s/o Church Shoes :)

[shinyhappypeople]

I was thinking about the tank top thread while in church today. And then I started thinking about shoes. Of the six people on the worship team, three were in flip-flops (incl. the worship leader who is also on staff), 2 pairs of sneakers. I couldn't see the drummers feet, but I'm guessing more sneakers. All shoulders were covered.

 

So... does anyone have shoe standards for church? Just curious. Honest. I haven't thought about church clothing standards in ages.

 

P.S. In the congregation I saw a few tanks (incl. spaghetti straps). Plus me in my very cute capris and cranberry red sleeveless top ... and, yes, flip-flops, but leather ones. They look nice... for flip-flops. I love this outfit. :)

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[shinyhappypeople]

For us: Younger DD usually wears pink crocs or pink plastic flip-flops. Slightly older DD wears her Hello Kitty flip-flops or pink Converse All-Stars, depending on the outfit. During the winter, it's sneakers or maybe party shoes (dressy sandals with toes covered).

 

This is a VERY casual church in a hot climate.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Our minister preaches barefoot soooooo. No one worries about my flip flops:D

[Denisemomof4]

I've been to churches where everyone was EXPECTED to dress up. I've also been to churches where shorts and flip flops were the norm. Personally, I prefer small town NH where people dress casually. MODESTLY, but casually.

[milovany]

While we definitely try to wear nice shoes for Liturgy, comfort ranks right up there, too, since we stand for most of our services. It's hard to wear uncomfortable shoes for 2.5 hours!!! (Ask me how I know :tongue_smilie:). So for some, that means flips, for others Birks, for others dress shoes, for others Danksos, or tennis shoes etc. Modesty/quality first, with comfort a very, very, very close second.

[danybug]

This thread caught my eye, because today at church I noticed that our drummer and worship leader were both barefoot today. It got me thinking. It was the younger worship team that rotates in, but still.

 

I wear whatever matches my outfit, but normally I make an effort to wear cute shoes. I don't really get a chance to look cute, so I take advantage :glare: But I would say you see every type of shoe at our church from sneaker or flip flops to high heels or cowboy boots.

[simka2]

While we definitely try to wear nice shoes for Liturgy, comfort ranks right up there, too, since we stand for most of our services. It's hard to wear uncomfortable shoes for 2.5 hours!!! (Ask me how I know :tongue_smilie:). So for some, that means flips, for others Birks, for others dress shoes, for others Danksos, or tennis shoes etc. Modesty/quality first, with comfort a very, very, very close second.

 

Standing in anything after you have been attacked with fire ants is almost unbareable :glare: I cannot believe I got bit again!!! I am starting to think I am allergic because nothing is really helping.

[dirty ethel rackham]

We live about 6 blocks to church so we try to walk as much as possible. So, my shoes have to be walkable - especially since I have feet and ankle problems. That means no heels for me. My shoes may be more casual looking that the next person, but I don't wear flip-flops. (I don't wear them generally because they make my feet hurt.) I have worn gym shoes, but that was when my ankle was really hurting. I try to wear nicer shoes (but still walkable) when we are serving Mass.

[Running the race]

My 10y daughter wears flip-flops to church almost every week. Come to think of it, so does my 13yo son.

[Sputterduck]

My church doesn't care if you wear no shoes to church. In fact, lots of people around here don't have shoes.

 

I wear dirty sneakers. Can't help that. Even when my shoes are brand new, they're dirty! The dust around here is horrible!

Edited September 5, 2011 by Sputterduck

[ChristusG]

We wear whatever. I usually wear my Toms. The kids usually wear their Crocs.

[Liz CA]

I wore my sandals to church this morning - open toe and very comfy. I am not on staff or on worship team. :)

[Amber in SJ]

We wear "Sunday best" to church and this includes shoes. For myself & dds this means sandals, heels, dressy flats, etc. We do not wear casual flip-flops, sneakers or crocs to church. Dh & Ds wear dress shoes. Although I do admit I buy ds dark sneakers so they will do in a pinch.

 

Dh wears a suit & tie every Sunday. Ds wears a button down shirt and khakis, dark corduroys or other dress pants. Church dress for the ladies in our family is dresses or skirt/ top combo.

 

And in case anyone is wondering we are LDS. :D

 

Amber in SJ

[Heather in Neverland]

I don't have a preference on shoes.

[happi duck]

We prefer a 'shoes optional' approach. We tend to be shoe-less at church but we also have ladies in heels and everything in between. The pastors are usually shoe-less.

[chepyl]

I should be wearing tennis shoes as much as possible...but I do wear flip flops to church a lot. I had a really great pair of "dress" flip flops. They lasted for nearly 10 years!!! They finally got a whole and had to be replaced. Now I have to live with a solid black, cheap pair. I have not found another pair I like :glare:.

[Kirch]

Our church runs the gamut from flip-flops to heels. And lots and lots of cowboy boots. ;) I don't wear super-casual flip-flops (I'm the worship leader), but I have a couple of dressier pairs I wear sometimes.

[Farmgirl70]

I like to have an excuse to dress up, but I don't suppose God cares too much one way or another. :)

[shinyhappypeople]

I like to have an excuse to dress up, but I don't suppose God cares too much one way or another. :)

 

I don't dress up, but I agree with your sentiment.

 

When I was looking for a church last year, one of the requirements was that the church be okay with people wearing casual clothing, because my girls and I have very little in the way of dressy clothes and not a lot of money.

 

Bare feet in church is a new one for me! What countries are these places in?

