Hey, a colleague alerted me to this company and I don’t think we’ve featured them before on BTFM.
The idea here is that it’s a clerical bodice thingy that you wear under other clothes (like that ugly shiny shirt).
The company says that clients have compared the bodice to a sports bra, which kind of made me laugh. My concern with this item is only that it will encourage more women clergy to pair it with “OH MAH GAH LOOKIT ME, I’M SO FASHIONABLE EVEN THOUGH I’M ORDAINED I SWEAR I’M NOT FRUMPY” inappropriately hootchie shirts from, you know, Urban Outfitters or somewhere.
Hmm. Looks a lot like the “janie” I just bought from Womenspirit. I never considered buying one of these since I don’t normally wear clericals. However, there were several public witness events I attended this week, and wanted the shorthand of, “The church is here. We think this is a moral issue. We’re with you.” So several times this week, I wore a tab collar and black clerical shirt given to me years ago by a (male) Presbyterian colleague. It’s a little big and buttons down the “wrong” side. I thought putting this with a simple, tailored button-down shirt and jacket would be fine.
As for the pictured item. Ew. Just ew. If I didn’t wear hoochie mama tops before, I’m certainly not going to wear them to celebrate the mockery of clergy.
That’s the collar they invented for What Not to Wear a few years ago. I know several people who have them and they are apparently very comfortable, very close to the skin which prevents those unsightly lumps and oddities (they’re made to order) under your clothes. One of my friends wore hers with a beautifully fitted black sheath dress and you could have sworn the dress was made with a clergy collar. She looked so lovely. The other Janies can twist around and look lumpy and frumpy and have lumps in unfortunate places.
The down side is that they are pricey and apparently don’t last as long as they might for the price.
I don’t wear collars often enough to spring for one, but I would if I had more occasion. They janies are awful and finding a clergy shirt that actually fits well is so frustrating.
I hate the shirt the model is wearing, too.
I have one of these. It was super comfortable. I wore it under dresses primarily, and it was great for that. I speak in the past tense because it very quickly looked shabby, and there was no way to properly wash it. It is a great idea but not, ultimately, worth the money.
The Janie isn’t bad, it is much better than it used to be, but it is made of plastic and bunches up under most clothes.
I really don’t understand why no one makes a matte black sleeveless midriff top out of very thin, breathable, stretch black fabric. I would if I could sew.
Clearly the people who market clergy wear have never actually worn a sports bra….
I have one, and while it is comfortable, it is hand-wash only and even then the black bleeds pretty badly into the white collar. So for the $100 price tag, I would not get one again.
However, I am happy that these trends are indeed coming along – it is nice to wear it under a light sweater or to do layers. Also a friend used it instead of purchasing a maternity collar shirt.
The WomenSPirit Janies work well on me. I also wear CM ALmy Dickies. No complaints.
Personally just not a fan of these at all. Luckily in a tradition where collars aren’t typically a daily requirement – and if they are, generally Roman rather than tab. It’s just too incongruous for me to wear the collar with overtly feminine clothing (maybe because I was brought up “half-Catholic.” But I can understand the dilemma for women who have to wear them more frequently. When I do have to wear a collar, I prefer the clergy shirt with a black cardigan over it. A friend of mine wore one of these with a dress to Target and was called “Father.” haha!!
I have two of these with a slot-in collar from Cross Designs (UK); they call it a crop top. One navy blue and one black; both jersey material (madgebaby, the black one is actually part bamboo and really is thin, stretchy and breathable – it can be done!). They work really well as daytime wear. I often wear the black one under a plain black t-shirt, and the blue one under a white long-sleeve top with blue Breton stripes. Or under a looser, cotton embroidered top (I have a few of these).
I can see where there’d be a temptation to wear these with scary tops: the nearest I’ve come is a regular t-shirt with a vaguely hippiesh rainbow on it but that was for a family day and I had some cheerful comments on it!
I have this as well. It is of much better quality than WomenSpirit’s version. I’m ready to buy another I wear it so much. I rarely wear clergy shirts anymore. I wear it mostly under black and grey sweaters, though occasionally add some color. No hootchie shirts from urban outfitters.
Have one and was disappointed that even with careful hand washing the white appeared dingy and like the black was mysteriously bleeding into it in spots. Considering saving my pennies and trying the new one they make with a removable tab? Does anyone know if their full band collar comes off or is it just stuck on there? Like the way it fits, and wear it under sweaters or nicer fitting black lightweight stuff for summer.
I ordered one of these in June – my assistant has one and raves about it. Although my credit card was charged, I have yet to receive the shirt, and numerous e-mail inquiries have gone unanswered. I hate to “diss” a company that is obviously trying to fill a need, but I would hate to see others in this same predicament. [What a shame! Thanks for letting us know. They obviously need to work out some serious kinks. – PB]