Category: Plus Sizes

What to wear to preach? I told you I would share some of what I’m doing with changing up my Sunday morning LEWK, so here I am again!

Since we are more and more aware that people who are seeking spiritual community are either unchurched, suspicious of “organized religion” or maybe even have an averse reaction to vestments due to spiritual harm suffered in previous religious communities, I have been switching up my preaching outfits for Sunday mornings

I am trying things this program year (we lead Summer Sundays, a more casual gathering, in the Parish Hall and return to our sanctuary after Labor Day). I am reserving judgment and seeing what the congregation says, or if they have any significant feedback (feedback, I have found, usually comes trickling in over a longer time than we often expect as folks notice change and respond to it).

Here are a few things I am trying: Traditional robe and stole for Blessing of the Animals. Seems important to go traditional for that service.

Okay. First things first: I have extremely slippery, fine hair and I am not responsible for the fact that no matter what I do to it, it falls completely apart by the time I get to church. The frizz, the baby bird floof that magically manifests on top of my head — I have learned submission by now. There is not enough hair spray in the WORLD (Elnet is pretty good, and I do use dry shampoo to get some lift at the roots but nothing much helps).

I hate this because the stole over the long overpiece is a sloppy mistake. The outfit was not what I wanted it to be: it looked much different in my head than it did in reality. That happens. I would swap out the stole for a long white scarf or simple stole and try again, except that I don’t like the jacket at all and I won’t wear it for church again. Live and learn. Next: Ye Olde Unstructured Blazer.

I like these unstructured jackets from Torrid very much and I own three or four (they are not currently offering them on their website but they’re a classic and may come back. The aqua jacket I’m wearing in the Mother’s Day service is the same style). I like the bright color and I like the smooth ponytail, the earrings and pin. I believe I am wearing this with a pink and black patterned pencil skirt. What I do NOT like is the way the cowl style collar drops as low as it does, potentially creating a cleavage situation that I absolutely want to avoid. Necklines are very challenging for this busty gal and while I do not believe in trying to hide the bazoomage that God gave me, I also don’t want to feature it. I haven’t purchased any professional tops in a long time and I trust Calvin Klein’s plus size blouses that you can easily find on sale through department store websites. I have my eye on this one to wear with a purple skirt and black blazer.

The quest continues. I know for sure that I find stoles worn over street clothes to look ill-matched and indecisive. So I carry on with at least that much decided.