ones - I wear my Indian clothes too at times. But it's not mainly "formal" clothes. And hats when it's cold are often, as are extra warm clothes. And shoes are the walking/exercise ones.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
On Sunday morning you will see everything from shorts and T shirts, to suits and dresses. Most are some place in between.
 

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Posted by Jigsaw (# 11433) on :
 
It may be just me, but I'm imagining that when Fr Dominic wrote his homily he was getting just a little - over-excited, shall we say? - as he framed his fulsome descriptions of women's thighs, arms, knees and other body parts.
 

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Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
The only incident I can recall was of servers and choir members being asked to wear appropriate shoes when robed. This was because we had a couple of youngsters who kept turning up with thongs on their feet - not a good image during the processional. At another church near mine I was horrified to hear of a minister who would take the service in old and dirty gardening clothes and refused to robe at all. His congregation eventually took him to task as they felt he needed to dress properly when he came to work.
 

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Posted by ChastMastr (# 716) on :
 
I have never bothered about any presumed "dress codes" at any church I have ever been to, and never will. And anyone trying to badger me into such a thing would get an earful.

I haven't generally worn my leather to most services, though, as I don't want to frighten the natives. But as far as "formal" "informal" and the like go, I'm quite happy with shorts and a t-shirt most of the time.

As for thongs, yes, I'd be quite pleased to attend Eventhong.

(And I would think sandals/flip-flips would look more appropriate with robes rather than less.)
 

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Posted by QuietMBR (# 8845) on :
 
I wear clothing. People appreciate that.
 

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Posted by Spiffy (# 5267) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by shamwari:
And I wonder how many shipmates would not dress up were they invited to an audience with the Queen at Buck Palace.

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quote:

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Originally posted by John Holding:
Meanwhile, back at the sermon, I found it interesting that the preacher seemed only to be concerned about women's wear -- no comments that I could see about men arriving immodestly dressed -- in very tight cycling shorts, for example, or without a top on.

Or perhaps he thought that male immodesty is an oxymoron.

JOhn

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quote:

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Originally posted by shamwari:

And I wonder how many shipmates would not dress up were they invited to an audience with the Queen at Buck Palace.

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I would not!
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by no prophet:

*The young people claim thongs are to be called flip-flops and that the word thong means very skimpy flimsies, but I don't agree.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Percy

It is back to St Paul and his statement that women should have their heads covered. He implies pretty strongly in the same that men should not!

Jengie

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quote:

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Originally posted by QuietMBR:
I wear clothing. People appreciate that.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:

quote:

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Percy

It is back to St Paul and his statement that women should have their heads covered. He implies pretty strongly in the same that men should not!

Jengie

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Thanks Jengie.

But he was a Jew and Jewish men, at least today, wear hats at worship (I think) . . .

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quote:

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A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Percy

It is back to St Paul and his statement that women should have their heads covered. He implies pretty strongly in the same that men should not!

Jengie

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quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:

quote:

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Percy

It is back to St Paul and his statement that women should have their heads covered. He implies pretty strongly in the same that men should not!

Jengie

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Thanks Jengie.

But he was a Jew and Jewish men, at least today, wear hats at worship (I think) . . .

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quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:

quote:

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Percy

It is back to St Paul and his statement that women should have their heads covered. He implies pretty strongly in the same that men should not!

Jengie

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Thanks Jengie.

But he was a Jew and Jewish men, at least today, wear hats at worship (I think) . . .

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quote:

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Originally posted by Holjo:
The most curious rule I have come across as a musician playing in church bands, is where women members / singers were encouraged to wear a version of masking tape across their nipples as the the stage lights had the potential effect to leave our female colleagues somewhat exposed.........totally mad , but true

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quote:

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Originally posted by Hugal:
...I have taken to wearing a cap (baseball style) to church. No one has asked me to take it off.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Holjo:
women members / singers were encouraged to wear a version of masking tape across their nipples as the the stage lights had the potential effect to leave our female colleagues somewhat exposed.........totally mad , but true

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The maddest thing about this is the idea of 'stage lights' in church, especially focussed on the singers.
 

