You read that right!
Cupcakes, we’ve all had our moments in RidiculousLand, haven’t we? For PeaceBang, it was officiating at a wedding on a little ship in Baltimore Harbor and trying not to tip over in her wedge sandals as she pronounced the happy couple husband and wife … and then realizing to her great dismay that she was stuck on the Love Boat until the entire reception was over. I almost jumped overboard and swam for it!
For Stephanie, it was being asked to offer a blessing at a car show in her town (or perhaps for her congregation? I wasn’t clear, but we all have our nutty traditions).
She sent me these photos to provide a perfect example of What To Wear At Extremely Informal Events.
(We had to include this photo for the optical illusion that, in Stephanie’s own words, “I have an American flag growing out of the top of my head.”)
Stephanie has a very chic short haircut. She looks lovely overall. My only recommendation would be to switch up the blue jeans for a pair of black jeans. YES, even for a car show, I think the blue denim is too casual and that the whole effect of the military-style jacket (which I LOVE!) and clerical collar would be better served with a pair of darker pants.
I think the untucked, form-fitting clergy shirt and form-fitting jacket are young and fresh and decidedly unfrumpy. The boots are great. But because the elements of the outfit are quite modern and youthful, Stephanie needs a bit of balance, which I would suggest come through her pants choice. I would have put her in either a pair of dark trousers with a wider leg (not “too big on her” but something with a bit of a bootleg quality or wider leg) or in a pair of black jeans.
A good general rule for the young hotties out there: wearing an outfit of all fitted garments can be a bit de trop. Because you have this TERRIBLE PROBLEM of being SO GORGEOUS for which we ALL HAVE GREAT PITY AND COMPASSION (*cough*), do add some professional balance by adding a bit of volume either on top or on bottom. This isn’t to say that you should obscure your figure, and this isn’t just a clergy recommendation: it’s about elegance and polish. If you’ve got a really fitted skirt, make sure your tops aren’t that snug. If you’ve got really fitted top, add some volume at the waistline and below. It creates a really great sillhouette and is actually a great trick for all of us.
Another basic BTFM recommendation for women is to never wear jeans to any blessing, no matter how informal. It makes the rest of the outfit that much easier to choose. Guys, I would say that you can generally wear jeans with a sports jacket but not without one. That’s just how PeaceBang rolls. I mean, if you’re blessing a Harley rally or something, knock yourself out, but you know what I mean. Stephanie is a young, mainstream Protestant pastor. If she was doing a biker ministry or blessing cars on a regular basis, I’d say that she needed bigger-badder-a** boots with chains on them. But she’s not, so she doesn’t.
Stephanie, thanks for sharing your beautiful self! I hope the cars are all sufficiently consecrated now for whatever their work in the world is.
OK, when I saw this was about blessing cars… I couldn’t resist the urge go go hunting for this tale, which I’m sure you’ve heard before. (Text lifted from a comment elsewhere a few years ago):
A man spent his life savings on a new Ferrari. It was incredibly important to him so he decided that it would be appropriate to have the fine vehicle blessed. He placed a phone call to a Catholic Priest and said “Father, I have spent my life savings on a beautiful Ferrari. Would you please give it a blessing?
The Father hesitated for a moment and then asked “What is a Ferrari?”
The man thought that if a Priest did not know what a Ferrari was he could not appreciate the exquisite engineering and excellent road handling abilities of the car and politely told the Priest that he would look elsewhere.
He next called a Jewish Rabbi. “What’s a Ferrari?” the Rabbi asked. Again, he decided to look elsewhere.
He then called a Unitarian Minister. “Minister, I have spent my life savings on a beautiful Ferrari. Would you please give it a blessing?
The Unitarian hesitated momentarily and replied “What’s a blessing?”
I love the haircut!
At occasions like this I love wearing dark(!!)blue Jeans. Maybe not with a black jacket (I love the one on the photo too)but some other colour on top.
