Skirts Only?

PLEASE - I am not wishing to start debate....I am just curious if anyone on this forum is skirts only?

by mama27 on 2012/8/16 15:27:30

PLEASE - I am not wishing to start debate....I am just curious if anyone on this forum is skirts only?

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Greeting mama27
I am not one who wears only dresses or skirts but I do my best to dress modestly and like a female even though I do wear jeans and knee length shorts.

Do you mind if I ask why this question has come up? Is it something that is troubling you or that you are seeking the LORD on?

God Bless
maryjane

I can't go into great detail, MaryJane. But one sees skirts-only among the Mennonites, and one used to see it among the Baptists several decades back. Actually it is fairly recently in all the centuries of history that women took to wearing pants. I have had convictions along those lines, but I do not live among Mennonite people. Because of that I feel very much alone. I just wondered how alone I was on this forum....

I really, really do not want to start people arguing or debating. I was only wondering....

by mama27 on 2012/8/16 16:52:31

I can't go into great detail, MaryJane. But one sees skirts-only among the Mennonites, and one used to see it among the Baptists several decades back. Actually it is fairly recently in all the centuries of history that women took to wearing pants. I have had convictions along those lines, but I do not live among Mennonite people. Because of that I feel very much alone. I just wondered how alone I was on this forum....

I really, really do not want to start people arguing or debating. I was only wondering....

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Oh I feel like I put you on the spot with my reply. I am so sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I did not mean to.

I do understand how you are feeling though and will pray for you.

God bless you
maryjane

You didn't put me on the spot Mary Jane...it's just hard to explain w/o starting debate...I am seeing my adult daughters possibly taking a different position if I read between the lines. Indeed most of the Church seems fine with pants except for the group I mentioned. It must be the heart, and not outward conformity. But I feel very alone...So I wondered if that was the case here as well.

Brother Greg, thank you for your comments. And the video was excellent - I had not seen it...

Dear Mama27

Your not alone, I only wear LONG skirts too, I feel this is a more modest type of dress, as trousers seem to show off a womans shape much more. I also make sure my daughter is always dressed in a skirt/dress too, and I hope she will continue this way of dress when she is older. I got a new sewing machine for my birthday so I am hoping to learn how to make my own clothes soon, as its proving to be very hard to find modest clothes nowadays.

Not trying to start a debate but simply to encourage.

Blessings to you

I have a good dvd on modest dress its called: Dressing for the Lord by David w. cloud. Near the start of the dvd he gives some testimonies of what men think about modest dress, and how much they are stumbled when a women dresses immodest. I found it quite interesting, but also encouraging to know that I am doing the right thing by my fellow brothers by dressing modest.

I was convicted about dress shortly after coming to Christ. I have only wore skirts since then. I feel I am more modest this way...and feminine. My desire is to please Jesus Christ. :)

Thank you for your encouragment Keepstanding and FreeSparrow. Please pray for me this weekend as the issue has come to a head with my young adult daughters. Convictions without humility mean nothing. I need Holy Spirit-given wisdom. Bless you for sharing...

by mama27 on 2012/8/16 17:54:31

You didn't put me on the spot Mary Jane...it's just hard to explain w/o starting debate...I am seeing my adult daughters possibly taking a different position if I read between the lines. Indeed most of the Church seems fine with pants except for the group I mentioned. It must be the heart, and not outward conformity. But I feel very alone...So I wondered if that was the case here as well.

Brother Greg, thank you for your comments. And the video was excellent - I had not seen it...

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Dear mama27

thank you for your kindness in your reply to me. I do understand your desire in not wanting to debate this topic.
You mentioned that most of the church seemed fine with women wearing pants except for the group you mentioned, I will admit that most of the churches I have attended have been non denominational churches and this topic was not spoken too. The didn't really teach on modesty either though. But the closer I have walked with the LORD there are things HE has shown me and I saw the need to dress in a modest way as not to draw attention to self and not to cause a brother to stumble. Now I live here in the east and am surrounded by mostly RCC, in fact in the town that I live there are only two other churches that are not RCC and both do follow a more traditional dress code for women, they wear dresses or skirts to church. Coming from the background that I do I find myself feeling awkward and out of place because I am not use to that kind of dress but as you said it is the heart that matters. I know this is my issue and no one has ever said anything to me so I don't want to give that impression just wanted to let you know that I do understand how it can feel being the only one or on the outside :) I will pray for you and your daughters. I know it can be very painful with our children, wanting what is best for them...

