# Girls Wearing Pants in Public



## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Would you let your daughter wear pants out of the house?


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## mamajama (Oct 12, 2002)

You know, growing up, My Dad had these friends. An ultra conservative, catholic family with 8 kids---6 of them were girls. My brothers and I had to travel across the states with these people....long story. Anyway, The girls, including me, were not allowed to wear pants. We were planning to go hiking and asked the father if we could---for a special occassion wear these ridiculous pant/short/ankle-length skirt things. He said he would pray about it. He came back with the answer...NO!!







We had to hike in stupid skirts. I absolutely hated that trip, but what an eye-opening experience that was.


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

Huh? Would I even buy my daughter a dress if I had one? I would rather see my daughter in pants than a skirt as skirts are much more reavealing, know what I mean....pants are more modest and practical.


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## Vermillion (Mar 12, 2005)

Ugh&#8230; never. Nothing but bows and dresses for any girl of mine


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## pilesoflaundry (Dec 9, 2003)

Yup I do all the time







.

I have neighbors, their little girls are not allowed to wear pants out of the house and very, very rarely are they allowed to wear them in the house or the yard. The wife doesn't either, I think finally after "permission" she was allowed to get a pair of jeans. uke


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## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
Would you let your daughter wear pants out of the house?


Of course.


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## chalupamom (Apr 15, 2002)

I guess it would depend upon what year it was. If, for example, we time traveled back to, say, 1715 I probably wouldn't allow my daughter to wear pants out since it might be dangerous. Once our time travel vacation was over, though, I'd leave it up to her since, you know, it's like her body and her life and all.

O.K., so this isn't my best sarcastic work ever. Thanks for posting this AM.


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

Nope, unless they were under a skirt.

I've hiked and biked and ridden horses in skirts, with no problem. I love skirts.









Quote:

I would rather see my daughter in pants than a skirt as skirts are much more reavealing, know what I mean
Not my skirts. Unless you consider a full, ankle length denim skirt revealing. :LOL


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## Zaxmama (Mar 2, 2004)

:LOL troublemaker


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

OK, truth time. I generally only wear skirts and, for the most part, my daughter wears only dresses or jumpers with bike shorts or leggings underneath. Or swing tops with leggings. Mostly I do this because I think it makes her look sweet and innocent. If she asked to wear pants, I would let her, though.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Huh?


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## pilesoflaundry (Dec 9, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
OK, truth time. I generally only wear skirts and, for the most part, my daughter wears only dresses or jumpers with bike shorts or leggings underneath. Or swing tops with leggings. Mostly I do this because I think it makes her look sweet and innocent. If she asked to wear pants, I would let her, though.


But the main point is you would let her!







I love dresses and skirts on little girls, I think they do look sweet. But to not ever allow her to wear pants if she wants to would be my issue.


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cappuccinosmom*
Not my skirts. Unless you consider a full, ankle length denim skirt revealing. :LOL

I was thinking of kids running and playing and little boys peaking. Just the stuff I remember as a kid...climbing trees, playgrounds, etc...guess I was a tomboy in my day.


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## paquerette (Oct 16, 2004)

Mamajama:







I had neighbors who were strict Baptists and the girls only wore skirts and culottes (the baggy long shorts thingies). I played with them and went places with them and even went to church with them and I wore pants. I guess they didn't feel like they had authority over someone else's kids.







.

Now I can happily do all kinds of physical things in big skirts, after ~5 years of living history. :LOL


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## girlndocs (Mar 12, 2004)

I've watched many girls in dresses and big baggy culottes try to play on playgrounds, climb trees, crawl through tunnels etc and it's sad. Honestly, in my experience, a parent who thinks wearing only skorts and dresses doesn't hamper their girls is kidding themselves. I have *never* seen a girl in a dress/skirt be able to keep up with her pants-wearing friends. Either she is struggling way behind them or she has to give up or modify the activity.

I think it's beyond sad for little girls to grow up with their bodies shackled and their physicality limited that way. Whenever I see it -- whether it's because of religious beliefs or because parents dress their girls to a "girly" stereotype -- it seems emblematic, to me, of the restrictions placed on all women in our culture









Leggings, even under longish swing tops, are different. They seem to allow mobility to the same degree as pants.


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## thismama (Mar 3, 2004)

Of course no daughter of mine will be seen in pants outside of the house.

I believe all of you who allow your girls to wear pants are contributing to gender role confusion. And this is immoral, a big no-no.

Next thing you know they will be lesbians, sitting on the furniture with their feet up.

Girlndocs, I'm not surprised to see your post.


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## fluffernutter (Dec 8, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Vermillion*
Ugh&#8230; never. Nothing but bows and dresses for any girl of mine










That's pretty much what I was going to say.


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

Absolutely not.

Only mini skirts, fishnets, and sillettos!







:


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## broodymama (May 3, 2004)

I never wore a dress or skirt when I was growing up, unless it was for a special occasion. In fact, even as an adult, the last time I wore a dress was on my wedding day.







Whatever you feel comfortable with!


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## eightyferrettoes (May 22, 2005)

Hey, I'm a pants wearing girl, and I was out in public today, with my son wearing a nightgown!









We have matching nursing gowns, too.


