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Officers in the Lodge

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Benjamin Baxter

Moderator
Premium Member
In my short time as a mason. I have noticed differences in lodge wear for its officers. In some lodges the officers wear suits, some wear matching blazers with nice jeans and boots or just nice jeans/button up shirts and boots, and some wear what ever they want. I have also seen some that get matching polo shirts with lodge info embroidered on them for the officers. I also understand that the expectation can differ for urban and rural lodges. While it is the internal that make us who we are, it is impressive when the officers take the pride in the rirual/ceremony/office in my opinion. What are your opinions on the dress of lodge officers in Texas.

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Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
I can not speak for all Lodges, but in my Mother Lodge the attire for Stated Meetings and other Meetings is determined by the Worshipful Master.

For example, our current WM set the attire for Stated Meetings as Button Up Shirt (no ties), Nice Jeans or Slacks, and Boots. Of course, for the Official visit by the DDGM we wore suits, or coats and ties. All other meetings for the most part have always been casual. Some of our WM's in the past years have been coats and ties all the way.

If elected, I will go back to wearing dress shirts and ties and slacks/jeans (aka Summer Dress) with the exception of the DDGM visit which will be suits/coats and ties.


Clothing does not make Masonry, the Brethren do.
 

chrmc

Registered User
The interesting thing that is often overlooked when the discussion comes to clothing in the lodge is the fact that one of the major reasons why a mandatory standard was instituted in the past was to ensure that everyone looked the same, and met on the level. If everyone was wearing a tux / suit / short and t-shirt you could not tell the difference from the supreme court justice to the mechanic and that would help promote unity in the lodge.
By having officers dress "better" than the brethren this is not achieved.

My personal opinion has always been that I think the reason to dress well is to show reverence towards the craft and because clothes together with many other things help heighten the experience and aid in making it more solemn. And I also support a uniform dress code for the lodge as a whole, with no difference between EAs, Officers or other brethren.

I will however be the first to admit that "better masonry" is not achieved with clothes alone. You can have a lodge full of people in tuxes. If they are all on their cellphones during a degree, little has been achieved.
 

flttrainer

Premium Member
I am the WM of my lodge and I do not set a dress standard because I prefer brothers to attend than to worry about their appearance. Some show right from work so you get a little of everything. Most of the time I have to go to work right after lodge so I'm partially in uniform. I hate the look, but it's that or miss lodge. Just my opinion.


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Benjamin Baxter

Moderator
Premium Member
What about during official visits from ddgm and/or gm? Would this be different? :confused:

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flttrainer

Premium Member
For our DDGM visit I think almost everyone wore a suit without prompting. I cannot remember what everyone was wearing when the GM visited El Paso last year. But suits would be appropriate in my opinion.


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KFerguson84

Premium Member
In PA, elected officers are required to wear a tuxedo with tails. Everyone else must be in suit and tie. The requirement is set by Grand Lodge so it is consistent in every lodge. There are some lodges that require everyone (officers, members, & visitors) to be in tails.
 
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