I think that one of my favorite things about living in Michigan for the summers is that I can dress like a slob. This thought occurred to me yesterday afternoon when I was getting dressed to go to 4:30 PM mass. I actually found myself considering wearing jeans to church. GASP !!!!!! But that would be totally acceptable up here in the UP.
Not that there seems to be any sort of a dress code for going to church these days but I am old school and still feel the need to dress up when I go to mass. I do not go all out with hats, gloves and high healed shoes but I do dress in nice slacks and blouse. That is my going to church outfit no matter where I am in the world. Sunday/Saturday afternoon mass calls for a NICE wardrobe.
Up here in Michigan I know that 70% of the people at the 4:30 mass have been working around their homes and yards for a good part of the day. They will clean up and head for church in their jeans, tee shirts and work boots or sneakers. It is completely acceptable as long as they don't smell. Meanwhile the over 70 year old population of the parish are all dressed in their Sunday best which is anything other than jeans and tee shirts. Some of the ladies are so well dressed they would fit in nicely at my Palm Beach Gardens church but they are few and far between. Up here it is a different culture where flannel and jeans are acceptable evening wear no matter where you are going.
I have adapted nicely to this life style. My wardrobe now contains at least THREE flannel shirts, (two long sleeve and one short sleeve), FOUR pairs of jeans in varying lengths and colors and any number of tee shirts and sweat shirts. I own 3 pairs of sneakers, (one for the garden, one for everyday wear and one for "dressing up") and a pair of sandals for church. (Most Sunday's my feet freeze but I don't have any closed toe shoes to wear when it is chilly and I will NOT wear sneakers to church). Going along with this relaxed life style the only time I wear make-up is when I go to church. I doubt if anyone in The Man's family would recognize me if they met me on a church day. The other six days of the week I am a mess. NO make-up, no nice clothes and an attitude that fits slopping pigs. (I have never "slopped" a pig in my life but living up here it is a good possibility it may happen any day).
The flip side of all this is when I return to Florida. I usually go into culture shock for the first few weeks when I return to The South. My Michigan wardrobe is left in Michigan because there is just no need to flannel and jeans in 80 degree weather and I would look like one of the Guatemalan lawn care workers if I wore either one. My Florida wardrobe is a mix of capri pants and colorful, pastel, tropical print tops along with sandals, sandals sandals. I even have different jewelry that I wear in Florida. My Michigan jewelry consists of a clunky silver watch and a pair of plain hoop earrings. There is just no reason to wear jewelry when working in the garden or feeding the deer.
My mother always thought I had a split personality . . . sort of a Jekyll and Hyde thing, I guess she was right.
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