Beauty Tips for Ministers

Dressing Out of Climate: In This Case, Hot

March 8, 2008 on 5:29 pm | In General Assembly/Conferences |

KJR asks today’s burning question (*snarf* forgive the pun):

Speaking of “The South” and “Looking Professional”, any ideas for dressing for a gathering held in South Florida in June without buying clothes we can’t use again?

For some reason, the faith group I belong to frequently schedules its annual meetings at times and places where the outdoors is either like an oven or a sauna! Most of our clergy don’t live in such climates and have lighter professional requirements in summers anyway. This may be why we tend to look frumpy at such gatherings — we don’t want to buy new clothing for a six-day gathering and most of our clothing for sauna weather is on the casual side. Yes, I know the object is not necessarily comfort, but those of us who do more than “glow” in the heat don’t look great in clothing too warm for the climate.

Oh gads, yes, this is a toughie!! PeaceBang lives in New England and remembers many a summer conference held in places like Phoenix, Nashville, Salt Lake City, and steamy-as-Hell (literally) St. Louis. What to pack, what in the name of Carmen Miranda to pack?

Cool, cotton layers. Prepare to iron. Bring nothing (or very minimal items) with prints and you’ll look 100% more classic while mixing and matching with ease. A little bottle of Febreze. Get a pedicure. Make sure hair and make-up are polished and that you have some nice accessories and a terrific bag (not a dingy tote) on hand and you’ve won half the battle.

Here’s a photo of me taken this winter looking very zaftig next to the ebony Aphrodite at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. See the blouse I’m wearing under my sweater? It’s incredibly light-weight cotton and would work fine with a white or black cotton skirt and nice wedge heels for a conference. I’d put on a tummy trimmer (I’m standing with my gut out as it is), add a long necklace and light cardigan for overly-chilly a/c’d rooms, and I’d definitely pack that for South Florida. So check your wardrobe for camisoles and nice, fitted T-shirts that you can pair with linen shirts or very light jackets worn over them. I have a short-sleeved pin-striped jacket shirt with three big buttons and a tucked waist that I wore almost every weekend to attend church in an un-air-conditioned space last year. Best purchase I made all year.

You may not have to shop for that much after all. If you’re on a light professional schedule over the summer and don’t own much by way of professional hot weather wear, make the most of accessories and key pieces from other seasons. Wear your black slimming trousers (NOT CAPRIS) with a camisole and a light blouse over that, and belt it with a slim metallic belt. Add some big hoop earrings, a pair of nice sandals and you’re good to go. There is NO NEED to wear pastels just because the majority of south Florida women are wearing them. The majority of South Florida women are retirees, not dynamic religious leaders. Similarly, stay away from florals and (*shudder*) palm tree or little flip-flop motifs.

I like to buy summer-wearable dresses (usually poly-rayon) and wear them in the winter with heavy sweaters and tights and boots. In the summer they can come out on their own. Simple, tailored cotton skirts can also be salvation for conferences. Use the brown one you bought in late fall, pair it with a cream-colored cardigan and light sandals, and make it summery.

If you have chunky upper arms as I do, look for short-sleeved tops that are ample around the armhole, or better yet, a 3/4 length sleeve. A nice light faux pashmina wrap (I get mine on the streets of NYC for $8 each) can cover a multitude of chub while keeping you from being chilled in the plenary sessions. They’re great on the plane, too.

Look for pieces year-round that will pack well and be conference-worthy, including fun accessories that can add some pizzazz to the basics. Always be thinking, and shopping, ahead. There’s nothing as satisfying as picking up a GA-appropriate blouse for $7.99 on the sales rack at Macy’s.

Be careful packing and unpack and hang everything up the second you get to your hotel room to save yourself ironing time.