God Bless
maryjane

maryjane wrote: "The(y) didn't really teach on modesty either, though."

It has often come to me how different my whole life would have been if I had been instructed in modesty from infancy. Instead, I was praised for being prideful and for showing off. Never was I taught the need to be kind to others. Others were tools and servants to my desires. What a wasted life I was led to lead. Praise Jesus for continuing to call me as long as it took.

mama27, even should your daughters take a path you do not wish for them, the steps they were instructed in as children will still be in their heart and, Lord willing, He will fill them with a hunger to walk in the old paths.

I wear long dresses now. Of course, if we are clearing brush in the back of the property, I usually wear long pants to avoid being scratched by thorns.

Kind regards,
white stone

Dear mama27

I will be praying for you and your daughter.

Yes mama27 I will be praying for you and you daughters as well.

My wife, my Mom and my sister only wear long very modest dresses and skirts. I waited until I was 36 years old to get married. I wouldn't have married a woman who wore pants. I thank God for women who still have high standards of modesty. They are salt in a world where immodesty is getting worse and worse.

I am in Hispanic ministry and I recently discovered a fairly new Hispanic denomination Movimiento Misionero Mundial (Worldwide Missionary Movement) http://www.usammm.org/ that is already in 60+ countries. They are growing even in the USA rapidly and they are EXTREMELY modest. Here is a video en Peru where they are baptizing hundreds at the same time: http://youtu.be/Flu7gK_x1Ic

You are certainly not alone in your conviction. There are thousands of women all over the world with the same conviction from the same Holy God.

Thank you to all who have shared....I would have a lot to say on this subject except that I do not want this topic to become heated.

I had not seen the video that Brother Greg recommended, and after watching it, found that this is Part 2 to the same message for any who are interested....."What do Guys Think about Modesty?"....in hopes that it will bless someone....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr2hLSWb2P0

Thank you so much for the prayers and for the encouragement.....I have asked the Lord countless times, "Lord am I wrong?", because there are just very few who adhere to this standard of modesty. I do not want in any way to come across as self-righteous or judgmental....this is just what God impressed on my heart when my girls were small....

Thank you so much for the prayers and for the encouragement.....I have asked the Lord countless times, "Lord am I wrong?", because there are just very few who adhere to this standard of modesty. I do not want in any way to come across as self-righteous or judgmental....this is just what God impressed on my heart when my girls were small....

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I just wanted to say thanks also to those who have taken part in this thread. I am glad that we were able to share with each other and encourage our sister in CHRIST with out the topic being turned into a debate. I will also say that even though I do wear loose fitting pants and do not feel the same conviction as some of the other sisters here do about wearing dresses only I really appreciate your hearts and the fact that you did not try to make me feel as if I were in sin for following my convictions on this topic.I really think dressing modestly is a matter close to the LORDS heart and I know HE has shown me so much as I seek to please HIM over the years. GOD is so great and so awesome. I really think this has been a great thread, thank you mama27 for opening it. I will continue to pray for your family.

God bless
mj

I want to respect your wish that this thread not become a debate thread Mama27 (don't know what else to call you) but I would encourage you to consider that no matter how much you may couch what you say in tender words if what you say is of God there WILL be some controversy that happens.

All the more so if it collides with a heart that is rebellious toward God.

Don't be afraid of that controversy. Don't try and prevent it. Don't shrink back from that.

Just say what is on your heart to say in so far as it is of God and let the Lord use it in whatever way He wills.

This thread caught my eye (figuratively speaking and no pun intended LOL) as I am absolutely bombarded where I live, every single day, with the skimpiest dressed women you can imagine.

It is mind boggling what is passing for normal dress among young women and even not so young ones in our modern American society. Mind boggling.

