Monday, February 12, 2007


Collars and Jeans-- A Glamour Do!
Tell me why one would say this is a "don't"? I love jeans and can remember my favorite pair I bought as a teenager at Goodwill in my hometown. They literally fell apart and I had to throw them out. Now that I am employed and making a stellar priest's salary (sigh) I am allowed jeans with a slightly scarier price tag. My new fav's are Lucky Brand Jeans. They make any backside look amazing and while we don't want to draw undo attention to backsides, that little white band around my neck seems to draw more. Lucky jeans actually say "Lucky You" in a sweetly surprising spot and why not wear them to work on occasion? I have had older priests say it's not appropriate, but...well...I don't listen to them. Thoughts on collars with jeans?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am allowed to wear them on days when I am cleaning out my office. I wore jeans once to a potluck and all hell broke loose. Sigh.

SK

susan said...

Seeing some younger priests at General Convention wearing jeans with their clergy shirts was totally liberating for me.

Since I'm required to wear a collar to work, I make sure and wear jeans regularly (and cowboy boots often). It helps to dress 'em up a little with a jacket or a nice sweater over the clergy shirt. Maybe I get away with it because I'm the youngest one on staff, and I work with youth. But I like the idea of undermining the expectation that priests ( be they male or female) have to look like they stepped out of a corporate office. I'd rather look like someone who can sit on the floor and play blocks with your toddler, or be comfortable hanging out in a coffee shop, or visiting a soup kitchen.

Maybe, though, I should put a basic black outfit in the office closet for emergencies.

youngandcollared said...

dittos all around. I love rocking the collar with a pair of jeans or a cute pair of cords. We only usually wear a collar for sunday worship, or hospital visits, but if I have to do a youth worship or its something relatively informal, I wear jeans and boots with my collar and some nice earrings.

Anonymous said...

OOO - I was one at GC06 with jeans and a collar! :)

Campus ministry (2 years) meant jeans pretty much ALL the time. Collars sometimes, too.

Parish work (current job) means jeans sometimes and no one has freaked. Though, I have, even in emergencies, worn the jeans with the collar to the hospital. I had just gotten done with a horseback riding lesson - and the family totally understood.


Heather
http://heathervoss.textdrive.com/

Mamacita said...

I wore jeans once when officiating evening prayer, which I was trying to create into a casual affair for all ages. The wardens heard about that fashion faux-pas pretty quickly and had a sit-down with me, so just to keep from causing blasphemy I keep jeans to when I'm off duty. In a month I'm starting my new job as a rector (I'm an assistant now), so maybe I can make up some of my own rules someday.

Anonymous said...

I wear jeans with clergy shirt most days - the only times I won't wear them and get out the smart trousers instead is when I'm leading worship (if not robed), or doing a funeral/funeral visit.
In my first few months here (as assistant curate) a discussion was had about what we wear but I've carried on being me. (VicarBoss has a background in law so is always in a suit).
I was at the hospital a couple of weeks ago (visiting a church member) and a ward sister came up to me and said how lovely it was to see a young woman doing the job and dressed the way I was!