Parsha Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּהא

The content of most of this Parsha is a description of the elaborate vestments that the regular Kohen and the High Priest wore during the service to the Almighty. 
The Torah describes these clothes as for the purpose of dignity and beauty (28:2). We would think of the clothing then for a public display; when the Kohanim appeared in public people would be impressed by the special clothing that they wore. In actuality that was not the case because the Kohanim were not allowed to wear these clothes outside the Mishkan or the Temple area. They were only permitted to wear these clothes during the ritual service at the Temple. In essence the clothing was not for the dignity and beauty of the Kohen, but rather lending to the beauty and dignity of the ritual service itself.

There is an elaborate discussion as to the proper definition of the Ephod (28:6). The Ephod was some form of an apron that the High Priest wore. Some say that the Ephod was like a half cape, as wide as the body, reaching from just below the elbows to the heel. Others agree that it was a long garment and was more like a skirt from the waist to the heel, covering the High Priest in front and back. Others claimed that it was long but some maintain that it was much simpler in construction.
They see it like a cape made out of a single rectangular piece of cloth draped over the shoulders like a large Tallit and hanging down to the feet and back. Yet there are others (the Chizkuni) who felt it was not a long garment at all but rather like a vest with a belt around its lower edge tied in front; a backward vest. Added to this we have a description by Josephus who described it as a sleeved garment. The main part of it was a cubit square with an opening for the Breastplate which went over the front of the body. It had straps, most probably going around the neck, which buttoned onto the precious stones on the opposite sides to hold the Ephod in place. 
Again, what we see here is a lack of early description to give us a definitive idea of exactly what the Ephod was. It is one of the things that we will just have to wait patiently for the Mashiach to come at the time of the next Beit Ha-Mikdash to get us a proper rendition of the Ephod.