F is for FASHION

The conversation went something like this. "You need a new suit dear." "I don't think so." "Yes you do. I think a black one would be nice." "But I have a suit." "Yes, but it's blue, not black and you really need a black one." "Why?" "Because you need a black one for funerals." "But I could wear my blue suit to a funeral. Sure that's what I have been doing." "Yes but a black suit looks better." "As if the deceased is going to notice!" "And you have other functions to go to as well." "And can't I wear my blue suit to those." "But dear you've had it for years and it's done." "What do you mean 'it's done,' there's not a mark on it and sure I only wear it the odd Sunday and for funerals or weddings and we haven't been to many weddings lately." "Yes but it's old and it IS done." "No it's not. It would do OK for another while." "Yes but it's an old style. They don't make suits like that these days." "What do you mean, 'old style' dear?" "Look, it's just not in fashion any more." " Oh I get it. So I need a new suit which is in fashion." "Yes and almost every man I know has a new suit." "Names and addresses?" And so it went on over the tea table for a while longer, though I had by this stage grasped the central theme of her argument and while I hadn't given in, I do know that the writing is on the wall for the old blue suit. Strangely enough though, if I kept it long enough, I'm sure it would be back in fashion again before too long.

Am I the only person who has lived through two eras of flares, shirts with button down collars, brogues, patterned ties, tank tops, side burns, shaved heads and sports jackets? And for the women it doesn't change either. One minute it's the mini skirt, then the midi skirt, to be replaced by the maxi and before long, the mini all over again. One year it's flat shoes, the next winter they're all wearing boots, in the summer flowery dresses, then out come the high heels, then the block heels and before long they're back in flat shoes again. Some seasons, purple is all the rage, other times everyone has to wear brown, then red makes a comeback, all the shops are full of green or everyone is ordering a little black dress. All in the name of fashion! And if you're in any doubt about what to wear, there are a host of magazines like Vogue, Elle or even a flick through OK or Hello and you soon see what today's fashionable woman or man is wearing.


And it's not just clothes. Ipods have become a fashion accessory just as much as a designer handbag, watch or belt and who wants to be seen on a beach in the south of France with a pair of cheap sunglasses from Woolworth. And sometimes, it's just having the right label on our clothes, the right colour of eye makeup or lipstick, the famous make of shoes on our feet, smelling expensively from a perfume bottle or grocery shopping at a trendy supermarket that makes us feel fashionable. And I have to admit, I often succumb to this whole fashion thing, for last year I bought a wallet simply because it had 'Valentino' emblazoned on the side, though such is my knowledge of all things fashionable, that I probably thought it was the name of a racehorse at the time!


I often wonder what women do when their clothes go out of fashion. I presume that they pack up all the 'old' stuff and ship it off to one of the charity shops, which means of course, that there must then be a lot of well dressed but unfashionable people out there and then when fashion experts notice the way they have combined different clothing items to make a new look, they then use that idea to create a 'new' fashion again. Wasn't it Coco Chanel who said, 'A fashion that does not reach the streets is not fashion.' So who am I to argue.


It's probably just as well for us men and indeed a lot of women, that some things never go out of fashion. Like jeans, white shirts, wellingtons, suits (though I don't wish to dwell on this one), trainers, track suits and socks. And other, more personal things too, like love, hatred, envy, anger, tears, lies, laughter, gossip, bad language, worry, people's rights, war, murder or theft. Since the fall of man, all these things have filled our beings and our streets. And you know, sometimes it can be even fashionable to be a Christian, to be part of the in crowd at church or Youth Club, but I wonder how many of us would find it so fashionable if we were to meet opposition to our faith, like those who live in countries where Christianity is not only intolerable but may carry the penalty of prison or death.


Jesus knew that it wouldn't be fashionable to follow Him when He said ' If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.' And also John reminds us that 'The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.' Paul writes 'Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.'


I end with those words of Coco Chanel ringing in my ears. ''A fashion that does not reach the streets is not fashion.' Has our Christianity reached the streets? Do we wear our faith on our sleeves or only bring it out on special occasions? Maybe that's why believing in Jesus has never been grasped by some people because they never see anyone showing it?