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Posted by Augustine the Aleut (# 1472) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Albertus:

quote:

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Originally posted by Hugal:
...I have taken to wearing a cap (baseball style) to church. No one has asked me to take it off.

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I don't wish to be rude, but why do you wear a cap indoors? Personal taste, I suppose, but it's something I just can't get. Then, I'm the sort of person who quite often- not invariably- takes my cap off when I pop into the corner shop on my way home.

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I would no more wear a hat inside a church than I would sit without one in a synagogue. However, an arguement might be made if the cap had no insignia on the front, so that there be no mistaking idolatry toward the Toronto Maple Leafs or whatever the favoured team might be, as the Golden Calf has been replaced as a source of non-Yahwist worship by professional sports.

A friend who sings in a local Presbyterian choir confirms the necessity for nipple tape, owing to the lighting at that church. Two of us at the table exclaimed that we had no idea that Presbyterians have nipples and were rewarded with a Jenny Geddes glare.
 

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Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :
 
This hat issue is one that causes frustration to our wardens. Being of the older generation they are of a time when men doffed their caps at authority and would not wear them in church.

Those times have long been forgotten by youngsters and youths frequently come into church with hats of different sorts on.

The wardens wage a war against this habit and are always asking the youths to remove their hats; the youths genuinely don’t understand what is going on and feel ‘got at,’ as the wardens don’t feel the need to tell adults that they are inappropriately dressed. So they will often remove their hats, only to put them on again when the wardens have moved on, the wardens then become apoplectic.
The wardens see gross disrespect; the youths feel even more that church is a strange place where they are not welcome.
The vicar has tried to explain that it is a culture difference and not disrespect. However the wardens genuinely can’t see that times have changed. They think it obvious that people know hats are not worn indoors or in church and are taken off as a sign of respect.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
We had a little boy turn up to church today in a Firefighter Outfit. It was pleasing to see that, in case of emergency, we were all in safe hands.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Zacchaeus:
This hat issue is one that causes frustration to our wardens. Being of the older generation they are of a time when men doffed their caps at authority and would not wear them in church ...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Augustine the Aleut:
A friend who sings in a local Presbyterian choir confirms the necessity for nipple tape, owing to the lighting at that church. Two of us at the table exclaimed that we had no idea that Presbyterians have nipples and were rewarded with a Jenny Geddes glare.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

quote:

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Originally posted by Zacchaeus:
This hat issue is one that causes frustration to our wardens. Being of the older generation they are of a time when men doffed their caps at authority and would not wear them in church ...

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You may recall that, in its early years, the BBC decided not to broadcast Royal Weddings or Armistice Day services for fear that they "might even be heard by persons in public houses with their hats on".

Presumably not women ... for no respectable woman would be seen in such a place!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Zacchaeus:
This hat issue is one that causes frustration to our wardens. Being of the older generation they are of a time when men doffed their caps at authority and would not wear them in church.

Those times have long been forgotten by youngsters and youths frequently come into church with hats of different sorts on.

The wardens wage a war against this habit and are always asking the youths to remove their hats; the youths genuinely don’t understand what is going on and feel ‘got at,’ as the wardens don’t feel the need to tell adults that they are inappropriately dressed. So they will often remove their hats, only to put them on again when the wardens have moved on, the wardens then become apoplectic.
The wardens see gross disrespect; the youths feel even more that church is a strange place where they are not welcome.
The vicar has tried to explain that it is a culture difference and not disrespect. However the wardens genuinely can’t see that times have changed. They think it obvious that people know hats are not worn indoors or in church and are taken off as a sign of respect.

