This post is aimed at those who may never have purchased a stole before. Perhaps you are preparing for ordination or maybe you are commissioning a stole as a gift. There are so many possibilities for a stole that it is difficult for some people to know where to begin. Here I try to guide you through the process and ask you to consider many different things so that you can arrive at the right decision when it comes to making that purchase or placing an order. The stole is an ecclesiastical vestment worn by ordained clergy in most western Christian traditions during church services. The wearing of stoles goes back to the very earliest times of the Church and references Jewish traditions as described in The Old Testament. "And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2). It is a long, narrow strip of cloth, usually embellished in some way and is normally in the specified colour for the liturgical ...