Andrea,
I’ve been meaning to call and set up an appt for my sewing machine to get a check-up…it has several issues. Really hoping to get some skirts sewn up once the machine is up and running! It would be fun if we could do it together. Specially dresses! I wonder if God gives little girls an innate sense of “wanting” their mommies in dresses? And then that instinct is dulled over time and exposure to the ways of this world?

I completely agree that the fact that skirts aren’t practical has more to do with the style of dresses then the dress its self.

I always seem to be able to get more done, when I have taken the time to get dressed all the way from hair to shoes. Then just throwing on clothes to be decent.

We live in Maine where this type of living is getting to be a common choice. I know lots of homeschoolers who wear skirts all the time and live like this. I don’t live that way as, believe it or not, I’m too poor! But I am very domestic and bake my own bread, sew my own clothes when I can, knit up a storm when the urge hits, and cook from scratch. I’m whole foods vegetarian due to medical reasons, but the health benefits are amazing. My health is great when I stick to vegeterianism. When I slip, I end up sick and miserable. But it’s OK. I do it all in a skirt!

And I’m a fiddler! In case you didn’t catch on to my name. If I didn’t have a child to homeschool I would fiddle all day! (And of course, I fiddle in a skirt-I believe I’m the best dressed fiddler in town!)

You know what really opened my eyes to how huge a problem immodesty is for other men? Debi Pearl’s Created to Be His Helpmeet. Wow. I had no idea of the extent of lust problems, but after reading several letters Debi printed in the book, there was no reason for doubting it. I wish I’d known that in my teenage years. I do remember my dad generalizing the fact that men had problems in that area, but not actually sitting me down and making sure I got the picture!

My husband was raised in a home where tom-boy standards were admired and encouraged…dresses were considered ridiculous, even when attending weddings, etc. That’s somewhat of where I was coming from when I mentioned in my post that I quit wearing them exclusively. I think he felt that I was pushing some agenda…and I know the women in his family had to feel that way…I know this from the comments they’d inevitably make about why they couldn’t stand dresses, etc. And maybe as you mentioned, they kept bringing it up because of conviction, I don’t know. I’m older now, and think I could handle the barrier better. In fact, I’m so far off the deep end with most of the extended family that wearing dresses wouldn’t probably surprise them much anymore! But I do understand why most women my age don’t want to wear dresses/skirts exclusively, and my heart does go out to them. It’s hard when your husband doesn’t even understand/appreciate where you’re coming from. I think mine would by now, he’s one of the good ones!

I have a feeling I’d really like to meet you in person and chat some more about this! Glad we can do it here at least. Do your daughters and grand-daughters wear dresses? Just curious.

I believe when the Bible tells women to honour and respect their husbands they need to make sure they are NOT wearing clothing that will draw another man’s lustfull attention. That shows great disrespect to the man who loves and supports you. And when mothers send their daughters out dressed immodestly, they are teaching them to dishonour their fathers. If our clothing draws ADMIRING attention from other men AND women then we are on the right track. Of course those women have that rebelious attitude that I spoke of earlier probably won’t commend you for it.

Many women who know me say they admire me for being ABLE to wear skirts all the time. But they just don’t feel “convicted” to do it. HMMM? Then why do they keep bringing it up? Sounds like they are denying their convictions.

You’re a wise woman Mary!

Hi Fiddlestorm! I loved your comment, really(!)and guess I asked for it! We do have a lot of opinions here, don’t we. Your comment affirms a lot that I’ve been picking up on these past few months by watching our CSA farmer’s wife do everything in a denim skirt. When we first went over there to help them butcher chickens, we wore coveralls, etc (it was super cold!) but there she was in her skirt and I presume, long johns, and believe me, we noticed she seemed plenty warm and functioned just fine! Thanks for the reminder that our excuses for wearing jeans/pants are really that, just excuses. We did go out and buy our two older girls their own sets of long johns and denim skirts from the thrift store, and it’s been an adjustment, but a good one.

You said, “They use today’s loose standards as their measuring rod for modesty.” OUCH. Very true. And I’ve also been guilty of thinking if older, godly women can be modest in slacks and jeans, then I can be too. And believe me, there are many older women I respect and admire that don’t wear dresses exclusively. Have we all bought into the “loose standards” of the ones that came before us? It does get confusing when we surround ourselves with other people’s definitions of “what is modest.”

I know what you’re saying about not caring what others think or say about our clothing choices (in regards to wearing dresses all the time) and have actually thought of that verse (Blessed are ye when men revile…) myself with chagrin, wondering if I missed the memo. Or ignored it in my spirit.

Well, I’m not sure I *wanted* this onslaught of conviction about dresses right now, but if God’s talking to me through you…then I sure need to quit being wishy-washy about this subject and go one way or another.

Your bluntness was quite refreshing. I’m glad you spoke your mind here.

The issue isn’t what’s practical. Women wore skirts for thousands of years and never even considered that they were “impractical.” The only ones who DID condsider this were those who wanted to REBEL.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the Bible tell us that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft? Don’t bother correcting me, I know that’s what the Bible says.

I have no desire to rebel agains God, nor do I desire to be responsible for encouraging a man to think lustful thoughts. All women know what modesty is. That’s why they want to talk about it. They want to beleive what they want to believe. So they rationalize it away. They use today’s loose standards as their measuring rod for modesty.

If you want to wear a dress or skirt everyday, who cares what others say? Isn’t that part of being a Christian? “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you, FOR MY SAKE!” Do we wear dresses and skirts to be God-honoring women or do we wear them to shock the society we live in? If they are shocked it should be at our testimony before the world. If they are shocked at our clothing, then our clothing might not be modest enough OR they are being convicted by it.

It’s time to think beyond ourselves. This is how we put God first–Anything I do, if it doesn’t glorify God, is WRONG! To glorify God is to reflect HIS glory. Not our own rearends in tight jeans.

Hi Sarah Mae, thanks for commenting! Little girls love wearing dresses, in my experience anyway! Especially if their moms aren’t anti-dresses. Don’t you just love little girls in dresses? I do. I’ve also been in the position of not fitting into any of my skirts/dresses, and it stinks. You know, God can supply all your needs! Many times we’ve been on the verge of going out and buying new shoes or other items of clothing and my sis-in-law or someone else cleans out a closet and ta-da, it’s EXACTLY what we were going to go buy. In the right size and everything. God knows our needs better than we do, and we so often don’t think to “bother” Him with them, when we really should! Try it! I really could have written your comment 3 years ago…and someone gave me a bag of really pretty casual skirts…they were perfect for me. Anyway, just wanted to share that!

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