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Has the vicar tried explaining to the yoofs that it is a sign of respect for a man to remove his hat in church, and that at any rate failing to do so causes- unintntional- distress to some other members of the congregation, so in the spirit of respecting tender consciences of others if nothing else, would they be understanding of this and remove their headgear?
 

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Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :
 
Sorry I should have been clearer it is not regular members but is something that happens actually during baptism services. When the church is full of non members and the vicar is taking the baptism.

The vicar has tried to explain to the wardens, that this is not about disrespect but about culture, these youngsters are several generations removed from knowing the wardens hat etiquette.

The wardens insist that ‘everybody knows you don't wear hats in church’ and have even been known to walk up behind young people and remove their hats for them
 

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Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :
 
That is just not on. I'm a churchwarden and would never remove caps like that - surely it just reinforces negative views of the church?

I remember some TV programme a few years back when that happened to some boys who had ventured into a church. They had just sat down, their baseball caps were snatched off their heads, so they got up and strode out again.
 

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Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :
 
The rule is not about wearing hats, but having the head covered during worship. I hope they are equally diligent at removing toupees from the older men.
 

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Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :
 
I agree pine marten, that's what i was saying about reinforcing these young peoples notions, that we are wierd people and they are not welcome
 

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Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :
 
Yes, sorry, I see that now. Though I am of the older generation, being of pensionable age but not, I hope, a miserable old bag.
 

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Posted by venbede (# 16669) on :
 
You certainly aren't, Pine.
 

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Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :
 
Thanks!
 

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Posted by Percy B (# 17238) on :
 
I came across a friend's church in the US which has a 'pyjama' Sunday. People attend in pyjamas. I think it's to allow young people who want to lie in to come as they are.

This seems an example of a church suggesting a dress code for a particular Sunday.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We normally have folks dressed in their finest for church. Unfortunately, the A/C hasn't been working most of the summer, and the sanctuary is really hot. The choir are robeless right now, which has never been done before. Some of the ladies are wearing dresses and jackets to look nice, with streams of sweat rolling down their faces. Two of the men are wearing suits. Just looking at them gives me heat rash.

I wish we could have an understanding that nice, summer-weight clothing is a good alternative to fainting in the choir loft.
 

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Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Suitable/appropriate attire for church = seemly.

Agree, most posters more concerned about women's attire than men's - curious?

For weddings, I've noticed that guests (and some brides) are wearing less and less. Strapless dresses for all are now de rigeur: most amusing to watch half the congregation shivering like whippets beause they haven't allowed for being in an unheated stone box and unable to move about to generate heat for 45 minutes or so.

Generally speaking, I'd say that strapless wedding dresses are not a good idea - looks very tacky on all but the very slimmest.
 

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Posted by HenryT (# 3722) on :
 
I recall one of my predecessors as church warden getting near-apoplectic at a teenage visitor who was wearing a baseball cap. I didn't think the incident reflected well on anyone.

We're fairly mixed; I often wear precisely what I'd wear to the office, usually golf shirt and maybe reasonably good jeans. Now and then I've worn shorts to church. Some few wear suits, shirts and ties or smart dresses. Kids wear whatever. I've worn my kilt to church, but maybe not this parish, I can't actually remember. I certainly wore my kilt to my wedding at the cathedral.

I remember a baptism where I nearly suffocated in the moth ball smell coming off someone's good jacket he'd got out for the occasion.
 

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Posted by Percy B (# 17238) on :
 
As well as seemly dress it seems to me that some churches have a more specific code. For example I would imagine some -albeit few- churches still require ladies to have their head covered.

In writing this I wondered if any of the women of the royal family had ever been seen in church with their heads not covered. I simply do not know the answer to that one.
 

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Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :
 
A warden snatching a hat off someone's head is rude and disrespectful. A man wearing a hat in church is also rude and disrespectful.

I see nothing wrong with the usher quietly, apologetically, asking the young man to take his hat off as he enters; "I'm terribly sorry, but it is our custom to show respect for God's house by removing our hats."

