Do not forget the usual dog collar and cassock – there is an unlikely new must-have in the Church of England’s wardrobe.
For a £19.50 M&S jumper has been adopted as the unofficial Christmas ‘uniform’ among female clergy.
The black jumper adorned with a bold rainbow ‘Believe’ slogan has become a hit with women priests – with many sharing photos of it under the hashtag ‘TeamBelieve’.
One of its most loyal fans is Reverend Kate Bottley, a former Gogglebox actor and Nottinghamshire priest.
Former Gogglebox star and Nottinghamshire priest, Reverend Kate Bottley (pictured) shared a picture of the popular knit with the hashtag #TeamBelieve
The £19.50 M&S jumper (above) has been adopted as the unofficial Christmas ‘uniform’ among female clergy
Noting the jumper’s popularity, the 46-year-old wrote on Twitter: ‘Never one to shy away from a bandwagon, like most of the clerics I know I’ve bought this jumper.’
Ruth Bushyager in West Sussex was also impressed by the festive design.
Posting a photo of seven female priests in the Chichester diocese wearing it, she wrote: ‘Vote of thanks to Marks & Spencer for the new clergy uniform.’
The hashtag has been used by more than 200 people to show off their jumpers. Reverend Claire Jones, who is putting them all together in a photo montage, told The Guardian that it had really ‘struck a chord’.
The curate from Bodmin in Cornwall added: ‘I’m sure it’s not what [Marks and Spencer] intended but it taps into what Christmas is really all about.’
Noting the popularity of the ‘TeamBelieve’ hashtag, a spokesman for the retailer said its designers and customers have ‘embraced optimistic and feel-good messages’.