The Role Of Church Outfits In West Texas Childhood Memories

If you're from West Texas, chances are, you spent a good portion of your childhood pretending to like a lot of things you absolutely couldn't stand. Not because you were a stellar actor, but because there were real-life consequences.

Take church clothes, for example.

My West Texas grandmother treated my church outfits like her sacred responsibility. She spent Saturday mornings digging through garage sales and thrift store bins looking for bargains for my siblings and me to wear to church. When Sunday morning rolled around, the first thing she wanted to know was if the new outfit she got fit you right.

a room filled with lots of different types of items

You'd better be wearing it, even if it didn't.

Never mind the shirt was scratchy as hell, two sizes too small, and made from fabric that felt like it was cut directly from the back of a couch. You'd smile and tell her you loved it because she was so happy to see you in it.

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While we're being honest, I wasn't super excited about going to church either.

It's not so much about faith. It's about being 8-years-old and sitting for what felt like 900 hours, while wearing uncomfortable clothes, not being able to talk, fidget, or ask how much longer you'd be there without being shot dagger eyes from your mom.

We Faked It Through Lots Of Things

We also pretended to enjoy those LONG visits with family members we barely knew, spending the afternoon listening to adults drone on and on about things we wouldn't understand for a long time.

Three seniors talking and smiling together

The funny thing now is how much I'd love to put on an outfit my grandma picked out for me while thrift shopping. I'd love to wear it to a Sunday service with her, even if it was the long service. I'd do it all over again.

Wouldn't you?

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