Okay, so remember awhile back when I denounced vests as the Garment of the Devil and absolutely FORBADE you to wear them? It was here.
Right after I posted that, I got a great letter from the lovely Rev. Katherine Olson saying in effect, “I THINK you might actually be wrong about this, PB, because I am going to hesitantly suggest that I myself am wearing some pretty cute vests.” So I was like, “Girl, send me some photos! Let’s check you and your vest-wearing self out!”
So here she is! Doing ministry in Toledo, Ohio and being a mom to two little ones. Click on photos to enlarge:
Here, Katherine offers her own analysis of her look:
A word about my body language. My three year old took a picture of me in the driveway as we were leaving for church, and I am looking at him thinking, “Look at you, little photographer! You’re such a cutie! Mommy’s gonna pose for you!†So I do look a little dopey. This photo won’t end up on the congregation’s website.
Well, here is the vest, paired with a white clergy shirt underneath. Is it more of a cap-sleeved sweater? I wear this on days that I am teaching Sunday School, because it gives me freedom of movement. I can reach high without Constricting Jacket Arms, I can bend down to a child’s level without Skirt Coverage Issues. Although I wear a suit most Sundays, I think I’m at my frumpiest when I am teaching Sunday School in a suit and end up jacketless….and then the clergy shirt becomes untucked in a very unbecoming way. The vest keeps those clergy-shirt lumps under wraps. And as a mother of two young children who are attached to my hip at various points throughout Sunday morning, a washable outfit is a good alternative to a dry-clean only suit. I must admit I have never preached in this outfit without an alb and stole covering the outfit. Would I preach in this without the alb? In casual settings, I could see it working.
Overall assessment: It could be a little hippy-dippy, but I think the fact that I did my hair and makeup and paired it with a nice pair of black pants (and black flats, not pictured) mitigates the groovy 70’s vibe, steering it out of ‘shroom territory!! That said, it is a rather casual look, not appropriate for every occasion.
I think K.O. has a total grip on her image, how she needs her clothes to work for her, and a great sense of flair. Her hair and make-up alone communicate contemporary relevance, style and a sense of self as art. That vest she’s wearing – kind of edgy with the collar but it’s cute and I like it – is nothing like the usual frumpy vesticular situation I bemoan, so she totally gets a thumbs up for that. Her look is sort of vintage-y, and has an almost theatrical flair. She strikes me as interesting, slightly whimsical, wholesomely sexy, alive, approachable and warm. A great combination of qualities.
My only disagreement here is that this could not be a preaching outfit under most circumstances, except maybe on a campus at an informal worship service. This is not an outfit one would ever preach from the pulpit in; it’s just too casual.
Here she is in a suit, with the following self-analysis:
Photo Two: The Suit
I wear suits like this most Sundays. Did I notice that my sleeve was bunched up that morning? No, I did not! The jacket didn’t even see the inside of church last Sunday though, because it was SO HOT. But this photo leads me to a question I have had for awhile – what’s your take on pantyhose? The black hose felt a little fussy on such a hot day, and might have looked strange to others. On the other hand, should the congregation be treated to a view of the pastor’s bare legs as s/he preaches? Recently, I have had the urge to keep ’em covered, even though I wouldn’t call it inappropriate on others, in every circumstance. What are your thoughts?
This is such an interesting look, I really had to spend some time with it. On a purely technical level the line of the suit (very feminine with that open neckline and shawl collar) totally doesn’t work with a clerical collar, but Katherine is making it work and I’ll tell you why: her own angular hair cut and hair color work gorgeously with the lines of the ensemble, making what could have been disastrous on another clergy woman look really great on her. That’s called personal style, folks.
