Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   YOUTH PAGE Friday, February 13, 2004 Clothes-out? Does what you’re wearing fit what you’re doing? By Nancilynn Gatta Is wearing a halter-top with your back exposed and no bra appropriate for church? What about baggy jeans that let your fellow parishioners know whether you’re wearing boxers or briefs? Recently, members of Canton St. Anthony Youth Ministry Group discussed what is and is not appropriate clothing for certain situations and events. “There’s a time and place for girls to show cleavage. If you’re going to a club, you’re going to wear short stuff, but if you’re going to church, it’s a totally different environment,” said Jennifer Smith, a junior at Glen Oak High School. “I’m not allowed to wear shorts to church, which I don’t mind because I don’t like shorts. A lot of times, my mom will look at me to see if I look all right, which doesn’t bug me much. If something is really wrinkled and I wake up in the morning and I decide not to wear it, then I have to show my mom what I want to wear instead,” said Jill Herstine, a freshman at Canton South High School. Drew Fernandez, a junior at Glen Oak High School, has noticed that his parents pay more attention to whether or not the clothing his sisters wear is appropriate than whether his is. His whole family checks out his clothing for another reason. “I’m color blind. I’ll wake up. I’ll spend 10 minutes looking for an outfit. I’ll be ready to go to school and I’ll walk out and my sister will say, ‘Are you wearing that?’ I’ll say. ‘Yeah. Why?’ Then she’ll say, ‘That doesn’t match at all.’” For the most part, guys are less restricted in their choice of clothing for attending church, but for Troy Gawlak, a senior at Timken High School, and Drew Wotaszek, a junior at Canton South, their parents determine the type of clothing they wear for church. “I wear dress pants, tie, shirt tucked in,” said Troy, who is also a lector and altar server. “I’ll serve a wedding and I’ll have a full robe on, but I’ll still have a white shirt, black pants and a dress shirt and tie on underneath, for when I take the robe off.” Drew Wotaszek noted that his parents consider his topsiders inappropriate shoes for church. “They just want us to dress up. They figure an hour a week isn’t that bad,” he said. Troy added, “The way my Aunt Flo says it is, ‘If you can’t dress up good for God, who are you going to dress up for?’ I’m used to it, so I don’t argue. “ “I’m not allowed to wear jeans to church on Sundays, but on holy days I can,” said Jill Herstine, a freshman at Canton South High School. But Troy does not see his parents’ rules as a hindrance to his individuality during the rest of the week. “At one point or another, I’ve worn just about everything to violate a school dress code,” said Troy. Sometimes, though a teen may prefer dressing up for church, time constraints may affect his or her clothing choice. “I like to dress up for church. I think I can dress up for God. I usually wear a skirt or black or gray slacks with a sweater in the winter. Sometimes, I have to come from my softball game and I don’t have time to change. I’ll take off my long socks and I’ll put on a pair of swish pants so it doesn’t look so bad,” said Jennifer. Some rules for appropriate dress are more likely to be enforced by individual families than by a teen’s school or parish. Drew Fernandez’ parents approve of their son wearing jeans as long as he attends Mass. “Father Tom [Thomas Bishop, pastor of Canton St. Anthony] just wants you there,” said Kristen Bagnola, a sophomore, at Timken High School. He has told us before if you are in your pajamas, nobody cares as long as you’re here,” When it comes to suitable clothing for a family event, such as a wedding, most teens will consult their parents or consider who is attending the social gathering. “I’ll ask, ‘How formal is it going to be?” said Drew Wotaszek. Jill commented, “I think that the people around you makes a big difference. If I was going to a wedding that was completely adults and nobody else my age, it would be different than if half the people there were my age.” Wanting approval from a teen’s parents is still more likely sought than resisted, the interviewees agreed. “I usually always check with my parents anyway,” said Kristen. “I like to have their approval, as horrible as that sounds – because teenagers are supposed to be rebellious and not like their parents. Having their approval is important because I don’t want them to not trust me and not respect me.” Though what is appropriate depends on the situation, students agreed that if their parents asked them to change an outfit that they found unsuitable they would change. The teens also agreed that wearing something modest to church is always appropriate. Troy repeated what he recently said to an acquaintance concerning her clothing at Mass: “You know what? God created you naked. You don’t have to go to church the same.” Nancilynn Gatta, an alumna of Warren John F. Kennedy High School, writes “With YOUth in Mind” for the Exponent   Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Other Articles of 2004   PROCRASTINATION   18? Be a FIRST-TIME VOTER   Birth order   To be or not to be ... a couple   Clothes-out?   Past Articles From 2003