Mantilla Question

[catholicrocks]

I wear black most of the year, and save my white one for Christmas, Easter and the Easter season.
I would love a blue one for Mary days. We will see.

Me too! I could still kick myself - there was a beautiful navy blue one on ebay a while back that I wanted so badly, but I let it go! I’ve seen some others too, but haven’t gotten one yet.

 

[MissRose73]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

 

[CB_Catholic]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

The color does not matter. Women around here used to wear black in fall and winter, and white in spring and summer, but that is just because fall/winter clothes are darker in the North.

 

[dixieagle]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

There are no rules whatsoever about color; how could there be, as head coverings are not required (though common at EF Masses.) They are a personal choice and private devotion. Wear what you like.

 

[Danquayle76]

I think single women should wear white mantillas so single men know who is single

 

[Cider]

What I’ve noticed is that at SSPX and FSSP it’s more common for younger women and girls to wear white ones and older women to wear black. It generally seems to be unmarried white, married or widowed black. At diocesan EF it’s more eclectic, but I also see less women covering their at diocesan EFs in anyway.

 

[Anna_jane]

Don’t worry about it: I’ve been going to EF all my life, and while it may have been a custom in some time/place, it isn’t much followed anymore. Certainly you aren’t going to be turned out because you weren’t properly color-coded!

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Somewhere along the line I ran across the idea that traditionally virgins wear white mantillas as a symbol of their purity, and non-virgins wear black, I guess as a symbol of their modesty. I don’t think many people are even aware of this convention though, much less go by it.

 

[puzzleannie]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

).

you presume correctly
it is also not necessary to wear a mantilla if you feel convicted that you should cover your head, any hat, scarf or covering of any color is fine. you should also not feel obligated to defend what you wear or do not wear to anyone. ever.

 

[karow]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

I somehow don’t think these adorable senoritas are married:

cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/39/2010/03/500x_seville32610.jpg

Long, long ago in some places in Europe white and black mantillas were symbolic of womens’ stations in life. In 2011, not so much.

 

[dixieagle]

you presume correctly
it is also not necessary to wear a mantilla if you feel convicted that you should cover your head, any hat, scarf or covering of any color is fine. you should also not feel obligated to defend what you wear or do not wear to anyone. ever.

 

[JGMendes4049]

The woman who was my second grade CCD teacher, when I got my First Communion, always wears a white veil, except during Advent and Lent, when she wears black.

However, this is at an Ordinary Form Mass where it’s voluntary for women to cover their heads. As a side note, she is a married Lay Dominican, and I was the altar server for her daughter’s wedding about a month ago. She is a very pious and devout woman.

 

[Zacdecat]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

It is probably quite a regional thing, where I live girls and young single women generally wear a white mantilla, The more fashion conscious lady will wear something in keeping with her dress. Very young girls…tots and babies will often just have a bonnet.

Women also wear white and other colours but black is very serviceable and in keeping with any clothing.

I have a beautiful black and gold Spanish mantilla which I wear at Christmas and first class feasts, and a plain black one for everyday wear.

 

[MissRose73]

I’ll save my black mantilla for attending EF Masses.

I have a few stylish head scarves to wear to OF Masses so I don’t feel so self conscious as so few women choose to cover at OF compared to EF.

 

[Lormar]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

Any color is fine, and no one color ever signified any status in life. Wear what you want.

 

[barb_finnegan]

I’m a single woman, and I wear a black veil.

I don’t think it really matters with regards to color and state in life.

At least black doesn’t get stained like white…

 

[Marie5890]

My understanding is that the wearing of the veil in America was really brought into fashion by Jackie Kennedy Oanasis. Hats and bonnets were the big thing prior to her making it fashionable.

 

[thequeen]

I am a woman past 40 who has never been married, and I have chapel veils in black white cream navy lavender pale blue and pink and i usually wear the one that cordinates with the dress that I am wearing.I also have a couple in beige.

 

[MissRose73]

My mother remembers in the 1960’s as a teen that the veil and mantilla became more popular as she remembers wearing a hat to Mass prior to that time.

My understanding is that the wearing of the veil in America was really brought into fashion by Jackie Kennedy Oanasis. Hats and bonnets were the big thing prior to her making it fashionable.

 

[Bezant]

Is it okay for a single woman like myself to wear a black mantilla or is white reserved just for single women? I presume the color should not make a difference as my head was covered, and no one said anything to me about my mantilla color including the priest before or after Mass.

The EF Mass I attended most of the women were wearing either white or ivory mantillas, and some were wearing black or a dark color one. The adult women, it was hard to tell if they were single, married or widowed (unless they were accompanied by their husbands or significant other).

Does it really matter? Personally, I think the idea of advertising one’s sexual/martial status distasteful (though what does that say of wedding bands? ).