Why I Wear Skirts
May 12, 2009 by Hannah May
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If you were to go to my blog and read past posts of mine, you’d quickly see that I love to be exact. I love to get the exact definition, read the exact verse, figure out what the exact meaning is, and make sure it all fits together exactly.
Today’s post is going to be a little different, simply because I am discussing something that isn’t directly talked about in the Bible a whole lot. It is the subject of much confusion in the world. Some people write long articles, going back to the Greek and Hebrew roots of every word, trying to prove their case. Believe me, I’ve thought about doing that. Because if I have a good reason for a certain decision, why doesn’t everyone else think it’s pretty good too?
The problem is, God didn’t always give us exact commands. He often gave us very general guidelines, leaving the freedom for us to make choices that vary from household to household. This is one of those instances. So today, I am going to share my personal reasons for wearing skirts.
First, let’s look at the one verse that is the center of all of the kerfuffle.
Deuteronomy 22:5:
“A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.”
This is a theme that we find often in scripture—dating back from the very beginning. Man and Woman were created differently, with different roles, and God wants them to look different too. I won’t write down all of the verses that uphold this theme, because there are so, so many. I heard someone refer to men and women as complimentary. Complimentary colors look wonderful together, yet they are distinct from each other. I think this is a good analogy.
The idea of masculinity and femininity is ingrained into our hearts. When you hear the word “Feminine” what do you think of? What about “Masculine?” I’m willing to bet that they’re different. In very general terms, my idea of masculinity is bold and hardy, femininity, soft and pretty.
So even if it is a general idea, everyone pretty much knows what feminine means, and what masculine means.
Another important thing that I consider is modesty, because there is a lot out there that is feminine, and not modest—or modest, and not feminine.
1 Timothy 2:9a:
“…likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…”
Modesty is hard too, because again, mostly God doesn’t give us exact boundaries.
In summary, the two general things that God does require in scripture for women in terms of clothing are modesty and femininity.
So, why have I chosen skirts above pants in my pursuit of these traits?
(It goes without being said that many many skirts are immodest. They are either too tight, or too short—or both—or the way they are shaped emphasizes certain points on our figures that really don’t need to be emphasized. When I say “skirts,” as opposed to pants in this article, I am not talking about that kind.)
Shape
I think that pants are just really hard to figure out. Yes, they can be feminine. Yes, they can be modest. But can they be both at the same time? I’m not sure.
Think about it. Women’s pants are cut to flatter a woman’s figure. If I saw a man wearing women’s pants, I’d know it, and I’d be disgusted. So they are feminine. But in my opinion, women’s pants are too revealing of the thigh/rear area. I know I feel exposed in them. So I go to the looser pants, but as they get looser, they start working towards the men’s section, and that isn’t what I want either. Pants are really hard to get right.
Here’s an idea I love the look of, and am hoping to be able to try soon. In my opinion, it is both modest and feminine, and it includes pants at the same time.
I would get some cute women’s pants or capris, and either wear a tunic, or a dress that would be too short without anything under it. I personally favor the dress idea because I think it would probably be more tailored, and there are so many dresses that are made of adorable fabric, but they’re just too short! I see them all the time at the thrift store, and always wish I had something I could do with them. I can’t wait to try this out!
History
This is definitely not the first reason, but as an old-fashioned kind of girl, I tend to lean towards skirts because it was the feminists who first brought women’s pants into the scene. I, of course, don’t advocate pounds of undergarments and suffocating corsets, as was the style during the women’s suffrage period, but nowadays, skirts are easier than they have been for a long time, and maybe ever.
