Cross Designs

One of our lovely readers recommended Cross Designs to us.  According to their website, it looks like they make a variety of clergy shirts, including features we've discussed like:  T-shirt material, 3/4 sleeves, curved side panels, even cap sleeves.  They don't have photographs, but you can see sketches of some pretty cute ladies' shirts (even maternity!) here.

Prices aren't terrible, either.  Even with the falling dollar, they seem to be under $100 each.  I don't know how much shipping to the U.S. would cost. If anyone has a photograph of one of these shirts, we'd love to post it!

ETA: I looked more deeply on their website and found two photos, attached here:

Another Maria Sjöden Update

So, Maria was nice enough to send me a sample shirt as a thank you for the publicity.  I thought I'd take this chance to review it for you.

I still can't afford one until I pay off my epic Lasik bill, but if I had money to burn, I would buy out her inventory.  The shirt is profoundly COMFORTABLE and fits really nicely.  She sent a small, and it fits perfectly, even though almost no other clergy shirt company makes an off-the-rack size that fits me.  (I haven't tried the WomenSpirit small yet.) The fabric on Maria's shirt is really soft and stretchy without feeling artificial.  It's a really nice knit.  It feels like wearing a mock turtleneck.

I don't even mind walking around looking like a Lutheran wearing this shirt. :)  I wish she made some styles compatible with the Episcopal collar, but maybe we'll create such a market for her shirts here, she'll be interested!

Where, oh, where are black sleeveless shirts?

After returning the pillowcase that Almy sent me as a sleeveless shirt, I went on a hunt for an extremely short sleeved or sleeveless black shirt that I could convert to a clergy shirt.

There are none to be found.  I've checked Gap, Old Navy, Target, the mall, Bluefly, Overstock.com, LandsEnd, Eddie Bauer, all the usual suspects. Sleeveless button ups are soooo not in this season.  Curses.  I tried to ignore all the gorgeous feminine blouses that ARE in and would be SO FUN to wear to work.  (I love the swingy jacket with a long camisole underneath. Sigh.)

The closest I found was at Target, but beware:  Their Merona white and black shirts do not button all the way up, which you cannot tell on the webpage.  The Mizrahi white shirt does button all the way up, but is VERY shiny and a bit off white, which always looks weird with a collar, I think.

I did find this shirt at Target.  Not black, but still cute and easily adaptable:

I then went into NY and Company, which I never do.  I associate NY and Company with clothes my more fashionable friends wore in college, so never really considered them for "grown up" clothes, but now that I can no longer afford Banana Republic and Ann Taylor consistently, I was really, really impressed at the offerings of NY and Company.  (And they have a AAA discount! AND their shirts were buy one get one 50% off!)

These shirts won't work with the jackets I bought, but they will look great on their own this summer.  They had four different options in black, alone, though only one in my size. Anyway, I bought these:

If you can wear yellow, they also had the most beautiful yellow shirt with subtle white stripes that was really lovely.  The website also has white, lavender and rose colored shirts.

If you find sleeveless black button up shirts, let me know! I'm still eager to wear the cute short sleeve jacket I found at Target this spring!

The Bite of the Benefit of the Doubt

Summer is coming and most of my three-year-old clergy shirts are starting to show their wear and tear, particularly in the. . .ahem. . .underarm area. They've worked fine all winter, layered under sweaters and jackets, but I can't bear to expose them to summer's light.

So, I went on a mission. I bought two, very inexpensive, short sleeve jackets at Target and Kohls. I thought I could pair them with an Almy sleeveless shell.

Why do I keep going to the same well over and over again, even though there is clearly no water there?

The shell came today and this is how it fits:

The shoulders fit great, but the rest of it is literally two rectangles sewn together--completely shapeless.  When I put the jackets on, there is eight inches of material beneath them.  Keep in mind, this is the smallest shell they sell, and I am 5"4' and 120 lbs.  I'm on the small side, but not extremely so.

I thought briefly about having it altered, but then decided for the $36 I spent on it, and the minimum of $20 it would cost to get it altered, I could buy nearly four short sleeve shirts at Target and just adapt them, so the shell is going back in the mail tomorrow.

Maria Sjöden Update

Okay, I've emailed with her and this is the shirt that is available now:



This shirt will be available in about two months:



She has adapted the priesty part of her webpage to be in English, which is helpful. The contact page is here.

Maria Sjöden

I got an email from Maria Sjöden today announcing that one of her shirts is available to be shipped to the United States! It's still pricey, and I'm not entirely clear to which shirt she is referring, but Yay! Her email follows:

Thanks for all your e-mails and great interest in the Casual Priest line!

Here is some information about the "Casual Priest".

To start with I can offer black "EVA" tops in sizes S*M*L*XL.
(Picture nr 3, the light grey on the site).
The fabric is 95% Viscose 5% Elastan.
You can wash it in 85 F (cold water).

Attached you will find a measure list so you can choose size.

The price for "EVA" is USD 140
freight is USD 30
All customs tariffs, vat or other taxes that may arise, is to be paid by the customer.

If you like to order you can send me an e-mail with information about yor size, how many garments, your complete address and telephone number.
I will then confirm your order and send you an invoice by e-mail.

Payment is to be made in advance through a banking transaction / internet bank.

The package will be sent, recommended to you, as soon as the payment,(which will be confirmd by e-mail) is done.

Other styles of jersey tops will be available in a near future, during this spring.
Check my website.

I wish you all the best for 2008!

Kind Regards
Maria Sjödin

"Civilian" shirt hack #2

Inspired by Susan's recent post, last week I bought two J. Crew shirts (Katheryn, slim fit) at a recent sale for 19.99 each. I was all set to follow Susan's advice and rip out the collars, but then my neighbor suggested I attach the extra buttons, per Susan's instructions, and simply tuck the collar in when I want the shirt to function as a clergy shirt. That way I get two shirts for the price of one.

I didn't think this scheme would work, but sure enough, it does! I need to buy a bigger collar. (I usually wear size 14 collar, but the shirt bunches up in the back because the collars I have are not accustomed to fitting on a standard sized shirt. I'll buy some 14.5 collars and hope they work better.) The collar fits a little more snugly with the regular collar tucked in, but for me it is worth it.

So, to recap, I bought a regular button down shirt. I switched out the topmost button with a smaller one, (I did not switch positions of the buttons, as Susan did) and added an identical button to the back of the collar, where a buttonhole would be on a clerical collar. When I want to wear the shirt as a clerical shirt, I simply tuck the collar in, and attach a clerical collar. Voila! Two shirts for the price of one! (And less than half the price of the cheapest clerical shirt.)