Opinions on Fashion Trends
Over the past couple of years, I've noticed a couple fashion "trends" among the large number of traditional Catholics that my family knows, and they kind of disturb me. I am curious to see what other trads (especially men, since that's probably who the ladies have in mind) think about them.
1. Pairing an above-knee length skirt with leggings that go either just past the knee or to the ankle, depending on the season. The logic seems to be, "at least something is covering my knees." I agree this is better than bare legs, but...even with nearly impossible shopping conditions, I still don't like it. Especially when the skirt is also too tight through the area between the knees and the waist. If you're going to say short skirts are okay with leggings, why not go to the horrid extreme of a long-ish tunic paired with leggings? (In my opinion, one of the most hideous fads out there)
2. Otherwise modest tops that are skin tight. I mean, SKIN TIGHT. With horizontal stretch/pull lines, that bunch and strain in awkward places and leave very little to the imagination. They seem to be more prevalent in the winter, but I've never had the opportunity to observe Catholic fashions much farther south than Ohio. Contrary to popular myth, clothes that fit like that DO NOT make you look thinner. Any growing child can tell you that when your clothes are that tight, they're too small!
3. Bare feet in dress shoes for Sundays and Holidays of obligation. I realize this one is comparatively trivial! It's just that I was brought up with the mentality that stockings of any kind were dressier than bare legs. Then suddenly, when I was a teenager, everyone seemed to stop wearing them. (Whereas I had to practically fight my family just to wear sheer dress stockings instead of white ones when I was about 17...) I teach a couple nights a week at a local college, and even THEIR dress code requires stockings for female employees, even in the summer term.
What do you think?
hey Colleen...should have commented on this one earlier...anyways I'm a married man and have to agree with you that the first 2 are bad fashions that attract my attention in the wrong way. I tend to see the second one more than the first one. They show pretty clearly that the woman following these fashions doesn't have her heart in the right place. It's kinda like she's trying to get away with being alluring in a bad way whilst still trying to claim that she's dressing modestly.
ReplyDeleteAs far as number 3, I would love to see women try to cover their flesh at least in church as much as possible. What I see more often in our church (in Ohio) is what appears to be a short sleeves competition, with sleeves just barely covering the shoulder. "It's just my arm, what's the big deal?" I can hear the women say. Well, as a male I happened to be attracted to a woman's flesh. I can't explain it. It's a weakness. What can I say, other than please cover your arms ladies at least fully over the shoulder, especially in church.