What do you wear to Church?

[Troubledwords]

I go to Mass after work so am usually in my jeans, but I want to get out of the wearing jeans all the time habit on Sundays. Although I know this is common to wear and a lot of people do. What do you wear when going to church?

If you want to stop wearing jeans , then do just that .
Wear trousers and a top ( any ) or a dress / skirt .
I don't think you will be judged for any clothes unless wildly inappropriate ( just as in any situation )

Oh I have no issues with doing that, and I know people wear a complete variety of clothing. I'm more curious about what people do wear and whether they feel certain things are inappropriate or not. For example I don't think gymwear is appropriate, however I have seen people wear that on Sundays.

I wear leggings and my nicest jumper. Last week, for rememberance Sunday (C of E), I wore a pair of black suit trousers and my Hobbs jacket and a shirt, as I feel there are some times in the year to properly dress up for church. When we were Catholic, I used to dress formally for Easter and Christmas, and the rest of the time I'd go as I was dressed for the rest of the day.

I used to dress casually, as did most people around me, but when I moved to my current parish 13 years ago, Sunday best was more common so I felt I could get away with a dress and not be out of place. We have a large community of different ethnic backgrounds and a fair number of the west African (especially Nigerian) congregation wear traditional, dressy, clothes.

On a weekday, I wear whatever I've got on. Occasionally sportswear, but not often. Mostly what I wear for work: jeans & a smart top or jumper.

On Sundays I always wear a dress. I figure that I've got enough nice clothes from over the years and not many occasions to wear them, so I might as well get the wear out of them whenever I feel like it. I am more dressy than the average person at my church now, but not (I hope!) to the extent that it looks ridiculous.

I like to wear the liturgical colours of the season when I can. I don't bother much during ordinary time, because I can't be doing with ~34 weeks of green, but for the shorter seasons & big feast days I try to match.

I see quite a variety around me (although I mostly don't notice). I think that pretty much anything that's neither beachwear nor full evening dress would go unremarked!

Surely if to are if that faith you would know judgement of others apparel choice isn't acceptable?

I assume in this day and age the church is more focused in someone attending instead of judgement of women's clothing choices.

When I went to church, literally whatever I happened to be wearing anyway. I often went to Sunday evensong on my way home from hillwalking, for instance, so would be wearing boots, muddy walking trousers, a fleece, backpack etc. I would get rid of the worst of the mud on footwear so as not to track it into the church, but otherwise didn’t consider my outfit.

I have had such terrible mental health issues over the past 4 years (thanks COVID) that I am just pleased if I manage to get to church at all. I love to make a bit of an effort, so lipstick and maybe a blouse instead of my usual t-shirt with jeans but some days I just can't. I am generally pleased if it is what I would wear to pop to the local pub with my friends.

I usually wear trousers and a top or jumper. I sometimes wear leggings but they are thick ones not gym wear. If it's very warm in the summer I wear a dress. Much the same as I wear every day but my nicest ones.
As a throwback to my youth when jeans were thought of as very casual I wouldn't personally feel comfortable wearing them for church. Having said that I have a wide legged pair that I have worn to church as in my mind they are smarter. I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for what they were wearing. I'm just glad that we are there and worshipping together.

I think you've missed the point. Most of us wouldn't criticise what someone else was wearing to church, but we put some thought into what we ourselves wear. Because there's a balance to be found between worshipping God with our bodies as well as souls and making an effort for him on the one hand, and making ourselves conspicuous by dressing abnormally on the other hand. So people do reflect on what's appropriate clothing for church, without sneering at anyone who's made a different choice.

And of course we judge other people's actions, though we don't condemn the people. We are meant to use our judgement along with our other mental faculties. Do you think Christians all have partial lobotomies to remove their capacity for discernment?

@Blackcountryexile
As a throwback to my youth when jeans were thought of as very casual I wouldn't personally feel comfortable wearing them for church.

I think this is what's on my mind at the moment with jeans. Years ago I went to a church, where I very much stood out for wearing jeans. Now I go to a different one and it's fine, but there's a little thing saying well why was it not appropriate then, but you do it now?

