Greetings, fellow Catholic fashionistas! Before I go further, I want to send a thank you to my fellow #Cathman Thomas over at Identified Catholic for taking part in last week’s link-up, and for everyone who left such welcoming comments on his post, thus supplying me with the requisite gumption to make my own submission this week.
What I wore Sunday was The Uniform. As you can see, I don’t mean a military uniform, or even my security guard uniform, though I did have to change out of that directly into my church attire this morning. No, I mean the unofficial uniform worn by millions of American men to their offices and places of worship: khaki slacks, a button-up oxford, tie, and blue blazer…all with my own Irish-American twist.
The blazer is an off-the-rack department store model that I’ve had in my arsenal for at least ten years now. The vest,which I procured on a family trip to Ireland as a teenager, is of Donegal tweed and happily still fits perfectly. Aside from a serving as a shout-out to ethic heritage, the vest has two practical aspects. First, it provides a little extra warmth on a chilly, rainy morning such as today, and second, it helps hold my shirt neatly tucked into my pants. I’m sure that every guy reading, and a good number of the ladies, knows what happens to a man’s dress shirt after a hour of cycling between sitting, standing, and kneeling. No matter how well tucked it is heading into Mass, on the way out the lower back resembles a deflated bustle. A vest or waistcoat neatly solves this unsightly problem.
The shirt is a white cotton oxford with a green-checked pattern. The tie is a liturgically-appropriate paisley purple affair that I received as part of my groomsman accoutrement for a wedding this past spring. Purple is a step outside of my comfort zone, but I find that the pale green of the shirt compliments the tie rather nicely, and that the blue of the blazer is different enough so as not to clash.
The khaki slacks are from L.L. Bean, and if you are a man (or are shopping for a man) whose frame is on the long and wiry side, I recommend you check out their line. At 6′ and only breaking 160 lb. if I’m carrying a book bag, finding properly fitted pants and jeans can be a real challenge. I’ve been impressed by the range of L.L. Bean’s sizes, and have been able to find pants that are long enough for my legs without leaving lots of extra material around the posterior.
The shoes are Florsheim, which are both high quality and somewhat pricey. I’ve had them for about six years now and worn them extensively (including to one impromptu and rather painful tennis match) and they have held up excellently. Though the initial cost was more than I would normally lay down on a single pair of shoes, these have proved well-worth the investment.
As far as accessories go, I sported an Irish tweed cap, my rosary with protective pouch, and my sacramentals, worn under my shirt. I also carried a small black notebook, in which I record all of the various intentions for which I have promised to pray, and in the inside pocket of which I carry my favorite prayer cards.
I didn’t miss the brouhaha over Jennifer Fulwiler’s column two weeks ago at National Catholic Register, so let me get out in front of any potential questions or criticisms. I’ll be honest, dressing in a full jacket and tie for Sunday Mass is a relatively new habit for me that has formed over the past few months. Previously, Sunday attire meant slacks and an open-collered shirt, with or without a sweater depending on the season. And during the week, you can still expect me to show up at daily Mass clacking down the aisle in a plaid shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy boots.
So why have I started upping my game on Sunday?
- I’ve learned that dressing nicer on Sunday helps me to focus better on the fact that this is the Lord’s Day, and I am present in His house, partaking in the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. I feel different than I do in more casual attire, and this subconscious reminder helps me to maintain a heightened awareness of the solemnity of what is transpiring on the altar.
- It’s one of the few tangible gifts I can bring to Jesus. I don’t have a wife to love or a family to lead into His Presence; I don’t have the requisite free time to become involved in a church ministry or apostolate. What I am able to offer is to turn out sharply dressed on the day of his Resurrection.
- I just flat out enjoy the way I look and feel when I’m dressed in more formal attire. I feel confident, capable, handsome, and desirable, and Sunday is usually my only opportunity to experience that. As a single guy without a source of any TLC, this weekly boost of self-affirmation helps to keep me positive, upbeat, and mindful of all the ways God has blessed me. That may not be the most saintly of reasons, but there you go.
Hope you all enjoyed my first contribution here. Feel free to leave a comment and/or (hint hint) browse around the rest of the site. Have a blessed Second Sunday of Advent! See y’all next week! God bless!
For more What I Wore Sunday visit Finelinenandpurple.com
