May 31, 2006 8:09 PM
Women in Dresses
I came across a deligtful blog today called Just Enjoy the Journey, where I found a fascinating challenge Lindsey had taken up: wearing dresses for a week. Scroll down he page to read about it and see her pictures (she doesn't have permalinks and I still haven't figured out trackbacks).
Like sitting down at a different lunch table in high school, I found myself introduced me to a whole group of ladies (you can find the links on Lindsey's blog as well) who had participated in this challenge and the pictures they'd taken of themselves - mostly in dresses they'd found as bargains at thrift stores. There are also a lot of pictures at some sites about how to clean and organize households.
So cool.
I loved the descriptions some of the women gave of how different they felt, how differently their husbands and children responded to them and the polite and chivalrous behavior they enjoyed receiving while wearing dresses.
Remember the 50's when women wore dresses and put on aprons to cook and clean? What really happened, I wonder? I know we're supposed to feel liberated, but liberated from what? Feeling like a woman? Having our husbands and children admire us? Gaining more respect in the outer world?
I think this is a really cool concept and I'm going to give it some serious thought. Now that I'm losing weight and my body is becoming more reasonably proportioned, I may go shopping at some thrift stores myself to see what kind of skirts and dresses I can come up with. I'm trying to imagine writing my books in skirts. That might be kinda cool.
Anyway, maybe some of you are familiar with this group of ladies, but for those who aren't, I thought you might want to pay some of them a visit. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think!
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Comments
I'm not part of the group you described, but I've been wearing skirts (and shoulder-length hair) for years. What a difference it makes in the way I'm treated! Knee-length denim skirts are a terrific alternative to jeans, and I love my twill skirt in spring and summer... goes with everything just like khakis would. Yes, I do wear lots of pants too (more youthful) but I agree with you. Why give up our femininity? Thanks for the good word!
Posted by: e-Mom | May 31, 2006 9:17 PM
Thanks for the link! It's true that people seem to respond differently when you "dress up," or at least dress more femininely. Whenever I wear a skirt (and sometimes a hat, even if it's just a casual hat), even strangers tend to treat me with more respect. It's a strange thing to try to figure out.
Posted by: Damselfly | June 1, 2006 7:06 AM
Barbara! I'm so humbled that you linked to my blog and called it delightful. I love reading YOUR blog!
Here is a link to my final post about a week of wearing skirts and dresses...it gives links to each individual day.
http://justenjoythejourney.blogspot.com/2006/05/week-of-skirts-and-dresses.html
I really enjoyed doing the "challenge" and I realize how much more lady-like I feel when I do attempt to dress more feminine. My husband has loved the change in me.
Have a BLESSED day!
Posted by: Lindsey | June 1, 2006 7:12 AM
Elizabeth Elliot has often spoken about the need for women to wear dresses...to be more feminine. After all God created us this way, why not embrace it instead of hide it? Thanks for posting this!
Posted by: Laurie | June 1, 2006 9:00 AM
Yes, I am supposed to be writing, but I have not been able to stop thinking about the blogs I visited yesterday with the pictures of women in dresses or skirts. Now I know a lot of Christian separatists wear dresses because they're supposed to and the ones I have seen did not awaken any desire in me to dress that way - just being honest.
But the pictures on the blogs I visited from Lindsey's site (and including Lindsey, of course) were very attractive. I loved all the pictures of Catherine cleaning her house in a skirt and top and some very fashionable pointy-toed mules - which she said were comfortable. I liked the frilly apron she put on before making a meatloaf for her family and the way she set her table as though guests were coming. I used to do that too before having so many kids - but it does inspire me to upgrade my own serving of dinner a notch or two. It feels good to be inspired by other women to give my best.
And I can't stop thinking about how a counterculture person like me, who grew up to the mantra "Question Authority" and who remains counterculture in terms of family size, confronting problems, etc, has never stopped to question myself about how I dress. When I was overweight (well I still am, but not as much as I used to be, and I'm still headed down!) I liked pants and a big top to try to hide the extra me. But now I'm thinking I've been brainwashed and conformed to my culture into constantly wearing pants and capris - with a dress now and then on Sunday. As I recall, dresses ARE cooler in the summer. And I want to give my children every reason to respect and admire me. And to enjoy the delight it would probably be to my husband. I'm thinking that as soon as I can break away for a shopping trip, I'm going to hit the thrift stores and Ross looking for skirts. I know there are a lot of nice longer skirts out now because the younger girls have moved away from miniskirts (thank God!) to these longer, more flowing ones.
I am really excited about another change in my life! And just to be awakened by these other ladies to the fact that I do have options and don't have to wear the same uniform other mothers seem to be wearing.
Posted by: barbaracurtis | June 1, 2006 9:53 AM
The very reason I have not worn a dress or skirt is because of extra weight.
Thank you for more encouragement to get the weight off.
Blessings
Angie
Posted by: Angie H. | June 1, 2006 10:21 AM
How funny! I am wearing a dress today, for no particular reason. I just felt like it. Here I am, reading about dresses in a hardly-ever-worn dress.
Hmmmmm. I'd be up for the challenge. But I have to go shopping first! (I only have two maternity dresses, and one is too dressy for day-to-day wear with five kiddos running around). My husband might like me in *the* dress the first couple of days, but by day seven he'll be hiding from me.
