What the well-dressed lady organist is wearing this winter

The default dress for chaps playing the organ is, of course, suit and tie.  Women have more options, and to cope with the bone-numbing cold of winter rehearsal and services, the temptation is to opt for layers of miscellaneous garments from the jumper drawer, accessorised perhaps with leg warmers and woolly hat. You will be warm, but will look like Mrs Santa with a fashion crisis, especially if your church also requires you to be robed.

This lack of sartorial elegance may not matter if you lurk behind a screen when playing, as many of us do. But I am not robed in any of my churches, and I am also very much on show, and I do I like to appear Professional and Smart (if only in the fond hope that the congregation will then assume I am also Competent).

Girls, can I recommend a dress item which has fallen off the fashion radar but is immensely practical and that is petticoats, for insulation and warmth?  Proper petticoats such as from House Of Olivier – as featured in Vogue.  If you have any dressmaking skills you could make something yourself.  They are very cosy and make your skirts look nice. (I am not a trouser person.)

Look on ebay for boiled wool jackets.  Preferably by Hobbs – although these still cost real money by ebay standards, they are a fraction of the eye-watering prices in the shops.   I have two, and they are really nothing more than a comfy thick cardy, but they look tailored and are easier to play in than a proper jacket.

I see M&S are doing 140 denier thermal fleece tights, as well as 100 denier with wool – time to stock up!

Any one else play in fingerless gloves in the winter?  I’ve found it feels awkward at first, but you get used to it.  My cheapo multi-coloured gloves from Accessorize are now a bit tatty so I have just replaced them with I like to think are a slightly more chic pair from Barbour in black.