Sunday, December 19, 2010

Pants vs. Dresses

This is the fourth and final installment in the series of articles on modesty for the Christian woman that I am posting from my friend Clevsea.   You can read the previous posts here:

Part 1 Study for Modesty using Strong's
Part 2 Modest Dress~Brief Guidelines
Part 3 How to Transition Away from Pants


Are women supposed to wear dresses only?

I think for a lot of modestly dressed women they just kind of "wake up" one day
and see that either their jeans are as revealing as wearing a leotard would be

OR........

they see that their Levi's & Sweatshirt are boyish and looks just like the
outfit their husband has on.

Or maybe they see both.

I keep saying this but I think the main point is having a panel of fabric
obscuring the bottom area is a good way to achieve modesty.

That panel of fabric can be a skirt, dress, jumper OR it could be super long
shirt (which is a dress, if long enough) and this panel of fabric can be worn
over pants, bloomers, a second skirt, underpants...all kinds of divided leg
garments.

The more immodest look is to have form fitting pants and a short shirt.

Plain and simple.

As to the "pertaineth to a man" a Scripture from Deut 22:5 I think that is
simple to understand too. It says there:

"A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on
a woman's garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God. "

Don't cross dress. Don't wear apparel that is solely man's apparel. When we get
to clothing that *both genders* wear then it gets confusing but IF YOUR OUTFIT
would look totally normal on YOUR HUSBAND then you may be crossing that line
between the genders.

Ending on this....sometimes a dress is more immodest. Some skirts/dresses are
too short or too sheer OR are bound to blow up over head while climbing the
ladder to the roof.

It's not just "pants" or "skirts" it is looking in the mirror and seeing what
you are "saying" with your clothes.

I could look very s*xy and say to you, "Hey, I'm wearing a dress. Sure it's
short and tight but it's a dress."

I look in the mirror and ask myself if I look like a women professing godliness.
I've quoted that often but I'll quote it again because that verse is my best
barometer. "Pertaineth to a man" helps me too but as we look at several opinions
we find that verse is more subjective.

Here is the I Tim 2:9-10 verse that helps me the most:

"...the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation,
not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper
for women professing godliness, with good works."


Buy at Art.com
Buy From Art.com

Lady Violet's notes:  While I do believe that dresses and skirts more readily show the distinction between men and women, I think we must remember that many do not yet have this realization.  It took me many years after being born again to realize this, especially since I had always been like "one of the guys" before being saved (but then again, not really, because a girl is never just one of the guys).  It took me a while to be comfortable in skirts and to realize that though I was covered up and modest, I wasn't really feminine.  Let us lead other women by our example and be kind to them when we speak of these things.  Like me, they may not have the resources to replace all of their clothing, nor their children's.

This post is being linked to The Domestically Divine link up at Far Above Rubies.

God bless you today.

20 comments:

  1. Thank you for mentioning the pants and long tops for times when you need to climb or things like that. I have found that the long tunic type tops and loose pants similar to what some Muslim women wear can address all the practical concerns that lead to wearing pants and still look modest and feminine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Modesty is more then clothing, we can be modestly dress and be very immodest in behavior!!! Psalm 129:23-24

    I think when we have the right attitude and are looking to honor God with what we wear we become modest inside and out :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Raine, thanks for visiting.
    Mrs. Stam~ you are so right about that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is so important to meet people that are unsaved "where they are". We can *say* a whole lot more leading by example and not being judgemental and start handing out Scripture on modesty;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. i so agree with the author but had to laugh becuz i shingled a roof in a denim skirt and she mentioned roofs! ")

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for sharing that, Tami. I think more can be done in skirts/dresses than we think!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mrs. Q,

    This was a good article, and I agreed with the author's statements. However, I would also have to agree with Mrs. Stam when she stated that modesty is more than the clothing we wear.

    I also liked your comment about women in transition not being able to replace all their clothing. These women may desire to look more feminine, but for a season, they must wear what they have because their husband cannot afford to "replace" their entire wardrobe.

    I enjoyed reading this series on modesty.

    Blessings

    -Lady Rose

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have a question. I very, very seldom do this but when I do wear jeans/sweatshirt I usually wear a pearl necklace, bracelet and pearl earrings. I also wear makeup. While my husband may also wear jeans/sweatshirt I have feminized mine. I'm not trying to argue....I am learning. I am a Christian (grew up in church of Christ my entire life) and guess I never really thought of pants as being immodest, however I see what you're saying and it's definitely made me think. As a matter of fact I'm in the process of losing weight and will be trying to phase out my pants into dresses. I'm still learning/thinking/considering so any input is appreciated.

    I am trying to make some major changes in my life just because I don't like the way this world is changing. I am trying to be the change I want to see. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are some very useful points. I always cringe when someone asks me, "Are you dresses only?" In fact, I am modesty only! Designers always find a way to corrupt what is good, and some women who have not endorsed modesty, might think a dress is good enough. It has to be a modest dress.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Modesty does flow first from the heart. The Lord has been faithful to press upon my spirit when my heart is filled with pride and my outfit expresses that, but with today's day and age, the "christian" styled clothes are mostly frumpy. When I watch my favorite dvd series, Road to Avonlea, I wish we could dress like they did back then to some degree. I always think, the women of that era would be appaulded at our modern dress. Do you recommend any clothing sites that are feminine, modest, and beautiful...not frumpy. :0)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mrs. Q,

    I believe modesty has to be an attitude of the heart that comes forth in everything we do - including our dress.

