|
By Bethany Vaughn |
I was a jeans and tee-shirt
type of girl until this past summer. My life was altered in a very dramatic
way when, through the course of several events, I came to realize the
importance of feminine, modest dress.
If you had asked me to give an account of the clothing items in my closet, it would have fallen far short of describing feminine clothing. In fact, it would have sounded a bit like my husband's wardrobe: jeans, tee-shirts, and slacks.
I assumed that people who wore mostly or all dresses were "legalistic!" That's a word I heard thrown around a lot. I assumed wearing dresses meant that you were out of style and unattractive. Not that I had any good reason for thinking that, I just blindly assumed it. I believed that we, as women, were liberated and free to wear whatever we wanted as long as it was modest - after all, I was modest when I wore jeans, right? I assumed that dresses were an old-fashioned, out-of-date idea and took pride in the fact that I did not have to wear the up-tight fashions of my grandmothers’ era. Because it was not culturally normal to see women in dresses, wasn’t it fair to draw the conclusion that only the strange wore dresses on a consistent basis? My, how deceived I was to think this was “Christian thought” instead of the results of feminist brainwashing.
However, God extended a much-needed hand of grace on His searching daughter and brought me to a place of complete and total change in regards to my views on fashion. After many hours of research, I was absolutely overwhelmed with the fact that our modern societal view of women and dress is a poisonous concoction that has been brewing over the past 100 years. It was once unthinkable for a woman to be dressed like a man, and it was normal for women to wear modest, feminine attire. I was completely unaware of the connection between fashion and culture.
Historically, dress and fashion portray the heart of the society. In pagan cultures it was normal to see half-clothed or naked people. Seductive dress always illuminated anti-Biblical values. In contrast, Christian cultures portrayed modesty and decency in dress. After looking back over history, it is shocking to see the correlation between feminism and fashion.
I read an article about the Atlanta History Center in Georgia opening a new exhibit on November 1st called, "Gone with the Girdle: Freedom, Restraint and Power in Woman's Dress." The exhibit will outline "women's sartorial liberation" from the year of 1860 to the present, showing the dramatic shift in fashion once society began to deviate from and reject the "patriarchal plantation system of the American South." Of course, the exhibit is meant to proudly parade the liberating progress of women over the last century in relation to fashion. However, for discerning eyes it proves to be an eye-opening account of how devastating feminism has been on our society.
As the 20th century approached, the aggressive, radical suffragettes crusaded for and finally secured voting rights, radically shifting a nation that was once based on the family unit into a nation based on freethinking individual units. Abandoning home and hiring nannies became norm for those women who pursued political campaigning and involvement. Revolt against the sacred duties of Biblical womanhood and motherhood sent women fanatically demanding birth control – an unheard of and condemned practice until the persistent agitations of one woman, Margaret Sanger, brought it into the mainstream. The rebellion against the age-old Christian standards, ideals, and Biblical roles became evident within the next two decades. The evidence was strikingly displayed in women's fashion. The beautiful, antebellum silk brocade day dress, which is on display at the Georgia exhibit, evolved into shorter dresses and short, bobbed hair. Around the time of the Depression and World War II, women started wearing pants in public. This was a huge shift from what was considered normal and acceptable; it was not just a change in the style of dress! Women leaving the home and entering the workplace or crusading for "rights" went hand-in-hand with women throwing off their dresses and donning male attire.
As time has rolled on, wearing jeans and men's styles of clothing became more prevalent as women took on more male roles in society and fought for the right to abdicate their God-given rights, roles, and duties. Culturally, we have fallen so far that many consider a woman wearing a military combat uniform as something to be respected and honored. Obviously, this is a grave mockery of God’s perfect design for His women, and as Christians we should be horrified that our society has come to this point.
We are at the point now where dress, fashion, femininity, and modesty loom as a huge cloud of confusion. Slowly femininity and modesty are becoming obsolete even in the Church. The problem is that many Christian women do not realize the importance of feminine dress. We have been indoctrinated and bathed in the feminist agenda for so long that what was once considered abnormal is today embraced as normal progression. Many have taken a nonchalant attitude when it comes to fashion and are willfully being slowly boiled to death in a pot of pagan water. Whatever the pagan fashion industry puts out, even Christian women are happily putting on.
The grip feminism has on our society has stripped women of their God-given womanly glory from every area of their lives, from motherhood even to the way we dress. Feminism and Fashion makes a very interesting study for those who are game enough to brave the conclusions. How should we, as Christian women, answer this crisis?
As a Christian young woman, the Lord has been dealing with me on how He wants me to answer this crisis. I wanted to share a part of my journey with you in the hopes that I may inspire and challenge you.
My great-grandmothers wore dresses. As a little girl, I remember seeing my great-grandmother working in her garden in her dress! To this day, both of my grandmothers wear dresses and always have. My mother wore dresses sometimes but also wore pants. I wore all pants and shorts and at one time had only one dress to my name. I saw the decline that was happening, even in my own family line, pertaining to dress and decided that I was going to reverse the trend and start dressing femininely. As I began to research the subject, I found the Ladies Against Feminism site and was absolutely amazed at what I read on modesty and feminine dress. The article entitled, "How Do We Want Posterity to Remember Us?" exposed the real truth of what feminine modest dress is and was incredibly thought-provoking and convicting. I was captivated and challenged with the "Through the Week in Feminine Dress" section, in which several ladies have put together a pictorial journal showing how they carry on their daily lives in dresses and/or skirts.
I believe the next thing that happened was a divine appointment. On our vacation in July, my husband and I, with our children, spent a few days participating in a pro-life event in North Carolina. There we met three young women, Sarah, Rebekah, and Hannah Zes. These women are incredible examples of how women should act and dress. Not only do they exude a sweet and gentle spirit, but, also, one of the first things I noticed was the way these young women dressed. They wore beautiful feminine clothing, and their mannerisms and stature were reflected in how they dressed. I was thrilled to be able to talk with them over the course of a few days. I became so interested in their dress that I asked them if they wore dresses or skirts like this all the time. They responded affirmatively. I was so amazed. I had never met anyone who dressed like these women and became interested in why they did it and what brought them to the decision. One of them explained that because of the androgynous culture in which we live, she felt it was increasingly important for Christian women to dress modestly and femininely. These young women are preparing to be wives and mothers and are happily serving in their family home. Frequently, they write and speak about Biblical womanhood, and God is using them to expose the feminist agenda and to challenge Christian women to reevaluate their lives based upon God's Word. God used these young women to challenge me to become the woman of God He created me to be in every area of my life.
They gave me a booklet, "Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America" by Jeff Pollard. I read it from cover to cover on our drive back home. Talk about a paradigm shift! I became so convicted and encouraged at the same time. I needed to make a change in my life. I wanted to exude femininity in every area of my life - even the way I dressed. I picked through my closet and found I did not even have dresses or skirts to start dressing more femininely. Over the following weeks I was able to find skirts and dresses on sale and at consignment or resale shops. I started re-designing my wardrobe to include a variety of dresses, skirts, and even feminine nightgowns.
I then decided I was ready for the "Feminine Dress Challenge" and presented my idea to my husband and some other family members. The "Feminine Dress Challenge" was the idea that I had after reading "Through The Week In Feminine Dress" on the LAF site. I decided to challenge myself and wear feminine dresses for one entire week -- every day, all day -- and within that week I would journal my thoughts, feelings, and actions. My daughter and ten-year-old niece also committed to wearing dresses and skirts with me.
On the first day of my "Feminine Dress Challenge" week, I came down the stairs, and when my children saw me they asked where I was going. I replied, "Nowhere." They continued to stare at me. Surely something was wrong. "Why are you wearing a dress, Mom?" Here was the proof that my feminine example to my children was sorely lacking! My children were amazed to see Momma in a dress. You see, wearing dresses or skirts was a rare occurrence in my house!
The second thing that happened was that I immediately noticed that I felt more feminine. I felt like a woman! I felt lovely and wonderfully beautiful, delicate and charming, dainty and glowing. I know you may think I took a dive into sheer craziness, but something really happened to the way I perceived myself. Hole-y jeans and a tee-shirt cannot even compare. There is some truth to the saying, "clothes make the man."
