I change after church. In fact, it's probably one of the first things I do when I get home most weeks. Personally, I've never felt comfortable in a skirt, and when I'm cooking for my family after meetings, I'd rather not risk getting spaghetti sauce on my beautiful, white, dry-clean-only blouse.
This isn't to say that I don't continue to observe the Sabbath--I listen to uplifting music, spend time reading the scriptures, and focus on spending time with my loved ones. The only thing that changes are the clothes I'm wearing as I do these things to help keep my Sunday best its best, and help my mind be less focused on how uncomfortable hosiery is (or perhaps in the case of you gents, how suffocating a tie can feel). It's what works for me.
But I'm not sure it's what I should be doing.
Here are a few quotes from Church sources that make me wonder if changing after church is actually okay:
"Your behavior and dress on the Sabbath should show respect for the Lord and His holy day." -"Sabbath Day Observance," Youth Standards
"We know that when Sunday dress deteriorates to everyday attire, attitudes and actions follow. Of course, it may not be necessary for our children to wear formal Sunday attire until the sun goes down. However, by the clothing we encourage them to wear and the activities we plan, we help them prepare for the sacrament and enjoy its blessings throughout the day." -L. Tom Perry, April 2011 general conference
"Parents need to teach their children that Sabbath observance extends beyond Sunday meetings to the entire day. Sometimes, we come home from our meetings and change into clothes we would wear at the beach or to work in the garden. Of course, we need not continue wearing a suit and tie following Sunday meetings, but the clothes we wear ought to help us retain the spirit we enjoyed in the meetings." -"Teaching Children to Keep the Sabbath," Ensign magazine
Like our recent polls on caffeine use and swearing substitutes, it seems as though changing after church is an issue that is left up to each of us to decide for ourselves what we'll do, with a guiding practice in mind to help us decide: keep your Sabbath day feeling holy.
So for me, after considering the counsel and thinking it through, I think I'll continue to change after church--how about you?
What do you do? Do you change after church or not? Take the poll below, and then let us know more about your choice in the comments!