What to wear to church

Start with the congregation, not a rule

For much of the twentieth century, many worshippers wore their Sunday best, the most formal clothes they owned, and that expectation faded in many Western churches from around the 1970s. Today many large nondenominational and evangelical churches are casual, many mainline Protestant congregations sit somewhere between casual and business casual, and some traditions, including many Southern Baptist, Latter day Saint and Jehovah's Witness congregations, still emphasize formal dress. Black churches in the United States often keep a strong tradition of dressing up, and a Sunday morning there can be one of the best dressed rooms you will ever see.

The easiest way to know is to look. Many churches post photos or recordings of their services online, and a minute of video tells you more than any guide. You can also ask the person who invited you, or simply call the church office; staff are used to the question and will be glad you asked. If you cannot find out, dress one step up from everyday: that choice is comfortable in a casual room and respectful in a formal one.

A safe outfit for a first visit

For men, chinos or dress trousers with a collared shirt or polo, a sweater over it in cold weather, and clean leather shoes or minimal leather sneakers fit almost any Protestant or Catholic service in North America. Bring a sport coat if you suspect the congregation is traditional; you can leave it in the car if you arrive and see open collars everywhere. A tie is rarely expected at a first visit unless you know the church is formal; think of it as smart casual with a little extra care.

For women, a dress or skirt that reaches the knee or below, or trousers with a blouse or knit top, works just as widely. Tops should cover the shoulders or have a cardigan or light jacket over them, necklines should be modest, and the midriff covered. Shoes you can stand in comfortably matter, since many services include long stretches of standing. A scarf in your bag is useful in almost any church: it covers bare shoulders, and doubles as a head covering where that is the custom. Our guide to tying a scarf shows a few simple ways to wear one.

What Catholic, Orthodox and other traditions expect

At a Catholic Mass in North America, the expectations are modest dress rather than formal dress. Covered shoulders and a hem near the knee are the norm, and a jacket is common at more traditional parishes. Women's head coverings are not required: the 1983 Code of Canon Law dropped the rule found in the 1917 code, and where women wear a veil or mantilla today it is a local or personal practice, most often seen at the Traditional Latin Mass. Major churches abroad are stricter. The Vatican does not admit visitors to St. Peter's Basilica in sleeveless or low cut clothing, shorts above the knee or miniskirts, and many cathedrals in Europe follow similar rules.

Eastern Orthodox churches tend to be more traditional still. Many women cover their hair with a scarf and wear skirts rather than trousers, and men wear long trousers and remove hats. Guests are rarely turned away, but following the custom is a kind gesture. Conservative Anabaptist churches, such as Mennonite and Amish communities, have their own plain dress for members, and visitors are simply expected to dress modestly. Across nearly all Christian churches, men take off their hats inside the sanctuary.

If you are attending a wedding, funeral, baptism or first communion rather than a regular service, dress for the event as well as the building. Our guides to wedding guest attire and what to wear to a funeral cover those occasions.

Can you wear jeans to church?

In many churches, yes. At a casual or contemporary service, dark, clean jeans with a collared shirt, a neat sweater or a blouse fit right in, and you may see the pastor in them. At a traditional service, a Catholic Mass in an older parish, an Orthodox liturgy or a congregation where most people dress up, jeans will stand out, and trousers or a skirt are the better choice. If jeans are what you have, make them the darkest, cleanest pair and let the rest of the outfit carry the effort: a pressed shirt, a knit or a blazer, and real shoes rather than athletic ones. Torn, faded or very tight jeans are best left for other days in any church.

Church outfits for men

For a casual church, a well fitting pair of chinos or dark jeans, an oxford or casual button down, a knit polo or a crew neck sweater over a collared shirt, and leather sneakers, loafers or desert boots look considered without looking stiff. In summer, a short sleeve button down or a polo with lightweight trousers is fine. For a business casual congregation, the same trousers with a sport coat and leather shoes are right, and our guide to business casual for men covers the pieces in detail.

For a traditional or formal church, a suit or a blazer with gray trousers, a dress shirt and a tie is still standard, particularly for Easter, Christmas and special services. Teenage boys and young men can follow the same pattern: chinos and a collared shirt tucked in with a belt read as respectful almost anywhere, and a sweater makes it warmer and more relaxed in fall and winter.

Church outfits for women

Casual church outfits for women might be a midi skirt with a tucked knit, dark jeans or tailored trousers with a blouse and a cardigan, or a simple cotton or jersey dress with flats or low boots. Wrap dresses, shirt dresses and midi dresses with sleeves are among the easiest choices, since they cover the shoulders, sit comfortably through a long service and look right in almost any congregation.

For dressier churches and holidays, a tailored dress with sleeves or a jacket, a skirt suit or a trouser suit, or a fuller midi dress with heels or dressy flats are all appropriate, and in many Black churches a hat remains a beautiful part of Sunday dress. In fall and winter, sweater dresses with tights and boots, or wool trousers with a fine knit and a long coat, keep the same modest lines. Teenage girls can wear the same outfits scaled to their own style: a knee length dress with a denim jacket, or trousers with a nice top, are both fine.

Colors, logos and the small details

There is no color you must avoid at an ordinary church service. Some guests prefer not to wear head to toe black to a joyful service, and bright colors are common at Easter, but neither is a rule. More useful is to avoid anything that pulls attention: large logos and slogans, sheer fabrics, very short hemlines, strong perfume and noisy jewelry. Think about how you will sit, kneel and stand, since a skirt that seems fine in the mirror can ride up in a pew. Finally, bring a layer: church buildings are often cool in summer and warm in winter, and a cardigan or light jacket covers both problems.