Traditional Attire?

[Iotaunum]

Hi

This has most likely been discussed at some point on this forum before but after a brief search I cannot find exactly the answers I am looking for. This is not a doctrinal question, so I don’t expect it to become an argumentative thread - I just want everyone’s opinions.

The question is this: What clothing is appropriate for the traditional Mass?

At the masses I have attended I see new people comming from time to time and they are Catholics but have not attended the Latin Mass before. The Men usually come in jeans and t-shirts / sports jackets with logos etc and they wear casual shoes. The women usually come in short skirts or casual trousers - even low cut tops - and they are not veiled. What is encouraging however, is that as they continue to come and see those around them, and perhaps hear the priest’s sermons etc - they gradually conform to more or less what the others wear. I see them come the following week, for example, after attending in a short skirt and low cut top the week before, in a longer dress and wearing a veil. The men also tend to move towards a shirt and trousers, and lose the casual shoes.

Is this what others see? I know there are exceptions and some people ignore and arrive in clothing they should not even wear to a beach let alone to go to the communion rail.These are thankfully the minority however.

For those who attend the Latin Mass: Is there a dress code at your Chapel? Do some people ignore it? Is it “enforced” in any way? What attire is appropriate? Do the women wear trousers? Are bright eye catching designs/patterns/colours appropriate? Does every woman wear a veil?

For those who attend the Novus Ordo Mass: Would you like to see veils return? Would you like a stricter dress code?

I would like to hear from everyone - those who attend Indult/diocesan Masses, SSPX Masses, FSSP Masses etc and if there are any who remember attending Mas before Vatican II I would like their comments and memories of the dress code also.

As a side issue, I heard some people say that before Vatican II unmarried women/girls wore white veils and the married women wore black - Is there any truth to this, or was it confined to certain parishes?

 

[ExLibris]

During the warmer months, I typically wear something like this:

4.bp.blogspot.com/_0FjPCtl8nPY/TA3MPzCdjcI/AAAAAAAAH5o/eyWb_jArGhE/s1600/Picture+8.png

In the winter, I wear the same thing but a long sleeve shirt and a coat.

 

[karow]

Hi

This has most likely been discussed at some point on this forum before but after a brief search I cannot find exactly the answers I am looking for. This is not a doctrinal question, so I don’t expect it to become an argumentative thread - I just want everyone’s opinions.

The question is this: What clothing is appropriate for the traditional Mass?

At the masses I have attended I see new people comming from time to time and they are Catholics but have not attended the Latin Mass before. The Men usually come in jeans and t-shirts / sports jackets with logos etc and they wear casual shoes. The women usually come in short skirts or casual trousers - even low cut tops - and they are not veiled. What is encouraging however, is that as they continue to come and see those around them, and perhaps hear the priest’s sermons etc - they gradually conform to more or less what the others wear. I see them come the following week, for example, after attending in a short skirt and low cut top the week before, in a longer dress and wearing a veil. The men also tend to move towards a shirt and trousers, and lose the casual shoes.

Is this what others see? I know there are exceptions and some people ignore and arrive in clothing they should not even wear to a beach let alone to go to the communion rail.These are thankfully the minority however.

For those who attend the Latin Mass: Is there a dress code at your Chapel? Do some people ignore it? Is it “enforced” in any way? What attire is appropriate? Do the women wear trousers? Are bright eye catching designs/patterns/colours appropriate? Does every woman wear a veil?

For those who attend the Novus Ordo Mass: Would you like to see veils return? Would you like a stricter dress code?

I would like to hear from everyone - those who attend Indult/diocesan Masses, SSPX Masses, FSSP Masses etc and if there are any who remember attending Mas before Vatican II I would like their comments and memories of the dress code also.

As a side issue, I heard some people say that before Vatican II unmarried women/girls wore white veils and the married women wore black - Is there any truth to this, or was it confined to certain parishes?

Hi and welcome to CAF.

All of the questions you’ve posted have been discussed, dissected, picked apart and argued over ad nauseam on these threads. Search under the terms modesty at Mass, Catholic modesty, veiling, head coverings, dressing up for Mass, and you’ll see what I mean. Some of the threads have hundreds of posts in them, which I’m sure will lead you to hours of enlightening reading.