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## Spookygirl (Sep 14, 2002)

DD wears mostly dresses, but for park, play dates, and Gymboree, she wears shorts or pants. Not religious reason, just like her better in dresses, but totally understand it's tough to really play in them


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

To be honest.....my dd wears almost all skirts and dresses.....by her own choice.

She will play football, jump in mud puddles, and wrestle in her dresses!


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## Momtwice (Nov 21, 2001)

Sometime in the late 1960's or early 70's, it became acceptable to wear pants in the public schools in my town in the USA. Before that it was not allowed, older women tell me. I was a tiny girl at the time, too young to remember.


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## JessicaS (Nov 18, 2001)

Yeah, I will make her wear skirts when I start wearing them I guess..:LOL....I am not a big skirt person.

She loves dresses but I make her wear pants or shorts if she is going to be playing hard.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

humph, when I was in elementary we were required by the stupid teacher to wear shorts under our dresses


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## spatulagirl (Feb 21, 2002)

Only when my DS wears a dress/skirt. Otherwise never.


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## Parthenia (Dec 12, 2001)

My older dd has been on an anti-skirt/dress thing for the past year. She will only wear them in the house. If I prohibited her from wearing pants I guess she'd just wear her underwear. I guess I'll just have to take the lesser of the two, um, evils.

She has not figured out that skirts are actually cooler in the summer than shorts or pants. Personally pantswise, I don't wear anything shorter than capris. I actually got daring and bought some knee length skirts last year.

I wear more skirts than pants, but that's just a personal preference.

I agree if it was 1880, no way would she wear pants.


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## Viriditas (Aug 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Momtwice*
Sometime in the late 1960's or early 70's, it became acceptable to wear pants in the public schools in my town in the USA. Before that it was not allowed, older women tell me. I was a tiny girl at the time, too young to remember.

I remember my mom telling me that when she was in elementary school (in the 60s-early 70s) in Iowa and Nebraska they were forced to wear skirts to school. Even when they were walking to school hip-deep in snow (uphill, both ways :LOL )! I don't think I wore a skirt to school more than 2 or 3 times as a kid (in the 80s and 90s). I couldn't imagine!


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## warriorprincess (Nov 19, 2001)

My daughter usually chooses to wear dresses...very girly ones. I make her wear shorts or leggings under them for play because I do NOT like the idea of anyone passing the playground seeing her undies.


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## huggerwocky (Jun 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
OK, truth time. I generally only wear skirts and, for the most part, my daughter wears only dresses or jumpers with bike shorts or leggings underneath. Or swing tops with leggings. Mostly I do this because I think it makes her look sweet and innocent. If she asked to wear pants, I would let her, though.

my daughter was like that,too, though she didn't wear bike shorts underneath at that age.


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## Greaseball (Feb 1, 2002)

No wonder there are so many lesbians.







Something about them there pants does something to that thar brain and messes up its boy-lovin center.


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## Sisyphus (Mar 26, 2003)

OK, here's a dating response....

WHen *I* went to kindergarten, it was the FIRST TIME EVER that little girls were allowed to wear pants... when my older sister went to school, she had to wear dresses/skirts.

I *do* remember that when I wore a dress/skirt to school the evil little boys chased us around the playground trying to lift our skirts to see our underpants!


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## Greaseball (Feb 1, 2002)

I remember being told to wear shorts under my dress in grade school when I complained about the boys lifting my skirt...I guess it would be too much trouble for the boys to just NOT touch peoples' clothes!









Wearing shorts didn't stop them at all, though.


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## Emzachsmama (Apr 30, 2004)

Yes I would let my dd wear pants out in public although I would prefer that she wear skirts or dresses.


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## southerngul (Feb 3, 2005)

Yep~ my girls wear pants or shorts most of the time.
But then I let my little boy wear feather boas, tiaras and high-healed dress up shoes when he wants too.


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## mightymoo (Dec 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LadyBug & BabyBug*
I never wore a dress or skirt when I was growing up, unless it was for a special occasion. In fact, even as an adult, the last time I wore a dress was on my wedding day.







Whatever you feel comfortable with!









:
I think I wear a skirt maybe on average once a year. My daughter does wear dresses as well as pants, but only because at her age they are easier.


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## ~ATenthMuse~ (Mar 16, 2003)

Absolutely not!







:

Surely you're kidding???









Sorry, I had to!
















My dd prefers dresses though.

*and my ds used to love dresses! so did my little brother!


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## alsoSarah (Apr 29, 2002)

Is the OP a joke?

I don't get it.

















alsoSarah


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## Cajunmomma (Nov 21, 2001)

Wow, this brings back really bad memeories for me. The whole "skirts and dresses" issue cost me a fair number of friends a couple of years ago. For a long time, I wore only dresses and skirts, and so did my girls. But when they started wearing pants, and were treatly badly by the adults that I was associating with, that tore it for me. I went bad to jeans and haven't looked back too much. I have been absolutely blacklisted by those people (whose children were among my children's closest friends), and they won't have anything to do with me.

So, not so much with dresses and skirts for me. It seems like cult behavior around here. I'm not saying anything about anyone here, please understand. This has been my experience and my heartbreak.


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## mightymoo (Dec 6, 2003)

D'oh, just caught the 'boys wearing dresses in public' thread and now I get it.







:


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## mahdokht (Dec 2, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thismama*
Next thing you know they will be lesbians, sitting on the furniture with their feet up.

