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Yoliswa Dube

I WAS having a difficult time deciding whether to wear this floral dress to work or save it for church on Sunday.

I know, you might be thinking once you hit your 20s you’re too old to be saving clothes for Sunday. But I somehow felt it was necessary. I needed to draw a line between my work clothes and my church clothes.

Just like when we were kids and we had home clothes and town clothes. You couldn’t wear the town clothes while you played outside otherwise they’d wear out quickly right? If most of your childhood was spent outdoors like mine, you wore T-shirts which hung awkwardly and had chewed up collars and shorts with a hole or two in them and good old pata patas while you went around your business. It was bliss. In fact, what a time to be alive that was!

Anyway, instead of wearing that floral A-line dress to work, I thought it would be more appropriate to wear it to church. I mean, in as much as I like to slay, was there need to wear something so fancy to work?

You might be thinking, well, is there reason to be going to church in fancy clothes anyway. Not particularly. But it feels right to turn things up a notch as you go to the house of the Lord. It’s the right thing to do. It shows you have respect for yourself, the people around you and most importantly God.

Church is not the place to be wearing your party dresses and hoping no one will judge you for it. If anything, you’ll find strict fashion critics in church more than anywhere else. You can’t just swing over your night out look to the church pews. This is why there’s a “Sunday best”.

Your Sunday best should be the clothes you don’t wear on any other day — something you feel clean and honourable in. Dressing appropriately for church doesn’t necessarily mean wearing long skirts and oversized dresses that drown your figure. It means covering your body in a manner that is acceptable among a varied range of people.

Your Sunday best can be “decent” but still fashionable. Looking stylish is not all about showing off skin and “assets”. Don’t expose yourself. Measure those skirts. If they’re short enough to flash people when you sit, don’t wear them. Don’t wear anything above the knee if you can avoid it.

Generally, don’t wear anything see-through or transparent although this can be solved by using undershirts or tank tops. Ladies — absolutely no cleavage! Wear appropriate bottoms for your church and gender — a dress or a nice skirt or pants will do. Some churches are quite specific when it comes to dressing and may sometimes require something somewhat longer — a maxi skirt will look decent and fashionable at the same time.

You’ll never go wrong with a shift, an A-line or a wrap dress. Add a cardigan, some pearls and you’re set. Yes, miniskirts and above-the-knee clothing are popular, but save it for the rest of the week.

Guys, wear a nice pair of slacks, such as khaki pants or dark jeans. Both genders should avoid wearing shorts, please! Ladies, you can wear your jeans or pants to church with pretty much everything, just make sure you don’t wear crop tops, spaghetti straps or show too much cleavage.

Leave the high stilettos at home. As much as I love my heels, I don’t wear the really high ones to church. Instead, try heels that are lower than three inches.

Pumps are a great choice to wear with a shift dress, a pencil skirt or pants.

P.S — stay away from leggings, sandals and flip flops!

Until next week, flaunt your pattern and style and don’t forget to catch up with me on Twitter handle @Yolisswa, visit my blog, www.stayera247.blogspot.com or like my Facebook page Pattern & Style.