Note: I provided this picture in hopes that youth pastors everywhere will use this picture in youth services as proof that in some places "in the world" modesty standards are mandatory as well as proof of the necessity of standards in our midst.
For perhaps the fourth or fifth time, Stephany Mirelez has recommended this post. My sister recommended it to me months and months ago but because I could care less what ladies are wearing (except in extreme circumstances), I hadn't noticed the epidemic whatsoever and assumed that my little sister was just cleaning the skeletons out of her own closet in some kind of weird pseudo-therapy of confession through blog post recommendation. But alas I have noticed the trend of this post suggestion here and there, and Stephany's own suggestion of it cemented this post's place amongst the gauntlet of subpar blog posts about things that really are about nothing.
So what do we mean by "doing everything we can to wear clothing we shouldn't?"
Well to quote Stephany, "By this I mean, wearing a ¾-length-sleeved black shirt under a bright-colored strapless dress. And wearing a white long-sleeved shirt under a low-cut tank top. Or under a shirt that was meant to be backless."
In other words, some apostolic girls like dressing like Jezebel, but to not be faulted they wear "under-shirts" that cover the immodest places on the body that would have been left bare had they chosen to wear their "outer-garments"with their designer intended purpose of showing skin and being "suggestive."
In other words, apostolic girls go into their Forever 21's, their H & M's, their GAPS, and whatever other consumerist identity-killing store girls like shopping at, and see a blouse or dress they really like and say to their friends "awwwww look how cute this looks." Their friend then says, "yeah, but too bad it's immodest and you could never wear it." The first girl then sits and reflects and says "why do all the girls in the world get to wear all the good clothes? Apostolics should be able to be beautiful too!" The second girl agrees and then they lurch throughout the rest of the store looking for either an undershirt that will cover the "would-be exposed" part of the body, or simply try to find a matching jacket that when actually worn is more akin to jacket for a midget with long arms than being an actual jacket:
Because of the trend described in this post, the entire "short-jacket" industry is made possible by apostolic buyers like you.
consumerist identity-killing store <--- my favorite line in the blog. Ha.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed this trend and have laughed about it among friends. Actually, a good friend of mine wore a little black dress without sleeves and no straps and wore a pink t-shirt under it. We still laugh about it - her included.
An interesting observation, and something I've noticed myself on repeated occasions (My own sister does this on at least a weekly basis). But my question is with this observation, what was the point you were trying to make? Would you consider it wrong? Or is it just something that caught your attention?
ReplyDeleteGavisas,
ReplyDeleteI have not developed a full opinion on the matter. Although, at first unction, I find nothing wrong with the matter. Just a little absurd, but the absurd is what I live for. But ultimately, it's just an opinion, which means a little more than a tweet from a 14 year old high schooler about how much she loves the Hannah Montanta movie.
Interested in your new blog,
Joel
"Apostolics should be able to be beautiful too????" "Jacket for a midget????" LOL! Do you just make this stuff up?? On a serious note though, what you guys are observing isn't some attempt to "be beautiful too," rather it's the result of trying to dress modest in a world where the fashion industry makes it increasingly harder.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not only in the stores you list, it's in all of them. There's never been a point in time where finding clothes that cover up parts we apostolic girls don't want exposed was as difficult as it is in this day and age. Hence we do "everything we can." I blame the recession, I figure the fashion industry wants to make as much money as possible off the least resources, by using less fabric per item of clothing.
Females that choose modesty are left with few options; we work with what we can find, get creative, learn how to sew! In fact, my favorite thing about winter is how all of a sudden, stores are full of clothes that do what clothing is supposed to: cover. Creativity is what gets us through the warmer months, although sometimes style suffers... lol...
@ishta - blame the recession for everything! That's what I do. It's also helpful when you're ordering a pizza and want a discount - just explain to them we're in a recession and it's hard times for everyone. haha.
ReplyDeletejust do what you can to look attractive and modest somewhat in it but beautiful.. i dont think God wants us to look like a sack of potatoes either...
ReplyDeleteI thought Apostolics were NOT to try to be like "the world". Trying to dress like the world goes against what you teach...right? Another thing is the jewelry. Why is it "legal" to wear anything with jewels, sparkles, on you shoes or in your hair, but you can't wear it around your neck or wrist or on your finger or ears???? This makes no sense. Pure legalism at it's best. Rules and tradition, not Bible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what this blog is saying. I am a 19 yr old apostolic girl and my heart is breaking for how we have let the world dictate what we wear. I believe that a woman can look beautiful, elegant and godly without looking like like a whore. I dress modern, but modestly. And just because it covers, doesnt mean that its modest or godly... And I apologize to the last person who posted for any hypocrisy that you have encountered.
ReplyDelete