:LOL


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

No, I wouldn't. I'm raising my child in the Assemby of God church, and my pastor and congregation is opposed to girls wearing pants, jewelry and having boyish haircuts. She wanted to get her hair cut the other day, and I let her, but only a little was trimmed off and she was fine with that.

OK, yes, that was almost a complete fabrication. My daughter does prefer to wear dresses and skirts, but she will wear pants too at times. She did really want to get her hair cut, and came back with it practically the same length. I think my DH had a part in that, however.

I almost never wear skirts myself, simply because I don't have any that look good. In fact, I was just thinking this last night--I really need some dressier clothes!

I believe that a girl wearing pants is rarely stigmatized in the same way a boy wearing a dress would be. I think a more interesting question would be whether you let your girls wear skirts for the reasons that Kristin mentioned. There are times when I actively discourage my daughter from wearing a dress, usually because they aren't as warm and won't protect her legs as well. We do have some playdresses with leggings, but if we know she is going to be riding a horse or a camel or something that day, I figure the pants are just easier, so I mention that to her.


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

*snort* I wish I could convince my daughter to go out of the house in pants. She's recently decided that pants are only for pajamas. Used to be, dresses were only for special occasions. Then summer came along last year, and I made her a few really funky dresses, and she liked them. So she wore them frequently. I made a few that were really short, about mid-thigh and not very loose and swingy, so they wouldn't hamper play (when she grew a little taller, I made her wear shorts under them). Come about November, suddenly, she threw *fits* if I suggested she wear pants.







She's recently started wearing pants again occasionally. I'm encouraging this...


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## celestialdreamer (Nov 18, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greaseball*
No wonder there are so many lesbians.







Something about them there pants does something to that thar brain and messes up its boy-lovin center.











I often dress my dd in dresses/skirts sometimes (comfy ones), but when I know she will be playing on the floor alot I put her in pants. Actually at home she is usually in just a diaper...she doesn't really care for clothes and I don't like trying to wrestle her :LOL


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Honestly, I am disappointed that this topic came up on MDC.

This is a *natural family living* community and everyone knows that the natural state of the (fallen) woman/girl is barefoot (preferably pregnant) in the kitchen. Now, aprons just look silly over pants, so you OF COURSE need only wear dresses.

Next thing you know "those" people will be saying girls can play baseball and soccer.


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tboroson*
Come about November, suddenly, she threw *fits* if I suggested she wear pants.







She's recently started wearing pants again occasionally. I'm encouraging this...


My daughter would only wear winter clothes all summer, and then it was finally winter and I was happy. Wouldn't you know she decided to wear sundresses all winter!


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## Greaseball (Feb 1, 2002)

We don't do tights or leggings under dresses. Dh said once that he doesn't want to deny dd's sexuality and I have to agree.


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## mahdokht (Dec 2, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greaseball*
We don't do tights or leggings under dresses. Dh said once that he doesn't want to deny dd's sexuality and I have to agree.

How does that deny her sexuality?


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## Jennifer Z (Sep 15, 2002)

This topic made me chuckle.

Another 'dating myself' post here:

My mom caused quite the scandel when she refused to wear a dress in the middle of winter to church. It wasn't anything I was aware of at the time, but when I think back, I was one of the only girls that wore pants sometimes in my early grade school years. I wonder if I was unknowingly breaking a previous school rule about dress code. I know it was a good 10 years or so before it was more normal to see women in pants in that community.

It wasn't until high school that 'shorts' were allowed in school...but that was when "jams" were all the rage. (really long, to the top of the knee, wild prints) I think 'board shorts' are a similar modern equivelent, although those were more like scrub pants cut off at the knee.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I only wear skirts/dresses/jumpers, and I encourage my girls to do the same, but I do allow them to wear pants.

According to the Torah (Bible), Men shall not wear women's clothes and women shall not wear men's clothes. Nowhere does it specify in the Torah that pants are for men and skirts are for women. Some rabbis say that women should only wear skirts, and even cullotes or split skirts are unnacceptable. Others say that it's fine as long as the pants are clearly sewn for women. Others say it's fine as long as you can tell that she's a woman, even if she's wearing men's jeans.


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## Penelope (Jul 22, 2003)

I used to take a retired college professor in my college town to do her grocery shopping. She was elderly, lived alone, no longer drove. She retired in '75, I think? Anyway, sometime in the forties her husband saw this really elegent pantsuit (they must have been traveling at the time) and he bought it for her and told her she should wear it to work.

She was the first woman in town to wear pants in public.


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## mahdokht (Dec 2, 2002)

Guess I should answer the question. Yes, my daughter wears pants and I wouldn't discourage her from wearing them, but we do have standards of dress that we adhere to so they would have to meet those.


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## brookely ash (Apr 9, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greaseball*
We don't do tights or leggings under dresses. Dh said once that he doesn't want to deny dd's sexuality and I have to agree.











i don't have any daughters, but i do allow my female cats to wear pants whenever the heck they want to.


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## beanma (Jan 6, 2002)

would i let my daughter wear pants out of the house...

hmmm....first off i'd say i'm happy if she's wearing anything out of the house. secondly, i have a bit of a hard time with not "letting" her. i mean if this child of mine has a mind to do something scandalous like wear pants we're just all better off to cover our eyes, clutch our bosoms, try not to have a heart attack and just go with it because all heck-fire and damblation will break loose otherwise.

short answer, yes, and yes to the converse boys in dresses, too, but i don't have one of those.


