I was poking around some military chaplain sites in search of another “liminal places” post (Diego Garcia, anyone? well, no chapel site to be found) and found a picture of a British Forces chaplain in the kind of choir dress I was recommending recently.
This pic was embedded (badly) within this page. I would wear the surplice about four inches longer in the hem, and at least another inch in the sleeves. Note the ribbons and regimental crest embroidered on the tippet (black scarf). These, of course, are proper to the chaplain and while not my taste, I have no reason to think they’re improper. Some American Episcopalians wear embroidered patches of their schools on their tippets — if they have tippets — and this speaks to the personal achievement of the clergymember, rather than being “about” the church. So while I would never, ever want to see something sectarian on a stole — an ugly practice found in many denominations — I’ll demure for the tippet. That, the pleats, and the color (black for clergy) pretty well distinguish for me this garment from the stole.
All ye woodworkers, note the lecturn. I like the “towel rack” way to affix the parament (hanging) — much better than the hook-and-eye and velcro too often seen.
