Does it bother you to see families super underdressed at church?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Certain groups of people have "nice" clothes and are fine wearing them to church.

Maybe church leaders figured out there are lots of other people who either don't always have freshly laundered nice clothes, struggle with depression and it's an effort to just throw something on, or groups who aren't comfortable wearing "nice" clothes, but attend church much more often if they can be comfortable.

It was probably a wise decision to ease up on the dress expectations and welcome everyone to come as you are. More people in the pews to hear the preaching and not to mention, more offerings.

My friend attends an evangelical church with a band. Last week I checked the livestream to see if they were done and one guitar guy was wearing shorts, t-shirt and flipflops. No one seemed to mind, so I don't think God did either.

I have MDD and so do lots of my family members. Turns out people have struggled with depression for a very long time. Guess what? Until the modern era, they still put on presentable clothing just to go grocery shopping. And definitely to go to church.

People with depression are not compelled to dress like slobs. It's a copout.

Everyone is different.

My sister had severe depression - didn't brush her teeth for a year, extreme effort to get out of bed. She was very religious and wanted to go to church. The thought of finding a "nice" outfit in the chaos of her house, room and closet was overwhelming to her. It was all she could do to find a clean shirt to wear with the jeans or sweats she wore every day, and hopefully 2 shoes that matched.

She didn't look like a "slob" and sweats and a T were "presentable" enough. Luckily, her church did *not* care. Thankfully she wasn't sitting beside someone like you side-eyeing her outfit and saying not dressing "nice" was a copout. Or she would have just retreated back home and quit going to church. Getting out in public with a warm and welcoming church group was the first step in her overcoming the severe depression.

The relaxed dress codes are not aimed at people like you who have no comprehension of different people from different walks of life. They are aimed at people who are more comfortable in shorts and flipflops, leggings or a faded T and sweatpants. Or someone who is scraping up money for the laundromat and the only thing clean on Sunday is their jeans and an old shirt from a store opening. The church leaders and welcoming members know it's more important to meet people where they are. Put up no barriers to entry. Heck, if you are homeless, these churches don't even care if your shirt is stained and dirty. They are looking to meet the needs of all people, not expect a dress code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While others are there to pray, OP attends services to judge others.

Why do the people who are there to pray dress like slobs?

You don't know what someone else is going through. Maybe they struggled to get out of bed this morning and just the effort of getting there was a lot of them. It doesn't really matter.

If going to church meant so much that they could pull themselves out of a stupor to get there, they can add additional steps of grooming and dressing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While others are there to pray, OP attends services to judge others.

Why do the people who are there to pray dress like slobs?

You don't know what someone else is going through. Maybe they struggled to get out of bed this morning and just the effort of getting there was a lot of them. It doesn't really matter.

If going to church meant so much that they could pull themselves out of a stupor to get there, they can add additional steps of grooming and dressing up.

LIke everybody used to do.

[Anonymous]

We are Catholic and live in the south. Everyone in the 10 o’clock high mass dresses exactly like you’re describing in formal wear. The Catholic churches are packed every week. If we arrive at 9:55, we cannot get a seat. Women look like it’s Easter Sunday every single Sunday with full hair and makeup. I typically wear a nice dress, jewelry and heels and make up to Mass. My boys and husband wear belts and dress shoes and collared shirts and sometimes blazers.This is very normal for southern Catholics at high mass. Come down here it’s a better life!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I sound both old and old fashioned but I love seeing clean cut families put effort into their appearance. Boys in chinos and a tucked in shirt, dad in a blazer or suit (or at least a collared shirt under a nice sweater), mom and gals in dresses. Everyone's hair styled nicely. It displays such an appreciation and respect for the church and the service. We'll probably never return to that but semi-casual is still nice to see. However, the hooded sweatshirts, baggy fleece pants... untucked shirts... kids wearing t-shirts under a jacket... sporty sneakers... I hate it. Often parents are dressed nice but the kids look like they just rolled out of bed. It's not a wealth thing, it's a caring thing.

