Sunday Fashions

I'm always a little uptight about getting dressed for church. I want to be stylish and of course myself, but there's something a little more subdued about dressing for church that makes it a little harder than some other situations. For example, I try to make sure that my hemlines are low enough and my necklines high enough that I'm not dressed inappropriately. And I also tend to tone down the accessories just a bit because I don't want to call too much attention to myself. I would post a picture of what I wore to church yesterday, except I didn't have a chance to take a picture. Also, other than the accessories, it was basically the same as my Easter Sunday outfit, minus the hat. I wore the same purple dress with a slightly different black belt, a black flower pin instead of purple and my gold snake-skin heels from this post instead of the black heels. Pretty simple.

I received SO many compliments and even after church, my mom told me that her friends had been going on about how they loved my outfit. Now, from my perspective, it's not one of the most imaginative looks I've worn, but I think that it can be easy to get into a rut when dressing for certain things. And it's also easy to let "modest" and "conservative" become "frumpy" and "dull." Just like dressing for work, dressing for church can be flattering and stylish without being inappropriate. In fact, if your office is conservative in their dress code, you might find that it's a pretty similar task! Here are some lovely outfits I feel are "church-appropriate." They are modest and not too loud, but they are stylish and unique at the same time.

Sunday- 1 by Rtboo featuring high heels

As you can see, this outfit isn't much different from a nice weekday work outfit. The principles are all the same- start with a flattering silhouette and then embellish with pieces that bring your personality to the look. For me, that meant a bright shoe and some complementary pieces of jewelry as well as a belt at the waist for a polished, cinched waist. The dress is fitted without being form-fitting, which is good for both church and the workplace, actually.

Sunday-2 by Rtboo featuring gold earrings

(I am actually in LOVE with this outfit! I need to get it, somehow!) The two patterns of the skirt and the blouse create an interesting visual combination without being too loud or over-the-top. The blue tights are a fun pop of color, but once again, they're not over-the-top like a electric blue might have been. But if you aren't one for colored tights (I know they're not for everyone), then just plain black or dark grey would have worked, too. Since the top and skirt are pretty quirky, I kept the accessories simple and minimal. This one also kind of reminds me of something Emma Pillsbury would wear, so maybe that's why I like it so much.

I tend to have a lot of things in my closet that might not be considered appropriate for church- mostly due to necklines that are too low-cut. I'm sure plenty of women have a similar dilemma, but there are many solutions aside from just layering a cami underneath. There are other types of tops that layer beautifully- lightweight turtleneck or cowl neck tops are great for added warmth and coverage. And there are so many options for layering over a low-cut dress including any number of short jackets. But that's another post for another day.