You know the classical impression of a priest in a set of robes, beneath which he is wearing a rabat or a black shirt, with a little tab of white that shows at the throat. It is one of the visual calling cards of the clergy, and like the cross and cord, is a sure-fire identifier.
But not all clergy shirts are created the same, and there is some variance across their designs. In case you’ve ever wondered, the modern market has accommodated women clergy, and there are now a number of clergy shirts for women available to members of the church. Luckily, the differences between men and women clergy shirts are effectively the same.
One option for potential clergymen and women is a tab collar clergy shirt. The clerical collar, which is also called a Roman collar or clergy collar, typically closes at the back of the shirt, leaving a smooth white anterior presentation. Some clergy shirts leave a small portion open at the front of the collar which allows the white clergy collar beneath to show throw. When it is presented in this fashion, it is known as a tab collar clergy shirt.
One variant of the tab collar clergy shirt takes the form of a shirt that has a small section open at the throat where the collar can show through, into which a small insert can be placed. These tab collar shirts have a removable tab that can be removed and replaced for ease of cleaning.
The other classic form of clerical collar is known as a banded collar. Shirts that are compatible with a banded clergy collar allow the full white collar to show through at the neck, which shows conspicuously above the shirt. Whereas a tab collar only presents a small white tab at the front of the collar, the banded collar is fully visible encircling the neck.
Both of these types of clerical collars are available in clergy shirts for women, and they denote the religious collar of the wearer. What is also interesting to note is that although the appropriate nature of vestments and some other clerical wear may be dictated by the rank of the person who would wear them, at some point or other, a clerical collar can be considered appropriate for almost any station within the clergy.
To learn more about the styles and sizes of clergy shirts that are available to a modern member of the clergy, check out the collection of clergy apparel available at Divinity Clergy Wear. Divinity Clergy Wear, at DivinityClergyWear.com, offers a wide variety of high quality clergy attire, including vestments in addition to quite a collection of clergy shirts for men and women, both banded and tab collared.
Their clergy shirts are available in a variety of colors and in both long sleeves and short sleeve versions, depending on your need – and the time of year – and many of them are elegantly designed. To learn more about their offerings, please visit DivinityClergyWear.com or reach out to them at 877-453-3535, or of course, take some time to visit their showroom in Hamilton, New Jersey.
