I work at a construction site, so I have to wear work boots at most times of the day. As a woman, fashion is important to me, so I have a couple of different types of work boots that I wear often.
And I find work boots comfortable and fashionable when they are the right type.
So when I went to church after years, I didn’t know if I should wear my work boots, even though I chose the most formal-looking ones.
I got judged!
Not because I was wearing the boots, though. It was because I was wearing a shorter dress than what’s acceptable for church.
Moral of the story:
To answer your question, “can you wear work boots to church?”
You can wear work boots for church! It just needs to be as formal as possible for work boots to be. And no bright colors!
What Do Formal Work Boots Look Like for Church?
If you’re like me and have to wear work boots so often that you even wear them at social events?
You’d be surprised by how many people face this problem!
And as I already told you that you could wear work boots to church if you want to, but you have to remember that there are certain conditions that you have to keep in consideration.
The main thing that you maintain is making sure that whatever you do, you don’t go for casual work boots.
It needs to look formal enough for the circumstance! Which means what?
Neutral colors!
Formal dress-up requires you to wear specific colors. Whatever you do, you need to wear neutral colors to your church. In this case, these can be:
- Black
- Tan
- Dark navy
- Deep brown
- Dark green
- Burgundy
- Grey
If you can maintain wearing simple work boots in one of these colors, you’re gold! Then you don’t have to worry about feeling like you look inappropriate.
This is because these colors don’t attract much attention to your outfit. They can easily blend in with the scene without offending anyone.
What colors to avoid?
Yes, there are certain colors you need to not think twice about, whereas some colors you need to avoid entirely when it comes to wearing work boots to church, like:
- Pink
- Mustard yellow
- Orange
- Bright blue
- Purple
Steering clear of these colors will make sure that your outfit doesn’t raise any eyebrows.
A story for you:
I mean, I remember a girl wearing bright pink-colored boots to church once, and everyone was giving her looks that would not be appreciated, which is why I had this fear of offending others in the church with my footwear.
Dodge extravagant work boots!
Formal wear is usually supposed to be simple enough that no one really takes notice of what you’re wearing.
Sometimes, it’s also about looking elegant, but that’s not what we’re here for. I mean, you can look as classy as you want to in church as long as you don’t upset others.
You do you, right?
But it means that you need to stay away from extravagantly designed work boots if you want to wear them to church.
It can also apply to even the simplest design because even that can attract attention, which we don’t want in a church.
So, keep it simple!
You have to keep away from work boots that have too much going on, like loud patterns, cool stitchings, fashionable inlays, and attractive prints, among other things.
Even avoiding zippers on your work boots is an excellent idea for church!
No heeled work boots!
It’s true that work boots don’t have the conventional heels that women tend to wear for fashion purposes.
However, there is a type of work boots that might have heels of 1.5 inches to 2 inches just for protection purposes.
Logger boots!
Yes, these boots are for those workers who need to spend their days at a job where they have to walk on uneven terrain a lot.
These heels give them the arch support that they need to stay comfortable even in these kinds of circumstances.
But heels are not considered appropriate for formal church wear!
So, avoid logger boots!
Wearing Leather Work Boots to Church
Most good-quality work boots are usually made out of leather for durability and great performance.
Why wear leather work boots?
Leather work boots are not just comfortable, but they are also very functional in a work setting that requires your feet to be protected against injuries.
It’s true that these leather boots are worn in the most casual kind of workplace where it doesn’t matter what kind of outfit you wear to feel comfortable enough to work.
The exception is the workplaces that require proper PPE or Personal Protective Equipment to keep yourself protected from hazardous situations that can cause fatal injuries.
But are they formal?
Duh!
Leather boots are considered to be the most formal kind of work boots out there. That’s because leather is very formal!
So you won’t have a problem wearing them to church!
And considering how informal a pair of rubber work boots can be, leather ones are going to be your best friend when you go to church.
That’s not all!
If you have to wear your work boots to church on a day when it’s raining, and you don’t want to wear your rain boots, you can with you relax in leather work boots.