Surely that isn't too awfully weird and unwelcoming. Same goes for another lady quietly asking Miss Trampstamp to cover up a bit. "You're so pretty, I'm afraid it distracts the boys."

I think we sometimes try too hard to make the young people feel comfy. Church isn't supposed to be the same as the pub on Saturday night. It loses some of it's mystique if we make it so. There may be a few young people who refuse to go if they have to wear clothes or whatever but then think of all the ones who won't bother to come back if Church just seems the same as the local hang out, only with a sermon.

Where did we ever get the idea that young people don't like beautiful music or bit of formality and elegance?
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Twilight:
A warden snatching a hat off someone's head is rude and disrespectful. A man wearing a hat in church is also rude and disrespectful.

I see nothing wrong with the usher quietly, apologetically, asking the young man to take his hat off as he enters; "I'm terribly sorry, but it is our custom to show respect for God's house by removing our hats."

Surely that isn't too awfully weird and unwelcoming. Same goes for another lady quietly asking Miss Trampstamp to cover up a bit. "You're so pretty, I'm afraid it distracts the boys."

I think we sometimes try too hard to make the young people feel comfy. Church isn't supposed to be the same as the pub on Saturday night. It loses some of it's mystique if we make it so. There may be a few young people who refuse to go if they have to wear clothes or whatever but then think of all the ones who won't bother to come back if Church just seems the same as the local hang out, only with a sermon.

Where did we ever get the idea that young people don't like beautiful music or bit of formality and elegance?

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I've seen many more middle aged people in tracksuits in church than I have young people in very casual clothes.
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I only started going to my church last week and there was a problem with the boiler so everyone had to keep their coats on during the service. However from what I could see, it was mostly 50+, lower-middle-class people in slacks or calf-length skirts with a blouse for women, smart trousers with shirt but mostly no ties for men. One slightly younger couple (40somethings I think) wore jeans and fleeces. I was in a dress and thick cardigan with Dr Marten boots. All acolytes/servers/readers in robes.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
Casual. But this is

a) Australia, and
b) tropical Australia


 

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Posted by Pulsator Organorum Ineptus (# 2515) on :
 
On the rare occasions I wear headgear (and it will be either a sun-hat or a woolly hat) I instinctively take it off on entering any building. I am sure I must have had it drummed into me when I was a child that boys and men do not wear hats indoors.
 

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Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Twilight:
A warden snatching a hat off someone's head is rude and disrespectful. A man wearing a hat in church is also rude and disrespectful.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Pulsator Organorum Ineptus:
On the rare occasions I wear headgear (and it will be either a sun-hat or a woolly hat) I instinctively take it off on entering any building. I am sure I must have had it drummed into me when I was a child that boys and men do not wear hats indoors.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Angloid:
Who was it who wrote 'American detectives never remove their hats/ When investigating murders in other peoples' flats.'

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quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
Nothing wrong with clean trainers under robes - I gave up black shoes in favour of trainers when our curate did.

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Please get out the smelling salts for Miss Amanda!
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
we're very laid back up here. t-shirts, flannels, jeans, carhartts, and variations on the practical boot theme are standard. a dress would look out of place except on a high holiday. most attendees at weddings and funerals will also be dressed in "practical" clothes. I attended one this summer in a dress and Xtratufs and fit right in.

which gives context to: my former priest is a really brilliant man. Transcendent moments in the pews regularly. amazing guy. BUT - he wears grandpa sweaters over the rattiest jeans possible with converse tennies in the summer and shoe packs in the winter. I always loved spotting the frayed cuffs and untied sneaks under his robes.

he also use to smoke rollies right after the service. total class act. When he took over our (fairly urban, therefore slightly more buttoned up) parish, there was some scandalized little old ladies! it's been 20 some years now and he's universally adored, ratty sneaks or no.
 

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Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 
I'm free when he leaves . Though I don't do rollies, these days.
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
neither does he, anymore. I suspect you'd fit right in, Zaps.
 