I am atheist my family are catholic.My late grandparents would have been very annoyed at anyone judging clothing

I don't dress up.. but I might if I owned some dressy clothes! I think its nice to dress up and admire the ones who do. My church is very mixed in terms of age/race and I love the African dresses that some people wear, some with fantastic head dresses too.
I've noticed some of the young people wearing Christian hoodies- with bible verses or religious phrases/symbols on. Not sure if it would be for me, but I think its nice.
It's whats in your heart, not on your back that matters most but I do see the sense in making an effort.
Also, depends on the church I think.. I used to attend a church where nobody took their coat off!- there was no cloakroom or place to hang them on chairs. The church I go to now, everyone takes their coat off- it's so warm in there!- and most people hang around after for a coffee. The pastor is very casual too.

I try not to wear jeans. Which is difficult because that’s most of my wardrobe.

Casual nice clothes.

I tend to wear trousers/leggings or a skirt depending on the weather. Our church is mainly old people who still dress in their Sunday best. There was an outcry a few years ago when an elder served communion wearing a football top.

Trousers and top, I try to look clean and undistracting. In winter I have a nice cape that goes over everything. I'm on permanent standby in case an extra minister of the eucharist is needed so I make sure my hands, particularly my nails, are really clean.

worshipping God with our bodies
Never heard this before🤔how does one do that? In Hinduism, some people believe that yoga can be an act of worship but I've never heard this in regards to church and the clothes people wear and I go all the time.

We are meant to use our judgement along with our other mental faculties. Do you think Christians all have partial lobotomies to remove their capacity for discernment? Interesting and timely question, especially with the recent cover up scandal and Welby resigning. Certainly a huge institution wide lack of "discernment".

and making ourselves conspicuous by dressing abnormally on the other hand. What is dressing "abnormally"? Do you mean dressing as a punk for example?

Jeans. If I'm alter serving? I have a pair of pants of balk boots to change into, that I keep in the sacristy.

There is a lady that comes dressed for a wedding every week. I'd love to see her wardrobe, it must be bigger than my entire house. Her hats are something else! Really not sure she should wear a sari though. It makes her look washed out, and I thought things like that are frowned on.

" 'worshipping God with our bodies'
Never heard this before🤔how does one do that? In Hinduism, some people believe that yoga can be an act of worship but I've never heard this in regards to church and the clothes people wear and I go all the time."

It's a mainstream idea in Catholic theology, don't know about other denomininations.

In Catholic theology, humans are composite beings, spiritual animals: we have a body and a rational soul. We are not spiritual beings trapped inside a shell. So our whole being, body and soul, is involved in worship. Ideally the intellect and will should guide the lower powers, but it is also the case that my body can lead me to pray when my mind is distracted. This is why we use different physical gestures in prayer (kneeling, prostration, hands raised in praise ...), it is also why Catholics use physical objects (e.g. rosary beads) and things that appeal to the senses (incense, music ...). Not the only reason these are used, but part of it.

Saint Paul tells us that we are to glorify God with our bodies. For Catholics at least this includes clothing choices.

" 'and making ourselves conspicuous by dressing abnormally on the other hand.'
What is dressing "abnormally"? Do you mean dressing as a punk for example?"

Personally, I mean dressing in a way that draws attention away from God and towards me. There are churches where dressing as a punk (as long as there were no anti-religious slogans or profanity on clothes) would be unremarkable, and churches where it would just distract others. If other people want to come to church in punk clothes, they would be very welcome, but it wouldn't be what I would choose to wear. I don't think this is particularly controversial. For example, I own a nice white dress; I wouldn't wear it to someone else's wedding.

Jeans usually with trainers. Same as any day. Skirts and sandals in summer if it's really hot.

One of our congregation has the most amazing selection of Hawaiian shirts and seemingly has a new one every week. Love seeing them.

Thank you, that's a lovely explanation.

I wear my normal clothes when meeting with others who comprise the church.

i believe in the Biblical view that the church is the assembly of Christians, not a particular building that one goes to, however I do understand that it’s commonly understood to mean the latter.

Do people know they're on Christian Mumsnetters and not AIBU?

I like to dress for church, there's a lot of Sunday best round here too. But also, it's freezing so it's a balance. I like midi-dresses with a big cardi or jumper over the top, or rollneck underneath. Marrisawearsanoutfit on Instagram has some nice church outfit ideas. I appreciate others may disagree as with all things, but I do think there's an element of reverence in making an effort.

It’s worth remembering

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7

and also that our Lord Jesus said, disapproving of the ostentatious garment displays of religious teachers & Pharisees

“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;.,.”
Matthew 23:5

Our aim should be that as described by Paul
“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.“
1 Timothy 2: 9-10