Newly Ordained Shopping List

Here's what I recommend the Newly Ordained Person should have in his or her closet in the first few months. You can add the rest later.

• good black shoes
• Seriously. Good, solid, comfortable lace-up black oxfords. Black socks, too, while you're at it.
• cassock
• It is worth getting something custom-made. Wippell, House of Hansen, Duffy and Quinn, and Renzetti Magnarelli all do custom work in the US. I think the big houses like Almy and Gaspard do, as well. Trevor Floyd can get you a cassock via Slabbinck, too.
• Get either a Roman kind (with all the buttons) or a Sarum kind (the double-breasted "Anglican" cassock). It really doesn't matter, unless you're contemplating wearing a biretta. Birettas with sarum cassocks look silly. 
• Get a sash to match it. 
• Don't get one of those little capes, and don't get cuffs. These things have meanings to them, so if you do your research first, then you can get them. It's up to you.
• clerical shirts
• Get a good mix of tab-collar and neckband shirts.
• black suit
• Women and men, both. Whatever works for you as a suit, get one that's in black. Get two and press them.

Then these things get to be slightly less important. Get them early on if you're going to do so, especially if you're at a parish with a splendid choral Mattins or Evensong tradition. Definitely get them if you're somewhere that does Lessons & Carols. 

• tippett
• Don't mess with pinked ends, where they cut 'em with that jagged fringe. They seem to wear out quickly that way.
• Go ahead and get seals on 'em if you like. Traditionally you get your seminary on one side and your church on the other. I have the Anglican Communion compass rose and CDSP's seal. 
• hood
• I earned it, and I paid thousands of dollars for the right to wear that hood. I bought mine at graduation.