Hijabi Fashion Revisited

For the last couple of days, I have been really, really obsessing over abayas. In particular, abayas from the Islamic Boutique. [Muslim ladies, has anyone ordered from them before? A good experience?]

Here is an example:

The abayas are mostly machine wash, custom sewn to your height and basic measurements, and you can pick a matching scarf! Their colors are a good selection of basics (yay for me, brown and tan are included!). Three of these plainer ones, plus two dressy and I would be set for work wear. Toss in some colorful head scarves and comfy but nice shoes, my wardrobe is set.

They also carry under skirts, pants and slips in matching colors.

Alana was having a yen for a uniform. Maybe these would work? Perfect lengths on sleeves and skirt for monastery wear and…no belts! Depending on your head covering, you wouldn’t look like a nun or a Muslim.

Just a thought.

The Infamous Prairie Dresses - for girls

Wouldn’t you know it…I am sick! Knew that was coming from all the craziness at work. A day of rest at home….ahhh.

Lookey what I found: FLDS Dress. For kids.

They sell the dresses up to “teen” sizes but no further. Maybe grown women will demand adult sizes. You know, all those closet prairie dress wearers. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Modesty & the Feminist Critique

Our University is hosting a group of speakers all this week, centered around the 1960’s. The speakers do workshops during the day and then portray characters from the time period at night. We have had George Wallace, Barry Goldwater, Rachel Carson, Malcom X, and this morning I heard a workshop from the lady portraying Betty Friedan. Oh my.

She actually didn’t speak very much, instead she played a video called Killing Us Softly 3. DO NOT watch this video, unless you wish to receive a highly toxic dose of pornographic images taken from modern advertising. I feel like my brain needs scrubbing after all that gross sludge! [Note: I had to attend the workshop as part of my job duties.] The caveat is the video speaker does make some good points about how women are objectified, belittled, and otherwise made cheap by said advertising.

After the video was over, she invited reactions from the audience. Yours truly just had to throw in her $1.02 worth! My two points were as follows:

1. As part of my work at the University, I spent numerous hours looking through microfilm reels of newspapers, from 1901 onward. I often noticed the advertising to women in the newspapers in addition to finding my target topics,. From 1901 through WWI (1919 or so), there were many advertisements for patent medicines promising weight gain results for women. “I gained 12 pounds in one month!” After WWI, the ads flipped with a few months over to promising weight loss. Hmmmm.
2. Improv Everywhere did a spoof of Abercrombie & Fitch.  You can watch the video here. The video does show men without shirts on.

The speaker’s response to point one was rather interesting. She thought the reasoning behind the change behind women wanting weight  gain and loss was increased food supplies. She guessed our great-grandmas were not starving any longer and wanted to make sure they didn’t look like they were well-fed.

Was that the correct critique?

NO.

What happened post-WWI to women’s fashions? The Flapper, thats what happened. Hips and busts were suddenly taboo. Plump became a pejorative term instead of a compliment. Legs and arms were bare to the breezes. Youthful, thin, boyish figures (….uhhh…think Calvin Klein models with slightly  more fabric) were the ultimate objective.

And that is how we got to Killing Us Softly 80 years later.

The Modesty Critique beats the Feminine Mystique any day.

Transitioning into Modesty

Kim left a comment on my About page this week, asking:

Fifty years old and feel led to start wearing a covering! Last month I felt lead to begin wearing long skirts or dresses after wearing jeans for many years. I think I’m scaring my husband, not to mention my children. Been a Christian for most of my life, but only recently have been moved to modesty. Any suggestions for dealing with my poor family?

Many ladies have transversed this path, Kim; you are not alone! Any sort of meaningful spiritual change as reflected in our daily lives will inevitably cause  discomfort for someone. They may not even wish to understand or care, for that matter. You still have to live with them. So , what to do?

From my experience, being absolutely clear and upfront in your motives is the best amelioration. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a full family meeting (unless this is what your tradition is) to declare your conviction. Start with your husband first. Start off with an icebreaker like, “You’ve probably noticed I am wearing skirts/dresses more frequently now. What do you think of it?” If he is truly freaking over the change, try drawing him out as to why. Maybe he might offer some suggestions as to style of dresses he likes better (modest, of course.) Men appreciate direct arguments. He may argue, but at least he knows where you stand.

