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| Whatever is a princess to do? |
Whenever the subject of attire comes up and someone suggests that the female s*x should wear skirts, there is always the cry of "legalism".
We wear skirts in our home, but not for legalistic reasons.
No, I do not believe there is anything more holy about dresses. No, I have not found any set of scriptures directly forbidding the wearing of pants (and believe me, I have studied it from all angles). Yes, I do believe there are some wonderful Christian women who are blessed of God and who wear pants.
But there is one scripture that is appropriate for the whole conversation:
"Everything is lawful for me, but not everything is profitable." (I Corinthians 10:23)
God will allow me to wear pants, but I just do not see them as a good choice for these reasons:
1) They are just not "lady-like". I am speaking subjectively a bit here, so please forgive me, but I just feel "prettier" in dresses. There is something about the swishing, the feel of wearing a dress or skirt that causes one to walk with greater respect and sweetness. I have always viewed the way beautiful women dressed in the past and thought how there was a loveliness that exuded from them because of what they were wearing. Artists often used the dress of women to their greatest advantage in paintings, etc.
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| The princess duo |
2) They are a statement of God's original creation of "male and female". I am not at all impressed with the modern fashionable idea that we can somehow throw out the distinctions between men and women. God placed these very distinctions there because they are a reflection of who He is, and He has had a wonderful purpose and plan. It's our adversary, the devil, who wants to appeal to our sinful, rebellious nature and convince us that it's a good thing to blur the line between the s*xes. It's wonderful to me that, by simply looking pretty, I can also defy the enemy just a little bit!
3) Pants reveal too much of the female physique. Now, I have some daughters who actually have trim, long-wasted figures, and who look terrific in jeans, really. I also have sons who told me what their male co-workers have commented about these sweet daughters whenever they saw them in jeans--and these men weren't discussing the girls' cute "personalities"! Funny, but if they were wearing longer dresses, there was more respect. Coincidence? I think not.
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| Warm, but what a wild match! |
4) Pants reveal too much of the female physique. This is for the rest of us, for those who are not like my sweet girls. Most of us, especially as we age, do not need to "bless" the world with our figures! Skirts and dresses leave a bit more to the imagination, to the benefit of those around us!
5) Skirts are more practical. I know that there may be situations where a skirt could get caught and be a nuisance, but it is so interesting to me just how much hard, physical labor women of the past were able to accomplish, and all without wearing jeans! There is hardly anything I do in any particular day that could compare with the tasks my pioneer forerunners performed, and all while wearing long dresses! Dresses (the long ones, at least) are warmer in winter, because of all of the layers one can wear underneath. They are cooler in summer because of the way the air can circulate through.
6) Skirts are more comfortable. Pants can be so binding! Skirts are so freeing, and the long ones allow one to bend and move without being immodest, since they do not hug one's back-side!
Wearing skirts is not a hard thing to do. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- They need to be longer than knee-length for modesty reasons.
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| Running in skirts, oh my! |
- If they are sheer, you will need a slip to go underneath so that when the sun shines through they will not become immodest.
- A tight, long skirt can be just as bad as a pair of tight-fitting jeans!
- Supply--descent dresses and skirts are hard to find in retail outlets, but I have seen a number that were quite cute! Thrift and consignment stores, garage sales, etc. are great sources. Besides, skirts are very easy to sew, especially the peasant-type!
- For warmth in winter, wear a thicker slip and a pair of leggings underneath. If your skirt is long enough, you don't have to wear hose underneath, but you can get away with long trouser socks.
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| Barefoot and beautiful |
- Large, round skirts are best for bike-riding. While visiting Holland in the 1980's, I was impressed with the number of young Dutch women wearing long skirts and riding their bicycles around town, even with high heel shoes! This is why there is a difference between male and female bikes--to accommodate the wearing of skirts!
- Jean skirts are great for around home--they are durable and can be worn a few times between washes.
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| Nicole--lovely inside and out! |
- If one misses the "support" of a tight pair of jeans, a pair of bicycle shorts or other type of tight, knit undergarment can become a welcome replacement.
I am not ashamed that I am a woman. In fact, I celebrate just how God has made me. Not only that He has created me, but also because He has redeemed me in order for me to become His woman; set apart for His glory. Wearing skirts are just one way I express this freedom!
