Bathing Customs In Communities

[faithcecelia]

Ha ha ha too many of up writing at the same time!

[maximillion]

[quote]There is a story that has gone doen on Q history that shortly after they began wearing undies, the laundress put a note up asking them to be more frugal and send no more than 3pairs a week to the wash! [/quote]



!!!!!!!!!

[brandelynmarie]

[quote name='MarieLynn' timestamp='1317258765' post='2312017']
In the Community I was part of in the 60's, we had to wear a "Chemise" while showering/bathing. It was a rectangular strip of fabric with a hole cut in the centre that went over your head and covered you front and back. It was for Chastity that we were required to wear it, but we all found it an absolute nightmare to try and wash properly, while contending with a sopping wet strip of clinging fabric.
Not to wear the 'chemise' in the shower was considered a fault which had to be confessed at the weekly Chapter of Faults.
[/quote]

I think I would be confessing that at least once a week .

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1317259667' post='2312034']

Oh yes! And not to freak anyone out here but when I was nursing one of the elderly nuns about something, and it came up that they didn't used to wear underwear in the 'old days' - the went commando!![/quote]



[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317278442' post='2312126']
There is a story that has gone doen on Q history that shortly after they began wearing undies, the laundress put a note up asking them to be more frugal and send no more than 3pairs a week to the wash!
[/quote]

Still....better than none

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317257159' post='2311977']
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idkVgTPVIIA[/media]

Video, described as:
I kicked off the pre-WYD pilgrimage by joining the IVE-SSVM in Oviedo, the provincial capital of Asturias in Spain. For rec time, among various sports going on, we played Ultimate in the courtyard of the seminary in which we stayed.
- FAITH Magazine coverage of World Youth Day 2011

Not cloistered, but still fun to watch!
[/quote]

Aww, thanks for making my day!! These are my sisters- both the community itself and the sisters playing frisbie (living with them now!).

We play sports about three times a week. Ultimate is one of the faves, for sure!

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1317245828' post='2311881']
This reminds me of the VERY old thread from 2009:

[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/93433-unusual-personal-hygiene-practices/"]Unusual Personal Hygiene Practices[/url]
[/quote]

Ha! Okay, someone posted it!! I was immediately thinking of this when this thread started, and was going to post it .. but after reading through it, I was reminded of how crazy it got with that one guy, lol

I wouldn't consider this VERY old though .. 2009 seems like yesterday to me!

[brandelynmarie]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1317310242' post='2312264']

Aww, thanks for making my day!! These are my sisters- both the community itself and the sisters playing frisbie (living with them now!).

We play sports about three times a week. Ultimate is one of the faves, for sure!
[/quote]


I"m glad chica .

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1317310728' post='2312268']

Ha! Okay, someone posted it!! I was immediately thinking of this when this thread started, and was going to post it .. but after reading through it, I was reminded of how crazy it got with that one guy, lol

I wouldn't consider this VERY old though .. 2009 seems like yesterday to me!
[/quote]

Yeah, that one poster got out of hand, but the rest of it is worthwhile to read again.

[brandelynmarie]

Yeah, but there was so much info there, that I don't have to start another thread about tweezing!

[faithcecelia]

I have just read a lovely exchange between the middle-aged Leonie Martin and the eldest sister, Marie, regarding tweezing and I just had to share - if only to illustrate that basic grooming is not a new thing in religious life! Its taken from the book 'Leonie Martin - A Difficult Life' by Marie Baudouin-Croix.

Leonie worried about the hairs on her chin - even in the cloister their is no need to be bearded! She was given a pair of tweezers, but as she confided to her sisters, she was not very skilled in their use. Marie replied 'Now dear little sister, a few words on how to use the famous tweezers without hurting yourself...With your left hand you must hold, very tightly, the part of the chin from which you wish to remove the famous beard. Even without following this method, you can stiffen the chin; the job becomes an easy one and doesn't hurt at all!'

She continues humourously - 'You will suspect that, to give such precise instructions, I must be well practised at the job, and so I am! But I never wait too long; as soon as a crop appears, I weed it out at once. I am not a gardener for nothing!'

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317756651' post='2315291']
I have just read a lovely exchange between the middle-aged Leonie Martin and the eldest sister, Marie, regarding tweezing and I just had to share - if only to illustrate that basic grooming is not a new thing in religious life! Its taken from the book 'Leonie Martin - A Difficult Life' by Marie Baudouin-Croix.

Leonie worried about the hairs on her chin - even in the cloister their is no need to be bearded! She was given a pair of tweezers, but as she confided to her sisters, she was not very skilled in their use. Marie replied 'Now dear little sister, a few words on how to use the famous tweezers without hurting yourself...With your left hand you must hold, very tightly, the part of the chin from which you wish to remove the famous beard. Even without following this method, you can stiffen the chin; the job becomes an easy one and doesn't hurt at all!'

