This woman, 82, dresses to the nines each Sunday for virtual church.

[Nevilledog]

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Tweet text:
Jonathan Capehart
@CapehartJ
This woman, 82, dresses to the nines each Sunday for virtual church. Her selfies have become legendary.

This woman, 82, dresses to the nines each Sunday for virtual church. Her selfies have become...
“I started hearing from people everywhere who said my photos made them smile,” said La Verne Ford Wimberly, 82.
washingtonpost.com
2:32 AM · Apr 4, 2021

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/03/31/sunday-virtual-church-outfit/

Since March 29, 2020, she has taken photos of herself from her living room in 53 different color-coordinated outfits — each one carefully selected from the burgeoning closets, jewelry boxes and neatly stacked hat boxes that have satisfied her love of making a grand entrance since she was a young schoolteacher in the 1960s.

She hasn’t decided what she’ll be wearing this Easter Sunday, but those who know Wimberly said the odds are good that she’ll make a big splash.

“She never skips a beat with the hats, the clothes and all that beautiful jewelry,” said Robin Watkins, 54, the church’s executive office assistant.

“If anyone is feeling downtrodden, they just look at her [Facebook] page and immediately feel uplifted,” she said. “Her heart is as beautiful as each outfit she has shared with us.”

Parishioners often call Wimberly “Doctor.” She has a PhD in education and spent years as a school principal and superintendent after she’d moved on from teaching, Watkins said.

She was already known at her church for the head-turning outfits she wore every Sunday, so when the pandemic hit last year and in-person services were canceled, Wimberly decided to up her game.

*snip*

[onecaliberal]

1. So cute!

[AllaN01Bear]

2. ohm myy.

[yellowdogintexas]

18. I want that Democrat Blue one!! nt

[wryter2000]

3. Gorgeous

She can wear those hats. I bought a church lady hat but it looks ridiculous on me.

[onetexan]

37. Ditto!!

[brush]

4. I love it. There's a book from a few years back about Black women and hats.

"Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats".

https://www.amazon.com/Crowns-Portraits-Black-Women-Church/dp/0385500866

[3catwoman3]

8. I may have to look for this book.

I wish I had occasions that called for wearing hats. I alway enjoy looking at the women of the royal family and their chapeaux.

[niyad]

10. Thank you. I had been trying to remember the title. All I could remember was "Crowns".

[Useless in FL]

5. Absolutely Beautiful!

[3catwoman3]

6. I want to see her closet!!!

She looks fabulous -

[yellowdogintexas]

20. I want to raid her closet!!! I wonder if she would will one to me!!

If I knew how to post pictures, I would go get my fanciest hat and take a picture

[niyad]

7. What a beautiful person, inside and out. I LOVE her hats!

[George II]

9. We have a woman in our (Catholic) Church who wears a huge hat every week. Of course...

...with churches closed for almost a year and now limited to very few people I haven't seen her in a while.

[DenaliDemocrat]

19. Used to wear veils

Even after Vatican II some older ladies still did

[FoxNewsSucks]

11. That is so cool

I would go every week just to say hi to her and see her grand entrances.

Those pics would also look great on billboards with the caption "Republicans are Stealing My Vote!"

[dlk]

12. Gorgeous hats!

Beautiful pics! Thanks for sharing!

[ProudMNDemocrat]

31. There is an Etsy vendor from Iowa called Ms. Purdy

Her hats are to die for. Reasonable prices. Check her out. I have a couple from her for some of my costumes.

With the Kentucky Detby coming up, you might find something.

[dlk]

34. Thanks, I will

A beautiful hat gives such a lift even when it’s not Easter. Thanks, again

[soothsayer]

13. She's awesome

[Biophilic]

14. Man, I am soooo jealous. Way cool. nt

[malaise]

15. You go my girl

So sweet

[TlalocW]

16. Great hats

And here's my super power - finding a cartoon to match any subject. Church lady hats are a running gag in, "Curtis."

?1410815793

TlalocW

[yellowdogintexas]

17. Every so often, the women in my Sunday School class have a "hat Sunday"

as a gift to the ministers.