Gosh, LOVE that haircut. Maybe one day I’ll have the cajones to try that myself.
I think this outfit really is perfect for this. I think her age makes the blue denim trickier (since she looks on the young side), but the outfit is perfect for the occasion. Maybe the denim with a jewel-tone off-fabric (tweed, velvet, etc) blazer? I do like the military-style jacket in the car context, though… Tricky!
I LOVE the clergy shirt– I have heard horror stories about trying to find clergy shirts that are shaped for women, but this one seems PERFECT. Can she share with us her source? [She said it was from WomanSpirit! – PB]
I think Stephanie looks great–I even think the jeans are OK. Way to go young rev!
Stephanie looks great- I’m even OK with the jeans. Way to go young rev!
It’s tricky – I think she looks really great, but maybe the pants are a bit too informal. At the same time I think black pants would be too much. I think Chavale’s idea of a dark, dressy denim is the perfect balance!
I really want to know what consecrated cars are like 🙂
I have that same shirt from WomenSpirit and it does, in fact, rock. I love it.
I like her jeans, especially in that setting. I tend to wear jeans pretty often, but the very dark wash, slightly more formal kind (right now the Gap’s 1969 jeans are a great fit and, although I can only afford one pair, they’re worth it).
And I am breaking the last commandment with my lust for that jacket. Well done, Stephanie.
When I read this, it reminded me of when the Pope blessed all those cars. I can’t remember which kind it was.
but about this post, I think jeans are a BIG NO NO. I suppose black ones would be okay. But I am definitely against the ones in the photo, way too informal.
Thanks,
Thanks for posting this, PB!
I just wanted to say a couple of things about the event I was attending. This event was an old fashioned car show held in the church parking lot on a Saturday morning. It was used as a fundraiser for the church. There were 39 (fancy and shiny) old cars, the youth group sold hot dogs and pretzels, and I was there to say an invocation. I didn’t actually bless any of the cars. I opened the fundraiser by saying a brief prayer (which for you Lutherans out there – is not in the occasional service book that I am holding – I just thought I should put my half sheet of paper in something).
Now to talk about the jeans: while I may agree with the darker denim option, let’s remember that I am an intern, a vicar, a recent seminary graduate with lots of money to pay back i.e. I am poor. So, splurging for a $40 something clergy shirt is a stretch for me let alone purchasing another pair of jeans (which is something I barely wear nowadays except for on my day off). I think that these jeans fit nicely, look stylish with a jacket and boots, are not stained or torn, and are already in my closet.
Also, if I showed up in something other than jeans to this event I think I would have been quite over dressed. The lay people/staff who were volunteering at the event were wearing bright blue t-shirts and jeans. This outfit was offered to me before the event but I opted to go with something that I believed to be a little more formal than an XL t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.
And thanks to all of you who commented on my hair! I’ve been having a love/hate relationship with it as of late and have been debating over growing it out. Thanks so much!
Stephanie
PS-I believe I purchased this jacket from Target about three or four years ago.
Target is an awesome place to shop. I just bought a brand new sport coat from there on the clearance rack for $4.95 and it fits me perfectly. Yes I say again, Fourt Dollars and Ninety Five cents.
It’s amazing what you can buy at Target or Even Walmart. You will look like you buy your stuff at Macy’s or even Lord & Taylor.
You can look expensive with very little money.
Chuck
Four Dollars and Ninety Five Cents.
Chuck
Steph, you look so cute! Thanks for sharing. And I’m considering printing out that second picture next time I get my hair cut…
But Peacebang, didn’t you know that every year in Daytona Beach, during Biketoberfest and Bike Week, there are churches that join forces and bless motorcycles? It’s VERY popular over there. Unfortunately, I don’t think the local UU society there gets involved. It’s just the Christian churches that do this, it seems.
Could the city of Daytona encourage you to come down for Bike Week one year and do some UU blessings for Harleys? 😀
Well, never mind. In my very tired state, I missed your comment about blessing Harleys.
:sigh: