Cape Dresses - Where's the Cape?

[Soloist]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

Usually, I have not been complemented about my gorgeous sneakers, and it would be a hassle and terribly expensive having to find old fashioned counterparts that don't kill my feet. Asics and Danskos are my go to (I guess Hubby and my Danskos might be old fashioned at least. I've nicknamed them Brother Andrew shoes ) Some churches say no name brand sneakers or black only (ours is currently muted colors and black shoes for sunday), but the cape dress is more about modesty/practicality than old time reenactment. For example, it works great for nursing.

[Sudsy]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

It would likely make more sense if you understood the motivation for why someone would wear a cape dress.

I suspect what motivates one would not be what motivates all. Can you say none are motivated by tradition ? Some may be motivated by the need to belong to a group and that group requires a specific style and pattern for that dress.

But I'm curious as to what you believe motivates one to adhere to what some group determines must be worn.

[Valerie]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

The purpose of cape dresses is not just non-conformity it seems but modesty in concealing the figure. Such as "layering" in Biblical times.

The modern day running shoes for practicality as opposed to high fashion heels & designer shoes is how i see it so as someone who used to place high importance on worldly fashion, "this" sets a good Biblical example to me.

[Ken]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

The purpose of cape dresses is not just non-conformity it seems but modesty in concealing the figure. Such as "layering" in Biblical times.

The modern day running shoes for practicality as opposed to high fashion heels & designer shoes is how i see it so as someone who used to place high importance on worldly fashion, "this" sets a good Biblical example to me.

I'm sure it is just me, but seeing women wear running shoes with dresses looks like they are wearing men's shoes. Yes, I realize that running shoes are "unisex" but so are pants honestly.

I find it curious that unisex pants are forbidden but unisex shoes are de rigueur women's fashion in some CA circles. Didn't used to be that way. A generation ago my grandmother wore sturdy black leather women's shoes with her cape dresses and would never have been caught dead in running shoes. And as for modesty? The baggy jeans and hoodies that my daughter wears to school are more modest than any cape dress. You see no skin at all. And they are just as much women's clothes as running shoes.

Just a comment not a criticism.

[Sudsy]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

The purpose of cape dresses is not just non-conformity it seems but modesty in concealing the figure. Such as "layering" in Biblical times.

The modern day running shoes for practicality as opposed to high fashion heels & designer shoes is how i see it so as someone who used to place high importance on worldly fashion, "this" sets a good Biblical example to me.

So why not dress exactly like Biblical times. I doubt the cape dresses in their required colors and patterns were required by early Christians. I really doubt the cape dress style, colors and patterns were a practise of Christians for hundreds of years.

I guess I will remain puzzled how certain set ways of dress sets a Biblical example. But I do believe in living by one's personal convictions as to what is proper for believers to wear. I see some Mennonite girls in our area wearing running shoes with fashionable neon colors. It appears to me to be such a contrast of modern worldly with a few centuries ago tradition in the other parts of dress.

Anyway, I appreciate your sharing on how you see it.

[Ken]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

The purpose of cape dresses is not just non-conformity it seems but modesty in concealing the figure. Such as "layering" in Biblical times.

The modern day running shoes for practicality as opposed to high fashion heels & designer shoes is how i see it so as someone who used to place high importance on worldly fashion, "this" sets a good Biblical example to me.

So why not dress exactly like Biblical times. I doubt the cape dresses in their required colors and patterns were required by early Christians. I really doubt the cape dress style, colors and patterns were a practise of Christians for hundreds of years.

I guess I will remain puzzled how certain set ways of dress sets a Biblical example. But I do believe in living by one's personal convictions as to what is proper for believers to wear. I see some Mennonite girls in our area wearing running shoes with fashionable neon colors. It appears to me to be such a contrast of modern worldly with a few centuries ago tradition in the other parts of dress.

Anyway, I appreciate your sharing on how you see it.

I'm also puzzled by how dressing exactly like every other women in your entire church from the top of your head to the tips of your toes can be considered "non-conformity". It seems to be the exact opposite of that. Non-conformity seems to be the antithesis of much of CA life where the prevailing message seems to be that the "nail that stands out get hammered down"

[Valerie]

The purpose of cape dresses is not just non-conformity it seems but modesty in concealing the figure. Such as "layering" in Biblical times.

The modern day running shoes for practicality as opposed to high fashion heels & designer shoes is how i see it so as someone who used to place high importance on worldly fashion, "this" sets a good Biblical example to me.