Welcome! My name is Sherry and I'm a devoted Christian wife and mother to 15 amazing Homeschooled children. 
Posts
Excellent points! You explained this very well. Wearing dresses and skirts is considered "laydlike" and to be respected.
ReplyDeleteblessings
Mrs. White
The Legacy of Home
Great post! I too just feel more feminine in a skirt, and you did a very good job explaining the many reasons one would choose to wear skirts/dresses.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very clear concise post about the reasons that I too, am wearing skirts or dresses 99% of the time!
ReplyDeleteDeanna
Well said. A hearty Amen from me! I have chosen to wear skirts for very similar reasons.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post! It so clearly explains what is so hard to get across sometimes :) THank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAs a lady who lives mostly in jeans, I wanted to say thank you for writing this post with grace; that this is what you do and why instead of this is how everyone must dress.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your points on skirts being more feminine and lady-like, but here's a funny thing: my husband loves me in pants! Not because of how they look on my figure (I don't wear them tight--it's uncomfortable and too showy!), but because...well, I don't know exactly. But when we're getting dressed to go out somewhere and I talk through what I might wear, he usually comes down on the side of pants. So I wear them more often than I might otherwise.
That being said...we've started talking about trying for baby #2. And thinking back on pregnancy #1, I wish I'd worn more dresses! So your tips will definitely come in handy, Lord willing!
I've worn skirts only for over a decade--and not for religious reasons! My figure is very hourglass (more so before children), and the difference between my waist and hips made it impossible to find pants that fit! The waist was always too big, so the waistband would chafe against my skin.
ReplyDeleteAs for comfort, I suggest ankle length skirts. The shorter the skirt, the more it feels to me like it is binding my legs. Ankle length skirts also allow the layering of multiple skirts in winter.
From a sewing perspective, skirts are a more efficient use of fabric than pants. Pants were originally invented in the West (obviously they developed differently in other parts of the world) for wear by horseback riders. Only wealthy people (who could afford horses) wore these garments because wasting fabric in order to make the pant legs was out of the question for most people.
Finally, from a scriptural perspective, the Mosaic Law forbids men from dressing like women (don't remember chapter and verse--sorry!). It is reasonable to extrapolate that women should be discouraged from dressing like men.
I really like how you listed the reasons you have for wearing skirts. I agree! I also really appreciate your tips for wearing skirts during the winter time. For some reason, that has just been a challenge for me to transition to. I like the idea of wearing a longer skirt with leggings underneath. I plan on trying that next winter. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent post. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteThis is another wonderful post. Precisely this morning I had to get up and moving quickly, so I threw on a jogging-suit. For family reasons we went to bed after midnight and so this morning waking up was hard. As I sat munching breakfast with hubby and children I said "I have to go and change when you all leave. I feel too slouchy in these clothes, I'll never get anything done today." That is how I feel in trousers,like I haven't dressed yet, basically.
ReplyDeleteI love wearing skirts, it makes me feel more mummy-ish! I think also that it gives my children an idea of what it means to be a FEMININE. I also feel that the children respect my position of authority as their mother and their father's wife-not that I need to insist on this very much. It is a rare thing to find me in anything else because as you said, Sherry, I also like the swishy feeling as I walk around. In winter I wear them just below my knees with leggings or leotards and flattish boots. Lovely and warm! In the summer, which means 40ºc most of the time, I wear even swishier ones, with flower prints,or ties, pockets or lacey bits, down to my feet with open sandals. It's the coolest thing there is.
I am not against trousers, my girls wear them to college sometimes. However, we insist on certain standards so as to remain feminine and decent, with blouses or jackets which hide bottoms, or the looser type jeans with ties and feminine details. For sports they wear tracksuits.
I liked this post very much, it echoes my thoughts entirely. Your blog is very helpful and encouraging.(Can you imagine that our family are the only skirt-wearers in the whole village of over 2000 people?)
Blessings to all your family from an overseas reader.
