What do y'all think ....

[nick1368]

about what is appropriate and inappropriate to wear to lodge on a stated meeting? I think we have had this discussion before. The reason I ask is because our Jr. Past Master showed up this evening for a stated meeting in shorts, t-shirt, and sandals! Now keep in mind when he was JW he showed up in similar attire and was told it wasn't appropriate.
How do you approach this Brother or do you not? We don't have a set attire for stated meetings so I guess it boils down to common sense. I guess I am old fashioned like that, I dont care if everyone shows up to Church with shorts on, I am still going to wear slacks and a tie on Sunday morning.

 

[RJS]

What does everyone else in your lodge wear?

 

[nick1368]

What does everyone else in your lodge wear?

Slacks or jeans with either polo style shirts or dress shirts. No ties....we are in SETX where it is hotter than hell 364 days out of the year...lol

 

[JTM]

i'm split on this one. the decision comes down to what the master decides, ultimately, though.. of course.

but

on one hand, you definetely dont want to be chasing away members, especially a pm... also it is definitely the internal qualifications that matter.

on the other... are you concerned because he's being disrespectful?

this being texas, we recently had an issue come up with spit cups in lodge... is that disrespectful? to me it wasn't because at one time, most lodges had spittoons by the altar. this is much in the same way.

what one person considers appropriate can differ wildly (and oftenly, unnappreciably) from another. it sounds like the first step was already taken when he was jw.

for me, even if i was master, i'd leave the issue up to other pm's. if they feel like it's important enough and his attire is just egregious enough, then let them take it up with him. they tend to work together on these sort of issues, especially with one of their own...

each lodge is different, and they range from everyone dress in tshirts, shorts, and sandals to full on tuxedos as the norm.

now that i've yakked on it for a while, i'll leave a reminder that our ancient brethren probably wore sandals to lodge as well... heh. and think, if ya'll's stateds can get as lively as i've seen ours, then maybe attire is one f the minor issues.

 

[TexMass]

In MA, it's suit and tie for members, tuxedos and white gloves for officers. I have explained that many years ago members in TX were virtually coming in from the farm or ranch and probably wore their overalls to lodge. Up here in MA, almost all lodges go dark for the summer because most of the buildings are hundreds of years old and have no air conditioning. The June meeting can be brutal at times in a suite or tux. But to answer your question, I think respect should be paid to the fraternity so slacks and collared shirt would be the minimum. JMHO.

 

[Wingnut]

I almost always ride my motorcycle these days. That said, I wear jeans (nice ones not old rags) a collard shirt (hate polo's but that's just me) and boots. I check my FMRC vest at the lodge room coat rack... I have seen people in shorts, sandals, t-shirts, sleeveless shirts and more. Since going to the SR reunion, I'm rethinking my views on this. It changes the attitudes and decorum when in a coat and tie.

 

[TCShelton]

I like what they do in Mass...

 

[Blake Bowden]

I like what they do in Mass...

I agree 100%. I would be in awe.

 

[owls84]

Watch This

Well I too am split. I feel that this topic is a very sensitive one. I think it is very important that we continue to look at the internal not the external. I feel that as long as one is going to Lodge then why should it matter what he wears. I feel that if one wants to wear shorts then let them wear shorts. It is very important that we allow EVERYONE feel comfortable in Lodge. No one is better than the next so why should what they wear be any different. Now on the same note it does look great with everyone looking good in suits but I believe we should never alienate someone because they want to wear shorts.

 

[TexMass]

I just got a peek at my PM pocket jewel to be presented to me on the 18th of this month. I don't remember if TX does that or not. Up here, PM jewels are returned to the original lodge after the PM passes away and are used for another PM. They just put a second plate on the back with hinge so you can see your information and the original owners when the plate is flipped up. At first I thought this seemed kind of cheap but as you start to see some of the jewels and how old they really are you get impressed. The older the better! Older = more metal & more gold. Mine was originally made in 1959, one year before I was born. They stand about 4 inches tall and hang in your coat pocket. With that said, why on earth would I wear something that would not allow me to wear my PM jewel. But that's me.

My wife says "Masons are like fish, they're all attracted to little shiney things".