 

[Monica4316]

Hi

This has most likely been discussed at some point on this forum before but after a brief search I cannot find exactly the answers I am looking for. This is not a doctrinal question, so I don’t expect it to become an argumentative thread - I just want everyone’s opinions.

The question is this: What clothing is appropriate for the traditional Mass?

at the FSSP parish I attended, the people who came there regularly dressed modestly, women either in skirts or dress pants (mostly skirts), no low cut tops, etc… some women veiled. I usually wear a skirt rather than pants nowadays, and I veil too if I go to the Latin Mass.

At the masses I have attended I see new people comming from time to time and they are Catholics but have not attended the Latin Mass before. The Men usually come in jeans and t-shirts / sports jackets with logos etc and they wear casual shoes. The women usually come in short skirts or casual trousers - even low cut tops - and they are not veiled. What is encouraging however, is that as they continue to come and see those around them, and perhaps hear the priest’s sermons etc - they gradually conform to more or less what the others wear. I see them come the following week, for example, after attending in a short skirt and low cut top the week before, in a longer dress and wearing a veil. The men also tend to move towards a shirt and trousers, and lose the casual shoes.

I have noticed something similar at my Latin Mass parish, - sometimes people would come not dressed modestly, but they did not seem to come there regularly

Is this what others see? I know there are exceptions and some people ignore and arrive in clothing they should not even wear to a beach let alone to go to the communion rail.These are thankfully the minority however.

For those who attend the Latin Mass: Is there a dress code at your Chapel? Do some people ignore it? Is it “enforced” in any way? What attire is appropriate? Do the women wear trousers? Are bright eye catching designs/patterns/colours appropriate? Does every woman wear a veil?

I don’t think there’s a dress code, but people don’t seem to dress immodestly like I described most women wear skirts, and a number of them veil. At another (diocesan) Latin Mass I’ve been to, more than half of the women were veiled.

For those who attend the Novus Ordo Mass: Would you like to see veils return? Would you like a stricter dress code?

yes, definitely. I don’t have an opportunity to attend the Latin Mass most weeks now, and at my (Novus Ordo) parish, many dress very immodestly… I would also like to see veils return

I would like to hear from everyone - those who attend Indult/diocesan Masses, SSPX Masses, FSSP Masses etc and if there are any who remember attending Mas before Vatican II I would like their comments and memories of the dress code also.

As a side issue, I heard some people say that before Vatican II unmarried women/girls wore white veils and the married women wore black - Is there any truth to this, or was it confined to certain parishes?

I don’t know… this seems to be the case, but mostly cultural ? sorry I’m not sure I wear a white veil and I’m unmarried.

 

[TrueLight]

Is this what others see? I know there are exceptions and some people ignore and arrive in clothing they should not even wear to a beach let alone to go to the communion rail.These are thankfully the minority however.

I see extremely modestly-dressed women. Not only are they dressed modestly, but they seem to wear their grandmother’s, shapeless clothes. I’m all for vintage, but come on!

When I go to the traditional mass, I tend to wear dresses or skirts that are at least a little bit past my knees, and a mid-sleeve top. Occasionally, I wear dress pants.

I am not modest in the sense of wearing non-descript clothes. My clothes tend to be different/alternative.

And I wear a black veil. I haven’t yet figured out if women there follow the black-married, white-single rule. I just like black.

 

[corsair]

I attend an FSSP parish as often as possible. However, because of the price of fuel, I still attend a closer OF parish which is quite reverent.

No matter where I attend Mass, I wear my best clothing. I mean, afterall, I’m in the prescense of God.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Hi

This has most likely been discussed at some point on this forum before but after a brief search I cannot find exactly the answers I am looking for. This is not a doctrinal question, so I don’t expect it to become an argumentative thread - I just want everyone’s opinions.

The question is this: What clothing is appropriate for the traditional Mass?