[Paintedlady]

We attend a church that tends to the formal side, so most people wear dress shoes. There are always a few who wear jeans/tennis shoes, or shorts/flip flops, but those are few and far between and usually teens.

 

We don't have a worship team either and I think that might have something to do with it. Our music is mostly hymns, and twice a month we have a choir and sometimes a mini orchestra. There are solos performed with the accompaniment of a piano, violin, or acoustic guitar. And all of the music is in the balcony, behind the congregation. I've noticed a very distinct difference between those churches with worhip teams and those who have a more traditional music set up. The latter tend to be more reserved and formal, the former seem more like entertainers in a band.

 

This is based off my experiences in our former church of 12 years that had the worship team (very casual) and our current church of 2 years (pretty formal) and from visiting other churches when we were looking for a new church a few years ago.

[Amy in NH]

Standing in anything after you have been attacked with fire ants ... nothing is really helping.

 

Try dabbing on some ammonia.

[Ellie]

You know, I just don't think it hurts to dress a little more formally when we go to church. It's where, you know, we're going to worship the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of our souls.

 

I think especially people who are in the front of the congregation could dress better than flip-flops and tennies.

[Meriwether]

I don't look at other peoples' shoes in church. My children all have "church" shoes that they only wear on Sundays or special occasions when they are dressed up. Dh wears his dress shoes which he also wears to work. I wear my one pair of nice shoes which I also wear to town - dressy enough for the dresses I own, casual enough for jeans. I don't wear heels. Ever.

[SailorMom]

In the part of FL we live in - it is pretty much "come as you are", and most people are in shorts and flip-flops :)

I've never seen anyone go in a swim suit, but at the beach service they have, people are in swim suit cover-ups and bare feet....

[mytwomonkeys]

i wear flip flops all of the time. i do dress up a little more on sunday compared to the rest of the week, but i usually wear flip flops to church in te summer. our church is very casual, so it's not weird at all though. my husband is the worship pastor, and although he wears jeans weekly, he would never wear flip flops. i just asked him if others wear flip flops on the praise team - he said the drummer does sometimes, but he isn't visible (he's behind a big drum shield). otherwise, shorts and flip flops aren't worn by the praise team...but again, they do dress very casual compared to some churches. at our previous church, one of the teenage singers had on a skirt that was way too short. it was very uncomfortable for my husband, but he couldn't have her sing that day...being on stage it would have been very awkward because she is an elevated position and it just was totally inappropriate.

[DawnM]

If it is a casual type church I see no problems with it. I am far more concerned about modesty and appropriateness than casual wear.

 

Dawn

[milovany]

You know, I just don't think it hurts to dress a little more formally when we go to church. It's where, you know, we're going to worship the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of our souls.

 

 

I'm with ya on this, Ellie. We're in the presence of the eternal King when we go to Liturgy. If the Queen of England was going to arrive in town, and we were invited to the welcoming event down at the community center, I think we'd put on some nice clothes and shoes, not our everyday, regular things. What a privilege to do this weekly for the King of All.

[~Tara~]

LOL This really made me chuckle because we have joked that we have the barefoot church. Or at least the band. :p

 

The previous drummer was almost always barefoot. The present one, my Eldest, will occasionally be barefoot while drumming, but generally has at least flip flops. Everyone else, however, you never know. Barefoot, flip flops, Chucks, you name it.

 

Half the congregation is running around barefoot too.

 

Obviously, we have a very laid back, casual church. My rule is just: if you leave the house in SOCKS and shoes (meaning, shoes that require socks and/or lacing/tying) you are expected to keep both socks AND shoes on your feet while at church. However, if you wore flip flops, or other slip on shoes, not requiring socks, you are free to kick off the kicks ;)

[Ottakee]

I'm with ya on this, Ellie. We're in the presence of the eternal King when we go to Liturgy. If the Queen of England was going to arrive in town, and we were invited to the welcoming event down at the community center, I think we'd put on some nice clothes and shoes, not our everyday, regular things. What a privilege to do this weekly for the King of All.

 

This is where I fall as well. I am generally in a skirt or nice slacks (nursery duty a lot) with dress shoes, dh is in dress pants and a button shirt--same for ds. The girls are generally in dresses or skirts with dress shoes.

 

I do NOT want anyone to feel unwelcome/uncomfortable if they don't come dressed that way and/or can't afford "church" clothes but I do want my kids to feel that church is something special and Sunday worship is worth dressing up for. After all, we went to court last week for my son's guardianship and we all dressed up. If we can do that for a 5 minute hearing, we can certainly do that for the King of Kings.

[PeacefulChaos]

I wear flip flops. All year round.

I occasionally wear my wedge sandals, but it's a bother. I'd rather be wearing flip flops. :D

The only shoes I'll happily wear instead of flip flops would be my boots, in season.

I sing on the worship team and can verify that NO shoes are comfortable for the length of time that we stand up there. I can wear my most comfortable (my boots or flip flops) or my least comfortable, and either way when I come off stage my feet are hurting a little.

[PeacefulChaos]

Oh, and my DS both wear the same shoes they wear all week. They don't have multiple pairs of shoes - I'd like to get them some, but considering that their 'church wear' isn't all that different from regular day wear (khaki, brown, or plaid shorts with a polo vs. any shorts - mostly khaki, plaid, and brown with a regular shirt), dressy shoes would probably look silly.

DD only has one pair of summer shoes left that fit her - they are flip flops. They don't match everything but I'm NOT buying a new pair of summer shoes in September for my 2yo. That's just stupid.