Practically anyone can wear robes, whether they are worn for graduation, church choir, and the clergy. 
Churchgoers - Stoles for Clergy and other Clergy ApparelIn fact, you can say that if you look at a robe when it is free of ornaments and any other accessories, you will find it hard to identify whether it is for a graduating student or a priest. So what is the best way to differentiate ordinary robes from those for more special ones for the clergy?
Simple, the answer is a stole. Stoles are special garments draped on the upper body, resting on the shoulders and flowing down over the chest. Stoles for clergy are usually made with the more expensive fabrics like silk and satin, though you can also use linen and other less pricey cloths and make the stole look special with stitching and other ornamentation.
A stole isn’t just used for the clergy, for some schools and universities also use these articles of clothing not just with their graduating students but also with professors and other experts in their fields of study. The reason why stoles are so popular is because they can immediately change the look of your attire. For example, take a student wearing regular black graduation robes, but put a stole over his or her shoulders, and you can get the impression that he or she might be a master’s or doctoral graduate.
This is why stoles for clergy are so important. In order to properly practice the faith they believe in, they need to wear the correct garments that they are required to wear. And because a stole is so easy to make, wear, and take care of, it is one of the most popular articles in the clergy.
How are stoles made? Any good tailor or dressmaker can make an exemplary stole in no time at all, but the dimensions of the stole have to be symmetrical. Taller people may need stoles of up to nine feet in length, and the width of a stole can range from three to five inches. Some stoles also taper more at the ends and become thicker in the middle, where it drapes over the back. And depending on the purpose and occasion, stoles can look very simple by being only one color or extravagant by featuring fabrics of different shades and fancy embroidery.
The more elaborate a stole’s design is, the longer it will take to make, and the more skilled the seamstress or tailor has to be. The tiniest slip in stitching can cause a fold or wrinkle on the fabric that can make the stole look unsightly. This also makes it more difficult to clean, press, and store.
If there is one thing stoles for clergy must do, it is to fit in with how the entire clergy apparel looks like as well as what is appropriate for the occasion. A clergyman, for example, should not be allowed to wear a stole that was made for the Christmas season or for Holy Week on any regular day. Custom-made stoles for special events should be worn for those events only. It also means that the special stoles can be better preserved and will look better when they are worn.
How do you take care of stoles? This depends on the fabric they are made of. Follow the general rules for how to clean and store silk, velvet, polyester, or what would be appropriate for keeping the stole in the best of shape. Clergy apparel should look immaculate at all times, and taking good care of your stole means you will also find it easier to care for your robes, capes, accessories, and other garments.
Where can you get top-quality stoles? It’s not easy to find seamstresses and tailors who can make these clerical garments easily, and your best bet is to check out online shops like www.ChurchGoers.com to find clergy apparel. And because stoles differ in design a lot, also remember that you have the option of customizing these garments as you see fit.
An important tip is to try to get all your stoles for clergy orders in bulk. It will be easier on both you and ChurchGoers.com to place your order for one style of stoles at once, rather than request to have them made every month or so. This saves both time and money too, and saves you from getting unnecessarily stressed. ChurchGoers.com also offers plenty of other accessories such as capes, gloves, crowns, choir robes, and more so that you can get all your clothing and ornamental needs in one place.