The next thing I noticed was that I became keenly aware of my movements and physical actions. Climbing over the seat in the van or running up the stairs or even sitting were often times done in a very unfeminine way. When I have a dress on, I am careful to sit like a lady. I walked and carried myself differently.
Another thing I noticed was positive public reaction. I experienced numerous acts of chivalry and respect when I went out in public. When we were out and about, my daughter and I, more times than not, had doors opened for us by men. One man tipped his hat to us and said, "Good Day, Ma’am." We had young men at the grocery store answer with, "Yes, Ma’am" and "No, Ma’am" and help lift heavy loads. These were not rare acts, but the respect and chivalrous actions noticeably increased, and I believe that our attention to feminine dress was what spurred these comments and actions from strangers.
After my Feminine Dress Challenge week, I continued to incorporate dresses into my daily living. It became almost automatic to put a skirt or dress on. My jeans began to feel foreign to me. When my children saw me in pants, they would ask me why I didn't have my dress on!
Not only did the Feminine Dress Challenge affect me, but it also positively affected my family. My two-year-old son started greeting me in the morning with, "OHHHH, Momma, pretty-uh, pretty-uh momma!" My husband loves seeing me in dresses and feminine nightgowns instead of jeans or even slacks or sleeping in tee-shirts. My boys have started talking about how, when they grew up, they want their wives to wear pretty dresses like their momma. My daughter loves wearing dresses and feminine nightgowns.
After this experience, I began to wonder what would happen if women started acting and dressing like women instead of like men. What would happen if Christian women rejected the feminist culture? It was obvious to me that dressing immodestly was wrong, and I was concerned over the immodest dress that flooded even Christian circles, but modern-day woman's clothing mimicking men's wear was not so obvious to me until this summer. Is it any wonder that men do not even notice a woman walking out a door and offer to open that door for her when she looks and acts the same as everyone else? I am not saying this is the sole reason most men do not open doors for women, but I am saying that when we as women continue to dress, look, and act like men, we can not be surprised if we are treated like men...
If you had asked me to give an account of the clothing items in my closet, it would have fallen far short of describing feminine clothing. In fact, it would have sounded a bit like my husband's wardrobe: jeans, tee-shirts, and slacks.
I assumed that people who wore mostly or all dresses were "legalistic!" That's a word I heard thrown around a lot. I assumed wearing dresses meant that you were out of style and unattractive. Not that I had any good reason for thinking that, I just blindly assumed it. I believed that we, as women, were liberated and free to wear whatever we wanted as long as it was modest - after all, I was modest when I wore jeans, right? I assumed that dresses were an old-fashioned, out-of-date idea and took pride in the fact that I did not have to wear the up-tight fashions of my grandmothers’ era. Because it was not culturally normal to see women in dresses, wasn’t it fair to draw the conclusion that only the strange wore dresses on a consistent basis? My, how deceived I was to think this was “Christian thought” instead of the results of feminist brainwashing.
However, God extended a much-needed hand of grace on His searching daughter and brought me to a place of complete and total change in regards to my views on fashion. After many hours of research, I was absolutely overwhelmed with the fact that our modern societal view of women and dress is a poisonous concoction that has been brewing over the past 100 years. It was once unthinkable for a woman to be dressed like a man, and it was normal for women to wear modest, feminine attire. I was completely unaware of the connection between fashion and culture.
Historically, dress and fashion portray the heart of the society. In pagan cultures it was normal to see half-clothed or naked people. Seductive dress always illuminated anti-Biblical values. In contrast, Christian cultures portrayed modesty and decency in dress. After looking back over history, it is shocking to see the correlation between feminism and fashion.
I read an article about the Atlanta History Center in Georgia opening a new exhibit on November 1st called, "Gone with the Girdle: Freedom, Restraint and Power in Woman's Dress." The exhibit will outline "women's sartorial liberation" from the year of 1860 to the present, showing the dramatic shift in fashion once society began to deviate from and reject the "patriarchal plantation system of the American South." Of course, the exhibit is meant to proudly parade the liberating progress of women over the last century in relation to fashion. However, for discerning eyes it proves to be an eye-opening account of how devastating feminism has been on our society.
