One of my other goals for this year might seem a little odd to some people.
I want to stop wearing pants.
It won't be toooo much of a stretch for me really. I have always had real difficulty buying pants that suited my body, it seems like they are always too long in the crotch, too big in the waist and too small in the thighs. Often they're too long, or too short, or they show off the fantastic dimpled effect of my thighs entirely too much. But it has never occured to me before to just stop trying entirely, so I have nearly always had one pair of jeans and at least one, usually entirely unflattering, pair of black pants that I insist on trying to make work.
A few months ago I was invited to add some of my photos to THIS group and after noseying through some of the other pictures I left feeling rather inspired. While I realise that the base of true modest dressing is the church and religion and I don't often see eye to eye, I can definitely appreciate some of their thoughts on feminine dress.
Don't get me wrong, I have no issues with other people wearing pants (although I do cringe a little at young girls wearing shorts smaller than my undies). And you'll not catch me in any floor length, floral tent type dresses (ala big love), or swimwear that covers all but my hands and feet (oh and I'll still be wearing trackpants to the gym! ) but this year will be the year of the skirt for me.
I have been altering vintage skirts to fit me, and also cutting up vintage dresses and buying skirts at the op shops. I have a tonne of dresses waiting to be worn when I lose the remainder of my pregnancy weight (and am not breastfeeding so often!).
(One thing I really do need though is nice, relatively plain, tops to wear with my skirts. Can anyone reccommend a pattern I could use to make some? Or has anyone bought any nice tops lately? )
hey, hey, Kristin/Kiera here ... I had the Offbeat Modest Dress blog that inspired the Flickr group. I am religious now (Eastern Orthodox Christian), but I've pretty much always dressed this way ... and I have a hard time ascribing religious motives to my mode of dress. So I was excited recently to find this essay from a Danish feminist on covering her head ... seems to me covering the body applies to the way she's thinking, too. Anyway, her name is Suzanne Brogger, she's from Denmark, and she is NOT religious at ALL. I hope you find it helpful: http://tinyurl.com/ycrk6fy
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard for me to find pants that fit, too ... usually for me, the rise is too high ... anyway, skirts just skimmmmm over everything more easily and I find them much more comfortable.
OH! And here's my favorite plain top lately: annyschoo's wavy Chinese Indian cotton top: http://tinyurl.com/yz384rt I have her cut the armholes a little deeper and wear it, LITERALLY every day, generally over a long-sleeved t-shirt (I bought a couple of them) ... anyway, the double-shirt thing is handy for me, as I can't stand bras, frankly, and ... well, it covers me up a bit more.
Too Much Information? LOL.
Anyway, best wishes, happy new year, and congrats on a good resolution!
I stopped wearing pants a few years ago, it's great! I've basically quit skirts as well and only have one or two left, though that is mostly laziness regarding matching up skirts and tops :)
ReplyDeleteNow I just wear dresses, layered with cardigans/tights/sweaters in the winter, and it is all much simpler. I really ought to stop buying *black* dresses though, I have far too many of those and could do with some more interesting ones...
The Uniform Project inspired me to pare down a bit and led to wearing the wavy top every day ... I just change out t-shirts and skirts ...
ReplyDeleteHer basic piece is a dress ...
http://www.theuniformproject.com/
wearing dresses everyday would be my DREAM COME TRUE. I alsl have the pant problem and allways looking like a have a huge bum and htigs when infact i just have lovely womanly hips ;)
ReplyDeleteDresses are also very good at hiding the post bubba tummy too :)
I like you in skirts and dresses way more than pants. It's nicer. Cause you're nice.
ReplyDeleteLOVE THIS. I have to say it's vindicating to find I'm not the only person to have given up on pants. Magazines always harp on about having a balanced wardrobe with one piece of this and one piece of that.
ReplyDeleteNow and again I look at my wardrobe and see no pants, so force my self to shop for them - always painful - because who doesn't own pants?
Now I know - you awesome people!
Down with pants.
great, stopping wearing pants has been my goal for the last three years. i dont yet have enough nice skirts and dresses, and woolen tights, to be there but one day!
ReplyDeleteso happy to see you blogging :)!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Offbeat-Modest-Dress/153095121388276
ReplyDeleteOffbeat Modest Dress resurrected on FB. :-)
I think this is great. There's a reason why skirts and dresses are more comfortable and flattering for the average woman: they're how god intended us to dress :-)
ReplyDeleteI have just seen these posts, so I hope Rhiannon you are still around. I gradually changed to skirts only over some years, but I too hesitated about going over completely, but I started thinking of women throughout histroy that never even owned any pants, and that made me decide to take the plung, and through out every pair. I think you always think that lots of things will suddenly be difficult or impossible in a skirt, but I have been really happy with how things turned out. I feel 'more female', and I think it is healthier too. Sometimes you just have to be brave, and make that change permanent. It will make you feel great. Sue.
ReplyDelete