Thursday, June 14, 2007

yes. shoulders in church.

Some rather conspicuous silence in this space lately: mostly due, I suspect, to the fact that we all found things to wear and then went back to actually doing our jobs.
However, now that summer has arrived in full force, and the air conditioning in our narthex is so broken that I had to get the bishop a DISH TOWEL with which to mop his brow the other day, I find myself again with few suitable options.

Target to the rescue. This sleeveless shirt converted easily.* It's fairly well cut. It's $18. What more could you ask for in a sleeveless black clergy shirt?

All of which raises yet another one of those implied questions: do you feel funny wearing a sleeveless shirt to church on Sunday mornings?

*To convert: use seam ripper to rip out foldy-down part of the collar. Re-sew the seam. Sew small button on the back of the neck (outside) and right in the front of the collar (on the inside, a little high). Done.

7 comments:

Melody Mom said...

I am totally FOR wearing sleevless shirts on Sunday morning. First of all, you're wearing vestments most of the time anyway, so you need less bulk under that extra layer to keep from fainting in the Texas heat (and DC too, I bet). I have a plain sleeveless shell (like you would wear under a suit) that I wear with a dickie under for most Summer Sundays-- the added bonus being you can take the collar off as soon as you leave the church!

Anna Sorenson said...

I'd do it only if under vestments, and I had something else to put on over or change into in my office for as soon as I take that darn alb off.

I think shoulders are a somewhat more intimate body part--especially for the older generation. Plus, I wouldn't want to see my male pastor's shoulders or armpits in church, so I'll do the same favor for my congregation.

Di said...

Could you please post a pic of a converted shirt? I keep hearing people refer to them, but I'm having a hard time imagining how the end result works out.

Unknown said...

Our priest likes short sleeve black shirts, but we are blessed because our air condidtioning has just been updated courtesy of our Vestry.

But really a short sleeve or sleeveless shirt should be no problem in my book!

Unknown said...

Our female priest sports the short sleev black shirt, but I honestly believe a sleeveless shirt in the heat would be understood!

Anonymous said...

Pearly Gates at Creary Shirts in Richmond made a beautiful sleeveless clergy shirt for a friend of mine (Sarah Wood, for those of you who know here). It looked great on her! Post-pregnancy, I do not yet have the arms to do this but I do support it.

Anonymous said...

Love this - trying to picture the buttons sewn on the collar band - then you wear with a clericool collar? genius!! I always wear sleeveless in summer - vestmants during service and very light wieght jacket over for socializing. I need to go to Target today - I'll pick one up -