As a side note, many people who think it is weird to wear skirts all the time, call those who do, “Prairie Muffins,” and similar terms, indicating that it’s frumpy, and that we need to get out of the past and live in the 21st century. I’d like to say two things. One, skirts don’t have to be frumpy. Many are beautiful—and I have yet to see a pair of pants that made me go, “Ooh! Those are gorgeous!” as skirts and dresses certainly have. (Cute and flattering, yes—just not gorgeous.) One just has to use good taste and learn about which styles suit her figure. Two, about the Prairie Muffin thing, I’d like to say that, though we don’t want to go back and exactly copy history, we do want to learn from the mistakes, and seek to imitate the godly examples (of course, adapting to our time-period as needed). Personally, I’d rather imitate an older part of history that we know to be a blessed and godly era, than be “in style” and imitate a culture that is becoming more and more secular every day.
Personal Preference
Skirts are pretty! Skirts flow, skirts twirl, and even if they aren’t the only feminine attire to be worn, skirts in this era are a unique women’s garment. I love pretty skirts, because they’re girly and they make me feel like a princess. Skirts say, “Yes! God made me a woman, and I love it.” I believe that, and I want to say it with the clothes that I wear.
So, while I don’t believe that pants in general are to be shunned or avoided, I think there are certain things we can do to make them more modest, while staying feminine at the same time—and vice versa—and I think that lots of skirts do a pretty good job of being those things anyways, so I might as well wear them. :-)
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Great post ~ well written! I so appreciate all you shared. I guess I am a Prairie Muffin! :) Ha.
Hadn’t heard that term yet.
Tomorrow you can read my post about how feminine attire has changed me!
Thanks for sharing.
Mommajos last blog post..What is our Role?
This was a wonderful article. I love the balance of it. No, pants aren’t evil. But I agree it is easier to achieve both femininity and modesty with skirts than with pants. My only issue now is that it’s difficult to find skirts at all when pregnant! :-P
Thanks for this post. A good challenge to think about what we wear case-by-case, seeking to meet the goals God has for us.
Laurens last blog post..Virtue is Valuable
Great post Hannah!
You know, my dad was the first one to start using the term “Prairie Muffin” and he meant it as a totally good thing! *grin*
Something I never understood: If you wear skirts because pants are for men, why would you wear a regular t-shirt or polo shirt? I’ve seen lots of Christian, skirt-wearing ladies wearing basic, unisex t-shirts. Now, if you say it’s okay to wear a shirt if it’s cut for a woman, why isn’t it okay to wear pants that are cut for a woman? Like you said, women’s pants are clearly different and you could tell if a guy were wearing them…
The upper body of men and women is not distinctively different. [Edited for unnecessary detail - MInTheGap] It is reasonable for men and women to wear pretty much the same sort of clothing above the waist. But not below.
The details that are commonly used on women’s upper-body clothing originated as men’s decorations: lace, ruffles, embroidery, decorations of pearls, precious stones, etc.
Do these things seem reasonable? To me they do.
Wow, seriously? I challenge anybody to look at a photo of my torso compared to a man’s and question whether they are looking at a woman or not. In my opinion it’s much trickier to look at two people from the waist down wearing pants (or two people wearing skirts) and determine the sex of each.
Yes, biologically men’s and women’s bottom halves are much different from their top halves, but if you’re just trying to affect what people see when they look at you, clothed, I have a hard time believing that this is the reasoning behind why it’s okay for women to wear men’s t-shirts/polos/button-downs, but not pants.
Hmm…have to agree with you, Lola. I’m a bit shocked to hear that my torso isn’t different from a man’s. Oh, and that my legs are REALLY different from a man’s. Huh.
I have to say, it bugs me too when someone wears pretty skirts and pairs them with a slub-ey t-shirt and/or sneakers. I just want to tell them “C’mon…get real.”
Mommajo and Lauren: Thank you! I’m glad it has been even a little bit of a blessing.
Darby: I know! People who twist things…*Sigh*
Lola: That is a really good question, and I’m still figuring it out. However, I personally like to avoid basic unisex t-shirts. Mine are usually a feminine color, or have flowers on them, or are cut in a more feminine way. A couple of years ago, someone gave my whole family a gift of matching polo shirts from Old Navy, and I really dislike wearing mine, because it isn’t feminine at all.