Usually Easter, Mother's Day and UMW Sunday (the UMW ladies are the ushers and scripture readers on UMW Sunday)

We have also had KY Derby parties, and we had a fundraiser party in honor of Prince William's wedding. We wore our hats, feasted on traditional English food and had Pimm's Cups from the bar. Two of the husbands wore tuxes and served as butler and bartender. We watched the wedding on TIVO and made fun of the hats. One couple came as rude American tourists in shorts, ball caps and t-shirts with "My son went to England and all I got was this lousy shirt"

We also have hat contests and ugly tie contests on Easter and Mother's Day. (Also good for Bad Hair Days)

I need to go get a hat out of my closet to wear when the Sunday School class zooms at noon. The Dr would consider one of my hats worthy, I think.

[SMC22307]

21. Lovely! (n/t)

[Mickju]

22. She looks lovely in every photo.

I love her!

[judesedit]

23. She is lovely. What a nice way to make people smile.

Quite the collection. She probably has a spare room to keep it all. Happy Easter, La Verne.

[BobTheSubgenius]

24. She wears those hats better than does Queen Elizabeth.

Some of hers look ridiculous.

[MiHale]

25. Styling!...

Such a lovely woman.

[aquamarina]

26. Those hats! Just beautiful

[Judi Lynn]

27. Oh, wow! Wonderful brilliant colors! Amazing. How could she not grace any gathering? ❤️️❤️️❤️️

[Ferrets are Cool]

28. What a beautiful smile

I hope she has a wonderful day.

[PatSeg]

29. Wow, I'm not usually much of a hat person,

but those hats are gorgeous. Such beautiful colors and so stylish.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

30. I want to be HER when I grow up!

What an inspiration during a time when this is needed . Colorful and uplifting at the same time.

[Joinfortmill]

32. Magnificient

[nocoincidences]

35. She chooses the perfect jewelry

to pull together each outfit!

She must spend a lot of time on the shopping channel, to have so many beautiful pieces to coordinate her outfits.

Maybe she has designers who want her to borrow and wear their clothes, hats and jewelry? She deserves to!

[onetexan]

39. It's wonderful to see older women take such meticulous care of themselves the way this lovely lady

does. I hope to be just as peppy as her when i'm 82

[shenmue]

36. Now THOSE are hats

[Peacetrain]

38. So beautiful!!!

[gratuitous]

40. I wear pants for worship most weeks

We all do what we can.

[iluvtennis]

41. A true "Church Lady". Can I get an Amen?

[samnsara]

42. i loved the interview with her..she must have a HUGE closet..

..just the other day i was wondering why women dont wear hats anymore and when that trend ended. I see its still alive and beautiful as ever!!

[wnylib]

54. I used to wear them in my teens, back in the1960s.

That was mostly for special occasions, like holidays and weddings. As clothing became more casual, hats and special outfits fell by the wayside.

The only time I wear a hat today is on cold days in winter, and then it's likely to be a knitted ski cap style, although this past winter I wore a knitted tam that had a little more style to it.

[Percy]

43. Beautiful!

[crickets]

44. Wonderful!

What a great way to keep spirits up, both for herself as well as the other parishioners who look forward to seeing her every Sunday. Now there is a woman with style!

[Spazito]

45. I love this...

I have no doubt it brings a big smile to everyone who reads this as well as those in her congregation.

Thanks for posting this, it is wonderful.

[ornotna]

46. That's a lot of crowns

For one Queen.

[electric_blue68]

47. She's so stylish! Love the turquoise hat, it's so light and airy.

[MustLoveBeagles]

48. She has a wonderful smile

I love her hats and clothes.

[Skittles]

49. lovely lady

[Hekate]

50. Dr Wimberly is as colorful & co-ordinated as the Queen of England. I LOVE seeing a stylish senior!

[Raine]

51. BEAUTIFUL .... I hope that soon she can return to church in person. 🙏 nt

[mountain grammy]

52. Saw this story on Sunday Morning..

and loved it. Good for her. As a non believer, I'd like to tune in just to see her attire for the day.

[Hugin]

53. Someone after my own heart...

I seriously considered breaking out the black velvet blazer with all the trimmings to go get my vaccination shots. Maybe, even a walking stick.

However, I abandoned the idea after it became clear it would hold up other people waiting in line for their shots as I peeled down to where a shot could be administered.