Acceptance of dress

Just a thought, but I think the "baggy pants" reference is talking about the habit that lots of gangs have gotten into of wearing their pants real low.........

Its different than just being comfortably loose fitting.

Beyond that, I don't know.

 

Well, I agree that your pants should cover up more than 50% of your undies.

 

Clothes can be a statement... The statement and spirit behind the clothing is the important thing, not the clothes themselves.

I don't like to see kids follow fads. It reveals a desire to be identified with the world.

 

Which is completely different from the 3 piece suite, white shirt with a tie and polished wing-tips in what way???

 

fads are different than enduring fashion styles.

 

You're calling suits as we wear them today an enduring fashion style? Not hardly. In the big picture they haven't been around that long. But that's not the issue. Wearing a designer suit because that's what your peer group expects you to wear and because it identifies you with your peer group is no different than wearing baggie pants for the exact same reasons.

 

the difference is who you are identifying with in the two examples you gave. I don't want my son identifying with gang members and those who want to be like gang members. I also don't want my son to be trying to identify with a slovenly, lazy group who doesnt care how they look or how they act.

It would be a far different thing if he wanted to identify with a group of people who wore suits. They tend to be a different sort of kid.

 

I agree partly with what bapmom is saying. There are definitely people our children should not emulate, and this should be made clear from a young age. However, baggy pants is no longer just the fashion style of gang members, or those trying to emulate gangs. In that same manner suits are not always indicative of church goers or business men, as mobsters and higher level drug dealers/traffickers wear them. There is a difference between baggy pants and just plain wearing your pants belted underneath your bottom, also. People who wear sports jerseys and sneakers, with baggy pants can take just as long to get ready as those who wear a suit and tie. There are people who go so far as to make sure their baggy jeans have creases in them. It is just a different style of dress. A style of dress is not an indicator of a person's actions. Who someone is trying to emulate, if anybody, is more indicative of a person's actions and character, than their style of dress. There is a difference, and that is why there is so much debate on this issue. It is not all black and white, it is mostly grey. I stand by my post in the previous thread. As there is no clear cut scripture for either side, a Christian should wear what they like to church, providing it is modest, and permit their brother or sister in Christ to do the same. God does not care about your clothing, or how long it took you to get ready. He is more concerned with your heart. If the Holy Spirit is convicting you to dress differently for church, then do so. If not, continue praising, and worshippng God as you are. In the end this is all that matters.

 

double post

 

So everybody who wears baggy pants is in a gang, is lazy, doesn't care how they look or act.

Just like how since David Duke wore suits everyone else who wears suits is a racist. Al Copone, Clyde Barrow and John Dillanger wore suits, so everyone else who wears suits are murdering bank robbers. Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart wore suits, so every preacher who wears suits has sex with secretaries and prostitutes. Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton wore suits, so people who wear suits have a hard time telling the truth.

 

Which is completely different from the 3 piece suite, white shirt with a tie and polished wing-tips in what way??? </font>[/QUOTE]The perception of respect and class. I also don't like to see adults follow fads- should have been more clear but kids' styles tend to imply rebellion more than adult styles.

Adult styles can indicate materialism though.

By principle, it is my opinion that a church shouldn't pressure people into buying expensive special clothes for church nor look down on those who don't wear them. As far as I know, the first century church wore their daily clothing to assembly. Further, the specific NT text about women being modest direct addresses being over dressed in a way designed to make others appear inferior.

FTR, I disdain ties and haven't worn a suit or even a sports coat in over 4 years.

 

No. Everyone who wears that style conveys those things and a culture of rebellion whether they intend to or not. They should become more thoughtful and conscious of the message their clothing sends as they mature. In a Christian home, the parents should act as the conscience and teach the kid not only that they aren't to follow the world but why and how not to do so.

 

I usually go to church wearing new faded but nice jeans, often cowboy boots, and a nice shirt and have a fairly clean cut appearance, but I usually go to the second service where most are older and dressed more formal than I. Funny, that when someone new comes in with facial piercing and/or tattoos and biker clothing or whatever they often will sit by me obviously feeling more comfortable which makes me not want to dress it up anymore than I do. I seem to be in the middle and prefer it; you don’t as frequently see a roughly dressed person sitting next to or talking to a suited one and from the middle I can hang with either side comfortably…usually.


On a side note:
All my work jeans are getting worn out… faded, holes, stains, glue, thin spots, jagged edges. Went to the store to buy some new; 90% of the new jeans costing $30-$50 were… faded, holes, stains, glue, thin spots, jagged edges…found out I’m already styling!

 

Come on, guitarpreacher, you know full well that isn't what Im sayin'. I didn't use the word "all", I said who is my child trying to identify with? If he is with a group who tends to wear more jeans and tee-shirts, fine. But do they look put together? Do they look decent most of the time? Do they wear the appropriate thing for where they are and who they are with and what they are doing? That's just the first part of what we ought to look at when determining what crowd our child prefers.

And, in my other post about the "baggy pants" thing, I thought I made it pretty clear that we aren't just talking about comfort-fitting clothing. These are when they wear their jeans down around their knees, and Im not letting my son wear his pants like that no matter who he's trying to identify with.

Theres some things we wear, and some ways we wear them, that just give people a clue as to what kind of person we are. "Man looks on the outside...." its all we are able to do at first. ANd I think its appropriate to pay some attention to what sort of impression we give with our outward appearance.

 

I think what the origin of this thread was trying to point out is that we can accept the way an unbeliever is dressed at church without having to accept that style for ourselves, our children, our school dress codes, and our leadership positioned people.

Of course, if a visitor is dressed-down when he comes in, he's going to be self-conscious. He will be self-conscious no matter what he's wearing anyway. And it only reinforces that idea when members ignore the visitor who just walked in. But that idea that we will judge him based on his clothes is dispelled when we offer warmth and welcome....no matter what we are dressed like when we offer it.

 

Boasting? Nope, just stating an observation and I actually don’t consider my attire that casual because of not wearing a coat and tie. BTW, my boots probably cost more than your jacket.

Well that can be fine, but for my observations most people under 40-50 years old have no desire to be dressed with formal traditions, are uneasy even walking in the door in the first place, and are trying to get past the suits walking up to them. Often I read these people and see how uncomfortable they are with that kind of approach and a simple, kind, and understanding look with the eyes brings them over which opens the door to some casual inviting conversation. Anyway, they usually seem to be late and are looking for a place to sit without becoming a spectacle is where I was coming from.

My pastor doesn’t wear a coat and is often lecturing the stuffy congregation about making people feel comfortable. He showed a really funny film a couple weeks ago about a new family coming to church for the first time and how they were greeted, and it really fit. He followed with statistics of how many new people walked in the church and never came back and personally I can see how the suits chase most new comers off and only see the new 3rd service which is very casual growing.

Well, I live in the fastest growing city in the 2nd fastest growing state in the U.S. so I’m sure some things are different. Everyday attire for me in my cabinet shop is jeans and a plain colored t-shirt, except Sunday mornings and special occasions. I wore a jacket and tie to my wedding, my Grandmother’s funeral and a dog show and had to have someone else tie the tie. BTW, for a comparison I lost the dog show and went back the next day dressed casual and took two first places with the same dog. (Incase your wondering, Argentine Dogo-nothing like poodles)