Notice that I did not say that it isn’t okay for a woman to wear womanly-cut pants–I said that the tops need to be longer. Because in my opinion, as pants get more feminine, they also get more immodest.
Of course, you are FREE to disagree. But that’s my take on it. :-)
God bless,
Hannah
Hannah L.s last blog post..Vision Forum Giveaway!
Great post! You summed up exactly my reasons for wearing skirts. No, pants aren’t horrible, but like you said, skirts tend to be more modest and feminine. When I wore pants more, I often wore them so loose as to not be uncomfortable with tightness, but I felt so frumpy in them. In skirts, I enjoy the beauty and womanly feel they give!
Would you mind if I linked to this post from my blog, http://maidensofworth.org ?
I don’t have a problem with this at all, Anna. Please do.
If you saw a man wearing womens pants you’d be disgusted? That’s a lot of hate and emotion over a pair of pants.
All she said was ‘disgusted’, that’s not that big of a deal… Sometimes I am ‘disgusted’ with how my neighbors have what should be private conversations outside on their phones for the whole world to hear… That doesn’t mean that I HATE them… It just means that that is a special situation that I strongly feel in my heart is wrong… There is a difference…
Oh, I didn’t mean I’d hate them.
It may seem like just a piece of clothing on the outside, but, as a wise old man once said, “Culture is religion externalized.” I think that clothing (and attitude, among other things) is the heart externalized. Of course, that’s a general rule–and everyone, because of the sin nature, is inevitably going to try and say something about their heart when they dress, so it may not be an exact reflection. I know I do.
Clothing isn’t the most important thing in life–I agree! But since God mentions it in the Bible, it must be somewhat important–and that’s why Is This Modest? is here.
I appreciate the comment!
Hannah
Hannah L.s last blog post..STLP31 (Striving to Live Proverbs 31)
I totally agree, that skirts make me personally feel feminine, compared to pants. I feel like a young lady and I am telling others that I am and am not ashamed that God made me a woman and not a man. I talked to my dad about the modesty issue and wearing skirts over pants, and he said yes skirts he likes much better because they define women as women and we look pretty and guys don’t have to turn away when pants are too tight, show tummy, or have words written in the wrong places. I feel that God has convicted me to wear skirts as much as possible, but pants are good for things like roller coaster rides and such. So I have pretty dresses that are too short to wear alone, but I wear them over jeans, so that my top part is covered.
So I am not against women wearing pants, but I think if we saw a guy wearing a dress we would be discusted and so I think that women should wear mostly skirts and dresses to define their role as women and if you are a christian as a daughtar of Christ and it keeps the guys from stumbling. But pants can be worn when its needed in certain situations. thanks for the encouraging article!
For Christ and His convenants,
Rebecca
Rebeccas last blog post..I know its been a while….
This is an old post…but I felt like I had to mention this. I live in a fairly liberal/tree-hugging town, and have seen men wearing skirts on several occasions. The skirts didn’t look like something you would find in the women’s department at all. One was a black, heavy, kilt-like skirt (but not quite the same design); one was a tan “cargo” type skirt with utility pockets (like a skirt made from cargo pants or something), plus a few others. It definitely makes you do a double take, that’s for sure. However….as strange as this sounds, I really prefer seeing a man in this type of skirt as compared to the “I bought my pants 16 sizes too big so my underwear would hang out” style, and the “I bought these pants 16 sizes too small in order to see whether I could actually cut off ALL the circulation to my brain” style. Sad, isn’t it, when a man-skirt is preferable to a decent pair of jeans.
Interesting. I’ve been to Scotland and have seen men in kilts, and it seems strange– but men haven’t always worn pants. To me, it’s always been a Biblical conviction attached to the concept that one should keep within the culture such as to easily identify oneself as a male or female more than being strict about what you should or should not wear. Definitely sloppy is just awful.