 

[TexMass]

Moved from another post

In a recent post, it was also mentioned that they thought shorts were not a problem because it was the internal and not the external.... No argument with the latter. In my post previous to that I mentioned that a Mason should show respect to the fraternity and dress accordingly. A church going man does not dress like he's going to church everyday, only when he's going to church. This does not make him less moral on weekdays. He pays respect to the church and his religion of choice by dressing appropriatly when attending services. I see no difference for lodge meetings.

When I attended Waco Lodge, I had no slacks or suit. I wore my best jeans and a collard shirt and boots or dress casual shoes, no tennis shoes. I finally bought a golf shirt with the S&C embroidered on it and wore that often. I had to buy two suits when I began to visit my lodge up here and less than a year later I had to buy a tux. I feel like I'm showing respect to the Craft by my atire. Again, that's just me.

 

[TCShelton]

I would like everyone to watch this video and tell me what you think then.

I don't think that video has any relevance to what we are discussing. Johnny Paycheck (drug addict, rapist, attempted murderer) being able to walk into a church wearing whatever he wants has nothing to do with someone wearing shorts into a lodge. Any riff-raff can go to church, but not just anyone is allowed into a lodge. God isn't selective, we are.

 

[Blake Bowden]

And I thought Josh was sneaking the yes dance in..whew.

 

[TexMass]

Any riff-raff can go to church, but not just anyone is allowed into a lodge. God isn't selective, we are.

WOW!

Nicely put!

 

[owls84]

I don't think that video has any relevance to what we are discussing.

Well I wasn't talking about Johnny Paycheck himself. I was using it about how can we decide that just because if a Brother wears shorts to lodge that means he doens't take Masonry seriously? I think his actions in lodge should speak for that. In other post all in this forum we talk about how we need more activity but then we talk about how we want to go to a dress code. Now Brother Tom you and I have spoke on this very issue and we can agree to disagree. However, I know that in small town lodges that have that light shining just as bright if not brighter than and big town lodge can think and they don't wear suits and I'm willing to bet some of them wear shorts and etc. to lodge. All my stance is that we should look at the man and decide if he is worthy not his clothes. I was using the Outlaws Prayer to show that we shouldn't judge someone by their clothes. Lets look past that and look at thier actions.

So I feel clothes don't matter but thats just me. However if the majority of the lodge feels that it should be a bylaw then by all means I would accept the bylaw and move on. I just feel there are more important things to focus on.

 

[TexMass]

As I have posted before. Wearing a suit does not make you a better Mason. You can join a lodge and never attend another meeting but still be a Mason and live a life of strong Masonic value. All I have said is you should be respectful to the Craft and dress appropriatly when going to lodge. This has nothing to do with you being a Mason.

 

[TCShelton]

All I have said is you should be respectful to the Craft and dress appropriatly when going to lodge. This has nothing to do with you being a Mason.

Exactly. You don't wear shorts to funerals or weddings (at least I hope not) for the same reason they shouldn't be worn to stated meetings or degrees. The next step down that path is saying that I man doesn't need to practice hygiene to be allowed in either. You gotta draw the line somewhere. A poorly dressed man hurts the eyes just as bad as a stinky fellow hurts the nose...

 

[rhitland]

Any riff-raff can go to church, but not just anyone is allowed into a lodge. God isn't selective, we are.
Tom I understand where you are coming from but this is not an issue that is taught or talked into other people, dressing nice is something individualy learned by experience and observation. I am sure somewhere in your life as all of ours dress was not as important as it is now to you, but that did not make you less of a person then nor detract from the person you would become, telling or giving the impression that someone is less legidamate for thier dress does detract from their confidence and are then less likley to adhere to good and God. Is our goal in Masonry to represent good and try and act more in accordance with the Lord or will we pollute the message with crazy laws and dress codes?

 

[JTM]

here's what needs to happen, then.

a lodge or the master, or whoever needs to set out the rules of what is acceptable and what isn't. if people can't deal with it, then they need to leave. if the rule isn't set, then the external wasn't as important to those members

teehee.

actually, the best "argument" FOR appropriate dress was from another lodge that shares our same building. they want everyone to meet "on the level." as such, they are all in tuxedos during their meeting. all wearing the same thing.

 

[TCShelton]

Is our goal in Masonry to represent good and try and act more in accordance with the Lord or will we pollute the message with crazy laws and dress codes?

I think the message gets polluted when people show up looking like bums, particularly during degrees. I think that our candidates deserve the best degree possible, and when someone is there in shorts, it greatly detracts from the sincerety of the event.