80 replies to this topic

[MarysLittleFlower]

(Inspired by the veiling thread )

I rarely talk about this but lately I've been trying to figure some things out and maybe it could help to talk to other Catholic women about it

For some reason, in the past little while, I've been feeling drawn to wearing skirts rather than trousers. I'm not here to debate the subject, but I thought about how women have always worn skirts until recently, and it's how Mother Mary dressed, and I read how St Padre Pio wished for the women in his church to be always dressed modestly but he didn't agree with them wearing trousers. He would even turn women away from Confession if they wore them, or if their skirts (or any other clothing) were immodest.

I've always worn jeans, so switching to skirts was difficult at first. Also my skirts are kind of longer than what girls my age typically wear (they're all longer than the knee, cover the knee when I'm sitting, etc) and sometimes I do get self conscious and feel like I stand out. All the girls around me wear jeans or leggings: I disagree with the leggings lol, what a strange fashion

Anyways.. I'm just wondering if there are any others like me. And how do you put this into practice in every day life? What if your job requires you to wear trousers, etc? I'm trying to find a job that doesn't really have a "uniform" so I can wear whatever I decide to. But I know that there are many jobs that are not like that.

Any thoughts? thanks

Edited by MarysLittleFlower, 29 January 2012 - 02:41 PM.

[MarysLittleFlower]

LOL for some reason when I first typed this, I typed "p a n t s" but the forum changed it to "pantaloons", so I had to use the word "trousers" instead

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

I wear skirts and dresses exclusively! I have no prejudice to people who wear pantaloons, it is just a personal conviction and enables me to dress more modestly!

[LaPetiteSoeur]

Just a FYI: it is possible to dress modestly and wear pantaloons. Jeans don't have to be tight at the derriere, nor do they have to be skinny jeans. We should remember that when at Mass or any other Catholic event, those that dress in pantaloons--and even immodest clothing--may not have any other clothes to wear. After working for a parish where many earned minimum wage and had multiple children to feed, I learned that many families relied on clothing donations. They took what they could find that fit.

rant over.

Anyway, because of my current situation (college student, student worker, and volunteer), I wear both pantaloons and skirts. For things like planting marsh grass and gardening and riding my bike three miles, it is necessary to wear pantaloons. I do wear a lot of skirts and dresses, and always wear them to a Sunday mass. For daily Mass, it depends on the other activities of the day.

As far as finding a job with no "uniform," most places don't care so much what you wear so long as it is decent. At least, that is my limited experience.

[EmilyAnn]

If I lost weight and had the money to today re-do my wardrobe, I think it would be more skirts than I currently own. Longer skirts at that. Still some trousers and jeans because quite honestly some of the time they're more practical. In an ideal world, I'd like to wear skirts mostly and if I can I want to transition to mostly skirts but I'll always keep the jeans around.

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

Oh, and I am not un-practical, I wear pantaloons for sports and stuff, but I must say, I HAVE mowed the lawn in a skirt.

[BarbaraTherese]

I wear jeans or slacks (same thing as jeans but not denim). I used to wear skirts all the time but discovered that I could buy jeans or slacks for just a couple of dollars in second hand stores, and far less even than if I bought material and made skirts myself. My last three pair of jeans cost $5 each and were new but seconds (or damaged somehow).
It used to be cultural for Catholics that jeans or slack on women were immodest. That culture has changed and now they are quite acceptable, here in Australia anyway. No one takes the slightest notice and one is never alone in jeans or slacks.

[beatitude]

I wear skirts and dresses exclusively! I have no prejudice to people who wear pantaloons, it is just a personal conviction and enables me to dress more modestly!

Just a FYI: it is possible to dress modestly and wear pantaloons.

For some of us it's hard to dress modestly in anything else. I love skirts, and I own hardly any trousers, but I am an absent-minded sort of person and I will do things like get the hem of my (long) skirt caught up in my handbag strap when I bend down to pick up the bag as I leave the train. Of course, when I lift the bag, I lift my skirt as well, and I walk along the station platform like this with my thighs on display to the world. That happened last Wednesday. Trousers are less aesthetically pleasing (I love my skirts) but a whole lot safer, at least when you're me.

Perhaps I could solve the issue my stitching the hems of the skirts to my socks...

[MissScripture]

For some of us it's hard to dress modestly in anything else. I love skirts, and I own hardly any trousers, but I am an absent-minded sort of person and I will do things like get the hem of my (long) skirt caught up in my handbag strap when I bend down to pick up the bag as I leave the train. Of course, when I lift the bag, I lift my skirt as well, and I walk along the station platform like this with my thighs on display to the world. That happened last Wednesday. Trousers are less aesthetically pleasing (I love my skirts) but a whole lot safer, at least when you're me.

Perhaps I could solve the issue my stitching the hems of the skirts to my socks...

I don't usually wear skirts without something underneath --at least shorts or something! That was after too many times of showing much more than intended in skirts.

I used to never wear skirts. Then I met my husband, and I tell him that he turned me into a girl (I literally bought my first skirt in YEARS when we went shopping on his first trip up to visit me, and have been wearing a lot more skirts ever since then). I have tried to wear mainly skirts to Mass, though, with the pregnancy, I wasn't able to do that all the time, particularly in the winter.

I'd have to say, having heard about everything my sister has done in the convent in a habit, it's possible to do pretty much anything in a skirt (although, they do wear pantaloons underneath occasionally).

[Lil Red]

i was trying to wear only skirts/dresses for Mass, but I got tired of wearing the same skirt every week for Mass (I really have only one skirt that fits me right now ).

[Archaeology cat]

i was trying to wear only skirts/dresses for Mass, but I got tired of wearing the same skirt every week for Mass (I really have only one skirt that fits me right now ).

This, and I don't have the right shoes. Perhaps that sounds silly. I do have a few skirts, but might need to get more. I should really be better about it, though.

[Lil Red]

it doesn't sound silly to me

[TheresaThoma]

I love wearing skirts and dresses. I used to only wear them for special occasions but now that I have some more casual ones I wear them almost all the time. I will wear jeans occasionally and for work I have to wear black dress slacks but other than that I like my skirts. In the winter I will wear tights or leggings underneath to provide extra warmth.

[cmotherofpirl]

I think its an interesting idea, but I don't think I could survive winter without long underwear and sweatpants. My house is way too cold.

[TheresaThoma]

I think its an interesting idea, but I don't think I could survive winter without long underwear and sweatpants. My house is way too cold.

I wear long skirts over long underwear and I have found I actually stay warmer than with just pantaloons.

[Archaeology cat]

I think its an interesting idea, but I don't think I could survive winter without long underwear and sweatpants. My house is way too cold.

In Liverpool I often wore trousers under my skirts.

[Archaeology cat]

it doesn't sound silly to me

Thanks. My boots wore out, so I'm limited to my Doc Marten Mary Janes.

[sixpence]

i wear jeans and skirts and dresses.... i do like the skirts better, but I don't really have enough that would be good for the winter...

on another note, i've discovered that skirts are great for paintball!!

[BG45]

I find it so hilarious the muscle rippling guys are all in full armor so as not to get a welt from the paintballs hitting and you aren't!

[brandelynmarie]

You rock sixpence!