Female Discerners, Answer Me This

[Tally Marx]

1). My day to day attire is boot cut blue jeans with a T-shirt. Sometimes, I wear long skirts. Sometimes, I wear scrubs.

2). Yes, I have always dressed this way. Well, not the scrubs. I adopted those after dressing as Saint Gianna Molla for an All Saints Day Party when I realized how comfortable they are!!

3). Not really. My style has always been dusty country girl.

4). Where I come from, jeans are considered pa.nts. So, if jeans are pant.s, then yes I wear them. If they are not, then no I don't.

5). I make my skirts for the most part. Sometimes I find nice ones as Catos, JCPennys, or local stores....

[Sarah147]

[quote name='Catherine Therese' timestamp='1300795340' post='2222292']
I'm another jeans / track pant_s/ slacks / cargo pant_s / long shorts girl.

I'll very occasionally wear skirts but I don't like to for five reasons:

1. I have fat legs that rub together which is unpleasant and uncomfortable
2. I always feel... sort exposed in a skirt, even longer ones. I feel like if I fell then I'd be on display for the world to see. No worry like that in pant_s.
3. pant_s more are comfortable AND functional... and they don't have to be immodest (I wouldn't wear any pant_s that were too tight, too short or too low. Even if my sense of modestly allowed it - I don't have the legs for it!! :D)
4. Generally, nice skirts mean nice shoes... and nice shoes ALWAYS hurt. Not worth it.
5. I'm just not that good at fashion. There is a bit of an expectation that 'girly girls' who wear skirts and dresses all the time are also very fashion-conscious or at least have an impeccable sense of personal style. I fit into neither category. If I wear pant_s, people don't have the expectation that I'm 'good' at fashion. Less anxiety all round.
[/quote]

You make it much harder on yourself that it has to be!

1. You could wear sport leggings or pant-legged blouse under your skirt that should take care of the rubbing. That's what I wear.

2. No worries about exposure if you wear the above.

3. I've found plenty of super comfortable, modest, functional skirts that I wear just about all the time. Most of my skirts come from thrift stores.

4. Not at all! I hate girly shoes. I just wear nun SAS sandals or nun Hotter dress shoes, and they are sooooooo comfy and they look great!

5. Who says you have to be fashionable. Sometimes I'm caught wearing my skirt, with a baggy sweater and sneakers! So what? It's modest.

So, it totally can be done.

[Pax_et bonum]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1305729841' post='2243193']
5. Who says you have to be fashionable. Sometimes I'm caught wearing my skirt, with a baggy sweater and sneakers! So what? It's modest.
[/quote]

This is me too. Converse + skirt = yes!

[faithcecelia]

1. What is your typical (day to day) attire?

Jeans and a top, or leggings with a long top, and skirts at times - trousers are more practical for my work really. Headscarves.


2. Have you always dressed this way?

My style has varied quite dramatically over the years!


3. Did discernment change the way you viewed your dress?

Not really, though I stopped wearing make-up quite soon after beginning discernent. I also now wear a scarf at all times out of the house, but I have only done this since I had to leave Quidenham, and only all the time for about 6mths.


4. How many of you wear pantaloons?

Trousers, yes, but not the underwear!

[Debra Little]

[quote name='franciscanheart' timestamp='1300473186' post='2221559']
Hey ladies!

I have a very worldly question for y'all - errr, more like three or four.

1. What is your typical (day to day) attire?
2. Have you always dressed this way?
3. Did discernment change the way you viewed your dress?
4. How many of you wear pantaloons?

I'm looking for more floor-length skirts. Though some of my friends would be quite shocked, I actually own a fair number of skirts, but most of them are knee-length. I have a couple floor length skirts I really love (including one I sewed myself for my first visit with the CFRs some five or six years ago) but would love to have more to choose from. I don't know that I'll ever ditch my jeans completely but then, I've done crazier things.

That reminds me of a silly story: During my first visit to the CFRs, I was rooming with a gal from Ireland. She was very kind, very funny, and all-around a fun girl. She of course wore floor-length skirts during her visit but on the morning of her departure, she put on (tight) jeans. I was taken aback. I don't think I would call it scandalous, just very strange to see. I always laugh when I think of how shocked I was to see her in jeans.

eta: If you do wear floor-length skirts, where do you get them? Do you make them yourself? What stores have proven resourceful for you? I have found many of my favorite skirts at some popular mainstream places but I'm not opposed to ordering online if sizing guides are reliable.
[/quote]



no skirts, no dresses, no way!

[SevenSwans]

[quote name='franciscanheart' timestamp='1300486183' post='2221605']
I like this:
[img]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5538463252_564d3ea0f7_z.jpg[/img]

but (because something like that costs $100) am usually in something like this:
[img]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5538468408_33a7c7e41a.jpg[/img]
[/quote]

Those are both quite lovely! And I kind of want a pair of "pantaloons" --- if by pantaloons one means those undergarments that look like a slip but in pantaloons form. That is much more comfortable-sounding and potentially warmer on colder days.