So why not dress exactly like Biblical times. I doubt the cape dresses in their required colors and patterns were required by early Christians. I really doubt the cape dress style, colors and patterns were a practise of Christians for hundreds of years.

I guess I will remain puzzled how certain set ways of dress sets a Biblical example. But I do believe in living by one's personal convictions as to what is proper for believers to wear. I see some Mennonite girls in our area wearing running shoes with fashionable neon colors. It appears to me to be such a contrast of modern worldly with a few centuries ago tradition in the other parts of dress.

Anyway, I appreciate your sharing on how you see it.

I'm also puzzled by how dressing exactly like every other women in your entire church from the top of your head to the tips of your toes can be considered "non-conformity". It seems to be the exact opposite of that. Non-conformity seems to be the antithesis of much of CA life where the prevailing message seems to be that the "nail that stands out get hammered down"

I really wouldn't expect a lot of men, especially non- conservative non Anabaptists to understand the dress or how Biblical principles were applied.

Question- how many different "styles" do you think Christian women jad in the way of dress in the early Church?

[Valerie]

Curious - has it always been the case, where cape dresses, as shown in those previous pictures, allow modern day running shoes ? Seems to be strange if dress is to not be conformity to modern day worldly apparel.

The purpose of cape dresses is not just non-conformity it seems but modesty in concealing the figure. Such as "layering" in Biblical times.

The modern day running shoes for practicality as opposed to high fashion heels & designer shoes is how i see it so as someone who used to place high importance on worldly fashion, "this" sets a good Biblical example to me.

So why not dress exactly like Biblical times. I doubt the cape dresses in their required colors and patterns were required by early Christians. I really doubt the cape dress style, colors and patterns were a practise of Christians for hundreds of years.

I guess I will remain puzzled how certain set ways of dress sets a Biblical example. But I do believe in living by one's personal convictions as to what is proper for believers to wear. I see some Mennonite girls in our area wearing running shoes with fashionable neon colors. It appears to me to be such a contrast of modern worldly with a few centuries ago tradition in the other parts of dress.

Anyway, I appreciate your sharing on how you see it.

Neon colors? Cant answer that, they are about looking feminine & covering their bodies.
Running shoes are practical & not sexy. Comfort, not about style.

[Ken]

So why not dress exactly like Biblical times. I doubt the cape dresses in their required colors and patterns were required by early Christians. I really doubt the cape dress style, colors and patterns were a practise of Christians for hundreds of years.

I guess I will remain puzzled how certain set ways of dress sets a Biblical example. But I do believe in living by one's personal convictions as to what is proper for believers to wear. I see some Mennonite girls in our area wearing running shoes with fashionable neon colors. It appears to me to be such a contrast of modern worldly with a few centuries ago tradition in the other parts of dress.

Anyway, I appreciate your sharing on how you see it.

I'm also puzzled by how dressing exactly like every other women in your entire church from the top of your head to the tips of your toes can be considered "non-conformity". It seems to be the exact opposite of that. Non-conformity seems to be the antithesis of much of CA life where the prevailing message seems to be that the "nail that stands out get hammered down"

I really wouldn't expect a lot of men, especially non- conservative non Anabaptists to understand the dress or how Biblical principles were applied.

Question- how many different "styles" do you think Christian women jad in the way of dress in the early Church?

I expect they pretty much dressed like everyone else. From what I have read, the term "modestly" in a Biblical contest was about dressing humbly (lack of fancy jewelry and rich fabrics). I don't think there was any Christian "uniform" in the early church like there is in modern CA culture. I think that is more of a 20th century development. But then I'm not really a church historian either. I grew up in an Anabaptist home with a LOT of lecturing and policing of dress from the older generations, mostly directed at the girls not boys. I understand all the rules but have never really understood the focus on conformity. I have come to conclude it is mostly just about group identity and peer pressure. Which is fine, the rest of the world is frankly no different.

[Ken]

So why not dress exactly like Biblical times. I doubt the cape dresses in their required colors and patterns were required by early Christians. I really doubt the cape dress style, colors and patterns were a practise of Christians for hundreds of years.

Millions of Christians actually do. They just don't live in the US and aren't of European ancestry.

But I expect early Christians also dressed with a wide diversity of styles based on whether they were from Egypt or Rome or Judea or someplace else. The Roman world of early Christianity was very diverse too, covering dozens if not hundreds of cultures, languages, and peoples.