Now listen, bunnies, it’s not your fault but we really need to talk about blouses. PeaceBang has noticed a disturbing trend in the wearing of severely inappropriate blouses among women in religious leadership, and she feels it’s time to do an intervention.
Who can blame us for being confused!? Have you seen the blouses out there in the career dressing departments this year? It’s as though we’ve all quit our respectable jobs and taken up full-time employment as Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan. Mixed in with the usual tailored offerings at Macy’s is all manner of sequins, cleavage, chiffon, charmeuse, bows, babydoll tops, puffy sleeved come-hither milkmaid tops, and a few items that I swear were stuck in there by Fredericks of Hollywood.
As a result, I’m seeing things like this on ministers and other people who should know much better:
It all started a few months ago when I saw a gal on a seminary campus dressed in a chiffon top with wide sleeves and some kind of glitter all over the low-cut collar. While part of me was overjoyed (because the usual outfit for women students on this campus is sweatshirts and sweatpants), I was a little bit embarrassed for her, as she looked not quite sure about her outfit, and was obviously dressed not for a day of work in ministry (or campus administration if that was the case), but for a cocktail party. Brava to her for trying to bring some color and drama into her look, but she needs some guidance, as do we all. This is not easy.
A few guiding tips to keep in mind when adding a touch of glamour or drama to your work outfit:
1. Dressier tops should be balanced by tailored skirts or slacks. If, for instance, you have a super-fashionable shirt like this one, pair it with clean lines in your trousers (only not as tight as this girl is wearing, for the love of Mary):
2. All of your blouses should provide good coverage. This is not only an issue of modesty (I assume you all know well enough to avoid Festivals of Inappropriate Sharing in the bosom area) but of style: sheer fabric on the arms is simply not appropriate for work. Nix the chiffon: save it for parties and weekend dinners with your pals.
3. If you’re drawn to shiny fabric (as in the charmeuse that is so popular right now), be sure that you have the figure for it and that again, you pair it with something chic and tailored. I think a touch of charmeuse beneath a blazer is a great look and can add a really great kick to an otherwise very generic outfit. How much snazzy fun is this?
Note that the great hair and rocking belt keep it sharp. If you wore this blouse with pleated chinos, drab hair and little earrings you’d be in Instant Granny Land. Accessories matter. A lot.
4. Just because a shirt is black does not mean it’s appropriate for a minister’s day-time wardrobe. Be careful for flouncy bows that drag the neckline down and create an overly-dressy and inappropriate look.
5. ASK FOR HELP MATCHING YOUR GARMENTS! If you’re not confident about how to wear a new dressy top, ask a saleswoman! Check the magazines! Some of the weirdest most off-putting outfits I’ve seen on clergy lately have obviously come about as a result of pairing a new, fashionable items with older, decidedly dowdier items. Think, for example, charmeuse tie-waist blouse with pleated pants and old, worn clogs. Painful. Think long, corduroy A-line skirt with empire waist chiffon blouse. These combinations are so jarringly wrong that believe me, pussycats, it is far, far better to stick with a look that’s out-of-date (say “classic!”) than to add au courant pieces to a wardrobe that hasn’t been updated since 1985. Fabrics, textures, lines and proportions have changed too drastically since then. If you want to update, stay away from “stylish” items and slowly incorporate newer versions of tailored classics. You can’t go wrong.
Here are two interesting blouses from Chadwick’s on-line catalog. Kind of nice. Definitely up-to-date and definitely priced for your pocketbook at under $40.
I could not believe the trouble I had finding shirts this year. I was saved by this store, who always seem to have reasonable and attractive work appropriate clothes.
Great to see this here, PB. I just went to Ann Taylor Loft’s fall sale today in hopes of finding a cute blouse or two to spruce up my wardrobe. Many were, as you describe, not up to professional snuff. I just don’t understand why designers and buyers think that respectable professional adult women are going to wear this cleavage-showing frou frou.
I did find a snappy and professional blazer on sale and a pair of dark dressy jeans, along with this dress (http://tinyurl.com/2vk7rq). I’m undecided about whether or not I’ll wear it professionally. (If not I’ll use it at parties and on dates.) My concerns are that it’s a little low-cut and high-hemmed. I’d be curious to know your thoughts on its propriety.
Thanks for keeping us all looking good!