How should a Pastor dress?

After my last article and further discussions I am forced to ask myself and interested readers: How should a Pastor dress? Is Sunday morning attire determined by any of these three or all (Generation, Community, Role)?

Please read the article before answering the poll.

(Not that it will really influence your opinion.

That is already set in your mind by your predisposed view of church, community, and role.)

I mean if everyone honestly lays down their predisposed opinions and honestly looks at these three one at a time I think we might arrive at a surprising reality.

In regards to Generation, again looking back over the whole of Christian history we find that the expected church attire varied greatly.  There were times in history when only members with financial clout could get a seat.  During many of the times of revival, great awakening, and first century, people gathered together every day, in tents, or in the field in in casual clothing.  If we look back over recent American history of church goers we find a general adherence to the concept that Sunday Morning meant putting on the “Sunday Best.”  However in this postmodern era the Sunday morning scene is again changing.  If you look out over the churches of today many elements have changed, the stone walls and stained glass has been replaced with steel siding and double pain efficient windows.  The pews have been replaced with theater seating and mug holders.  Or the opposite has taken place and people are finding comfort worshiping in homes around the coffee table, reverting to their first century roots.  In light of clothing as I have visited many churches for events and leadership training seminars I have witnessed that a general trend is a move toward the casual.  People prefer comfort over a suit and tie.  I have even noticed that weddings and funerals are slowly beginning to become more casual.  It is as if this generation is telling the world, “this is who I am, I am not here to impress you, or pretend I am something I’m not, but I will honor you with my time just the way I am.”  The one element that has seemed to carry through all of history is the importance of modesty in dress.  Here is a link to a site that has pictures of church attire through the last two millennium. Christian Apparel through the Centuries

Now what about a Community?