[Cherie]

[quote name='SevenSwans' timestamp='1306292502' post='2245612']
Those are both quite lovely! And I kind of want a pair of "pantaloons" --- if by pantaloons one means those undergarments that look like a slip but in pantaloons form. That is much more comfortable-sounding and potentially warmer on colder days.
[/quote]

You know, the talk of "pantaloons" actually reminds me of something I've been learning recently. We have some Mormon friends, and I've been studying all I can about Mormonism to as to better understand where they're coming from, and how best to present the Catholic Faith to them when we discuss it.

I have found that devout Mormons, both men and women, wear a specific kind of "undergarments" as a way to remind themselves of their commitment to their faith. They say its similar to a priest wearing a collar or a nun wearing a religious habit, but my first thought was that it's similar to the idea of wearing a brown scapular, too. Anyway, the "bottom" part is similar to a pair pantaloons. You'll notice that most Mormons are known for their modesty. (What a great thing to be known for, huh?! I wish more Catholics were known for this, because it's part of our Faith, too!) But I thought hey, what a great idea. The woman's top garment has sleeves (short sleeves, like a "cap sleeve"), and the bottom part pretty much goes to her knees, so when she's going to wear clothes, she'll have to wear something that covers it up. It's a way to ensure modesty!

So anyway this whole thing made me realize, you know what? Maybe pantaloons aren't such a bad idea after all

[MessorCarus]

[quote name='Pax_et bonum' timestamp='1305752404' post='2243318']
This is me too. Converse + skirt = yes!
[/quote]



love it. I'll wear my converse with just about anything.

[Sarah147]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1300540379' post='2221709']
I remember Sr. Louise Marie relating a story how she was standing in line somewhere, and a Muslim lady was nearby, eying her for a little while. Finally after Sister smiled politely at her, the woman responded with an approving nod, "I like your dress."
[/quote]

[Totus Tuus]

I definitely wore more long skirts when I was in discernment. It was definitely because I was looking forward to wearing a habit (I was totally romantic about religious life), and not about trying to brand myself as a discerner. I was oblivious that I was even doing so, even though it was somewhat obvious to those around me

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1306321474' post='2245715']

The woman's top garment has sleeves (short sleeves, like a "cap sleeve"), and the bottom part pretty much goes to her knees, so when she's going to wear clothes, she'll have to wear something that covers it up. It's a way to ensure modesty!

[/quote]

Knowing Mormons, the men sure as heck won't have to do anything like that

[Cherie]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' timestamp='1308012882' post='2253383']
Knowing Mormons, the men sure as heck won't have to do anything like that
[/quote]

Actually they do! The top is like a t-shirt and the bottom is just like a pair of undershorts. It's really only the devout Mormons who wear them, though. My husband plays basketball with a group of Mormon guys (he's the [i]only[/i] Catholic ...) and we've made good friends with a couple there. While Mormon theological beliefs are truly ---> , I really do admire their modesty, and the way they are so family oriented. When I attended one of my husband's basketball tournaments, a lot of the wives came, and of course they brought their children (since "family comes first!" according to them). It really was so beautiful, because they'd take care of one another's children, and the kids all had fun playing together. Babies would cry, toddlers would get into mischief, but no one minded at all, they all helped each other and it was really neat, because it wasn't even among those who particularly knew each other extremely well. PLUS, they had a men's bathroom, a women's bathroom, and a MOTHER'S ROOM! Full of nice, big, comfy rocking recliner chairs for nursing!

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1308015427' post='2253404']
Actually they do! The top is like a t-shirt and the bottom is just like a pair of undershorts. It's really only the devout Mormons who wear them, though. My husband plays basketball with a group of Mormon guys (he's the [i]only[/i] Catholic ...) and we've made good friends with a couple there. While Mormon theological beliefs are truly ---> , I really do admire their modesty, and the way they are so family oriented. When I attended one of my husband's basketball tournaments, a lot of the wives came, and of course they brought their children (since "family comes first!" according to them). It really was so beautiful, because they'd take care of one another's children, and the kids all had fun playing together. Babies would cry, toddlers would get into mischief, but no one minded at all, they all helped each other and it was really neat, because it wasn't even among those who particularly knew each other extremely well. PLUS, they had a men's bathroom, a women's bathroom, and a MOTHER'S ROOM! Full of nice, big, comfy rocking recliner chairs for nursing!
[/quote]

That's one of the good things about Mormonism: their emphasises on modesty and family!

But we have that, too....

[InPersonaChriste]

[quote name='Pax_et bonum' timestamp='1305752404' post='2243318']
This is me too. Converse + skirt = yes!
[/quote]

Yeah I wore that to church last sunday. The adults stared, the children loved it. hahahaha

[Cherie]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1308054750' post='2253544']
That's one of the good things about Mormonism: their emphasises on modesty and family!

But we have that, too....
[/quote]

We do, yes! Thankfully those are all principles found in the Catholic Church!

But it's pretty consistently found in Mormon churches, whereas in Catholic churches ... eh, not so much. And such a shame, too, because it's what the CHURCH TEACHES! And WE taught it before the Mormons did!!