I go To a church that doesn’t believe in wearing pants on a woman. My church website is http://believethesign.org/
I love this post you’ve put on your blog. Even though I wear jeans (and do so often) I respect your descion for wearing skirts. I love the way you approach this topic so humbly, without making one feel uncomfortable or unbearably pressured to do as you do. Thank you so much for the clear example you have set for myself and others, I hope that in the future more people who dress modestly will have a mind set such as yours.
Alexis.
I thought I would link here to my blog, I just posted an article I have written about my conviction to wear dresses and skirts only.
http://www.xanga.com/icebluechick
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Modesty- I have read many articles about it lately =-.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts/convictions on this. You have pretty much summed up my thoughts on this topic. I love wearing long skirts and I don’t like wearing pants. However if it’s going to be more modest to wear a pair of pants then I will go ahead and do it (aside from wearing pajama pants, this occurs less than 5 times a year). :)
Thanks again!
~Rachel J
I love wearing modest (non tight, at or below the knee) skirts. I have been doing this for almost 3 years now, and have noticed a difference–not only in the way I feel, but also in the way others treat me. For instance, I noticed that men open the door much more often for me since I started wearing skirts. I did this to try to be more obedient and pleasing to the Lord, but what a wonderful by-product! :)
I would love to get others’ opinions on the following: What do you do in the winter months when it is really cold? I am in my 30s and tights look a little ridiculous on me, if they are too thick. What do you wear to work to protect against the cold? Is there thicker hose sold anywhere?
Thank you!
I am 34 and have been wearing two different brands of thick tights for several years now. One is the Smartwool brand, which is wool of course, but warm. The other is by Wolford, which can be pricey, but their tights are the best ever–no tight bands, so comfortable to wear that you don’t know you have them on. I am looking into Wolford’s polar tights which are supposed to be the warmest from their selection. You can get both online.
I have found that leather boots and warm tights is the trick for winter. Last year I purchased everyday kind of boots from La Canadienne, which makes the most comfortable brand of boots and they are well made. They are expensive, but they will last you if you take care of them. Also, if you do some searching, you can find some discounts. Right now, I still have a pair of boots that I got 10 years ago, which I have worn a lot, but not from them.
The hem of my skirt/dress always reaches below the top of the boot, which will insure that your legs are warm. I have to say that skirts keep me warmer in winter than pants do.
Hope this helps.
Excellent article, not sure I agree with everything. However, you cleared up my contention that you would hate a man for wearing womens pants. I thought it was a strong emotion also. Well written.
It is wonderful to see this article on skirts and modesty from a 16yr old girl! The Bible is a road map for all to follow and I believe Deut 22:5 is for today! Bless u
A voice from Germany: I am a catholic woman from Berlin/Germany and i’m very interested in the modesty topic. My opinion is, that pants are even more modest than skirts/dresses ! Skirts usually show leg, maybe because of their length, or because we move, sit, squat in them and the hem rides up. My pants are wide cut, so they don’t expose my curves. They completely cover my legs and hide them from men’s eyes, that’s why i love pants. Another advantage: I don’t need pantyhose, in my drawer you’ll never find them, these cute little knee high things do the job for me !
Oh boy do I agree! I love skirts, but when I want to be absolutely sure nothing is going to pop out or blow up (wind is a nasty thing when it comes to skirts), I opt for loosely cut jeans. I abhor pantyhose, knee highs are to way to go for me!
Candra, thanks for your reply ! my way to practice modesty includes low heeled shoes. they usually match pants very well, while dresses often require heels (i don’t wear them). do you put on knee-highs even with a skirt ?