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Posted by mertide (# 4500) on :
 
Zappa - check the weather reports
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Yes! It's cold there in mid-summer! (A refreshing change from my neck of the woods at that time.)

We may possibly get to wear choir robes this Sunday! It was all the way down to 67.9 F this morning! WooHoo! Plus, a new AC is being installed in the sanctuary. 90+ degrees is a bit warm for semi-formal wear.
 

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Posted by Augustine the Aleut (# 1472) on :
 
As I was hurrying on my way to an appointment this morning and as the first snow of the season began to fall, a man in a toga was seen exiting S Patrick's basilica with other worshippers. At least he was not wearing a baseball cap.
 

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Posted by Percy B (# 17238) on :
 
Some churches have red as dress code for Pentecost as a bit of fun.

Is this done for any other Sundays. I guess the best on Easter Day is common in some churches - maybe especially black led churches - who do seem more conservative in dress.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
We are encouraged to wear red for Pentecost, and white and gold for Easter, Christmas and Christ the King. Red is hard for men - not many here would buy a red sports jacket - but white shirts and a gold or bright yellow tie are easy enough to manage.
 

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Posted by Percy B (# 17238) on :
 
That's a good suggestion for Easter, and also for Christ the King. I take it you are Anglican?

I know it was a tradition to buy new clothes for Easter, or at least to make a special effort. I think this is a good idea to mark the special day. After all we often dress up for family events such as weddings or christenings, so why not for The Lord!
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
In Launceston, Cornwall, the children throw stones up onto the statue of St. Mary Magdalene - in a bid to get new clothes. If the stone lodged there without falling off, it was a sign they would soon be given their new clothes. That sounds too easy, doesn't it? But you have to turn around when throwing the stone so you can't see where it lands. (Sounds like a perfect excuse to how a window got broken to me, but there we are - if you visit the church you can see the pile of stones which were successful.)
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I believe it was also traditional to have new clothes for Whitsun?
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
This reminds me of an Emo Phillips sketch about a bunny suit (I suppose it might have been a bit like Comet's Panda suit, on other threads). He tried it on, liked it, asked the sales assistant 'But when would I get the chance to wear it?'
Assistant 'How about Easter?'
Emo Phillips (lugubriously) 'I guess she attends a different church than I do'.

Or words to that effect.

Mrs. S, racking her brains for the actual words he used
 

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Posted by The Sainted Percy (# 17388) on :
 
Dress code? Officially there isn't one, practically. enough tweed and pearls to put Country Life to shame.

What an interesting custom! Love 'em.

[ 30. October 2012, 15:20: Message edited by: The Sainted Percy ]
 

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Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Welcome Percy! I do try to wear a red polo shirt when appropriate, but I have not worn a necktie in this century which is since I converted to Roman Catholicism. I will generally preserve my short-sleeved (Corvette) yellow shirt for Easter.
 

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Posted by Cthulhu (# 16186) on :
 
CLOTHE YOURSELF IN DESPAIR AS ALL HOPE ABANDONS YOU!
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 

 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Welcome to The Ship Cthulhu.

I am sure you will fit in perfectly - but perhaps less of the shouty capitals, hmmm?

Firenze
Heaven Host

[ 31. October 2012, 07:26: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 

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Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Gee D:
We are encouraged to wear red for Pentecost, and white and gold for Easter, Christmas and Christ the King. Red is hard for men - not many here would buy a red sports jacket - but white shirts and a gold or bright yellow tie are easy enough to manage.

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We have in the past been encouraged by our priest to wear pink for Gaudete Sunday, to match his nice rose-coloured (pink!) vestments .
 

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Posted by Percy B (# 17238) on :
 
Oh my - I wonder how many actually wore pink!

