As a woman of faith, I have always felt that my individuality and personality should shine through in everything that I do, including how I dress. However, as a teacher and preacher, I have often found myself feeling apprehensive by the cultural “church” norms and expectations of what it means to dress “appropriately” even in everyday life.
For me, dressing in a way that reflects my individuality and personality is important. I don’t like to wear dresses with big sleeves and long skirts, and I have never been a fan of the traditional church hat with the matching suit. I rarely even wear skits so the typical wide skirts with fitted shirt will not work for me. Instead, I prefer to dress in a way that reflects who I am and what I am comfortable wearing. Don’t get me wrong, I do understand the importance of dressing appropriately for the occasion. I would never show up to ANY event/occasion dressed in a way that is distasteful or disrespectful. But at the same time, I also believe that it is possible to dress in a way that reflects our individuality and personality while still showing respect for the occasion and the people around us. I allow myself to be me, without seeking inspiration from others or conforming to subliminal expectations.
As a woman of faith, I believe that God has given us each unique gifts and talents to use for his glory as well as personal expression through style and even fashion. When we allow ourselves to be who we truly are, we can tap into the power and expression that is needed to not only complete our individual, God-given assignment but also to be our AUTHENTIC selves. There is POWER in your AUTHENTIC EXPRESSION! I encourage other women of faith to embrace their individuality and personality when it comes to how they dress. As you embrace, please remember class because you are a representative of The Kingdom of God! We should not feel constrained by cultural norms or expectations but rather allow ourselves to be who we truly are. If we dress appropriately for the occasion and show respect for those around us, we can still showcase our individuality and shine as the unique individuals that God created us to be.