The suit is terrific: feminine, professional, fun, great color, great cut, and it fits her perfectly. The black opaque hose are too heavy for a hot day but I could see her wearing them in colder months with a little black boot-shoe. It’s SO hard when you’re wearing clericals with a suit like this! What does one do with her legs? Certainly Katherine is correct in assuming that one does not go bare-legged. Sheer hose don’t seem quite right when the top half of the body is so modestly covered up with the collar, but the heaviness of the tights really feels too much with the fabric of the suit. This is a situation where serious attention to detail makes a difference: I would recommend that Katherine find a pair of black hose that are NOT sheer, but that aren’t as dark and opaque as these, either. I’m frustrated because I can’t see her shoes and that makes all the difference, but I would do a round-toe pump with a nice retro heel with this suit. Something that suggests the 1940’s as the cut of the suit does. The fastest way to destroy her whole look would be to wear something cloggy like Danskos — a mistake I know she didn’t make, but that so many clergy women make — hideous! I also think she could do a high-heeled Mary Jane with this suit.
Now I want to go shoe shopping with Katherine!!
Anyway, dear Reverend, thanks so much for submitting these photos. You look marvelous and fun and lovely and I would absolutely be drawn to talk to you and learn more about your church if I saw you anywhere. Rock on with your fab self.
Kiss of peace, PB
For shirts that don’t pull out at the waist – go to WomenSpirit. Almy and others are so short – every time you raise your arms – they pull out.
Re: hose: I still say, wear a robe when you preach. Always appropriate for the pulpit, and your legs aren’t on display. Unlike men, who can wear the same black suit every week, women’s clothes are never ever neutral. That said, when not in the robe, I wouldn’t go with the black tights except in the dead of winter; sheer hose, either black or nude, with a black shoe maybe? In the summer I wear separates (skirt, blouse, jacket) but I am not obliged to wear clericals and that does make a difference.
Cute!
I’m in a tradition where preaching is ALWAYS done in an alb or cassock so that’d be totally appropriate for preaching. I take such sweaters OFF though before robing or risk the mid service fainting threat.
Maybe its because of where I serve (Austin, TX) but I haven’t seen ANYONE (and I mean that literally) wear pantyhose in years. I have never worn a pair down here with a suit. Wearing them would be screaming “I’m from the North, I’m not one of you, I’m FRUMPY.”
And since they are the most horribly uncomfortable things ever invented by men (because no WAY a woman invented those things) I have GLADLY ditched them. I’m afraid they look really really odd to me under that suit. If I was in a cultural area that demanded hose I’d go with nude, the black look like tights and tights to me are girlish. But that may be Austin talking.
Thanks to Rev. Katherine for giving us a good example of vest wearing.
And, I have to say, I agree with Josephine on the pantyhose issue. I do not think that we have to wear pantyhose or tights, and it is seen as old fashioned and outdated. (I live in Ohio by the way.)
I just don’t see why legs are considered either too ugly or too sexy just the way they are. This seems like an outdated view of women. We don’t cover our ankles with long skirts anymore, so I don’t get covering our legs. And really, how are sheer pantyhose that different than bare legs?
Also, before we judge someone for not wearing tights or pantyhose, not everyone can wear them. For instance, some people with severe eczema can’t wear them. I don’t think we should then have to only wear pants because of an allergy.
You may all shoot me now, but I do preach in dresses (I don’t usually wear a robe) with nothing on my legs, and sometimes even peep toed shoes.
Oh no, I have broken the covered legs and covered toes rules 🙂 (We had a long discussion in seminary about opened toed shoes once.) [Me, too. My own thing about bare legs is to make sure the skirt is below the knee if I’m going without hose. The formality of a suit seems to call for some kind of hose. Separates, not as much. – PB]
She’s lucky she has striking features and good physique. You can see she doesn’t need that suit* nor the vest. Tall, angular ladies can wear spare clothing such as black trousers or straight skirt and a fitted blouse and look truly authoritative and timelessly elegant. Probably the temptation is to lighten up or accessorize the white and black. But as BTFM suggests, a smile, a good hairdo, and interesting shoes add flair to an important and classic uniform. *Anything but a fully long-sleeve suit jacket is for flight attendants and almost no one else…So hard for the rest of us to wear that look.