Posted by: mopsy | June 1, 2006 11:53 AM
How fun to see this brought up in conversation! My husband took me to Paris as a gift last month, and was bugging me the entire time to buy more feminine clothes, wear more feminine shoes--he spent nearly $200 on new clothes for me. I used to work in a library in a very physical job that demanded jeans and tennis shoes, and so I just wore t-shirts with it every day. I had no idea it bothered him so much.
Frankly, I'm reminded of the song from Hello, Dolly! that tells you to "Put on your Sunday clothes when you feel down and out" because you just feel better when you're dressed nicely. You treat yourself better, too. I respect myself when I take the time to do something with my hair and to dress in something nicer than jeans and worn-out t-shirts.
Posted by: Emily | June 1, 2006 12:35 PM
strangely I feel less fat in skirts or dresses than I do in jeans but then I always was a bit odd ;-)
In summer I feel much cooler in a lightweight skirt adn in winter I can wear a thick skirt and underslip and still be warmer than I would be in normal trousers.
I still wear trousers for gardening and other dirty jobs though.....
Posted by: t-bird | June 1, 2006 12:48 PM
Hi, I usually don't visit this blog very often, but I was intrigued by this post. I am a Baptist Assistant Pastor's wife, and I wear dresses and skirts, and 'cullotes' all the time! I grew up wearing pants and shorts, but since I was about 17, slowly started wearing only skirts and dresses. I have now been wearing them 8 years, and I love it. I think they are so flattering, and they make me look so ladylike. I get comments all the time. I have almost waist length curly hair, and I wear it up alot, and people ask me all the time if I am going to a wedding, or a special event... I say, "No, my husband likes it when I look nice, and it only takes about 20 minutes to do my my hair because is so curly!" You will find that when you wear them for a while, you just get used to it. I scrub toilets in my skirts, I deep clean my house in skirts, I go bike riding in full skirts! And I do enjoy wearing them.
Posted by: Cassandra | June 1, 2006 1:37 PM
When I was younger, I worked for a time with a ministry that had a skirt-only dress code. I don't mean just for work, but all the time (except for obvious things like ice skating, bike riding, etc.). It annoyed me for a long time - I felt it was legalistic. But you know, when I left to work for another ministry with a much looser dress code, I noticed a huge difference. When everyone was dressed so nicely (the men wore ties to work and shirts with collars during off hours), all of our interactions were professional and modest. At the second job, there was overall much less professionalism (this was cultural, too - different parts of the country), although no less commitment to God.
This isn't to knock the second ministry, but just to say that I noticed a big difference in the way I handled myself when I was wearing skirts all the time. But like some others, I've steered away from skirts in recent years because of small children and weight gain. I do wear them to church usually. But I've been thinking lately before I saw this post about needing to feel more feminine. I've gotten away from the "girly" side of me, but having a daughter who is very girly is bringing it back out in me (she wears dresses to do everything, just like I did when I was her age!).
Thanks for this post, Barbara! It might be the push I need to be more womanly. I already do hair and makeup and jewelry (and shoes!). Skirts and sneakers might be my new look!
Posted by: Sarah | June 1, 2006 2:43 PM
Thank you for this post, Barbara! I just had a baby last week, so there isn't much hope that my summer clothes will fit anytime soon. I slipped on a maternity denim skirt the other day (with a band around the top) because it was the only thing clean, and noticed all day how comfortable and yet very feminine I felt. God must be trying to tell me something as I start to lose this baby weight and shop for clothing in the months ahead: pay more attention to pretty!
Posted by: Valerie | June 1, 2006 3:11 PM
Some people have problems wearing skirts because the thighs rub together in hot weather causing sweating and chaffing.
I do believe though that dress makes the man (or woman) and it really influences how you feel. In most circumstances I try to look feminine. That can mean a dress, or something dressy (like jeans with embroidery or a blouse instead of a tshirt), and I try to wear earings to look more feminine. The only exception is some business dealings, like making a deal on a car. If you think a frilly dress is going to get you a better car deal then well.... I have some land in florida I would like to sell you.
Posted by: paigeu | June 1, 2006 5:43 PM
I used to wear pants until just about 6 years ago. I feel so much nicer in dresses than I do pants. It has helped me, someone who grew up with a tomboy mother, to feel more feminine and ladylike. My girls LOVE wearing dresses all the time. They tell me that they are princesses!
Posted by: Mrs. DMG | June 1, 2006 8:24 PM
"Some people have problems wearing skirts because the thighs rub together in hot weather causing sweating and chaffing."
I cured this one in a very "old fashioned" way.... forget skimpy bits of nonsense underwear, go for pure cotton "shorts" or bloomers as my granny called them! Much better for a gal and if they are baggy enough then the draft wafts up to keep you cool (Okay, I'll stop there!!!!)
Posted by: t-bird | June 2, 2006 5:16 PM
Amen to the bloomers! That makes me think of the civil war re-enacting I used to do before I moved to Utah. I was so grateful not to be wearing men's wool, but the bloomers made everything pretty darn comfortable, assuming you didn't have 12 petticoats ;-)
Posted by: Emily | June 2, 2006 9:47 PM