    Obedience and love for God cultivates the desire to be feminine and modest.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Kathie. I once didn't think of pants as immodest either, until I started wearing skirts almost full time. When we wear pants with a short shirt (one that does not go down past our bottom), quite frankly eyes are drawn to our re*r-ends and cr*tch area. I'm not surprised you don't notice this! We have gotten so used to this look, except maybe you will see that come to think of it, your eyes get drawn there too unwillingly. I have read a survey where men stated this was a problem and where their eyes get drawn. Here are some articles you may enjoy:
    http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=3338 (Outside Looking In: The Gender Test)
    http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=3314 (What About… “Back In the Scriptures” Clothes?)

    ~Lady Lydia~Yes, a *modest* dress is right. Thank you for your input. Your comments are always welcome and appreciated here.

    Hi Kristen~I link to a bunch of sites from here, but here are a few you may like.

    Fashion Belle has lots of links to other sites http://fashionbelle.com/

    Modest Clothing Directory is exactly that---links to a lot of different styles. http://www.modestclothes.com/

    You will probably like Jen Clothing http://www.jenclothing.com/church-dresses.html

    Also New Creation Apparel has some nice skirts http://www.newcreationapparel.com/

    So does Ruby Apparel http://rubyapparel.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Mrs. Q,

    What a touchy subject this is. I agree that its all about modesty.

    I've seen really flimsy revealing dresses and I've seen beautiful dresses made out of sturdier fabrics. I think it has alot to do with the weight of the fabric that the dress was cut from, just as much as the dress style.

    Drapey fabrics cling in all the wrong places! I was behind a woman at Walmart, who wore a drapey ankle length dress and had to try to not look at her rear as it wobbled all the way out of the store. ( very revealing, I was embarrassed for her)
    And I've also seen women tastefully dressed in loosefitting pants made out of lightweight wool or (similar type fabric, with long tops that come down just to the bottom of the crotch)that I consider more modest than most of the dresses that are in the stores.

    I think the rule should be if your parts are covered and its not clinging to them and you can't see through the fabric than you're OK.

    But who am I anyway? just a nobody giving her opinion.

    God bless everybody,

    Gerie

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gerie~You're right it is an extremely touchy subject and not meant to offend you. You are not a nobody! I appreciate you being here and I appreciate your comments. You are right that dresses can be so immodest as well. I am not trying to make any rules here. If you'll look at some of my other posts, you will see some of my own struggles I've had with this and what I have found in the Bible in regard to this subejct. Where I am today and have been for some time is that I feel much more feminine in the skirts that I have. It also reminds me that I am a woman in a world that is always striving to blur the gender lines.

    God bless you as you seek Him,
    Mrs. Q

    ReplyDelete
  15. I just wanted to point out something that I thought was neat: That painting would be ruined with girls in pants! Just a thought.
    Natasha
    A modest fashion blog:
    www.natashaatkerson.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Honestly, I've never thought about that til you mentioned it. I am always careful to cover the chest area - I mean I am always buttoned to the top - even in hot weather - and even when I was a girl. I had thought about the 'bottom' area although I have always figured I had a 'not cute' figure anyway and no one noticed. But the crotch area? Wow - I have never ever ever thought about that. I just don't think that way. But it sure gives me a whole new thing to think about.

    I am always trying to dress modestly so that gives me something else to consider. Thank you so much for answering my questions! You have a Merry Christmas and I'll check back often and let you know how my transition to dresses/skirts go. Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Kathie~I had never thought about the cr*tch area either. You are welcome and have a Merry Christmas as well. I look forward to hearing back from you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dear Mrs. Q. I also read and enjoyed your post on "Feminity and skirts". Like this post it raises and answers important questions.
    I guess you could say I am a 99.9% skirt/dress person. I do have a pair of loose fitting pants. I wear a dress (uniform) at work (housemaid) and mainly "prairie style" dresess other times. One question I have is what makes an item of clothing male or female. We all know dresses are feminine and pants manly but what about aprons? I wear a strictly feminine style apron at work. But there are a lot of aprons which are unis.x or male styled butcher type aprons. Should women wear these non feminine aprons, even over a modest dress? I have often seen a woman in a modest feminine dress wearing an apron more suited to a grillin' competition LOL.
    Blessings,
    Kim.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Kim,

    As far as aprons go, I know it goes without saying that some are feminine and some are not. I never used to wear an apron at all until a couple of years ago when I got one for free in the mail. This was one of those "more suited to a grilling competition" types! But it was all I had. My husband does not make much, so I have to go with what I have. Then a year or so ago I won a pretty apron from a giveaway~burgundy and cream with a cream ruffle on the bottom and a ribbon tie. This the apron I wear most of the time now, and I wear the "other" one when my favorite is in the wash! I believe if you have a choice, it's always nicer to go with the more feminine ones, but some do not have a choice.

    Thank you for your comments and your visit.

    ~Mrs. Q

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thank you for this post. I do have a question. I have felt that I am to dress in this fashion so I did. I made some really cute skirts bought some and I felt so much more like a woman. I have always been pretty girly but living in Nebraska most women wear jeans and t shirts I am not big on plain frumpy shirts I like to look like a girl but any way to my point I loved wearing dresses andskirts but my husband was ok kinda with it but he pulled away from me and said he felt like I was father along in my walk with God them him and he was affraid one day I might feel like he wasnt good enough for me. We talked about it and I explained it to him that if my walk with God is good then I would never feel that way that would just not make me a Godly woman. What do you think I should do?

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting Blessed Homemaking!

I love to hear from you. I may not always be able to reply right away, but I read every comment you leave.
~God bless you~