She continues humourously - 'You will suspect that, to give such precise instructions, I must be well practised at the job, and so I am! But I never wait too long; as soon as a crop appears, I weed it out at once. I am not a gardener for nothing!'


[/quote]

Oh. my. gosh! That is hysterical!

I MUST BUY THAT BOOK! I have been wanting to read it for a few years now ever since learning about Leonie. She's one of my many role models.

[brandelynmarie]

Famous beard? Eh, I call those my wild woman hairs!

Edited October 4, 2011 by brandelynmarie

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317764944' post='2315346']
Famous beard? Eh, I call those my wild woman hairs!
[/quote]

Oh, no you didn't!

I'm going to keep remembering that! My family friend started getting those stray chin hairs in her old age (she's 88) and they get LONG. Long and white. It doesn't look good on someone with a fair complexion like hers. She calls them her "goat hairs" and used to ask the beautician when she went to get her hair washed and cut to shave them off. In her old age, she has forgotten about asking. She still calls them "goat hairs" though.

Edited October 4, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae

[brandelynmarie]

Goat hairs!!! Oh my!

[LaPetiteSoeur]

I know about the beards, but do any orders let women with dark hair bleach mustaches? I bleach mine every few weeks, as I have really dark hair. Mustached ladies don't look very presentable!

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1317264783' post='2312083']

I wear pettipants, too! I'm actually planning to wear some if I ever get clothed in the habit because I feel naked without them while I'm wearing a dress or skirt. Even if it is a jean skirt or jumper, I wear the pettipants. I hate regular slips. I find that pettipants are much better because they prevent chaffing. These are the kind I wear:

[img]http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.254814224.jpg[/img]

They are the Adonna Snip-It Pettipants. I wore them full-length for a long time, but recently cut about 2 inches off the bottom so they wouldn't be so hot. They are nylon. I'm hoping to buy some cotton ones, soon.
[/quote]

I have some sofe shorts I wear under all my skirts and dresses. After Catholic school, I never go anywhere in a skirt without something underneath other than undies. I will definitely see if I can wear them in the convent!

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1317771575' post='2315400']
I know about the beards, but do any orders let women with dark hair bleach mustaches? I bleach mine every few weeks, as I have really dark hair. Mustached ladies don't look very presentable!
[/quote]

I was trying to remember earlier some of the things I had seen in the depotrix's tray ay Q (you used to put her a note then she left whet you had asked for in a tray outside the depot). I definately saw facial wax strips and [i]think[/i] there may also have been Jolene. Even if I hadn't seen it, it would probably have been allowed if a sister asked for it.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1317771686' post='2315402']

I have some sofe shorts I wear under all my skirts and dresses. After Catholic school, I never go anywhere in a skirt without something underneath other than undies. I will definitely see if I can wear them in the convent!
[/quote]

I think I would melt with an extra layer. On very hot days, if my work allowed (ie I wouldn't need to tuck up) I would leave my cotte off too. t was the hardest thing about the habit for me actually, and I was so relieved that the one terribly hot week I was there in the habit was a week I was in retreat, so only actually wore my habit at all for Mass! I had all sorts of plans for long walks, what I was going to cook myself to eat etc, and I just spent the week lying on the sofa sewing, studying in razzle dazzle baths, and scavenging for fruit in the kitchen garden!

[brandelynmarie]

Faith, could you please explain what you wear under the habit? I'm sure it has been talked about on here before somewhere, but right now my mind is drawing a blank.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317773393' post='2315412']
Faith, could you please explain what you wear under the habit? I'm sure it has been talked about on here before somewhere, but right now my mind is drawing a blank.
[/quote]


I can tell you what we wore at Q and what I gather they wear at NH - communities and orders will vary.

Obviously, you have underwear, and in winter some sisters would have thermals or wear leggings - I had taken some but never once wore then, it was just too hot for me.

Then you have the cotte (underskirt, shorter than the habit) and a top - at Q we wore 'normal' tops, like a t-shirt or jumper in winter, NH have tunics in either white or beige.

Over that goes the habit. This is usually fairly shapeless, though that does vary again, and does up the front with poppers or a zip. Then the belt and the collar (this is Carmel, or course) or tocque depending which they wear. Then the scapular over that. Cardigans on top when cold - I found these better than more underclothes as they were far easier to add and remove when necessary!

As we had old style veils but without tocques, we had to have something to pin them to, so had a choice of fabric bands, triangles or caps, then the veil on top.

Hope this helps.

[brandelynmarie]

Thanks. i was drawing a blank with the underskirt/top/tunic. Do you always have to wear them? (I'm guessing they protect the habit.) In warmer months, I would be tempted to go without something!