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## Karry (Apr 10, 2002)

My dd refuses to wear skirts or dresses, sometimes she'll wear the skirts with the built in shorts underneath. In the winter she will only wear jeans and in the summer it is jean shorts. She does like pink and sparkly things, but won't wear the girly dresses.


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## Greaseball (Feb 1, 2002)

I think by denying sexuality, dh was referring to the way girls' legs are covered up from birth on. He and I just like to see bare legs, I guess.


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## jenaniah (Nov 23, 2003)

Haley wears whatever she wants...sometimes that's skirts, sometimes dresses, sometimes pants or shorts. She has NEVER been hampered on the playground by a dress...she is a monkey no matter what she is dressed in. In the winter when it is cold she wears leggings or tights to keep warm, in the summer it's just a dress or skirt


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## homemademomma (Apr 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beanma*
cover our eyes, clutch our bosoms, try not to have a heart attack .

:LOL


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## stayinghome (Jul 4, 2002)

My uncle made his daughters and wife only wear dresses or skirts because of religeous beliefs. My cousin HATED it and would always change at school (her mom knew and didn't say a word).

So then, when she's 15, he goes and has a mid life and isn't religeous anymore and marries someone 1/2 his age...

no point here, just thought I'd share...

and my girls wear whatever they want to, I just don't like them wearing dresses when they'll be upside down at the plaground, so a lot of their skirts are actually skorts...


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## 2much2luv (Jan 12, 2003)

Of course I would. They love dresses and skirts and I wish they would wear pants or shorts more, but I let them wear what they want.

I wore pants growing up but my mom didn't. I also knew several families whose daughters didn't wear pants. I thought it was a shame.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eightyferrettoes*
Hey, I'm a pants wearing girl, and I was out in public today, with my son wearing a nightgown!









We have matching nursing gowns, too.

















You must be on the wrong thread- no pants-wearing boys here, :LOL


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greaseball*
No wonder there are so many lesbians.







Something about them there pants does something to that thar brain and messes up its boy-lovin center.

My goodness- you are a hoot and a half today!


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Cajunmomma*
Wow, this brings back really bad memeories for me. The whole "skirts and dresses" issue cost me a fair number of friends a couple of years ago. For a long time, I wore only dresses and skirts, and so did my girls. But when they started wearing pants, and were treatly badly by the adults that I was associating with, that tore it for me. I went bad to jeans and haven't looked back too much. I have been absolutely blacklisted by those people (whose children were among my children's closest friends), and they won't have anything to do with me.

So, not so much with dresses and skirts for me. It seems like cult behavior around here. I'm not saying anything about anyone here, please understand. This has been my experience and my heartbreak.

Wow! Was this for religious reasons? What a shame that your so-called friends were so judgemental!


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greaseball*
We don't do tights or leggings under dresses. Dh said once that he doesn't want to deny dd's sexuality and I have to agree.

Oh man. I am denying my daughter's sexuality? Here I thought I was keeping her legs warm.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nursing Mother*
GOsh my girls not only wear pants out of the house, but to church, school, etc as well as me.

I'm thinking this really isn't a serious question eh?









:


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Damn. I serial posted again.
Oh well- it's my thread.
HAH!


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## iris0110 (Aug 26, 2003)

I don't have any daughters, but when or if I do I will let them wear whatever they want (within reason, no Brittney Spears look alike clothing ect.) Dh went to a private Christian school where all of the girls were required to wear long skirts. When I pointed out how sexist that was to him he didn't get it. He said "Well the boys had to wear dress pants."







I tried to explain how much more restrictive to movement, esspecially for children, a dress is than pants. I still don't think he gets it.

I never wear skirts or dresses. I have thought it would be nice to have a few gypsy skirts, but I like to wear t-shirts, and T-shirts just look better with jeans than skirts.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelBee*
To be honest.....my dd wears almost all skirts and dresses.....by her own choice.

She will play football, jump in mud puddles, and wrestle in her dresses!









Mine does the same. She is a complete tomboy and will NOT wear pants or shorts to save her life. She freaks out completely when I even HINT at wearing pants. I hate, hate, hate dresses and skirts. BLEK, GAG, YUCK, VOMIT.

But what can I do?

And about her panties showing...she says, "mommy EVERYONE wears panties!"


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva*
And about her panties showing...she says, "mommy EVERYONE wears panties!"

Heh hehe- you said panties.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

To further what Angelbee has said. My girl runs jumps, digs in sand, climbs up in the treehouse, rides a bike, dances, and wrestles in her dresses. She is amazing. No hinderence here.


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## Calidris (Apr 17, 2004)

Here all schools have uniforms and all the uniforms are skirts (for girls). In my childhood in Canada I wore skirts quite often, came here at 12 and was forced to wear a skirt everyday to school and as a result I pretty much never wore a skirt again once I left school.
DD loves clothes and I am afraid she is gonna be a serious girly-girl


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## Britishmum (Dec 25, 2001)

OK, I'm really baffled.

Is this an American thing? Southern?

Are there truly people here who only dress girls in dresses? Can someone explain?