Nope. Just happy to see them there. They could have stayed home or in bed. Do you think Jesus would care? I dress nearly and I’m not churchy dressed. I would quick double take if I saw pj bottoms and continue on minding my business and my worship experience which is why I’m there.

[Anonymous]

My kids don't own dress shoes, but we do try to brush their hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are Catholic and live in the south. Everyone in the 10 o’clock high mass dresses exactly like you’re describing in formal wear. The Catholic churches are packed every week. If we arrive at 9:55, we cannot get a seat. Women look like it’s Easter Sunday every single Sunday with full hair and makeup. I typically wear a nice dress, jewelry and heels and make up to Mass. My boys and husband wear belts and dress shoes and collared shirts and sometimes blazers.This is very normal for southern Catholics at high mass. Come down here it’s a better life!

Full hair and makeup is very important to Jesus. As are belts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Catholic and live in the south. Everyone in the 10 o’clock high mass dresses exactly like you’re describing in formal wear. The Catholic churches are packed every week. If we arrive at 9:55, we cannot get a seat. Women look like it’s Easter Sunday every single Sunday with full hair and makeup. I typically wear a nice dress, jewelry and heels and make up to Mass. My boys and husband wear belts and dress shoes and collared shirts and sometimes blazers.This is very normal for southern Catholics at high mass. Come down here it’s a better life!

Full hair and makeup is very important to Jesus. As are belts.

Every minor thing is important. You are being judged for all you do, especially how you dress, who you gossip about, and who you shun as part of your social circle for not dressing appropriately. St. Peter will take all of this into consideration when at the pearly gates.

[Anonymous]

Judge not sayeth the Lord, lest ye be judged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Catholic and live in the south. Everyone in the 10 o’clock high mass dresses exactly like you’re describing in formal wear. The Catholic churches are packed every week. If we arrive at 9:55, we cannot get a seat. Women look like it’s Easter Sunday every single Sunday with full hair and makeup. I typically wear a nice dress, jewelry and heels and make up to Mass. My boys and husband wear belts and dress shoes and collared shirts and sometimes blazers.This is very normal for southern Catholics at high mass. Come down here it’s a better life!

Full hair and makeup is very important to Jesus. As are belts.

Every minor thing is important. You are being judged for all you do, especially how you dress, who you gossip about, and who you shun as part of your social circle for not dressing appropriately. St. Peter will take all of this into consideration when at the pearly gates.

St. Peter is taking notes about people who post hateful nonsense on the interwebs. Good thing you don't believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Catholic and live in the south. Everyone in the 10 o’clock high mass dresses exactly like you’re describing in formal wear. The Catholic churches are packed every week. If we arrive at 9:55, we cannot get a seat. Women look like it’s Easter Sunday every single Sunday with full hair and makeup. I typically wear a nice dress, jewelry and heels and make up to Mass. My boys and husband wear belts and dress shoes and collared shirts and sometimes blazers.This is very normal for southern Catholics at high mass. Come down here it’s a better life!

Full hair and makeup is very important to Jesus. As are belts.

Every minor thing is important. You are being judged for all you do, especially how you dress, who you gossip about, and who you shun as part of your social circle for not dressing appropriately. St. Peter will take all of this into consideration when at the pearly gates.

St. Peter is taking notes about people who post hateful nonsense on the interwebs. Good thing you don't believe.

St. Peter doesn't exist. Neither does Heaven.

[Anonymous]

There's a difference between being underdressed because you can't, and underdressed because you won't. I don't really judge because I don't know the difference, in that I don't know what someone's life circumstance is.

But it does seem odd to praise god as worthy of your devotion, he from whom all blessings flow, and then to not even put a tenth of the effort as you would for a date night with your significant other. Doubly so for kids. I wouldn't let my teenage daughter go to the grocery store in sweats and a bonnet, nor my pre-teen son to visit his grandma in assisted living in crocs. So those are going to be the minimum standards at church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans in general are known for dressing down. Other people don’t come outside in pajamas usually.

Americans have gotten fat too, which encourages being disheveled, I think.

Americans are getting thinner again with GLP-1s, but they are still disheveled.