Hypothetical Judgments Meet Reality

So the other day, our youth group had a rummage sale. I dressed appropriately for working with potentially dusty old clothes and such. Which means I was wearing (self-)cropped jeans and a second-hand polo shirt with tennis shoes. This is not usually what I wear to work, since I'm not usually working with old, dirty stuff. I am a professional, and usually I dress up, at least sort of, for work, even when I don't particularly feel like it. So it was a bit odd when an older man (church member with particular skills for indirect communication) said to me, "I like your outfit. You look almost human." So immediately, I went into "what was that supposed to mean" mode. I have been discerning lately that there is a wide variety of perspectives on what the role of the pastor should be in this new congregation I am serving. It occurred to me that what I wear could be a reflection of that. So I wondered what I would learn if I did an informal survey about what people thought I should wear. ... Then I had an epiphany. I don't have the budget to go shopping. I'm going to wear the clothes I have to work, despite what anyone thinks. They will not be inappropriate, though they may occasionally be more formal than some people prefer. What I wear is not up to them. It's even only sort of up to me. It's really up to what's in my closet, so why worry about what people think I should be wearing?