I would think that dresses only require heels if they are shorter? I wouldn’t see the advantage of heels if the calves are covered since that is where the primary difference would be, but I could be mistaken?
in my point of view low heeled shoes create a more modest look than high heels. but that’s another topic…
I think one of my early posts on the topic said as much. A humourous story? At a Valentine’s Banquet at my church a couple years back I was entered in the "who has the best legs" contest for guys. We all were to take turns behind a chalkboard with just our legs showing. I won, hands down, but in a away I "cheated". I knew that you get better definition when you are in heels, so I walked on my tip toes, which defined my calves. Same thing here, I think women in heels will be more attractive to those that are looking at their legs, and that means they’re something that the woman trying to be modest should consider.
I don’t wear knee-highs with my skirts since they are primarily knee to a few inches below the knee length and I worry about the top elastic popping out. I opt for shoes that don’t rub my feet raw without the knee-highs instead. As far as shoes, I don’t find heels to be immodest as long as they are not an erotic STYLE. For example, all of my heels (aside from special occasion shoes) are comfort brands like naturalizer and aerosoles. I find that those brands offer stylish but not showy (not to mention comfy!) heels that don’t have a sexy feel. I can definitely tell when a shoe was designed to be sexy as compared to “cute”, and opt for the cute, classy ones. Hopefully some of that made sense…haha.
One of the things that I found interesting was something I read a bit ago where it said that ladies that wear heels regularly actually end up with shorter tendons in the back, and that it might get to the point where flats might feel uncomfortable– though I bet this is for higher heels?
Candra, thanks for your answer ! maybe you can post example photos or links, showing your shoes that are high-heeld without sexy feel ?
MInTheGap: Yes, that can happen, but only if you wear heels with the same height all day, every day. Varying heel heights and wearing flats now and then will prevent that from happening.
Karin: Definitely! Here you go…
http://www.zappos.com/born-kimball-black-suede
http://www.zappos.com/born-veruca-grafite-suede
http://www.zappos.com/naturalizer-bohemia-black-leather
http://www.zappos.com/naturalizer-avie-grey-storm-suede?zlfid=111
http://www.zappos.com/sofft-fiorella-black-nappa?zlfid=111
http://www.zappos.com/bandolino-insideout-black-multi-fabric?zlfid=111
http://www.endless.com/Aerosoles-Womens-Gineva-Open-Toe-Suede/dp/B00401T3Z8/181-7253595-6933142
Umm…sorry about the length of that last link lol.
[edited to only include what was needed for last link - MInTheGap]
The weird thing is that most of that link probably isn’t necessary. Perhaps this would make a good forum topic?
Ha thanks! I figured it wasn’t all necessary…
I wear longer-length skirts (slightly above ankle to mid-calf) and I absolutely love wearing knee-highs during the fall and spring seasons as a transition between bare legs and tights! They keep my legs warm during cool mornings but don’t get too hot in the warmer afternoons.
Personally, I think high heels would look good only with shorter (knee-length) dresses and skirts, and only when it’s somewhat of a dressy occasion – I couldn’t see wearing high heels with a casual jean skirt and a tee shirt! :D
thanks for the story, MinTheGap, that’s what i wanted to say, high heels are a kind of erotic sign, that draws men’attention to the lower part of the body, just as skirts/dresses shorter than ankle length ! I know the reason why i prefer pants and flats: i want to have the first attention to my face, not to my legs !
You may want to check out a couple of posts we’ve done here on footwear. First, Shoes and Modesty? where Mardi looks at what signals high heels sends and then I wrote a post on the first day of the blog (which includes the story I just told) Hey Girl, Nice Shoes that talks about how high heels makes some women wonder "Is he checking out my butt?". It’s an interesting read– and probably means that it’s about time for another post!
The verse you quote as your reason for not wearing pants is from Deuteronomy. The Law. Jesus came to fulfill the Law and set us free. If you’re going to follow that Law, hon, you’d best follow allll the rest of it. For instance, do you enter the menstrual tent during your period? No? If you’re setting out to follow the Law for your sanctification, then the requirement is to follow ALL of it.