At the masses I have attended I see new people comming from time to time and they are Catholics but have not attended the Latin Mass before. The Men usually come in jeans and t-shirts / sports jackets with logos etc and they wear casual shoes. The women usually come in short skirts or casual trousers - even low cut tops - and they are not veiled. What is encouraging however, is that as they continue to come and see those around them, and perhaps hear the priest’s sermons etc - they gradually conform to more or less what the others wear. I see them come the following week, for example, after attending in a short skirt and low cut top the week before, in a longer dress and wearing a veil. The men also tend to move towards a shirt and trousers, and lose the casual shoes.

Is this what others see? I know there are exceptions and some people ignore and arrive in clothing they should not even wear to a beach let alone to go to the communion rail.These are thankfully the minority however.

For those who attend the Latin Mass: Is there a dress code at your Chapel? Do some people ignore it? Is it “enforced” in any way? What attire is appropriate? Do the women wear trousers? Are bright eye catching designs/patterns/colours appropriate? Does every woman wear a veil?

For those who attend the Novus Ordo Mass: Would you like to see veils return? Would you like a stricter dress code?

I would like to hear from everyone - those who attend Indult/diocesan Masses, SSPX Masses, FSSP Masses etc and if there are any who remember attending Mas before Vatican II I would like their comments and memories of the dress code also.

As a side issue, I heard some people say that before Vatican II unmarried women/girls wore white veils and the married women wore black - Is there any truth to this, or was it confined to certain parishes?

First of all, pre-Vat. II, women in this country did not usually wear veils to Mass. They wore hats or scarves, even a hanky or kleenex in an emergency. The chapel veil in this country was popularized by Jackie Kennedy in the early 60’s, and caught on quickly. Wearing a chapel veil is far from traditional in this country. She probably picked it up in one of her extensive travels. The custom is only about 40-50 years old. And Jackie often wore a hat to Mass (usually a pillbox). Now in other countries, women have been veiling far longer, esp in the Middle East, Spain and Italy, although Eastern Europen women wore headscarves.

Secondly, the color of the veil was determined by the season. In the summer it is customary to wear white or light colored clothing. In the cold months, dark clothing is worn. So in the summer, white or a light -colored veil or chapel cap was worn, while in the winter black or dark colors were worn. In this country, there was no custom for veiling that called for a difference between married and unmarried women. It was a seasonal thing. Now I have read that in some other countries, ones that have a long tradition of veiling, marriage status was indicated by veil color–can’t remember where I read that). But not in the US.

It seems to me people are trying to make something traditional out of something that is not. Now veils are nice, and I wore them in the 60’s at times, but they are not what we usually wore to Church before the Kennedys. We wore our best clothes with a nice hat and gloves to match, or a headscarf in a pretty pattern. But after Jackie Kennedy, women started to wear the veil. It was not an act of piety–it was a fashion statement. And in reality, when the veil-wearing started, the clothes became more casual, whereas when you had a nice hat to match your outfit, you tended to dress up more.

So now you know the history more or less of the chapel veil, it’s not what people seem to think. Most of the “older” women around here can verify that. If you really want to be traditional, buy a nice hat that matches your outfit

 

[Monica4316]

any head covering is good with me, but I just like the veils cause they look Mary-like (I’m also not good with hats in the summer…)

 

[Will_S]

t seems to me people are trying to make something traditional out of something that is not. Now veils are nice, and I wore them in the 60’s at times, but they are not what we usually wore to Church before the Kennedys. We wore our best clothes with a nice hat and gloves to match, or a headscarf in a pretty pattern. But after Jackie Kennedy, women started to wear the veil. It was not an act of piety–it was a fashion statement. And in reality, when the veil-wearing started, the clothes became more casual, whereas when you had a nice hat to match your outfit, you tended to dress up more.

Although veils are the most common head covering worn these days, scarves are still quite popular and a few women wear hats.

I think veils are popular because they are cheap and go with everything.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Although veils are the most common head covering worn these days, scarves are still quite popular and a few women wear hats.

I think veils are popular because they are cheap and go with everything.

I agree. And you can’t fold a hat up and put it in your purse! But I was answering the OP’s specific question as to memories of what women wore to Church back in “the days”. She asked for some accounts.

