Beauty Tips for Ministers

In Praise of the Sweater Vest

Whilst preparing to preside at a Florida wedding this past weekend, I received this bring-a-grin-to-your-face letter in my inbox. It is from C., a young pastor. Read on, dear doves:

There is a picture I’d love to share with you. I’m a young, stout clergy-fella in a small west TX town. I’m not a traditional “coat and tie” preacher. In fact, probably much to your dismay, I only own one charcoal grey suit that is only brought out of its protective bag for special occasions. I hate wearing blazers. Even when they’re tailored, I never feel comfortable in them and they always make me look boxy. Plus, I’m hot-natured and they make me sweat.

You posted a while back about sweaters. I love my sweaters. I sport the nice trousers, shirt, tie and sweater look as my own answer to a suit (when it’s cold enough, that is). And today, I rocked a sweater-vest look that I think you would be proud of, and thought I would share. Let me know how to send a pic and I will gladly do so.

How do I love this letter? Let me count the ways. First, the writer knows himself. “I run hot, so I don’t wear blazers. I don’t like the way they look. I do, however, LOVE my sweaters. I am rocking my sweater vest and I want to share.” I mean, how wonderful. That’s the kind of inner voice I hope we’ll all cultivate a little more, after we’ve taken stock of our look, figured out what makes us feel confident and put together and professionally appropriate, and learned to “rock it.”

I assured C. that I wasn’t at all dismayed that he only has one suit. I love charcoal grey for a minister’s staple (he may want to add a black suit when he can, as I think he’ll have good use of it), and since he’s in west Texas he doesn’t often need a suit for his ministry context.

Here is his photo, with his apologies for the spotty mirror:

Now, that’s a snappy outfit. Professional, adult, and a bright spot of color with the shirt and tie. Well done, Cam. Thanks for writing.

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Cardigan Madness for the Menfolk!

Hello, fellas!
Let’s talk about cardigans for you, too, because PeaceBang has noticed that men’s cardies have made something of a comeback recently.

First of all, my dears, your cardigan should FIT. It should fit well, and it should have something more professional than a T-shirt underneath it. Lookee here:

Pretty standard. LL Bean sweater with generic shirt. Looks perfectly nice (I don’t love the white, but whatever).

Well done.

LOVE this look. Fabulous peacoat style cardie. Think outside the box!

Some of these options are way too groovy or informal for pastors, but you can see that you don’t have to look all dowdy and Mr. Rogers-ish in a cardigan.

Speaking of whom,

Beward of the wearing-a-tie-with-a-cardigan thing. It’s harder to do than it looks. I don’t think Mr. Rogers makes a very good job of it — rather than having an integrated outfit, it looks like he’s wearing a tie just in order to change out of it. And as much as I adore Fred Rogers, I hate that sweater. I know his grandmother knitted it for him, I just think it’s an ugly color and design.

Here he is again in lovely red. I think a pair of black khakis and a black fitted T would look sharp with that red sweater. What you want to do is avoid looking like a domesticated bear, which is how some men look in cardigans. All burly and wooly and “please like me!” and kind of hiding in their clothes.

As in women’s fashion, men’s fashion has become much more fitted and body-conscious in recent years, with the result that men’s cardigans are often cut like this – and whoo, is this man hot or WHAT? Is that David Beckham? Too sexy of a cropped cut for our work, and young man, you couldn’t have tucked in your shirt? However, the tie and shirt look fantastic with the subtle argyle design. Yay for subtle argyle and plaid!

I couldn’t hate this any more if I tried. It is extremely dated and besides, it gives me vertigo. Keep your cardigans and sweaters simple and classic.

(I don’t like marled wool — it always winds up looking cheap to me — but I like the style of the sweater).

Boyz, send in some photos of yourselves in sweaters! Let’s hear from you!

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Men’s Boots

Mi amigo Adam, when not struggling with his Doctor of Ministry work, has been thinking about boots. He wants some advice about boots for guys.

In researching these boots, I found myself channeling a Minnesota man with a thick Minnesota accent. Don’t ask why (I lived in Minnesota for two years, maybe that’s why). You can find all of these on Zappos.com. They are in a wide range of prices — everything from $59 to $300.

Here ya got the basic kinda sporty boot by Magnum. These’ll do ya fine, now.

Here are some more sporty type boots by The North Face. Kinda preppy, the way a lot of you New England folk like.

These Timberlands here are up a step in the classy factor. Still good for the weather, there, and you won’t slip on the ice, there.

Don’t be wearing UGGS for guys. What kind of man shoe is that, now? People will think you accidentally wore your wife’s shoes outta the house! Oh, for dumb.

Now that there is a self-respecting boot by Chippewa (Oiled Wellington) that any working man wouldn’t sniffle at. You could wear those to your ordinary office day and your fancier events except a funeral.

Ya got these Doc Martens that seem a little bit too high fashion for me, but I’ve gotta say that’s a real nice boot there.

I suppose you could do worse than these here Frye boots but I don’t know. They’re awful close to something a cowboy might wear, and why in the world do you want to look like you live in Texas or something?

These are a fancy type pair of boots that you might want to have for those special occasions like a conference or something. They’re by a fellow named Giorgio Brutini, not that I can pronounce that. Sounds like spaghetti sauce.

Lotta fellas like that there square toe. I happen to be kind of partial to it myself. Someone called Zengara makes these and they’re not too hard on the wallet, either.

Okay, then. You can get these boots from Zappos.com but there’s nothing wrong with just going to the local store, either.

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Born Shoes

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, PeaceBang is DELIRIOUS WITH EXCITEMENT!

Because Born shoes has decided that their fall line is all about us being fairie queens and princesses and living in the forest and wearing the COOLEST clothes imagineable and having pointy eyebrows and long braided hair and wings! And they have the most beautiful FONT to tell the story about their forest wonderland and the shoes are also by the way simply DREAMY and I want them ALL!

Look! Look! (Boys, too! You can be Legolas!)

I thought I was buying a fairly ordinary pair of much-needed brown pumps at DSW Shoe Warehouse this afternoon but I was so WRONG! What I was actually purchasing was a ticket to a magickal world of enchantment for my entire life, not just my feet!

My secret faierie name is Winterwynd Scarlettgarlandberri. You spell it with a small star over the final i. Please call me that from now on. You can call me “Winter” for short.

Merrily skipping hence,
Winterwynd

I would love to wear these to church… with sticks in my hair and a preaching robe made entirely of reindeer skins.

Winterwynd seriously loves these. She would run an elf off the road for them.

And these? In purple suede? Oh yes, Santa! Please!?

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Another Reason Not To Wear Flip-Flops…

Because they can be just as damaging to your feet as high heels are!! Boys, that goes for you too!!

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Matching Dress Shoes To Your Suit

Hey fellas,

Want to know how to match dress shoes to your suit?

I thought you might.

Thank me later. Better yet, send a photo!

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