I know I can’t do it. Thank God for Jesus Christ.
tracey´s last post ..“swim skirts”
You’re so right…I guess I can go murder someone and commit adultery now because Jesus is there to forgive me. Excuse the sarcasm, but just because something is in the old testament doesn’t mean it is to be thrown out. Yes, Jesus fulfilled the law but he didn’t do away with one jot or tittle. She’s not saying she’s following the law for her sanctification because yes, that would be wrong. She’s simply trying to follow God as best as she can grasp, and I don’t see legalism there, just a soft heart.
Hi! May I re-post this post, Hannah, on my group blog: Maria’s Lilies? You did a great job and wanted to share it with my readers. Thank you! See here: blog.saintmariasmessenger.com.
Bernadette´s last post ..Another Holy Souls Devotion
Hi Bernadette–this is the ITM administrator’s call, since it’s published on his site. But the same article is posted on my blog (in the “Christian Living” category) and if you link back to my blog when you post it, go right ahead and copy it from there. (I don’t know how busy MInTheGap is, so I figured this might be quicker. Whatever works.) :-) I appreciate your encouragement!
~Hannah
Actually, even though it’s posted on my site, it’s technically still yours, so I left it up for you to decide. Bernadette– you may choose to copy or link to either place.
Here is the link to the blog post: http://blog.saintmariasmessenger.com/?p=1475
Thank you!
Bernadette´s last post ..Another Holy Souls Devotion
I plan to link to your blog and Is this Modest. Both websites are fantastic!
Bernadette´s last post ..Another Holy Souls Devotion
This is a wonderful post! Very well explained! Thank you! I’ve been told that in China it used to be men that wore “skirts” and women wore pants. Different cultures think differently about what is masculine vs. feminine. I only wear pants on occasion, largely because, like you said, they’re either loose enough to be modest and start to look masculine or they tend to be too tight.
#Feb2011NCARating
Abigail Joy´s last post ..Perfection
This is a great article! Thank you for posting :)
Thank you so much Hannah! This is what I believe, and I wondered if anyone else thought this way too!
Hello, I don’t normally spend much time reading these types of web sites, but I stumbled upon yours and took a few minutes. I only read a few of your comments. I am a Mom and wear skirts most of the time unless hiking or something where pants, capris, or shorts seem more modest or practical. I have two daughters, so it’s a dilemma for me to know how much to set limits on their clothes. One thought about the women’s vs. men’s clothing verse that you mentioned is that it is set with the same part of the Bible that also commands not to wear clothes that are made of mixed cloth – I forget how it words it. Also, at the time I wonder what the distinction between men’s and women’s clothing even was? Another thought about modesty is that it doesn’t necessarily mean “covering;” it can also mean, “not flashy or bringing attention to yourself.” I have often thought for my daughters that it would be better for them not to be wearing a skirt, especially when they are active. Also, in this fashion era, especially for young girls, skirts are not made to be practical…they are more for being fashionable or showy. I think it’s pretty difficult to wear a skirt that hits anywhere above the knee and call it modest – especially when sitting down or bending over. So I think we could place a lot of emphasis on “skirts versus pants” and miss the mark of what the Lord would like us to think. I also am a little concerned about self-esteem and emphasizing something such as skirts versus pants and not caring if your daughter feels frumpy when she goes to school. Also Jesus wasn’t someone who drew attention to himself. In this day and age, if you make a point to always wear skirts (such as at school), you are definitely bringing attention to yourself – possibly similar to if you wore pants to school back in the 40s? Another thing, when I have observed a crowd, sometimes the girls/women I see (very few) who are in long skirts tend to be more of the “hippie” culture. I’m not saying any of this to be contradictory, but just to give another viewpoint. I would also like for my daughters to be more conscious of how they act than the clothes they wear. It’s possible to act in a way that’s ugly – whether it be flirty or self-righteous, regardless of how modest our clothing is. I hope I can be God-conscious in all aspects of my life.
