Is it ok for a lay person to wear a monk’s habit?

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Patorikku85

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I haven’t been able to find a proper answer for this question. I’ve seen some say never, some say yes, with permissions, and others say yes. Those that say yes say it helps them as a reminder of the rule of their order, and warn about wearing a habit to make you feel holier (that should be obvious but clearly there are people that think clothes and types of sacramentals make them holier). What is the verdict on this?
 
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You may want to refer back to the extremely long thread we just had a couple weeks ago about a laywoman wanting to wear clothing similar to that of a nun.

It’s not recommended because it misleads people into thinking you are part of a religious order. Unless you just want to wear it around the house because it’s comfortable, and not wear it out in public.

I think there’s also a good chance you’d be mistaken for a ren faire aficionado. Many of the guys interested in that dress up as monks because the costume is relatively easy and comfortable and doesn’t require hosiery or anything weird. I know there’s one that used to rent monk outfits to guys coming for the day.
 
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Yeah, I agree with this. I can’t figure out why else a layperson would want to wear a robe. It seems like attention seeking behavior, frankly.

If you’re a layman, wear the clothing appropriate to a layman. What’s the goal in wearing the attire of a monk?
 
It’s not about a look at me attitude. Most of the people I’ve found that dobwear them have warned about having this mentality. They wear them for minimalistic reasons and to help remind them to live by the rule of that specific order. In fact, after a bit of research, traditionally, couples associated with monastic orders would wear the robes as well.
 
If you want to wear it in private I would say go ahead.

If you plan to wear it in public I would say absolutely no.

@Tis_Bearself gave an excellent explanation.
 
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In that case -

Have you talked to a brother or monk of the Order which you are interested in following?

Obedience is of the utmost importance if you want to follow a religious Order - you must seek out and find a holy elder and ask his opinion on such things as these.

Then do exactly what he tells you.

In so doing, you will fulfill the greatest of religious virtues - obedience.
 
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Well, you wouldn’t be the first, that’s for sure.

We’ve see folks- mostly women or dressed like women- in nun’s attire, and they are usually up to no good. Do what you like of course, but expect to be followed around in stores and having security guards keep an eagle eye on you.

You can think its “unfair” or “prejudice” , but people have a way of telling a posier or wannabe from the real McCoy.
 
They are not in that order, so they have no right to wear the robe. There are other ways to remind oneself of the principles of the order.

You would not wear a nurses uniform, a judge’s robe, or a police uniform because you would be mistaken for being one, no matter how much you are trying to remind yourself that you live by their principles.

I too, believe it is a little bit of “look at me.” But wearing it is a fraud.
 
Don’t be too harsh guys.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

So far I have not sensed anything prideful or nefarious about the OP.
 
The thing to ask is why is the person wearing the monk’s habit? The excuse may be “because it reminds me to be faithful to the rule of their Order.” Well, why not buy a book on the particular Order, learn the rules and follow them? Why is it necessary to wear a monk’s habit to obey their rules?
 
Laity who have an affinity for a religious order’s spirituality could wear that order’s scapular or the equivalent. This is what the Carmelites offer with the Brown Scapular. The scapular is an abbreviated version of the order’s habit.
 
As a brother of a religious Order who regularly wears his habit, maybe I can give a little insight to this issue. A habit is not simply a distinctive mark of an Order, but rather holds a deep meaning to the Order. Each piece holds a specific meaning which is dear to their hearts and charism. Many Orders withhold certain parts (or the entirety) of their habits until major milestones are made in the spiritual formation of the individual, like simple or solemn vows. If laity simply begin to wear the habit, then it could be taken by the Order as demeaning with regards to the process of formation the religious goes through. Put yourself in their shoes. If they take four, eight, ten years or more of formation in Order to be allowed to fully wear the habit of the Order, then what would it feel like if one of the laity just puts it on one day and starts to wear it.

If you feel called to wear the habit of an Order, you must receive not only permission from the Order but also go through formation in order to prepare yourself for the life which the habit symbolizes and even then, you must be invested with the habit by the Order. The habit is not a symbol but an integral part of the identity of the Order. It is only theirs to dispense.
 
Patorikku85 said:
It’s not about a look at me attitude. Most of the people I’ve found that dobwear them have warned about having this mentality. They wear them for minimalistic reasons and to help remind them to live by the rule of that specific order. In fact, after a bit of research, traditionally, couples associated with monastic orders would wear the robes as well.
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If they want simple attire, they should maintain a simple lay person’s wardrobe – for men, a pair of khakis or jeans, with a polo shirt or button down shirt; for women, a pair of slacks or jeans or skirt or jumper, with a polo shirt or unadorned blouse.

Why does “simple attire” have to be a monastic habit? That’s ridiculous.

I was in a monastery for a couple of years in my late teens. Receiving the habit was a huge deal! We postulants were prepared through instruction and prayer for a year, and a week-long retreat before our clothing ceremony. During the rite, we laid prostrate on the floor while the community prayed for us. Then each item was blessed by our chaplain and presented to us by the prioress.

For some lay person to just assume the right to wear a habit because they feel some sort of liking for a particular Saint or community or Rule is presumptuous and completely misguided.

If one feels that strong of a drawing, they should visit a monastery and discern their vocation.
 
Gen. speaking, monks do not wear much under their robes so I would guess they get mighty cold when the wind blows. LOL!
 
MaryEstelle2 said:
Gen. speaking, monks do not wear much under their robes so I would guess they get mighty cold when the wind blows. LOL!
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Really? I would have thought that would vary, depending on the climate at the monk’s duty station
 
Gen. speaking, but then I never looked under a monk’s robe! LOL!
 
MaryEstelle2 said:
Gen. speaking, monks do not wear much under their robes so I would guess they get mighty cold when the wind blows. LOL!
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No, we wore long underwear (top and bottom) and sometimes even sweats (top and bottom) under our habits in the winter.

Out at the barn in the predawn, winter hours (between Matins and Lauds), we’d be wearing long underwear AND sweatpants, and a heavy coat and gloves.

We used to joke that we were usually wearing two or three complete outfits in the winter. 😄
 
LOL! I thought we were talking about Monks, not Sister/Nuns. This thread gets more funner and funner! By the way, I got in trouble for wearing slacks once.
 
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