And sorry to be dense, but are there truly mdc mamas who do this? Or is this a wind up?

Confused..............


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Britishmum*
OK, I'm really baffled.

Is this an American thing? Southern?

Are there truly people here who only dress girls in dresses? Can someone explain?

And sorry to be dense, but are there truly mdc mamas who do this? Or is this a wind up?

Confused..............









Well, I know some religious groups so this. I had a woman approach me in a supermarket and tell me I should put my daughter in dresses like Hannah in the bible.

I don't know what she meant, and haven't looked it up. Does anyone know?


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
Heh hehe- you said panties.


HeeHee...made YOU say it!


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## GoodWillHunter (Mar 14, 2003)

My daughter wears whatever she chooses. Of course, I pick out all of her clothes at the shop and don't buy anything I find inappropriate...







I will say she will change clothes a bazillion times a day if I let her...







: I, OTOH, prefer long skirts as they hide my post five baby body (for the most part) and are quite comfy. But, before kids, I would live in jeans. I don't like dressing up and wearing clothing that I find uncomfortable... sooooo, I dress for comfort and style is totally secondary.

Besides, my family has already pigeonholed me as a hippie, so I need to look the part, eh?


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva*
Well, I know some religious groups so this. I had a woman approach me in a supermarket and tell me I should put my daughter in dresses like Hannah in the bible.

I don't know what she meant, and haven't looked it up. Does anyone know?

What an odd comment. I mean, all the women in Bible times wore dresses. Then again, so did the men...


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Pants in public? Eeeeeek.


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## QueenOfTheMeadow (Mar 25, 2005)

I don't have any living girls, so is it bad if in total desperation, I put my 17 month old in a dress? You can only dress your cats up so much before they start running when they see you coming! OK, 2 glasses of wine is probably too much for me! :LOL


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## 2much2luv (Jan 12, 2003)

Quote:

If dom wasn't FREE it wouldn't be called freedom, it would be half-offdom, or costdom.
:LOL Very cute.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva*
To further what Angelbee has said. My girl runs jumps, digs in sand, climbs up in the treehouse, rides a bike, dances, and wrestles in her dresses. She is amazing. No hinderence here.

Dresses are not inheirantly restrictive--- they are simply restrictive when you "realize" that you are not supposed to ever show your panties.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2*
Dresses are not inheirantly restrictive--- they are simply restrictive when you "realize" that you are not supposed to ever show your panties.

Yep. Fortunately (??) this has never been an issue for my daughter!


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## kama'aina mama (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greaseball*
I remember being told to wear shorts under my dress in grade school when I complained about the boys lifting my skirt...I guess it would be too much trouble for the boys to just NOT touch peoples' clothes!









Wearing shorts didn't stop them at all, though.

I wore a uniform skirt to school for 12 years. In the early grades usually with shorts under. In third grade I finally got fed up with all the skirt lifting and kneed one of the boys squarely in the balls. I was never pestered in that manner again and the fun seemed to go out of the 'game' for most of the boys in my grade.


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## chalupamom (Apr 15, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2*
that you are not supposed to ever show your panties.


We're not?

Well, that explains the good service I get at the kwik-ee-mart.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
Yep. Fortunately (??) this has never been an issue for my daughter!

Give her time


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2*
Give her time









I don't know... today she showed the Amish lady at the outlet grocery store her pretty fairy undies.


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## HokieMum (Nov 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chalupamom*
I guess it would depend upon what year it was. If, for example, we time traveled back to, say, 1715 I probably wouldn't allow my daughter to wear pants out since it might be dangerous. Once our time travel vacation was over, though, I'd leave it up to her since, you know, it's like her body and her life and all.

:LOL

and again... :LOL


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## AmandaBL (Aug 3, 2004)

Viola -
I about had a heart attack while reading your post. I have always so enjoyed your posts in the past...







Then I saw it was a joke. I can usually see it comming, but you got me good!!!

There's a girl on my sons T ball team who always has on these rediculous bell bottom shorts things... They're HUGE and go well below her knees. It's insane. I feel so sorry for her - that is not a baseball outfit. There was a family of girls at my private school who dressed like that because of their parents religon. They hated it so much. Guess what those girls wear now? Not those things, believe me, and one of them wears nothing but panties to her job


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## AmandaBL (Aug 3, 2004)

To answer the question - I have no girls, but if I did, she'd wear pants or shorts & a HILLARY '05 T shirt every day for the next 3 years. :LOL


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## sadie_sabot (Dec 17, 2002)

My daughter wore a dress today! she wears dresses about once a month; i wear them about twice a year. Most of the women she's around wear pants most of the time, so I imagine she will, too...but if she wants to wear dresses, it's fine with me.

However, i don't allow my partner out of the house in pants. Actually, i don't allow him out of the house at all.


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## Lucky Charm (Nov 8, 2002)

My daughter loves all clothes....dresses, skirts, shorts, pants, leggins....expecially shorts as we lived in florida for many years.

My favorite bathing suit of hers was one with board shorts. I love her in board shorts and sandals. She's still really cute to me even though she is almost 18!


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2*
Dresses are not inheirantly restrictive--- they are simply restrictive when you "realize" that you are not supposed to ever show your panties.

Thank Goddess Kailey can't read yet! She'd be devestated!