Thanks for this article. This is the funny thing. I recently started my own modesty site, and am in the middle of putting together an article on why I wear skirts, and so much of what you wrote could have come from me. I even mentioned the pants/capris under a dress-tunic like top! My daughter dresses like this often and she loves it, and so do I. I am taking some photos of some of these outfits and adding them to my site soon. I just have to get her to take the time to put them all on! ;)
Have great day!
I think it’s important to go back to priorities in life. We must try to search into our HEARTS,see what’s inside and mend or improve what is wrong.
Inside peace leads us to follow the right living way. God is the only one who can judge and give a sentence to people, so if we humbly let him do his perfection work in our lives, he will lead us to comfort and security.Being on the rock , we will be able to help others in their path to good.
I am a Christian man but not pentecostal. My relationship with my wife and our belief in Him doesn’t come with these rules about what she can wear and not wear. My wife chooses to dress modestly so in that way she is coincidentally consistent with Deuteronomy but have you all read Deuteronomy? There are any number of things in there that cannot be directly followed in our modern world.
If you go way back to who taught you about dressing modestly it was probably your husband or father…and while I am a fellow man, I have to question those men that remind women of the rules on how to dress when they follow no such rules themselves. I do not see pants as exclusively male clothing. My wife wears jeans at times and she chooses not to wear tight or low cut jeans but I hardly think anyone would think she had men’s clothing on.
Also if you follow the modest thinking to its conclusion, many of our friends who are pentecostal believe that modesty helps a man not to feel tempted…like this is a major driving force for a woman to dress modestly and for her husband to not be in the presence of a woman who dresses immodestly. Umm, what about self control and what about men and women both having to honor their vow before God? If a man is not a true man in that sense then he will be just as tempted with a woman in a denim skirt as by a woman in “ungodly” jeans or slacks.
With all due respect, don’t some of the women here feel a little duped with these one-sided rules just for women? This book was written thousands of years ago in a patriarchal and theocratic society just coming under Roman rule. Having women dress modestly probably had many practical reasons back then, but if you’re following these rules does that mean you follow all the rules about livestock, conditions under which you can stone a person, etc?
QUOTE:
‘With all due respect, don’t some of the women here feel a little duped with these one-sided rules just for women? This book was written thousands of years ago in a patriarchal and theocratic society just coming under Roman rule. Having women dress modestly probably had many practical reasons back then, but if you’re following these rules does that mean you follow all the rules about livestock, conditions under which you can stone a person, etc?’
I hope I speak for most when I say that, no, we do not feel duped because we are not duped. Some of the main reasons (scriptures) women follow modest attire is found in the New Testament, which is not the Old Covenant. It is a desire of the heart. As far as men’s attire goes and the whole ‘pants-skirts’ controversy, perhaps this will help:
http://modestclothingandskirts.blogspot.com/p/are-pants-mens-attire.html
I believe most women who have posted here are joyfully wearing skirts, not because they are duped into Old Testament law, but for their various reasons listed. The women who are choosing to wear pants and dress modestly have not been condemned here that I have seen. I hope you get a chance to read all the posts here. This is a lovely, gracious article.
Take care!
Jill´s last post ..WELCOME!
Oh my goodness. I loved this article so much. I’m 18, and have been thinking about this issue a lot lately. While I don’t think it’s an outright sin to wear pants, merely for the statement that they are men’s clothing (because pants were originally invented in China and worn by women…so technically men are wearing women’s clothing!), I do think that skirts are very nice for women to wear. As long as they are modest, of course. I love feeling feminine, and skirts are definitely so.
I noticed the posts about high heels also. I for one can’t stand wearing shoes that have heels over two inches…just because it HURTS!,and I do think that they can be considered ‘immodest’, merely because we have been brain-washed by the culture to think of stiletto-type shoes as sexy. But, wedge heels (if they aren’t too high) are pretty, and are a good alternative as a dressy shoe. This article was conservative without being legalistic. Thank you for writing it! :)