Leather can handle water!
Even though leather work boots aren’t completely waterproof, leather can take the rainwater and not get damaged if you let them dry completely before wearing them again.
Just make sure that you don’t expose them to water on a regular basis, or they might get susceptible to water damage.
Work Boots to Wear to Church
As you know that the work boots you choose to wear to church should be as formal as possible; here are some options that’ll go well with these events while being comfortable enough for work:
- Skechers Workshire Peril Lightweight Women’s Work Boots: These work boots are a perfect example of a formal-looking pair of work boots that you can wear to church with the right outfit.
- Cat Footwear Mae Lightweight Women’s Work Boots: Specifically made for women, this pair of work boots can do wonders for your feet. Plus, you can absolutely wear them to church.
- WOLVERINE Floorhand 6″ Lightweight Women’s Work Boots: You can always trust the brand WOLVERINE with their good-quality boots of any kind. And wearing them to church will not bring up any issues.
- Timberland PRO Titan 6 Inch Lightweight Women’s Work Boots: These are another pair of work boots from a very well-reputed brand that won’t make your outfit look inappropriate for church.
- Carhartt Wedge Sole Lightweight Women’s Work Boots: This one is a soft-toe work boot that will come in handy for a lot of events. And you can’t really tell that they are work boots, which makes them easier to wear to church.
What to Wear with Work Boots to Church
You probably figured out how you can get away with wearing work boots to church by now. But what about the rest of the outfit?
There are a couple of unspoken rules that we should follow regarding what we wear when we go to church, apart from our footwear.
Some churches even apply the Vatican city church rules on people, so you should check if that’s the case with the church you’re going to.
However, most of the time, following three simple rules will get you through these events without any problems.
Firstly,
If you wear any kind of dress that can come off as an act of rebellion, you might not be thinking about respecting God at all.
Going to church should be about God and his blessings!
So whatever you wear, keep God in mind and not how you would want to show off a new dress or a new pair of work boots you just bought.
Don’t disrespect God!
Your main focus should only be on attending the church for God and your religious beliefs.
This is because the primary purpose of a church service is to appreciate God and his blessings through prayers and sermons.
Secondly,
Modesty is one of the main things that churchgoers and religious people apply to their lifestyles. So wearing modest clothes is a must for the church as well.
Wearing a piece of clothing that’s more on the sensual side of things can cause controversies around your attire.
What’s considered immodest?
Anything that can emphasize your sexuality can be considered immodest for churchgoers.
I don’t really agree that is the case in our everyday lives, but it’s a thing that religious people take very seriously.
So if you want to go to church with these people, you have to consider their moral codes. So wearing something that covers your body is the right way to go.
What clothes to avoid?
You should avoid dresses that can show a little too much skin or extravagant dresses with added flare to them, like:
- Dresses with a deeper neckline
- Off-shoulder dresses
- Over-the-knee dresses (you could wear them with tights)
- Halter dresses that show too much skin
- Really fitting bodycon dresses
- Ballgowns and other extravagant dresses (as this is not that kind of event)
As long as you avoid these kinds of dresses and stick to “modest” dress types, you should be good to go.
Thirdly,
You should wear clothes that aren’t too extravagant or alluring. Make your clothing choices simpler than you normally would.
If you’re already into that, then that problem solves itself! These are basically points I’ve already made.
But hear me out!
Don’t wear things that tend to bring out your vanity and pride. Let’s face it, we all have that side in us.
To do this, you need to avoid things like:
- Earrings
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Other piercings
- And other accessories that you usually wear to show off your style
As long as you keep things simple, think about God, and be modest about the church setting, you will face no problem.
And you can always ask the clergy the dos and don’ts just to be on the safe side!
Final Verdict
Can you wear work boots to church? Yes, you can absolutely wear your work boots to church as long as you consider what a church service requires you to wear.
I have brightly colored work boots, but I don’t wear them when I do wear them, which is most of the time.
Take the advice!
As long as you keep all the things I’ve mentioned in mind, you won’t have to feel inappropriate in a church setting.
Best of luck!