In Defense of the Three Piece Suit

I can't imagine how often the topic of men's wear will come up, but it's making its appearance today.

Enter: The Three Piece Suit.

It's lovely, isn't it? Crisp and clean, with its perfect symmetry and class, and always smelling of starch. If you happen to be from the South, then you just might imagine what I do: my grandfather his very best three piece suits each Sunday morning to Church, the smell of his after-shave inevitably lingering on the collar and becoming one with the Suit.

I loved Sunday mornings. They were Special. The morning routine was special. We woke up a little later than normal, and went about getting ready and having breakfast a bit more slowly than usual. When we woke, my grandfather would be sitting in his chair, already dressed in his spiffy three piece suit (how did he do that?!), watching PBS; while we played Christian music down in our rooms.

The food was special, too. Breakfast might have been a free for all (cereal, anyone?), but there was always the extra bustle of my mother and grandmother preparing for Sunday Lunch. There was meat to be browned and put into the oven, or hamburger patties to be seasoned by Papa. My mom might have mixed up the baked beans before we left, and Meme might have set out the plates and made the tea.

Of course, what we wore was special, too. Mom was careful to encourage us to wear our nicest dresses and skirts, and the only person who looked better than my lovely Meme was my handsome Papa. I'm telling you - nothing beats a three piece suit.

Why is it, then, that people are knocking the Suit? It's rare to see people wearing them to church nowadays, or anywhere, for that matter. The culture has become overwhelmingly casual in their approach to life. People are casual in their relationships, finances, responsibilities and committments. One day fades into the next. Anything is appropriate. Not very many things are special.

I miss having special things.

I'm defending the notion that the Lord's Day is very special, and that you should make it so. Clothes have always, always been a vehicle for communicating our feelings about an event or occasion. If we believe the event commonplace, we wear common clothes; if we believe the event is celebratory, we wear clothes that are festive; if we believe the event is somber, we wear somber clothes. Likewise, if we believe the event is special, we wear our best clothes.

So many churches are claiming they want people to "come as they are", but I can't recall God speaking that way about His people coming to worship Him. I see it described as a wonderful, special, holy event that required wonderful, special and holy (set apart) clothes to match the spirit of the occasion.

(Please note that I think the New Testament shows how Jesus frees us to fulfill the spirit of the Law instead of only the letter; meaning that wearing one's best is important, but what that may actually look like is not. My best is not Laura Bush's best. And the homeless lady's best is not my best. In that sense, I sincerely believe in coming as you are.)

Now, if that was all I had to say, I wouldn't have gone to the trouble to write about it. After all, the Bible is complicated, and it can be difficult to understand what God means. What binds us together is trusting in Jesus. Not what we wear to church. So, I would have acknowledged my views as just my opinion (because that's just what they are) and spent my 30 minutes another way. (I'll get to folding those clothes, eventually, Aaron!)

But it continues. Not only is it said that we shouldn't have to dress up at church, but, sadly, dressing up can be condemned and discouraged. Because if you dress up you aren't coming as you are.

It's one thing to believe people have freedom to wear what they please. It's quite another to say people only have the freedom to wear what I think they should wear. That's quite inconsistent with the notion of coming as you are. It's true that Jesus sets us free, but humans enslave us.

So, I'm defending the man who wants to wear that three piece suit to church. Whether you're wearing it because you want to wear your best, or just because you know you look so darn handsome. Have at it.