Appropriate attire?

[Nathan Lunsford]

Brothers, if you had a candidate show up for his FC degree wearing a dirty white t and torn ripped up jeans how would you feel about the image that this individual is presenting? What do you think is proper attire for degree work and business meetings?

 

[Bob Franks]

There are 2 sides to this.
One side feels that a certain level of respect should be give the ceremonies. Many lodges expect officers to wear formal clothing, i.e., tuxedo, and members to wear suits. Only informal occasions such as outdoor or cave degrees would allow informal dress.

The other side is in the "we don't care what you wear, just come," faction.

Having seen a WM struggle to get a junior officer to dress in something more appropriate than sandals, cut-off denim shorts, and T-shirt, I asked my officers to at least dress in collared shirt and trousers.

To answer the original question, I would be a little evasive: The FC candidate's coach should have taken care of this beforehand!

S&F

 

[Nathan Lunsford]

There are 2 sides to this.
One side feels that a certain level of respect should be give the ceremonies. Many lodges expect officers to wear formal clothing, i.e., tuxedo, and members to wear suits. Only informal occasions such as outdoor or cave degrees would allow informal dress.

The other side is in the "we don't care what you wear, just come," faction.

Having seen a WM struggle to get a junior officer to dress in something more appropriate than sandals, cut-off denim shorts, and T-shirt, I asked my officers to at least dress in collared shirt and trousers.

To answer the original question, I would be a little evasive: The FC candidate's coach should have taken care of this beforehand!

S&F

I've thought about this as well, but it seems that common sense has left the building along with Elvis. My mentor had said a collared shirt is appropriate and after going through each degree a sense of pride took over. One would think it would be an implied task. But I'm also a Vet and held myself at a high standard.....

Thanks Bro Bob.

 

[Duncan1574]

Not by the outward manifestations but by their character should we judge.....

But that said. my current WM stated his expectations for his officers.

 

[2SONDAD]

Not by the outward manifestations but by their character should we judge.....

I like this quote a lot. Along the lines of "clothes do not make the man". I too, wonder if the candidates coach spoke about this.

While my profession requires that I wear a collared shirt and tie daily, I still asked what was appropriate attire for my degrees. I didn't want to be too formal, if that was possible!

 

[Duncan1574]

It is variable, there are country Lodges were your dress (Sunday going ta meetin) "bibs" are expected and others were tuxes are the level. Gloves are another variable, some do, some don't, some only at certain rituals.
And there is the aprons .....

 

[jaya]

I generally wear a suit to degree work since I am the SD and interacting with the candidates. For stated meetings I might just be in a polo and pants if I do not have enough time to go home beforehand. In the summer that is more the norm. We do not go dark during the summer. I am glad that I have yet to see someone show up in my lodge in shorts and tshirt. I have seen jeans or bibs there though. There is a lodge near me that the officers wear a tux. It depends on the lodge. No matter how the mason is dressed, he is still a brother.

 

[Windrider]

To answer the original question, I would be upset enough to have a talk with the candidate and hopefully make sure it didn't happen again.

I get upset with people who show up at any solemn occasion in street clothes. Show a little respect! Weddings, wakes and funerals, and Masonic meetings are things you need to take the time to show some respect with the clothes you wear. My daughter's boyfriend doesn't own a suit. Now that they are getting serious, I'm taking him to a menswear place to buy one.

 

[Winter]

How you dress is the way you tell others how you want to be treated. Do you want to be treated as an adult attending a solemn ritual dedicated to the Deity that you worship or as a kid on the playground? Either way is fine by me. Just let me know with how you are dressed.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeslifestyle/2012/03/26/why-adults-should-ditch-the-shorts-wear-suits/

 

[Windrider]

I wonder at what point a man should be barred from entering the lodge? I remember one meeting where a man showed up drunk in a torn t-shirt and jeans. He hasn't been seen in a while since, so I imagine somebody had a "come to Jesus meeting" with him after.

 

[jaya]

I would have an issue with him being drunk more than dress. Makes me wonder if he was having an issue that he needed help with.

 

[Windrider]

I would have an issue with him being drunk more than dress. Makes me wonder if he was having an issue that he needed help with.

I did, too. There's more to this story, of course, but there were many offers of help that were all turned down. I was very new to the lodge and Masonry at the time and figured if it was OK with the Master, it was OK by me.

 

[Hank]

Thank God he showed up.

 

[Winter]

Thank God he showed up.

Why? Are we so hard up for members or participation that we don't care what condition a Brother shows up in?

 

[Ashlar2006]

I have came around to a new way of thinking . Now that I am a member of a city lodge , I will be requiring suits and ties next year for all meetings/degrees . I also told them that anyone who walks into the lodge room wearing torn up jeans , shorts , t-shirts or has been drinking will be asked to leave straight away .

 

[Nathan Lunsford]

I have a feeling that Ashlar is a military vet...

 

[Ashlar2006]

I have a feeling that Ashlar was a military vet...

I am , but I hold dual membership in two different lodges . One is a country lodge and there is no way I could get those boys in a suit and tie for any kind of meetings . But my second lodge is a very old lodge in the middle of town and we/they have a much different outlook on what a Mason should look like .

I hold nothing against my brethren in the country lodge , country boys are who they are and I would not want them any other way because I am a country boy myself . So instead of trying to change them (that would be a battle I would not win) , I petitioned the city lodge so I could have the best of both worlds .

 

[Hank]

Fair play Ashlar.

 

[Hank]

Why? Are we so hard up for members or participation that we don't care what condition a Brother shows up in?

Who should answer that?
Man or God?
You do believe in God?

 

[Winter]

Who should answer that?
Man or God?
You do believe in God?

That reply makes very little sense, Hank.

"Who should answer that?
Man or God?"
Who should answer what? Whether a dress code should be imposed at lodge? I doubt G-d concerns himself with such matters, but men do. And it is a concern.

"You do believe in God?"
Are you seriously calling into question my belief in Deity because I believe that if a Brother has a frivolous attitude towards Lodge I'd rather he stayed home?