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Once I was older than a toddler, I wore skirts and dresses for a long time due to being ina religious group (cult?) that required it. After I left the group, I continued to wear long dresses and skirts but out of choice, because I liked them. But ever since I've been working in early childhood ed, I've been wearing mostly pants to work because it's just much easier physically - especially in special education where I have to move a lot, and quickly, and often have to physically help my students. Now on the weekends, I mostly wear dresses and skirts to dress up because I've looked so frumpy during the week. They range from ankle-length to so-short-I-have-to-wear-a-pair-of-bloomers-underneath.


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## angelpie545 (Feb 23, 2005)

Of course I would. I wear pants all the time? Huh? Is this a serious question? My daughters wear mostly pants, but they do own quite a lot of dresses, but they I don't want them wearing skirts and dresses everyday b/c they'll get them dirty, especially my youngest, who is quite the tomboy, and she's only two. :LOL


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PikkuMyy*
Once I was older than a toddler, I wore skirts and dresses for a long time due to being ina religious group (cult?) that required it. After I left the group, I continued to wear long dresses and skirts but out of choice, because I liked them. But ever since I've been working in early childhood ed, I've been wearing mostly pants to work because it's just much easier physically - especially in special education where I have to move a lot, and quickly, and often have to physically help my students. Now on the weekends, I mostly wear dresses and skirts to dress up because I've looked so frumpy during the week. They range from ankle-length to so-short-I-have-to-wear-a-pair-of-bloomers-underneath.


Oh I am so there with you. I work with school age children and there is no way I would be caught dead in a skirt or dress. How would you be able to play board games on the floor or baseball during outside play? Gahlly! It's either shorts, capris, or pants for me.


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## UCmamaToMany (May 23, 2005)

Absolutely they wear pants outside the house! It's easier tot run and play and I have boy upskirting phobia's thanks to PS! They wear dresses whent hey want to and on SUndays to church as well.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva*
Well, I know some religious groups so this. I had a woman approach me in a supermarket and tell me I should put my daughter in dresses like Hannah in the bible.

I don't know what she meant, and haven't looked it up. Does anyone know?

I don't know the exact location, but there is a line in the Torah/Old Testament that reads "Men shall not wear women's garments and women shall not wear men's garments."

Nowhere does the Bible specify that women wear skirts or that men wear pants, just that men and women shouldn't wear each other's clothes. Also, it specifies "men" and "women", not "boys" and "girls."


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2*
Dresses are not inheirantly restrictive--- they are simply restrictive when you "realize" that you are not supposed to ever show your panties.


My daughter likes to wear her clothes too small so the skirt ends up short and kind of tight. She will now tell me that she wants to wear pants if she knows she will be climbing on the play structure. The dress she wore today was so short that you could see her panties when she bent over. I didn't let her know that as we were already at school.

Lately she has been wearing sandal clogs, so I feel like that is more restrictive to playing, but she has adapted pretty well. I'm impressed as she can have a hard time with shoes and I figured she would not like wearing the clogs.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Thanks Ruth, I wonder what the freak she was talking about.

Also what about pants that are MADE for women? Are they mens clothes? And hey not only did women wear dresses or long robes, so did men! What then?


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla*
Nowhere does the Bible specify that women wear skirts or that men wear pants, just that men and women shouldn't wear each other's clothes. Also, it specifies "men" and "women", not "boys" and "girls."


I was known to borrow my father's underwear as a teen when I was desperate. All mine were dirty and my mom didn't want me to bleed on hers. My dad was not happy to have his underwear returned with bloodstains, though.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

That line from the Torah has been interpreted different ways by different rabbis (and I'm sure by Muslims and Christians as well, I'm just not familiar with any non-Jewish interpretations.)

Some rabbis say that, nowadays, pants are for men and skirts are for women, and don't even allow cullotes for women. Some rabbis say that anything that's made for women- pants, skirt, whatever- is women's clothing and isn't a problem. I assume these same rabbis would have no problem with men wearing kilts but wouldn't want women wearing them.

There's also the interpretation that what matters is how you look in the clothing, not what the tailor had in mind. The prohibition is against men and women cross-dressing with the intention of passing for the opposite gender. By this interpretation, gender-neutral clothing such as jeans and t-shirts aren't a problem.

To the best of my knowledge, borrowing dh's undies isn't a problem because it's not visible to the "public."


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## calicokatt (Mar 14, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *iris0110*
I never wear skirts or dresses. I have thought it would be nice to have a few gypsy skirts, but I like to wear t-shirts, and T-shirts just look better with jeans than skirts.

Actually, t-shirts look GREAT with gypsy skirts, as do tank tops (that's pretty much all I wear-very comfy, too!)

Kathy


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

My girl (both kids actually) can wear whatever she wants. I dig her wardrobe :LOL. Cute thread title BTW







She has some jeans with cool embroidery, and a velvet spaghetti strap dress with in dark red crushed velvet with dangly bead trim on the hem. It's so gorgeous.


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## UnschoolnMa (Jun 14, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Britishmum*
OK, I'm really baffled.

Is this an American thing? Southern?

Are there truly people here who only dress girls in dresses? Can someone explain?

And sorry to be dense, but are there truly mdc mamas who do this? Or is this a wind up?

Confused..............









