In the Episcopal Church, it is common for clergy to wear a clerical collar, which poses some interesting issues for female clergy. Guys have it a little easier because they can basically just swap out their regular shirt for a clerical shirt. One of the blessings and curses of being a woman is that we have more flexibility in professional dress: dresses, skirt suits, dress pants, blouses, etc. The options are limitless, but having to work a professional wardrobe around a collar can be a bit trying. Additionally, nice, well-made, professional clothes are not inexpensive. While investing in the basics is certainly worthwhile, sometimes you need to buy more than one pair of pants at a time.
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Fortunately, nowadays, companies like WomenSpirit, who specialize in clergywear for women, exist. Instead of shirts tailored for men, it’s now possible to order a variety of styles of shirts that come with a collar that are actually made to fit a woman’s body shape.
I know that I’m not what people envision when they think about a priest. I’m young. I’m female. I try to be relatively hip, fashionable, and fun. I have two tattooes, and my belly button pierced. As a pear-shaped person, I like to dress in a way that emphasizes my waist but skims over my heavier hips and thighs. I would say that my personal style is professional but feminine. I have a style-crush on Emma Pillsbury from Glee, with a little less fuss.
Fortunately, the basic Emma template makes a great option for a clergy “uniform”. Pumps + skirt + cardigan over a “janie” or sleeveless shell works well. I also love that Emma wears a lot of color and accessorizes well. It’s easy to stick with basic black, but perhaps even a fun brooch can jazz it up a little bit. Even though I still feel like I’m might get struck by lightning when I put on my collar, here’s what the top half of the Emma-template might look like, as worn with a black knee-length skirt:
I think that this will give me a template with which to work, swapping out dress pants for the skirt or a blazer for the cardigan. I also purchased two Tahari skirt suits from SteinMart, which is my happy place. I’m always able to find professional, well-fitting clothes for a great price there.
Shoes pose another issue. My mom is always saying that she is searching for a purse that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. I’m searching for a shoe that is as comfortable as a flat but with a heel. No frump allowed. As bad as high heels are for your body, a little lift (1 1/2” – 2” heel) helps me feel more confident, particularly when I’m preaching. Closed-toe is certainly preferred for serving at the altar or making pastoral visits at the hospital, and I like something fashionable but not so distracting that you receive comments on your shoes rather than your sermon.
I love these. They’re $69 on Zappos and come in other colors. If the heel were slightly shorter, these would be perfect.
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It’s definitely going to take some trial and error to figure out what works and is flattering with the clerical collar. I also have blogs like Beauty Tips for Ministers to help me with the task of looking put together while in the trenches of ministry. I know there are things I haven’t even considered that I’ll likely run into. This doesn’t even cover vestments!
How would you describe your style?
