By Nadine Thomas-Brown, Guardian Lifestyle Reporter, nadine@nasguard.com

Women dress well for every occasion whether they are going to attend a wedding, funeral or taking a quick trip to the food store. And when it's time to dress for church on Sundays many out-do themselves in an attempt to be the best dressed in the building. Fancy hats with feathers poking out in every direction and expensive name brand suits, shoes and purses are the order of the day. It begs the question: Are these persons missing the point of worship?

On the other extreme there are those who are dressed as they're going to the mall, and don't seem concerned about going to church in tee shirts, jeans or even a pair of shorts. While some pastors do not seem to find women's clothing distracting and others tip-toe around the issue rather than be viewed as judgmental, others point to the fact that in both cases church should be more centered on God rather than apparel.

Pastor Leo Rolle, an Adventist clergyman, noted several Bible verses to support the view that God is displeased by a show of what could be viewed as vanity when women spend more time on their appearance rather than God.

"Isaiah chapter 3 verse 16-26 says he shall judge the haughty women who mince along, noses in the air, tinkling bracelets on their ankles, with wanton eyes that rove among the crowds to catch the glances of the men." The Bible verse further reads these women will be punished severely.

He also quoted 1 Timothy Ch: 2, verses. 9-10 and 1 Peter Ch: 3, verses 1-4 which for the most part reflect the view that women in particular should be humble in dress and demeanor.

"What God is looking for in his followers is modesty not outlandishness which will draw attention to them," says Rolle. The idea is to draw attention to God. Anything that will draw attention away from God becomes an idol."

He noted that if a person does not know what the Bible itself has to say about dress, they will not be in a position to conform to such a standard.

"God has a standard for His people and it is important to recognize this. Christian life is a life of sacrifice and it is conforming to what God says and not really what we think should be the standard," the pastor said.

He likened God to a manufacturer of cars who gave out manuals so people would know how to deal with their purchase. "God has given us the Bible [manual] to guide us throughout life.

"When one comes to a knowledge of God there will be reformation/change in behavior and you will act the way He wants you to act," the pastor said.

Bethel Baptist Church's associate pastor, Jevon Neely, says that dressing up for church may be in keeping with the individual's idea of worship and perfection."

"Whether the connection is good is another thing. You then eliminate a section of the population that cannot afford to dress the same. He also said that holiness cannot be denoted by a woman wearing a long skirt. "It is not a sign of holiness. It is a sign of a woman wearing a long dress," says Neely.

How one dresses for church is up to the individual's discretion but Neely said that in terms of some of the older churches women are not allowed to wear pants or shorts on the whole or anything which is tight and could prove distracting. However elaborate hats and flashy dressing still seem to be the order of the day. And some pastors are able to overlook the spectacle.

Neely says that he is good at tuning out things like that when he preaches, and that a fancy hat with all the bells and whistles would not distract him unless it is blocking someone's view, and the person is doing all they can to see around it. But he adds that he has encountered women over the years who have come to the podium to sing and their clothes are entirely too short. He also said that he has noticed women attending church lately in jeans.

Neely said that while some churches may send people they deem inappropriately dressed home, some will let them remain because that church may be more liberal in its views. As far as he is concerned, someone being turned away for their dress would depend on whether the person was new or a regular parishioner.

He is of the opinion that a dress code for church is important, so as not to create a distracting environment, but says that it should not be insisted that women wear ankle-length dresses.