Puddings, don’t miss this, ’cause it doesn’t happen too often!
I am SORT OF changing my mind about open-toed shoes and sandals in the pulpit, with reservations and with caveats.
The reason is this: dressy sandals are definitely considered professional wear now, and have been for several years. It looks like a trend that’s here to stay. Given the covered-upness of our vestments, I just think an open-toed shoe can be okay. I’ve been testing it out in church and it’s been working fine.
I have a pair of Aerosoles that sort of resemble these, but in brown, with thicker straps. They looked fine with a robe in church and then later with a skirt and sweater set.
I have a pair of t-strap wedge 9 Wests that I bought on Good Friday. They kind of resemble this sort of thing:
( but not with the tan base– all black).
This is a similar idea as well: 
So far, I don’t feel like the Whore of Babylon preaching in this kind of shoe, and no one is looking at me like I’m a brazen heathenish kind of gal for doing so. My toenails on one occasion were even painted OPI Dutch Tulip, a bright pinky-red color. Gasp!
Some suggestions, pussycats.
- If we’re going to do sandals in the pulpit, the feets have GOT to be pedicured.
- Sandals should be neutral colors: black, brown, tan. You don’t want a shock of color to draw everyone’s eye down past your ankles.
- No thong styles! PeaceBang draws the line there! Eternal NON to the flippy-floppies, which have definitely become everyday wear in this country, but I’ll never wear them to church on Sunday. NEVAH.
- Straps should be wide enough that you don’t look like the Mother of the Bride or the Prom Queen.
- No wobbly heels, except for that one fabulous pastor in DC who preaches in stilletos.
On Sunday morning, M. wrote in to say,
Hello to my fashion savior. Your blog is the first one I check each day. Thank you for helping me in the process of “defrumpification.” My question pertains to the
open toe sandals in the pulpit. Nylons: yes or no?Thank you!
Good question, hon! Thanks for writing in!
There are two schools of thought on this. One, and this is my own, is that nylons almost never work with sandals.
The second school is of the thought that nylons are better than bare legs that may be (1) inappropriate in a more conservative setting and/or (2) just look kind of awful without nylons.PeaceBang prefers to use fake-tan on her legs and to go without nylons, and in very dressy situations she avoids the conundrum by wearing pumps or some other shoe (not sandal) and nylons.
I don’t think that nylons would look right with the sandals I have pictured above (actually, they’d be fine with the top t-strap pair, which are more of a real shoe). They might not look heinous, but I do think they’d look weird.
Nylons look okay with a very dressy strappy sandal for weddings (I’ve seen it done well with a very silky sheer hose), but not with the sporty-dressy sandals I’ve showed. If your skirt is well below your knee, heavens, why bother with nylons? If your skirt is more like knee length, I can see how you’d consider it.Of course there’s the school of clergygals who wear flat sandals and pantyhose with a reinforced toe, and… well… um, that’s why I have the mission to de-frumpify us!! I understand the need for support hose, and I understand the desire to wear comfy flat sandals. That particular combo, however, communicates one thing and one thing only: dear old granny. If that’s your pastoral calling, I say rock it. If it’s not, adjustments must be made.
So darling, it’s up to you. But if you wear nylons, make sure to get an absolutely sheer brand and keep the seam tucked under as best you can so it doesn’t show.
CRASH….THUD
(BJ falls to the ground and desparately gasps for air)
You said you’d never mention my stilletos.
You are too much. It’s not NICE to make me guffaw like that on a Sunday morning.
No! First it was the Crocs. Now this.
Honey, I still don’t think the Crocs should leave the house.
And we’ll see if the sandals things works out. I’m just trying to be FLEXIBLE, like one of the Flying Wallendas.
i recently accidentally bought a pair of nylons that are very silky sheer (i can barely see them, and i’m wearing them, but that was on purpose) and they have a kooky little toe thingy so there’s no cover on the toes but they stay put with some sandals very similar to your examples PB.
i pulled them out of the package and groaned, “oh no, i bought footless hose!” then noticed a little gap in the rim, which is the toe-loop but i first thought it was messed up footless hose.
anyway, i was ticked that i got those on accident but since i’ve worn them i’m in love with the idea and will probably buy more.
I’ve been showing a little toe for a couple of years now, and feeling sheepish about it, knowing your stand on the sandal thing. But, I think you’ll find it’s a workable pulpit solution. I’ve had very few comments, all favorable.
As for hose – last year I found toe-less hose, and they were PERFECT. But I’ve worn them out and can’t even remember where I got them, the brand they were, or anything. So if anyone runs across some PLEASE let me know. They had a little hole for the big toe and then a big hole for all the rest, and the itty bitty band of reinforced stocking always, always hid under whatever strap the sandal or peep-toe pump offered. (don’t ask me how, but it did) I highly recommend them for legs (like mine) that need a little covering to look their best.
Cindy, my dove,
Please don’t ever feel sheepish for wearing whatever your little heart desires. Who is PeaceBang, anyway? Just a sassy fat chick with a big mouth and a ton of ‘tude! The only authority PeaceBang has on the subject of sartorial appropriateness comes from her readers. So you can wear whatever you like and tell PeaceBang to sod off!
Yea!
PB, a query: How do you know if it “works” or not? I mean, they might not be falling off the pews in a dead faint, but does that mean it works? Or is it more of an internal process with you?
Just wonderin’
Berry’s Mom, it’s partly internal but it’s mostly having paid close attention to professional women in other contexts — especially ones I think look polished and strong and put-together in a way that I’d like to be. It’s also being very attentive to the way people react to me, and how confident and appropriate I feel in my appearance, as in “Do I appear to be worthy to be the identified spiritual leader of this people?”
If the answer is “no,” I go back to the closet and keep fussing until I get it right.
For avoidance of heat-stick-thighs under a skirt with no hose, I like something loverly I just discovered at a funny little neighborhood beauty supply: thigh-length leggings. Like hose chopped off above the knee, and finished with nice stretch lace. Voila! I will not stick to myself under my cute little sundresses this summer when my church has its booth at the outdoor arts fair!!
You can, of course, make your own – by chopping off a pair of hose above the knee. Just know that at some point, you WILL get runs. Not that anyone but you will see them!
Ooooh, that first pair is just fabulous. So chic! I think that if you follow your own rules you will be in very good shape, literally and figuratively spreaking. I must say, few things are worse than seeing a cute pair of open-toed shoes ruined by unpedicured, dry feet reminiscent of a scaly bird-foot…
…or hose with open toes. No thank you. I have heard of the freed-toes kind, but never seen them, and cannot speak to them.
Crocs definitely belong in the garden and laundry room, though. lol