Although we seem to say we are relaxed about dress code I have my suspicion many of us, and many of our churches have a limit. Rome churches have signs up often of no bare arms and no shorts. Although I have not seen signs in churches in England I still feel there are unwritten expectations that form dress codes.

Certainly in some churches that seems true of sidemen and church wardens who dress smartly. I think in some cathedrals sidemen wear morning suits.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:
Certainly in some churches that seems true of sidemen and church wardens who dress smartly...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Albertus:
Slight tangent: when we moved to Cardiff from south London some 10 years ago, there was a womens clothes shop in a fairly upmarket (and rather white) suburban shopping street that advertised 'Caribbean wedding wear'. It took me some time to work out that, to my disappointment, this meant what you wear to go and get married on the beach in Barbados rather than the kind of vibrant colours, leg of mutton sleeves and big hats that I'd seen West Indian ladies wearing to weddings etc where we'd come from.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Manipled Mutineer:

quote:

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Originally posted by Albertus:
Slight tangent: when we moved to Cardiff from south London some 10 years ago, there was a womens clothes shop in a fairly upmarket (and rather white) suburban shopping street that advertised 'Caribbean wedding wear'. It took me some time to work out that, to my disappointment, this meant what you wear to go and get married on the beach in Barbados rather than the kind of vibrant colours, leg of mutton sleeves and big hats that I'd seen West Indian ladies wearing to weddings etc where we'd come from.

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Not Albany Road, perchance?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Polly Plummer:
Yes, Percy B, my Dad used to be a wandsman (sidesman) at St. Paul's Cathedral and certainly in his time they all wore morning suits.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Manipled Mutineer:
I have yet to pesuade my wife and daughter to adopt the mantilla, though on the other hand Christmas is coming up...

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A nice glass of mantilla is quite a cheering aperitif for Christmas dinner.
 

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Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:

quote:

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Originally posted by Polly Plummer:
Yes, Percy B, my Dad used to be a wandsman (sidesman) at St. Paul's Cathedral and certainly in his time they all wore morning suits.

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Thanks for confirming that Polly. I take it then that (if it still exists at St Paul's) means the Cathedral supply the mourning suits, and so at least for these chaps apply a very definite dress code!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Angloid:

quote:

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Originally posted by Manipled Mutineer:
I have yet to pesuade my wife and daughter to adopt the mantilla, though on the other hand Christmas is coming up...

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A nice glass of mantilla is quite a cheering aperitif for Christmas dinner.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Manipled Mutineer:
From that I made some sort of mental link between church and new clothes such that even to this day I try and make sure to wear my new clothes to church first.

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An interesting quirk, which I confess that I share (not because of childhood experience parallel to MM, however). An isolated but harmless bit of OCD, or is it perhaps not so uncommon?
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Now I've stopped work, my skirts and jackets would never get worn at all if it wasn't for Sundays and church. So, even though I go straight into the choir vestry and put on a cassock, I get dressed up to go to church in the first place. (And then try not to spill coffee or Sunday lunch all down them, so they are still clean for Evensong.)
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Our music group, by which I mean the pianist and I (guitarist), turned up to play this morning wearing coordinating T-shirt/scarf combos this morning. This has happened before with three of us arriving in liturgical purple.

Does anyone else have this weird psychic power (you'll have to imagine the Twilight Zone theme I'm afraid; I have no idea how to type it )? Also, is there a part of the church year covered by teal?
 

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Posted by Galilit (# 16470) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
Also, is there a part of the church year covered by teal?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Percy B:

quote:

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Originally posted by Angloid:

quote:

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Originally posted by Manipled Mutineer:
I have yet to pesuade my wife and daughter to adopt the mantilla, though on the other hand Christmas is coming up...

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A nice glass of mantilla is quite a cheering aperitif for Christmas dinner.

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I have only once seen the mantilla regularly in use in a Church of England church, in Cambridge by a young Anglo Catholic lady, many years ago.

Is it found today in some of the rarefied A C shrines such as Bourne Street?

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