Children, I’m guessing older, are another kettle of fish. “Mom’s off her rockers!” “Will she make us wear the same stuff?” Simplify the argument from the husband conversation above and make it clear that this is your choice. You might encourage your girls to follow your example, but they need to look at Scripture/Tradition and make their decision.

I hope this helps, Kim. Anybody else have some suggestions?

Modest and Cool

This was last Saturday’s outfit: brown linen blouse over a tan t-shirt, beige linen skirt, beige and gold headscarf and pink flowered flip-flops. Alana, you’ve inspired me!

Pure Fashion 2007

To be fair, I will add this video from 2007 of Pure Fashion runway work. STILL, I see some things that crossed over their standards a few times. Like, seats. Lots of seats.

Tastefully Trendy

The accompanying video for the Pure Fashion rant. Note, they like to layer clothing [ok] and, umm, tend to choose the least amount of clothing to still abide by their standards. For instance, were there any skirts longer than knee-length? Any sleeves past the elbows? And, whoa girlfriend at 1:12, you need a cami under that blouse!

Pure Fashion: It’s Complicated

If you have read Wendy Shalit’s new book, Girls Gone Mild, you will know something about the national program, Pure Fashion. Some mothers got together several years ago to train their daughters in how to choose modest clothing and then put on a fashion show. It grew from there. The young ladies (high-school age) go through a 7 month program to learn all about being a (role) model.

Their modesty guidelines are quite extensive. Here is a sampling:

Pants

• should not be too tight, especially in the seat or the thigh area
• should fit well, but not be “skin-tight”, you should be able to pull them away from the leg
• shorts should be modest - no very short and/or tight shorts; if you put your arms down straight at the side, and the bottom of the shorts is higher than your longest finger, then the shorts are too short. (Remember, we will be on an elevated runway and everything will look a bit shorter to the audience.)
• make sure there are no “panty lines” on stage. If necessary, wear pantyhose or a “thigh shaper” to hold everything in and create a smooth appearance in your clothing.

Wow. How is one supposed to find a pair of pants that isn’t tight in the thigh or seat area? Of course, they cover how to choose skirts (must be no shorter than 4 finger widths above the knee) or sleeveless tops (3 finger widths across the shoulder) or necklines (again, no deeper than 4 finger widths below the collar bones). I think I need to lie down, my head is spinning!

There are much easier ways to set modesty standards. I think these rules are too complicated and too easy to fudge. What I would do is take these girls to a super Goodwill to get some really unique stuff! Knees covered from all angles, no booty showing, sleeves, no worries about counting finger widths.

What do you all think about the Pure Fashion concept? Is it really teaching Christian girls to be shame-faced, sober, gentle, and humble? Or is it showing girls they can be admired for their looks and feel goody-two-shoes about wearing a couple more inches of cloth?

[P.S.- Wendy has a new, new book coming out this summer: The Good Girl Revolution!]

Poem: Adorn the Soul

Adorn the Soul

by Anna

Eyes dart in my direction.

Twice, thrice.

My white cap and long dress

Flutter past their combat boots

And camouflaged hearts.

Who are you?

What are you?

Veiled from their view,

Is a land mine

Of intentions on display.

I wear badges

They dare not read.

Who are you?

What are you?

They begin to ask

The questions of

Themselves, hoping

This woman will hear

Their callous voices.

Who are you?

What are you?

Strip one uniform

And sew another.

Pin on ribbons

of a gentle spirit.

Adorn the soul.

A Young Woman vs. a Girl

[Ask forgiveness later, but I just had to point out this glaring societal disconnect.]

When does a teenage girl become a young woman? Apparently if she is wealthy and popular. That is this week’s lesson of Miley Cyrus [15 years old] and her parents allowing soft porn photographs to be published internationally.

What was last week’s major bruhaha in blog land? The 15 year old girls who were pregnant and wearing….prairie dresses….taken from the Texas religious compound were children being manipulated and abused by their parents/”spiritual husbands”/religious elders.

It only seems just when the State deems “girls” as such. Both cases, in my opinion, are wrong and abusive. The media can wink away one as a mistake and the other as a horror. Parents were using children for their own ends, for religious kudos on one hand and wealth n’ fame on the other.

Miley will just have to continue being a “young woman”….and being used. The other “girls”, well, God only knows their fate in the hands of the State.