Identifying and Finding Appropriate Clothing

[silentreader]

Interesting that most of the sharing in this thread comes from men, but most of their sharing is about women's clothes.

Is that because it's much easier to find appropriate clothing for men? Or what are the issues for men? (I'm asking as someone who wears fairly normal old-guy clothes that I consider modest and cheap, but which may not meet your standards. My clothing is certainly nobody's uniform, but I'm not plain.)

I think modesty in dress is the same for men as it is for women. If what we wear is to draw attention to ourselves or perhaps some celebrity (i.e. sports person) on a T-shirt or whatever, that goes against what scripture says about how our lights are shone. If our dress is too different from the culture we live in, that kind of dress is also drawing attention to ourselves and that can be a way of hiding our light 'under a bushel' (Mathew 5:15).

I almost think I kind of agree with you.

[Wade]

I don't reject uniform dress but others I know completely reject it now since there has been no significant updates of accountability with the CAM molestation issue...

[Sudsy]

One area I do appreciate a uniform is in choirs, which sadly we don't have anymore at our church. When I hear a choir all dressed the same in a simple choir robe that basically is quite modest, imo, I focus better on the hymn's words with less distraction of individual dress. I wish the same idea had carried over into our modern worship bands.

Here is an example -

[mercysfree]

The very plainest clothing can end up violating Scriptural standards if the wearer's heart isn't modest and simple. I remember my oldest daughter's dismay over clothing conversations she heard while away for the first time at a nearby winter Bible school.

The dress regulations were so strict, including what she needed to wear when (changing clothes multiple times daily was common among the girls) that we had to make several dresses just for her to go. Then, when she got there, many girls had brought more dresses with them for their 3 week term than my daughter and I both owned all put together. Why would a girl need to bring 17 dresses?

Clothing was a constant source of "cussing and discussing."

"Which should I wear? I want it to look just right! I cannot decide between the cream sweater and the white sweater."

"I don't think her (collar/sleeves/hemline/fabric/covering/belt/waistline/sweater/stockings/shoes) meets the dress code. The matron should make her (not wear it/cover it with a sweater/replace with sackcloth, dust, and ashes.)

Et cetera.

To the new Anabaptist, it is really majoring on the minors! Yes, give some grace to the newbies. You might even assume they have some valuable insights.

[mercysfree]

One helpful thing for us when we began dressing like the church tradition was other women and girls offering to help us sew.

[Judas Maccabeus]

My wife wore the cape dress up until a few months ago. Out children attended a Mennonite school and they required the cape dress and a certain style covering. We attended a KMF church up until maybe three years ago. We are now COB (long story) and our children no longer attend a Mennonite school (even longer story... promise I'll tell it some day).

We debated this subject over her dress as well as for the girls. She originally wanted to do the jumper/blouse thing but jumpers are super expensive new. She was able to find a handful of denim skirts at thrift stores that were lengthy enough, as well as a few blouses. She did need to add another button to the top for her tastes.

We both feel that these combos are just as modest, if not more, than her cape dresses. Not form fitting and reasonable in price when bought second hand.

She also switched from a cap-style headcovering to a hanging veil, which is also more economical. Cap coverings need to be fitted and patterns made which can get pricey, at least in our area.

Hope this helps.

At least according to my wife, jumpers are really easy to make. She was turning those out long before she figured out how to make a cape dress.

J.M.

[ohio jones]

One area I do appreciate a uniform is in choirs, which sadly we don't have anymore at our church. When I hear a choir all dressed the same in a simple choir robe that basically is quite modest, imo, I focus better on the hymn's words with less distraction of individual dress. I wish the same idea had carried over into our modern worship bands.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to play a drum set while wearing a robe?

[steve-in-kville]

At least according to my wife, jumpers are really easy to make. She was turning those out long before she figured out how to make a cape dress.

J.M.

Does she still have her patterns? We may need to talk....

[steve-in-kville]

Clothing was a constant source of "cussing and discussing."

"Which should I wear? I want it to look just right! I cannot decide between the cream sweater and the white sweater."

"I don't think her (collar/sleeves/hemline/fabric/covering/belt/waistline/sweater/stockings/shoes) meets the dress code. The matron should make her (not wear it/cover it with a sweater/replace with sackcloth, dust, and ashes.)

What makes things even more frustrating is when leadership starts to make things up as they go. This was a problem at our children's former school: parents had no idea what was okay and not okay.

Pull over hoodies were illegal but zip-ups were. How's that make sense?

[Judas Maccabeus]

At least according to my wife, jumpers are really easy to make. She was turning those out long before she figured out how to make a cape dress.

J.M.

Does she still have her patterns? We may need to talk....

She does, but she is still using them. Remember our conference does not and never has required cape dresses. I will get you the pattern number.

J.M.