Lace And Lycra: Clergy Clothing 'For Curves'

A line in clergy couture is creating a stir by offering females in the Anglican church daring designs featuring colourful lycra and lace alongside the traditional dog collar.

When Rev Sandra Sykes was ordained two years ago, she quickly realised the outfit options were limited and, after moaning to family and friends, decided to do something about it.

"It was a bit like the last supper," she said.

"We were all drinking wine and having a meal together and we thought we could do this - let's do this for women in ministry."

The answer was to set up Collared - an online boutique providing "contemporary clothing for the modern clergy woman" which would "accommodate women's curves", according to the curate of Little Leighs in Essex and the five neighbouring churches.

"A straight shirt just doesn't do it for us and if you are uncomfortable working, it doesn't help your ministry," she said.

"I was wearing something I would never normally wear and yet I really appreciate the collar because it opens a lot of doors for me in ministry... but to be a priest, recognise your sacred calling and be yourself as well is how it should be."

The website went online on 17 May and orders for dresses, ponchos and lace-trimmed tops have already been taken from as far afield as Canada and Australia.

But not everyone is happy. There are those who still cannot accept that women have had the chance to become ordained since 1994 and certainly will not accept a pink dress with a dog collar.

Mrs Sykes, 64, has received complaints calling her actions "sinful", including an email from the United States.

Canon Adrian Chatfield, a tutor in Christian life and doctrine at Ridley Hall theological college in Cambridge, is not surprised by the reaction from some.

"I think that sometimes people are fairly conservative and there are debates about what people think ought to be done because it's the tradition, but what we have to remember is that some of these traditions like the clerical collar are just a century-and-a-half old," he said.

"All these things come and go and clergy dress is evolving and this is just another stage in its evolution."

In Braintree, a few miles from where Mrs Sykes is based, there was a mixed response.

Peter Anderson said the pink dress she was wearing meant she "did not look like clergy".

"I prefer the one with the grey jacket if that's what you want to call it. I think perhaps the pink jumper is too casual," he said.

But Ellesse Williams thought the outfits looked "so much better".

"When you are in church, you don't want to see someone in black... it's boring," she said.