Why aren't Catholics more conservative in dress?

[fabricdragon]

J

I hope you don’t mind if I ask an additional question or two. I’ve heard “pants are more comfortable” more times than I can remember. In my view, they are NOT more comfortable so I put on a skirt & blouse/sweater ANYTIME I can. Of course, around the house, for trips to the grocery store, to my Grandchildren’s sporting events I do wear jeans, but that’s about it. Can some of the “pants wearing women” please explain just WHY then find them more comfortable. I’m not being contentious…I just truy want to know???

it all depends on several factors, including finding pants that fit. we are not all shaped “off the rack” and what fits me well, may not fit you. and vice versa!

in my case?
i refuse to wear skirts , now that i am being more modest, that are knee length or higher, and like my skirts LONG when possible, it is very hard to find them.
when i do find long skirts, i have to be careful going up and down stairs, or when carrying anything, that i do not step on my skirt and either trip, or pull it off!
in windy conditions they can flip up unless they are heavy, so in summer i really worry.

my pants cover my legs
they do not ride up, or down
i do not trip over them, nor do i have to have a hand free to hold them when carrying things or dealing with stairs, cars, etc.

but a great deal also depends on what you are USED to.
women who grew up in corsets complain that they miss the back support (and yes,a properly fitted corset is a back brace! i wore one for 4 years) but people who have never worn one feel constricted…

 

[Tantum_ergo]

If it’s been put earlier and I missed it, sorry for the repetition, but (and this is coming from a woman who has just recently started wearing dresses and skirts regularly rather than pants as well as wearing a headcovering at Mass and even starting to wear one all the time) the one thing that I’d say about pants is that in certain cultures they are normal and have been for centuries (I’m thinking of the Middle east, Turkey, Armenia, etc.) The women wear the so-called 'Turkish trousers" and then over those a long tunic, or more than one, blousy or belted. . .very modest.

Some of the Muslim women would wear that type. We have a lot of students who wear the flowing trousers and then long tops over that, and the headscarf. The sleeves are quite long too. What surprises me is to see, with all the hair covered and so much of the body, they usually wear very thin sandals and the toenails (and finger nails) are usually very brightly painted! Pretty though.

I think that sort of look of long tunic and flowy trousers could be very attractive for the woman who ‘doesn’t look good in skirts’ (or thinks she doesn’t).

 

[fabricdragon]

many of my Muslim female friends have also pointed out that under the head scarves and etc many of them have. uh. “interesting” hair. one of my friends has bright blue hair under her head scarf…not that anyone male would know.

ahem
anyway, if you are having a tough time finding blousey or not skin tight pants… or long skirts… you MAY want to try www.tiendaholics.com
i have several of their items, and they are soft like Pajamas! but very pretty and nice colors… and many (not all) of their items are quite modest.
you just need to watch some of the skirts, because some of them , while made in layers, can unexpectedly reveal too much.

i find a lot of other modest clothing from www.modestclothing.com (i think i got the link right) and www.tznius.com for some of the skirts and scarves… plus many Muslim online stores (like www.veiledbydesign.com or www.wegdan.com for hats!) for both long tunic tops, blousey pants, and my weakness…
scarves
sigh.
scarves and fountain pens…

 

[Cathryn]

It is strange to me that people in my parish dress up for fundraising dinners, friend’s and relative’s weddings, even baptisms, etc. , yet the same people look more like they are ready to clean the garage when they come to Mass. The last priest that visited my parish told us that if we would feel comfortable cleaning our garages in what we wear to Mass, we are probably not dress appropriately for the Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[consecrated_one]

Hello,
I give our Priest credit, he puts Manners at Mass lists in our Church Bulliten and he has our lector read a statement about how precious the Eucharist is and that’s why we remain in our pews until the Priest and alter servers have left the worship space. But he doesn’t address, dress! I guess it’s hard to battle on so many fronts. I wish some visiting Priest would come kick some collective behind at our Parish!