Many of the women look like...well...prostitutes. Literally. In how they dress. I kid you not.

Especially on Friday nights when you can see a whole flock of such scantily clad women heading to the fraternity houses for partying and who knows what else.

I live in a University setting.

In California.

They even have an underwear run here! Literally. Where thousands and thousands of students take it all off except for their underwear and go running around campus on the night of the run.

I simply cannot believe the shorts that women wear these days. It's absolutely beyond belief. More often than not they are like underwear than shorts. Only made of denim.

I applaud your desire to be modest.

I wish there were more sisters who had a similar heart.

Carlos

Wow, what an interesting topic. Last i heard a teaching on this must've been back in High School (I'm 26 now). Were i live and even at my church, women that waer pants aren't (for lthe lack of a better word--->) frowned upon at all.

Covering up decently, and a little loose fitting clothes are advised for thé ladies but thats as far as it goes.

I can hardly wait for m'y homegroup meeting tommorow to ask thé guys what they would think if we were to all rather wear only skirts.

Thank you for sharing Mama27. I'll liste n to thé audio's. Very interesting.

i struggled with the topic off and on because for awhile i went way overboard with my dress being overly covered up. my husband finally talked with me about this and shared with me that he did want me to be modest but he did not want me looking like a woman from little house on the prairie or wearing loose fitting mens jeans so that i looked like a boy either. i am learning that there is a place for clothes that don't show or reveal to much but still allows a female to dress like a female from this time period. it is a really hard topic to discuss in an open forum though so i get why mama27 wants to be careful. there are many who come here who feel convicted about modesty and dress according to their conscious in Christ but that does mean that what i see as modest will always be the same as the next person. as i said it is really easy to go to far the other way too, it was for me because i really wanted to make sure i was doing all the right things wearing what was right and so on.

great topic
rdg

I am trying to think how to say this because a heated debate is not God-honoring. And as I've seen on this forum many times, there are godly people on both sides of an issue. It is when it gets heated or judgmental or condemning that I know God is so grieved.

That said, I believe Scripture is clear that God intended there to be a beauty in a woman that encompasses modesty and a meek and quiet spirit. (There is a place for physical attractiveness, but that is not what I am speaking to)....I think our culture has totally lost this concept. And the church has just followed along. Without being detailed, I believe that a woman's form should not be outlined for the whole world to see...it should be for her husband alone. Anything otherwise, cheapens her....Does not Christ come for a pure Bride?

As I said in my original post, very few in the church would believe this way except for the Mennonites. But it is something God put in my heart long ago, and the way that I raised my daughters. The fact that a 26-y/o has never heard of this, indicates that it is "lost" to the modern-day church. I hope whoever reads this can hear my heart...I am not coming from a place of legalism.

There is an excellent little (74 pp.) book by a godly man named Jeff Pollard, called "Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America"....He says all of this much more eloquently than I can.

AGAIN - PLEASE NO HEATED DEBATE.....I was only wondering how alone I was in my beliefs....

Without being detailed, I believe that a woman's form should not be outlined for the whole world to see...it should be for her husband alone. Anything otherwise, cheapens her....Does not Christ come for a pure Bride?
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not sure i understand what you mean by a woman's form should not be outlined but its all good :) i agree no tight or revealing clothing but personally i was way over board buying clothes two and threes sizes bigger almost to the point of being lost in them. i think loose fitting is fine but not huge and colors that are feminine are fine and Godly. also i have found that there are some really modest clothes out there that are very feminine especially if you know how to sew and can add to the garment. this is my thoughts though and like i said God maybe showing you or others something else. i know that we both are walking according to what the Lord is showing us so its all good.

i have read some really great articles on dressing modestly and not going to extremes. God is all about balance and my practically wearing a formless sack was just drawing attention to me and not honoring my hubby or God.

i do wish more was taught on this though, even guys clothes are getting bad.

rdg

rdg,

I don't think 3 sizes too big is what the Lord had in mind, and it draws attention of its own. I think though that the typical American woman's pants reveal a part of the woman that God did not intend. I think it is entirely possible to wear modest, feminine, and somewhat fashionable skirts without looking like you came out of Little House on the Prairie. (I say "somewhat" fashionable, b/c fashionable in America pretty much means undressed)...