The thread was intended to be rather tongue-in-cheek :LOL

There are indeed people who believe that women (females of any age) should only ever wear dresses though. I have a close friend who's church/religion feels that women wearing pants goes against scripture...right along with hair cutting, make-up & jewelry etc. I do not share their interpretation of the scripture, but there you have it lol.


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## Jennifer3141 (Mar 7, 2004)

Someone usually has to DIE before my DD goes into a dress. It's not worth the fight. And tights went on ONCE. I'll never do that to her again.

Jen


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## insahmniak (Aug 16, 2003)

I've sometimes tried to picture what a tongue-in-cheek smilie would look like.
I used to think it could be useful. But now I'm certain we're much better off without it.
Thanks. Now I can stop picturing. It wasn't pretty. I'm a girl, so I like pretty.

Oops. Just saw the tongue-in-cheek again.

Bad Girl. No pants for me.


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## Ilaria (Jan 14, 2002)

I still don't get it. Granted, I've only read the first few pages, but are there really people who don't let their daughters wear pants? Really?


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

I'm thinking I must be the only real dresses-only person on this thread.







:
I know it's all in fun, but there are actually people who believe in this seriously. My family started this when I was about 9 and we joined a community that required it. I *never* felt hindered or restricted in any way. We played all kinds of highly active sports (volleyball, soccer, speedball) in school, went hiking the Appalachian Trail in PA, canoing on the Shenandoah, and took a whole lot of bus trips to DC, all in long, full skirts. Oh, and when we did sports and decided to do "boys vs girls", skirts never stopped us girls from absolutely whippin' those boys. :LOL

I think rebellion against such things has more to do with the family dynamic and what goes on in the home than with just dresses. Kids can tell if their parents are hypocritical and just being religious for the sake of religion.


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## Ilaria (Jan 14, 2002)

Rebellion? I guess I wouldn't call wanting to wear pants "rebellious".


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

I meant rebellion in terms of children rebelling against their parents standards and rules--in some of the examples given pants wearing was an expression of rebellion.

Does that make sense?


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## saintmom (Aug 19, 2003)

Oh my God! I sit around with my feet up on funiture all the time!I must be gay







Wait till I tell my dh LoL








I've also known many gay women who were very femine,wore dresses etc,

I dressed my oldest daughter in dresses leggings when she was small.But i always wonder about people making rules about what women should wear.Seems pretty retsrictive.
What would you say to a muslim or indian women that always wore salwar kameez?The long to kuta with matching pants.I several outfits -ultra comfortable-but still "pants" kwim?


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## Europeanmom (May 7, 2005)

:


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## Charles Baudelaire (Apr 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
I don't know... today she showed the Amish lady at the outlet grocery store her pretty fairy undies.

Whoops. I wonder if Amish children ever lift up THEIR skirts in public. Seriously, I do. And if they do, what do their parents do??


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## happyhippiemama (Apr 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Charles Baudelaire*
Whoops. I wonder if Amish children ever lift up THEIR skirts in public. Seriously, I do. And if they do, what do their parents do??

Yup, they do. Behind the barn, where their parents can't see. :LOL


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## jadegirl553 (Mar 28, 2004)

Maybe the restrictiveness of skirts is why girls in the mid 20th century wore short dresses with bloomers. Not restrictive, and still modest-ish.

I don't know what I'll do when/if I have a daughter. All I know is that it is so sad to see the baby girls at church struggling to crawl in their pouffy, lacy dresses. They end up resorting to getting around by walking on their hands and feet.


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## onlyzombiecat (Aug 15, 2004)

My dd wears pants almost every day. So do I.

I'm not opposed to dresses. I think they are a lot nicer in summer than winter. It tends to be really windy here so I think pants are more comfortable most days.


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## wtchyhlr (Oct 15, 2002)

Well, if DS had been a DD, she would've worn boy clothes cuz thats what we inherited and I can't fathom paying $15 an outfit for baby clothes that are gonna get worn out in a few months.

I don't wear dresses myself - i'm a jeans and sweater kinda gal


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## reeseccup (Jul 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie*
Would you let your daughter wear pants out of the house?

yes, but most of the time she CHOOSES to wear skirts or dresses...how in all creation did I get such a girly girl when i'm sooooooo not?


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## Pynki (Aug 19, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thismama*
Of course no daughter of mine will be seen in pants outside of the house.

I believe all of you who allow your girls to wear pants are contributing to gender role confusion. And this is immoral, a big no-no.

Next thing you know they will be lesbians, sitting on the furniture with their feet up.

Girlndocs, I'm not surprised to see your post.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jadegirl553*

I don't know what I'll do when/if I have a daughter. All I know is that it is so sad to see the baby girls at church struggling to crawl in their pouffy, lacy dresses. They end up resorting to getting around by walking on their hands and feet.

My baby girl only wore baby dresses, and she managed to crawl. Maybe it's a matter of being used to it?


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## chfriend (Aug 29, 2002)

Like beanma, I'm happy my dd1 is wearing something leaving the house.

She is categorically opposed to underwear ("They give me a crotch-y, Mom.") (Crotch-y is a neighbor's term for "wedge-y" which she adopted.) She most often chooses an oversized t-shirt, knit shorts or leggings and elephanten shoes or velcro sandals.