As the 20th century approached, the aggressive, radical suffragettes crusaded for and finally secured voting rights, radically shifting a nation that was once based on the family unit into a nation based on freethinking individual units. Abandoning home and hiring nannies became norm for those women who pursued political campaigning and involvement. Revolt against the sacred duties of Biblical womanhood and motherhood sent women fanatically demanding birth control – an unheard of and condemned practice until the persistent agitations of one woman, Margaret Sanger, brought it into the mainstream. The rebellion against the age-old Christian standards, ideals, and Biblical roles became evident within the next two decades. The evidence was strikingly displayed in women's fashion. The beautiful, antebellum silk brocade day dress, which is on display at the Georgia exhibit, evolved into shorter dresses and short, bobbed hair. Around the time of the Depression and World War II, women started wearing pants in public. This was a huge shift from what was considered normal and acceptable; it was not just a change in the style of dress! Women leaving the home and entering the workplace or crusading for "rights" went hand-in-hand with women throwing off their dresses and donning male attire.
As time has rolled on, wearing jeans and men's styles of clothing became more prevalent as women took on more male roles in society and fought for the right to abdicate their God-given rights, roles, and duties. Culturally, we have fallen so far that many consider a woman wearing a military combat uniform as something to be respected and honored. Obviously, this is a grave mockery of God’s perfect design for His women, and as Christians we should be horrified that our society has come to this point.
We are at the point now where dress, fashion, femininity, and modesty loom as a huge cloud of confusion. Slowly femininity and modesty are becoming obsolete even in the Church. The problem is that many Christian women do not realize the importance of feminine dress. We have been indoctrinated and bathed in the feminist agenda for so long that what was once considered abnormal is today embraced as normal progression. Many have taken a nonchalant attitude when it comes to fashion and are willfully being slowly boiled to death in a pot of pagan water. Whatever the pagan fashion industry puts out, even Christian women are happily putting on.
The grip feminism has on our society has stripped women of their God-given womanly glory from every area of their lives, from motherhood even to the way we dress. Feminism and Fashion makes a very interesting study for those who are game enough to brave the conclusions. How should we, as Christian women, answer this crisis?
As a Christian young woman, the Lord has been dealing with me on how He wants me to answer this crisis. I wanted to share a part of my journey with you in the hopes that I may inspire and challenge you.
My great-grandmothers wore dresses. As a little girl, I remember seeing my great-grandmother working in her garden in her dress! To this day, both of my grandmothers wear dresses and always have. My mother wore dresses sometimes but also wore pants. I wore all pants and shorts and at one time had only one dress to my name. I saw the decline that was happening, even in my own family line, pertaining to dress and decided that I was going to reverse the trend and start dressing femininely. As I began to research the subject, I found the Ladies Against Feminism site and was absolutely amazed at what I read on modesty and feminine dress. The article entitled, "How Do We Want Posterity to Remember Us?" exposed the real truth of what feminine modest dress is and was incredibly thought-provoking and convicting. I was captivated and challenged with the "Through the Week in Feminine Dress" section, in which several ladies have put together a pictorial journal showing how they carry on their daily lives in dresses and/or skirts.
I believe the next thing that happened was a divine appointment. On our vacation in July, my husband and I, with our children, spent a few days participating in a pro-life event in North Carolina. There we met three young women, Sarah, Rebekah, and Hannah Zes. These women are incredible examples of how women should act and dress. Not only do they exude a sweet and gentle spirit, but, also, one of the first things I noticed was the way these young women dressed. They wore beautiful feminine clothing, and their mannerisms and stature were reflected in how they dressed. I was thrilled to be able to talk with them over the course of a few days. I became so interested in their dress that I asked them if they wore dresses or skirts like this all the time. They responded affirmatively. I was so amazed. I had never met anyone who dressed like these women and became interested in why they did it and what brought them to the decision. One of them explained that because of the androgynous culture in which we live, she felt it was increasingly important for Christian women to dress modestly and femininely. These young women are preparing to be wives and mothers and are happily serving in their family home. Frequently, they write and speak about Biblical womanhood, and God is using them to expose the feminist agenda and to challenge Christian women to reevaluate their lives based upon God's Word. God used these young women to challenge me to become the woman of God He created me to be in every area of my life.
