Reviewing the Best and Worst Sunday Church Dresses

Image Courtesy of Grok

Reviewing black church dresses was a fun project for me. However, before revealing this list, let me, a sermon preacher of the gospel and Pastor, be clear: you do not need to buy dresses or any other fancy clothing to come to the House of God.

If you are visiting a place where, despite how everyone else dresses, there is unspoken pressure to dress a certain way, get out of there and find a real Holy Ghost church!

Church folk are great at saying, "come as you are," but when this happens, they often look at the "under-dressed" with contempt.

Hypocrites!

Let's get down to it and introduce you to three of my favorite black church dresses, as well as several that are nothing more than clown shows.

Diana Couture Church Dress

As a church pastor, I am deeply conservative, as is my wife of twenty-five years. This dress is beautiful and conservative, while also featuring a touch of flair with its sleeve design. It is suitable for Sunday mornings or more solemn occasions, such as funerals.

Paired with the right broach, this dress is perfect for the more understated church sisters who value class over flashiness.

Tiered Sleeve Jersey Sunday Church Dress

This dress exemplifies moderation, seriousness, and class. As a man, I appreciate it because it features a "plus-sized" woman, while 90% of other dresses showcase a skinny beanpole!

Although I didn’t include a back view, its loose fit (in terms of style, not morality) makes this church dress ideal for sisters who prefer not to reveal every curve in the House of God.

Additionally, it reflects the biblical principle of modesty and avoids screaming, "Hey, I’m a church diva, so all eyes on me!" You know what I mean—many of you, especially in more traditional churches, see this type weekly.

Finally, its versatility allows it to be worn to church or on any day of the week without being overtly "churchy" in appearance.

Clocor Women’s Casual Church Dress

Oh my goodness! I am getting this dress for my wife and our First Lady! Some may say this dress is more appropriate in spring, but this can be worn year round except, here in Iowa, when the temperature falls to below zero (0).

The color combination is exquisite and its loose fit at the bottom while slimming as it comes up top is the definition of modest in my view.

Wow, this is special and for those who may want to dress up to start going to church again, this is something to get you started.

Three Church Dresses I Hate

There are several reasons I don’t favor the dresses listed below, primarily because they seem designed solely to draw attention away from what truly matters in the House of God—focused worship—and toward the wearer.

Unlike the three (3) Sunday church dresses above, which I believe are both godly and appropriate for church, I won’t be naming the dress or line below. If you want these, you’ll need to find them without my help.

I will not assist you going up into the church looking and acting crazy!

If this dress featured more subdued color combinations and omitted the hat, it could be a powerhouse. However, women who dress like this aren’t seeking confidence—they want to be noticed by others.

I’ve been in church leadership for over a few decades and have pastored for years as well, and without fail, I’ve observed that pastor’s wives who dress so immodestly are often attention-seeking.

Moreover, one cannot embody the virtues of a "Proverbs 31" woman while lacking humility. The oversized bow on the hat is excessive, and the shiny material practically shouts, "Hey, look at me!" If you’re among those who wear this, ask yourself why—beyond simply "I like it"—you’re drawn to it.

More plainly, sisters, examine your heart and if you need to dress like this to feel good, something is broken.

If this woman’s neck were slightly longer, she’d closely resemble an ostrich! Saints, this outfit belongs on Hollywood’s red carpet or at a movie awards show, not on women professing godliness.

The hat itself isn’t bad and is far more modest than the one mentioned above, but the flashy, jewelry-like "bling" of the pink dress is just selfish.

As I tell the students I work with daily, I now say to anyone who would buy and wear this dress: "You’re doing way too much!"

One must come to the House of God because their eternity depends on it—not mere attendance, but a relationship with the Lord. If you’re seeking the Lord for the first time, wear what you have!

However, for those who claim a relationship with God and salvation in Jesus Christ, a maturing process must take place. Someone wiser than I put it best: "When I know better, I do better."

It doesn’t matter if times are changing—God’s Word has not. For a woman professing godliness to wear tight-fitting, "notice me because I’m sexy" dresses to worship service is, plainly put, godless.

The question arises, "Well, why are you looking then?" As a pastor, I look at everyone who enters the church I lead—it’s part of my role. Beyond that, some things cannot go unnoticed and this is among them.

Here’s a secret women should understand about church leaders: even for those who don’t stare, they’re often concentrating on "not staring," which is still a distraction.

Dressing for church is not something to be taken lightly by those desiring a sincere relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

The above reflects my worldview, but please feel free to comment below and share your thoughts if you’re so led.