 

[Indyann]

First of all, pre-Vat. II, women in this country did not usually wear veils to Mass. They wore hats or scarves, even a hanky or kleenex in an emergency. The chapel veil in this country was popularized by Jackie Kennedy in the early 60’s, and caught on quickly. Wearing a chapel veil is far from traditional in this country. She probably picked it up in one of her extensive travels. The custom is only about 40-50 years old. And Jackie often wore a hat to Mass (usually a pillbox). Now in other countries, women have been veiling far longer, esp in the Middle East, Spain and Italy, although Eastern Europen women wore headscarves.

Secondly, the color of the veil was determined by the season. In the summer it is customary to wear white or light colored clothing. In the cold months, dark clothing is worn. So in the summer, white or a light -colored veil or chapel cap was worn, while in the winter black or dark colors were worn. In this country, there was no custom for veiling that called for a difference between married and unmarried women. It was a seasonal thing. Now I have read that in some other countries, ones that have a long tradition of veiling, marriage status was indicated by veil color–can’t remember where I read that). But not in the US.

It seems to me people are trying to make something traditional out of something that is not. Now veils are nice, and I wore them in the 60’s at times, but they are not what we usually wore to Church before the Kennedys. We wore our best clothes with a nice hat and gloves to match, or a headscarf in a pretty pattern. But after Jackie Kennedy, women started to wear the veil. It was not an act of piety–it was a fashion statement. And in reality, when the veil-wearing started, the clothes became more casual, whereas when you had a nice hat to match your outfit, you tended to dress up more.

So now you know the history more or less of the chapel veil, it’s not what people seem to think. Most of the “older” women around here can verify that. If you really want to be traditional, buy a nice hat that matches your outfit

That is exactly how it was. In my working class parish, almost everyone got a new “Easter bonnet” and that was worn each Sunday till fall. Then the tams or scarves were worn until Christmas. Then we wore our new knitted hat with a big tassel on top until Spring.

For weekday Masses, we wore scarves. Not the long kind, but the squares, folded into a triangle, then tied under the chin. The only times, I ever saw a veil were weddings, First Communion and Confirmation.

 

[MissRose73]

This post helped me as I will attend my first Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) that is in good standing with the Holy See while on vacation in a few weeks. I am a young person, and the only Mass I know is the Ordinary Form I was raised with, and still attend but my parents remember pre-1962 with the dressing up, Latin, etc.

I’ll be sure to dress conservatively despite the summer time here, and I do have a nice black dressy spring/summer head scarf/veil to wear even though I have never been married.

 

[Iotaunum]

I agree. And you can’t fold a hat up and put it in your purse! But I was answering the OP’s specific question as to memories of what women wore to Church back in “the days”. She asked for some accounts.

Hi

Thanks for your response - you had some interesting comments regarding the use of the veil in the U.S. I live in Ireland, and I think a mixture of veils, headscarfs and hats were worn to Mass, according to my older relatives: the less well off tending to wear headscarfs and the more well to do wearing the hats - at least in the more rural areas. By the way, just so you know; I am a man, not a woman - I was just interested in the use of head coverings, not deciding what to wear. I think I would get strange looks if I turned up next week wearing a veil!

 

[Danquayle76]

My father raised me to think that its wrong to dress up for church. He said “we shouldn’t treat God as a businessman as he won’t be impressed with our fine clothing as he knows who we really are.” He also insisted it was very Protestant to dress in your Sunday Best.

Now I have heard a number of good arguments for dressing up for church and concede my father was wrong when he said this was only for Protestants.

The vast majority of men at my FSSP parish where a suit and tie, but I have just been unable to bring myself to do the same even though I do like “dressing up.” My father’s strong views on this had just impacted to such a degree that it feels wrong to do so, even though I know its not.

Anyway I don’t show up to church wearing shorts and a t-shirt, but just wear what I usually do which I guess you would call business-casual. No one has ever said anything. There is one parishioner who does usually show up wearing shorts and a t-shirt and people seem fine with it.