Thank you for this great post! I would just like to add that in summer, a long cotton skirt shields the bare skin from the sun which can help the skin feel cooler. I've noticed for tops that if I wear a sleeveless blouse my shoulders are very hot, but if I wear even a cap sleeve that just covers the shoulder my skin feels much cooler. Just another way skirts help!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post. I have many good friends who are skirts only. One gave Biblical reasons - men should not wear women's clothes and women should not wear mens. (not sure the exact verse). Other friends I haven't asked yet. I've debated about it but I grew up in pants and just feel more comfortable - especially now running after a 2 year old. I find it easier to get down to their level in pants then a skirt. And as for wearing them in winter I am always cold! If I 'converted' to skirts I would still be wearing pants underneath!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I struggle with is wearing tight clothes. Skirts may seem to hide more but if everything above the hips is skin tight I tend to disagree and would feel more modest even in pants and looser tops. I'm not sure how skirts can be more modest when other parts are so tight. Maybe that's just been my experience with the people I know...
Thanks for sharing this. I like hearing why skirt wearers do what they do. I want to please the Lord and so I question this area now and then:)
Blessings
Thank you so much for your blog post!! I too love wearing skirts, I think it's more feminine. I don't have many because they are so hard to find. My daughters have many and always choose skirts over pants. I have wanted to switch to skirts only because of the modesty and femininity. I believe that as a Christian wife and mother it is also my responsibility not to make other men stumble especially in the Church. How helpful it would be to all men if women respected their lovely bodies more and didn't show them off with tight fitting pants or skirts for that matter. I always hear the cry "legalism"! But you have given me new found courage in my desire to embrace this femininity that feels so comfortable and is so beautiful. Thank you for your way of explaining it that does not condemn others and thanks for all of the tips!
ReplyDeleteWhile the Bible does not forbid wearing pants, in 1 Tim 2:9 it says that women should adorn themselves in modest apparel. Learning the Greek behind the word apparel shed some light on the verse for me! It is 'katastole' = "let down/long robe'" I have the conviction to wear skirts for the same biblical principles as Sheri, and this verse confirms it. When I switched to skirts, I immediately noticed I was treated with much respect from both men and women when out in public. Love it!
ReplyDeleteHere is another skirts-only testimony: http://pursuingtitus2.com/2008/09/14/cooking-chicken-for-your-600-pound-uncle-or-do-you-wear-skirts-all-the-time/
Thank you for this post. I wear skirts 90% of the time. My daughter 5years old has chosen to wear dresses 100% of the time. I love how you have explained this. I so agree w/ you!
ReplyDeleteDear Sherry,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your well-grounded arguments in proving that dresses and skirts were primarily made to be worn by women.
There is definitely something effeminate in wearing dresses, and it is generally accepted, as you mentioned, that women themselves feel more “women” when they wear dresses.
As you have pointed out, skirts are way more comfortable to wear, especially while doing physically demanding tasks. What a better example than female tennis players, who apparently need all the freedom of movement that only a skirt can give them.
As MK Jorgenson commented, a dress is one of the few garments a pregnant woman can wear, due to practical reasons.
Thank you again for your useful information.
I certainly agree with you! My Mom and sisters switched to skirts a couple years back and have never regreted it! The Lord really worked on my heart in that area. My Mom often wore skirts but I never bought it because I felt very defensive about skirts. My Mom often had to beg me just to wear one for church and then I'd quickly change back to immodest jeans after wards. The Lord really softened my heart and through my Moms and other Godly womens examples, He showed me to benefits of skirts. And that day that we changed to skirts I never had felt more like a lady, or more feminine in my life! Thanks so much for your post, God bless you!
ReplyDeleteBethany
www.handsthatbless.etsy.com
www.royal-daughters-of-the-king.blogspot.com
it's great that you all enjoy wwearing skirts/dresses and if they are modest I think they are lovely but quoting mosaic law? Two thingsa =we don't live under the law it was for a different people at a different time if you want to live under the law go ahead I think you will find it a mammouth effort, just remember you are nullifing the work christ did on the cross; and in those times EVERBODY wore dresses/robes men included Sherry I appreciate that you did not say these things but I think its important that people understand their history and theology we are so blessed to be able to wear whatever is appropriate to what we are doing as long as it is modest so when I ride I wear jeans when I swim I wear modest bathes when I dress I cover from neck to knee ALWAYS some times longer you will never see this gal in a cleavage showing top/dress like so many dress/skirt only women modestly is the main thing and grace let's not forget grace god bless thanks for your hard work it is appriciated
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