Eish, I understand a little bit how it may feel to be convicted of something that not many others around you are.

I'm ever so grateful for how the Holy Spirit continues to do a great work in me in other areas as we've come so far together. I'm certain he'll lay it on my heart in the time God wills it. I had to ditch my mini-skirts and skimpy dresses and shorts just last year simply from a burdened heart (no body preached it or even mentioned it to me to do it) about my dressing, and now the pants, skirts and tops i wear are decent and not tight fitting and actually even look better. However so far I can't say i'm at all burdened to wear skirts only and i'm ok with that. I think It would be total false humility if i were to change this my self right now.

I hope you don't get me wrong as i do tottaly agree that there's a large degree of modesty lost in the way we as women dress these days even in the church so may the Holy Spirit continue to guide and help shape us to Jesus's likeness.

PS: I love the way you keep stressing "no heated debate" lol... No offence taken on my part and i sincerely hope nobody picks up any from my responce either.

I aknowledge that i still have loads to learn and I am yet to listen to the audio's.

Blessings fellow Kingdom citizens:-)

Etuna.

No, I'm not skirts only! but I am a modest dresser. My husband loves my style and tells me I always look decent but gorgeous - and that's enough for me!

by Ceri on 2012/8/22 2:13:49

No, I'm not skirts only! but I am a modest dresser. My husband loves my style and tells me I always look decent but gorgeous - and that's enough for me!

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I can relate to what rdg said because I also went through a time of not really being sure how to dress. I wanted to be modest but where to begin...I bought jeans that were loose and not as fitted as some. For a long time I kind of used my clothes to hide in, but then I was also dealing with a messed up body image and eating disorders too. I realize now that clothes do not have to be this big issue.

Ceri I did the same I finally went to my husband and just asked him what his thoughts were. He did not feel led that I needed to wear skirts only but we went through my clothes together and some stuff we got rid of and some stuff was fine with a little sewing to alter how things fit. I am careful when I shop to pray first and ask the LORD to guide me in my purchases and I have to say I have feel like I am finally walking with the LORD on this issue. I do still wear pants but nothing revealing, same goes for my tops, skirts, or dresses and sweaters. I like that I can express myself as a female through colors, patterns, and materials. My husband is pleased with what I wear as well :)

Thanks again to everyone for sharing their thoughts on this topic. Its so wonderful how we all share the same love and desire to please GOD and HE leads us in that way even though it may be a bit different for each of us :)

God bless
maryjane

Mama,

You know where I stand on this issue - we have discussed this a lot privately. You are in a very difficult situation with no local body of Believers that support your conviction.

As I have been praying for you, mulling your situation there is one question that dogs me: Is there a holiness group not too far away that you could feel comfortable with? I have a cousin who is a member of the "Church of the Bible Covenant", a holiness group. The ladies all wear skirts/dresses, put their hair up...They are very feminine, pretty. The men dress modestly as well.

A lot of people think modesty is a issue that pertains primarily to females. While it is true that females lead the parade in immodesty, the men have to deal with it as well although their problem is not limited to immodesty in garb so much as it is to be want to look macho - tough and mean! I mean, some look so bad I would not trust my granddaughters alone with them!

How do males dress immodestly? I will be blunt: I hate to see males up on the platform wearing western jeans! It is so distracting. Brothers, you think you are the one who have to deal with lust, just remember the devil works on females as well. When there is immodesty up there on the platform it distracts one's mind who is sitting in the audience and we cannot hear a thing you say or we have a problem concentrating on what you say. In the end we will find you disgusting. This is a woman's perspective, like it or not.

The devil has worked hard to tear down the morals of God's people. Once he succeeds in the mind, it will be only one step to living it out in the flesh. Yet, scripture teaches us plainly that to give in to it in our spirit/mind is the same as doing it in the flesh.

We live in a bad world, real bad and to think God made it perfect. Man sure has a knack of defiling what was so beautiful!

God bless.