Just don’t get your hang up with vests. I love them. Perhaps it is because I am somewhat older than you and grew up watching “All Creatures Great and Small” but I love a vest. They keep your trunk warm without causing any undue encumbrance to arm movement. They
also provide a smooth line over a mid-section that may not be perfect. 😎 I think they can make a look professional just as well as a jacket. We are all entitled to our opinions but, I for one, will never get rid of my lovely vests. [OKAY, Nancy, you just threw it down, girl! Send me a few pictures of you in your lovely vests and we’ll style you up. What do you say? – PB]
Augh, my comments keep getting eaten…I’ll try one more time!
Thank you so much, everyone, for your kind encouragement and advice. I felt a little silly taking these outfit photos, but the process of analyzing them with peers has been so instructive. I agree that the pantyhose are a bit too thick! And I am wearing black pumps with the suit – but would relish the opportunity to go shopping with Peacebang anytime!
You are too kind about my sense of style. Left to my own devices, my style could be described as “boring and ill-fitting with a streak of crazy.” But this site has geared me to much more appropriate choices. I always think of that moment in the narthex or at the hospital bed, where one of my parishioners says to a friend, “This is my pastor.” And I realize that my appearance is not just a matter of self-care, but is an act of love to the church, the people, and the God I serve. Thank you so much for this site, Peacebang – a kiss of peace and a halo of praise to you too. God bless you.
Nice! I think she’s very cute and it’s good she lives far from me or I would make a move on that vest. I also have a few sweater vests and constantly lust after the suit vest. I think the trick is really good pants- i.e., don’t put your suit vest over your frumpy khakis. It’s all about what we wear with them. This works so much.
THe earlier commentor might have had a point about the “tall angular ladies”. I have a body type (and hair!) similar to Katherine, and while I wouldn’t have called myself tall and angular, I guess that at 5’7″ with some bony spots, that’s what I must be. Perhaps the concern is that a curvier gal would look like a bar wench in a vest, but maybe us tall flat girls can pull it off? I suppose I shall celebrate my A+ cups again!
LOVED this discussion! I grew up and spent most of my ministry career in a very formal liturgical Church – I was in my mid-forties before I could go to Church without pantyhose (I SO agree that only men could have invented something so horrid!). Having switched denominations, now in my early 50’s, I celebrate my female body – I wear skirts on the long side that flow, heeled- opened toed -and even sandals-and I have stopped using my collar to hide my cleavage. God made me curvy- people seem to deal. In the summer, I do not vest, nor do I wear a collar -and no one has ever said that what I wear is inappropriate. Of course, funerals and more than a few other liturgical situations require an alb or preaching gown (I am enamored of my doctoral robe and hood – I earned them and I ADORE the red and white silk in my hood!) and living in the Northeast, I own black pumps, off-black hose and great black boots to wear under aforesaid robe or in situations that require a more staid professional look. But, I wore black gauze skirt and sleeveless top to worship this morning – with gold sandals and gold jewelry. And the sermon, not my outfit was the topic of discussion at coffee hour. [Well, you know, people are generally not going to talk about your clothes at coffee hour — you were dressed inappropriately to preach in, girl. That was a party outfit, not a preaching outfit. Don’t count on your parishioners’ disapproval to motivate you to dress appropriately. I’m seeing a few red flags go up here. Whenever a woman uses that cliched “I’m going to celebrate my female body” line, I’m always afraid what they really mean is, “I’m wearing clothes that are too tight and I don’t care!” Color me a bit concerned. – PB]
Don’t let the fact that Katherine looks adorable in both picture obscure the fact that VESTS with HOROZONIAL STRIPES look bad on most of us, particularly thin knit vests over woven shirts. The fact that she can pull this off is a testament to her style and her reclaimation of her postpartum physique. Don’t try this at home without supervision. I personally love the suit and would wear sheer black hose.
ever since i watched “ladies number 1 detective agency” i’ve wanted a sweater vest – now want one more than ever! katherine looks great in hers. thanks for sharing.