They gave me a booklet, "Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America" by Jeff Pollard. I read it from cover to cover on our drive back home. Talk about a paradigm shift! I became so convicted and encouraged at the same time. I needed to make a change in my life. I wanted to exude femininity in every area of my life - even the way I dressed. I picked through my closet and found I did not even have dresses or skirts to start dressing more femininely. Over the following weeks I was able to find skirts and dresses on sale and at consignment or resale shops. I started re-designing my wardrobe to include a variety of dresses, skirts, and even feminine nightgowns.
I then decided I was ready for the "Feminine Dress Challenge" and presented my idea to my husband and some other family members. The "Feminine Dress Challenge" was the idea that I had after reading "Through The Week In Feminine Dress" on the LAF site. I decided to challenge myself and wear feminine dresses for one entire week -- every day, all day -- and within that week I would journal my thoughts, feelings, and actions. My daughter and ten-year-old niece also committed to wearing dresses and skirts with me.
On the first day of my "Feminine Dress Challenge" week, I came down the stairs, and when my children saw me they asked where I was going. I replied, "Nowhere." They continued to stare at me. Surely something was wrong. "Why are you wearing a dress, Mom?" Here was the proof that my feminine example to my children was sorely lacking! My children were amazed to see Momma in a dress. You see, wearing dresses or skirts was a rare occurrence in my house!
The second thing that happened was that I immediately noticed that I felt more feminine. I felt like a woman! I felt lovely and wonderfully beautiful, delicate and charming, dainty and glowing. I know you may think I took a dive into sheer craziness, but something really happened to the way I perceived myself. Hole-y jeans and a tee-shirt cannot even compare. There is some truth to the saying, "clothes make the man."
The next thing I noticed was that I became keenly aware of my movements and physical actions. Climbing over the seat in the van or running up the stairs or even sitting were often times done in a very unfeminine way. When I have a dress on, I am careful to sit like a lady. I walked and carried myself differently.
Another thing I noticed was positive public reaction. I experienced numerous acts of chivalry and respect when I went out in public. When we were out and about, my daughter and I, more times than not, had doors opened for us by men. One man tipped his hat to us and said, "Good Day, Ma’am." We had young men at the grocery store answer with, "Yes, Ma’am" and "No, Ma’am" and help lift heavy loads. These were not rare acts, but the respect and chivalrous actions noticeably increased, and I believe that our attention to feminine dress was what spurred these comments and actions from strangers.
After my Feminine Dress Challenge week, I continued to incorporate dresses into my daily living. It became almost automatic to put a skirt or dress on. My jeans began to feel foreign to me. When my children saw me in pants, they would ask me why I didn't have my dress on!
Not only did the Feminine Dress Challenge affect me, but it also positively affected my family. My two-year-old son started greeting me in the morning with, "OHHHH, Momma, pretty-uh, pretty-uh momma!" My husband loves seeing me in dresses and feminine nightgowns instead of jeans or even slacks or sleeping in tee-shirts. My boys have started talking about how, when they grew up, they want their wives to wear pretty dresses like their momma. My daughter loves wearing dresses and feminine nightgowns.
After this experience, I began to wonder what would happen if women started acting and dressing like women instead of like men. What would happen if Christian women rejected the feminist culture? It was obvious to me that dressing immodestly was wrong, and I was concerned over the immodest dress that flooded even Christian circles, but modern-day woman's clothing mimicking men's wear was not so obvious to me until this summer. Is it any wonder that men do not even notice a woman walking out a door and offer to open that door for her when she looks and acts the same as everyone else? I am not saying this is the sole reason most men do not open doors for women, but I am saying that when we as women continue to dress, look, and act like men, we can not be surprised if we are treated like men...
I am now actively
encouraging other Christian women to take the "Feminine Dress
Challenge." Take a stand against the androgynous culture in which we
live! Journal your thoughts and your feelings. Commit to at least one week
of wearing dresses and/or skirts as well as nightgowns for sleeping. Try it
and see what happens. I promise it will change your life!