 

[Chatter163]

First of all, pre-Vat. II, women in this country did not usually wear veils to Mass. They wore hats or scarves, even a hanky or kleenex in an emergency. The chapel veil in this country was popularized by Jackie Kennedy in the early 60’s, and caught on quickly. Wearing a chapel veil is far from traditional in this country. She probably picked it up in one of her extensive travels. The custom is only about 40-50 years old. And Jackie often wore a hat to Mass (usually a pillbox). Now in other countries, women have been veiling far longer, esp in the Middle East, Spain and Italy, although Eastern Europen women wore headscarves.

Secondly, the color of the veil was determined by the season. In the summer it is customary to wear white or light colored clothing. In the cold months, dark clothing is worn. So in the summer, white or a light -colored veil or chapel cap was worn, while in the winter black or dark colors were worn. In this country, there was no custom for veiling that called for a difference between married and unmarried women. It was a seasonal thing. Now I have read that in some other countries, ones that have a long tradition of veiling, marriage status was indicated by veil color–can’t remember where I read that). But not in the US.

It seems to me people are trying to make something traditional out of something that is not. Now veils are nice, and I wore them in the 60’s at times, but they are not what we usually wore to Church before the Kennedys. We wore our best clothes with a nice hat and gloves to match, or a headscarf in a pretty pattern. But after Jackie Kennedy, women started to wear the veil. It was not an act of piety–it was a fashion statement. And in reality, when the veil-wearing started, the clothes became more casual, whereas when you had a nice hat to match your outfit, you tended to dress up more.

So now you know the history more or less of the chapel veil, it’s not what people seem to think. Most of the “older” women around here can verify that. If you really want to be traditional, buy a nice hat that matches your outfit

Not sure why this issues angers you so much (yes, your angst came through quite clearly), but practices varied greatly by region and ethnic group. What you described was very true among Anglophones and some Northern Europeans, but many Southern Europeans, Italians, Spaniards, Latin Americans and Fillipinos mostly wore mantillas.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Not sure why this issues angers you so much (yes, your angst came through quite clearly), but practices varied greatly by region and ethnic group. What you described was very true among Anglophones and some Northern Europeans, but many Southern Europeans, Italians, Spaniards, Latin Americans and Fillipinos mostly wore mantillas.

The angst is in your imagination. Just answering the question and clearing up a mistaken impression about veiling. There is nothing to be angry about.

 

[Dakota_Roberts]

Veils can be quite beautiful and different ones match with outfits. I think veils are pretty personally and would be happy if the practice came back.

On my mother’s side we three piece suits with soft leather shoes (not glossy, no squeaks) all in black, I personally add a black leather wrist watch with a mother of pearl face, silver hands with sapphire tips and a silver circle to mark 12 (no other face markings)

 

[MissRose73]

I emailed the priest of a parish does the EF as when I am on vacation in his area for a few days, and want to attend Mass. He was kind to write me back regarding dress:

My question:
I presume that women are asked to wear either a veil, mantilla, head scarf or other sort of head covering, and be dressed conservatively, is that correct?

It is very much appreciated if all dress in a modest and formal fashion as we are coming before our King. The head covering is not required, but many woman still make use of it. you will not be judged if you do not have one, but if you do have one then you will be right at home if you wear it.

 

[gatewood1988]

Hello everyone, I am in a bit of a pickle. I am trying to find modest dresses and or skirt sets in my size that I can wear to the FSSP parish for Mass. I am size 28-30 as far as I know. I cannot find much here in Tulsa to wear at the local stores. Are there any really good websites you would recommend?

 

[fieldsparrow]

Hi Gatewood. I have ordered dresses from eshakti.com which has custom sizing as well as a wide range of standard sizes. You can also change the neckline, hem length and sleeve length on their dresses, so you can make them more modest than the default. Their shipping can be pretty slow, so plan ahead but I do like the three dresses I have from them. They fit well (I ordered just regular sizes, not custom) and the construction is good. Also, they have pockets. Handy for your Rosary!

I will be interested to see what other options are out there. I don’t have a lot of patience for shopping so when I find one thing that works I kind of quit looking.