Comfort and color seem to guide her choices. She likes red, purple and green clothes. Hates navy, black and pink. (Surely one of you Waldorf-y moms can tell me what the heck that means about her!)

She got a beautiful ankle length dress at a yard sale that she wears to go to community dances. She also wore it to the Waldorf May Faire.

Pants are a must on dd2 because she can undo the velcro on her diaper and takes it off constantly!

My family uses clothes pins or a knot to tie dresses out of the way of crawlers. Otherwise their knees get caught and they sit in the middle of the florr complaining. AM, maybe yours had short enough dresses?


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## reilly's momma (Oct 3, 2002)

I remember my mom talking about her childhood, she grew up in a small town in Connecticut & was required to wear skirts/dresses to school for part of her elementary school (the rule was changed, I forget how old she was). Anyway, she was a major tomboy. She would get up to go fishin' in the wee hours before school & would show up to school in her knee-length skirt & hip length fishing boots, lol


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## diamond lil (Oct 6, 2003)

Note: I read many of the posts, but not all!

I saw some posts about strict/religious families that do not allow their girls to wear pants. My best friend's family was exactly like this. They were very strict southern baptists and sometimes I attended their church.

Their pastor was very annoying. I went to a wednesday evening church activity with my friend (I guess we were about 14 years old at the time). I wore jeans. The pastor kept referring to me as "son," and "boy," etc despite my long hair, blue eyeshadow and obvious chest buds! I was so annoyed and offended that he kept pointing out to me "Oops, I thought you were a boy because you are wearing pants." Sorry, there's nothing boyish about me!

I never went back to the church, but the pastor lived near my friend and seemed to ALWAYS be over at my friend's house. I used to dread seeing him because of all the comments. Once, he commented to my friend's mom that she shouldn't let her daughter go upstairs alone with a boy - he was referring to me! He already knew me by then and KNEW I was obviously a girl. (My friend's family was cool about me wearing pants.)

In retaliation, next time he was over at their house, I would sit with my legs wide open on purpose, belch, fart, you name it, in his general direction. Very un-ladylike.


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Grace Prevailed*
I never went back to the church, but the pastor lived near my friend and seemed to ALWAYS be over at my friend's house. I used to dread seeing him because of all the comments. Once, he commented to my friend's mom that she shouldn't let her daughter go upstairs alone with a boy - he was referring to me! He already knew me by then and KNEW I was obviously a girl. (My friend's family was cool about me wearing pants.)


What an ass! Maybe he wasn't allowed to be a normal kid, so he was reliving his 3 year old days, "Nyah, nyah, you're a boy, a big old boy!"


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

I have not read through this thread . . but I wanted to point out that pants/dress is Western culture. In China it is traditional for me and women to wear pants and tops. In India (and many other places in the world) it is traditional for men and women to wear something wrapped around their bottom half.

My wedding day in India

Both dh and I are wearing "dresses".

It is sad though, that dh doesn't feel comfortable wearing his veshti in public and will actually wear pants to the temple and change in the bathroom.


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## girlndocs (Mar 12, 2004)

Oh, no, Darshani, how do they all know who's a man and who's a woman?


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *girlndocs*
Oh, no, Darshani, how do they all know who's a man and who's a woman?

















:


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## delicious (Jun 16, 2003)

i love your wedding picture!


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## Suzetta (Dec 21, 2003)

I must be very naiive. I don't know who's serious an whos kidding on this thread.









In my former life I worked in a public school in Michigan. The dress code for the younger teachers (my age) was very casual. However, the more senior teachers (especially the African American ladies) adhered to a very classy, well dressed code. One day a student came into me with a scrap of paper that had a bible passage on it. He told me his grandma wanted me to read this about pants. I did, and sure enough it was pretty strong words about women dressing 'like men'. I can't remember where it is, but will try to find it.

My mentor teacher and I had some real heart to heart talks about it. She was my mom's age, and was kind of sad that her daughter, like me, chose to dress more casual in cottons, jeans etc.

I don't know what my point is. I guess I was really impacted strongly at the time by that child bringing that in. I guess that folks have a right to choose how they want to dress, and it really isn't anybody else's business to judge!


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## Cajunmomma (Nov 21, 2001)

annettemarie, sorry I didn't respond earlier, but I've been really busy the last few days getting ready for a trip, so I haven't seen the thread since yesterday. Yeah, it was a religious thing. We have been completely dropped by our old "friends", who will now pass us without so much as a word.

I've really done a lot of soul-searching about this issue, and I just can't see it as a moral issue. I don't care what my girls wear, as long as it's modest enough. I'm not going to draw lines where they don't have to be, because I can tell you that there comes a time when lines are a necessity. I'm not spending my capital on what are to me insignificant issues.

I understand that others see this issue in a whole different light. I've really tried to see both sides--but it's just not a salvation issue for me.


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## RosieTook (Sep 4, 2004)

Dh and I have discussed what we will allow ALL our children to wear in public..if it is modest, it's cool. That's it. boys in dresses, girls in pants, whatever...

That said I LOVE putting little dresses on dd...she has some of the cutest little tank dresses she wears over a t-shirt and they are short enough that she can crawl fine. She pretty much ALWAYS wears pants out though, because it can still get a little chilly up here in the great white north, so I want her to be warm.

When she grows up, we have the modest rule. That's it. She can wear what she is comfy in.


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