Because of online retailers like ModCloth, Eshakti and others, we all have access to funky, retro, really fun clothes. You don’t have to live in New York City or Portland (or any city) anymore to have access to hipster fashion. That’s wonderful and yay and everything.
But darlings, do keep an eye on the cutesy factor of some of these garments.
Ministers do not wear obvious kitty cats for anything but a relaxed day during which they are CERTAIN they will not be called to serious business. This is a wicked cute skirt, though.
No balloons. Come on. Also: no candy prints.
Don’t think I don’t want this dress. I totally do! But I’d take it with me on vacation and hide if I saw anyone who knows me as a minister. Once they’ve seen you in a Hello Kitty dress, you’re not getting your authority back.
Keep an eye on the whimsy is all I’m saying.
There should be no superhero or Marvel characters on clergy. Keep the cosplay for Comic Con. Why I have to say this to adults is baffling to me, yet there it is. Our Disney villain/Dr. Who/Game Of Thrones fantasies and fetishes belong nowhere near the religious communities we serve as clergy. Break out the Maleficent collar over the weekend you’re AWAY. At no time do we ever want to cause members of the communities we represent to murmur to each other, “What the HELL is she wearing?”
Expressing our individuality is fine. Inflicting it in aggressive ways on our communities is not. It is your responsibility to figure out just how much of your specific individuality the community you serve can tolerate. That’s part of being a mature adult, and a professional.
YES YES YES:
“Expressing our individuality is fine. Inflicting it in aggressive ways on our communities is not.” Our work (ministry, calling, profession) and our faith (religion, movement, commnity) is not about You being Cute or Cool or Hip. It’s about more than that.
This is also a friendly reminder to folks of privilege (White Hetero-normative Male Middle-Class, Fill-In-The-Blanks) to remember that wearing a Captain America tee shirt in pastoral situations is not okay, yes even if you think it is you Walking Among The People and being One of Them. No. Ministers are set aside, it’s part of the burden and the privilege of ordained ministry. So wear a plain red or blue tee shirt and claim your inner Steve Rogers that way. [Good to hear from you, newly-minted colleague! I know you have SEEN. YOUR. SHARE. – PB]
I actually really like the skirt with the bird on it, and can see it being completely appropriate for an office day, in a way that the previous two are definitely not. But then again, I do live in Portland. [The placement of the bird is unfortunate. Crotch bird. – PB]
Always more tempting when the cuteness is also clever, but STILL. NO. I do use my “Does this pulpit make my butt look big?” coffee mug at the church office. This is pushing it. But quite different, I’d say, from wearing something clever on my actual butt.
I love shopping at Torrid, but I have to really, really look at anything patterned to make sure those aren’t really small skulls or tiny Hello Kitties! I’m of an age where those aren’t appropriate in ANY setting, much less for my ministerial image. Alas, the exceedingly cute jacket with the roses, which on closer examination had tiny skulls in them, stayed on the store rack. [Whoops. I wear skulls ALL THE TIME in my social life. I love skulls! They’re my jam! I’m 50 in January. Too old? They’re all very tasteful and I wear them with motorcycle boots. – PB]
PB – I keep away from skulls because I have a daughter who battles depression and is on occasion highly suicidal. Also I’m not the kind of 50-something who can pull them off. Although I have been sorely tempted with a skull and cross patterned shirt. If you can, more power to you!
PB, you’re kidding about the skulls, right? Please tell me you’re kidding!!!
[I obviously need to provide some photos, darling. I’m a bit rock-n-roll/theatre in my off hours, remember. – PB]
I wish I still had one of the t-shirts I lost last year. It was white, with a big pink heart on the front…until you got closer and realized that the pink heart was made up of many tiny pink skull-and-crossbones…!