The title says it all. “You don’t wear pants?” In short, no.
My story is about how God convicted my heart. When I was a little girl, I noticed Deuteronomy 22:5.
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
My first thought, even then, was, “So why do women wear pants?” But I was young, and all the ladies I knew wore pants, so I dismissed it.
Years later, when I went to a Christian college, I had a roommate that had never worn pants. That blew my mind! I honestly thought that the only women who never wore pants were either Amish or Mennonite. Little did I know that the Lord would convict me of this very same issue.
I don’t remember exactly when I made the commitment to switch from pants to skirts and dresses. I was dating my husband at the time, because my mom told me later that she thought I started wearing skirts just because he said to.
I wore skirts most of the time after we were married. It wasn’t until we switched churches that I actually heard preaching about it. That was when I stopped wearing pants completely.
In 2 Corinthians 6:17a the Bible calls us to
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”
It is my desire to dress differently than the world does. If I am to be separate, and to live a set apart life, my appearance needs to reflect that.
Here are some pictures
I’ve added some new pictures of me in skirts. It’s been a while, I’ve lost quite a bit of weight, and the style of my clothes has changed a bit. I almost always wear a denim skirt. They’re made using the Simplicity 5914 pattern. It’s my favorite because it is very comfortable and goes together quickly. It’s also long and full enough to be very modest.
Here are some pictures:
On a Sunday morning
Hiking at a state park with C in the sling (Simplicity 5914, view D)
A dressier denim skirt with an older t-shirt. This is pretty typical for me most days. (Simplicity 5914, View A – it’s not as full through the hips but flares more at the bottom)
Here are my older pictures. I no longer wear the jumpers – but that’s because I’ve lost so much weight they don’t fit. Jumpers are comfortable, but I don’t care for certain styles as much any more. With my body shape, they’re just not flattering. It’s a slow process at times, but I’ve been trying to add items to my wardrobe that are modest AND look nice at the same time.
That said, here are my old pictures:
A comfy jumper (Simplicity 9559 pattern) that’s a bit too big. I used a jacket clips in the back to bring it in a bit.
Another Sunday picture
After a piano lesson Monday night
Right before church Sunday night
Washing dishes Friday evening
Pictures from before this week
My husband and I at the church Christmas party
Riding a go-kart
Going down a slide
Hi,
I am from Papua New Guinea.
I am just wondering what you wear when you want to to skiing or horse-riding or hiking, we are not into swimming costume much over here, and tend to jump into the water in our skirts and it is a hassle.
and I am just wondering, do we simply forgo some heavenly thrills because we don’t have to wear trousers when it is necessary?
I am a fundamental baptist and am overweight, and when I go for morning walks, I like to wear tights under my skirt, and if i go on the treadmill, i like to wear pants, it makes it easier, and when its cold at night I like to wear pants too.
Not that I wwear it into town or not, highly unlikely.
I would like to go swimming and not be bothered that my skirt is playing tricks on me, or when I want to play basketball.
I am 13. i normally wore dresses or sweatpants until i was 6 years old but i didnt really have a choic then. when i was 7 i decided to wear skirts just because i dont like pants. unlike you i wear short jean skirts and shorts even in the winter. i also dont wear longsleeve shirts, coats, or tights. i also wear long colorful socks. but i have never worn jeans ever. my mom said that when i was a baby i refused to wear jeans or shoes.
Tea, thank you!
I completely agree with Launa. (Although I don’t have a disability and I do actually love to wear skirts and dresses when I can.) I love the way she shared and I couldn’t do it any better.
I’m also glad you’re willing to share where you stand with openess and a willingness to hear from others. I’m enjoying looking around your site! 🙂
Thank you, Tea!
Hey, I’m a first timer to your site and I am really enjoying it. It has been a great encouragment to me! I’m in my low 50’s and just this past year and 1/2, the Lord has showed me this very same thing! I’m quite amazed because I’ve been a Christian since I was 26 years old. I’ve read my bible(skipping around alot) and never came across this verse (Deut.) until now! I’m shocked! A little over a year ago, the Lord brought 2 ladies in my path(1 at church, the other at our christian school) who were all dresses&skirts and the Lord raised my curiosity concerning their lifestyle with apparel. It had to be the Lord because never before have I even questioned it. I’ve always dressed what I believed was modest since becoming a Christian, but once I did some research on the internet, different testimonies concerning this from different ladies, I realized this had nothing to do with salvation, but wanting to please and obey the Lord. Just this past month, my first month, I’ve been wearing all skirts and it is a very exciting time in my life indeed as I feel God has done a work inside of me saying Just trust me, just trust me! Give me every little compartment of your life, don’t hold anything back! Praise God! He wants to speak to us through His Word if we will only listen. One month! I’m contemplating throwing away all of my pants and shorts now(Big Step) It is very handy throwing on a jean skirt most days. I can now just wear a few skirts and focus on finding cute comfortable modest tops to go with them. Thank you soooo much for sharing your heart and God can teach OLD dogs NEW things!!!haha
This is a issue I have struggledwith for a long time I work as a nurse and never see fellow nurses working in skirts or dresses but at home I perfer them they make me feel both femine and Godly I sleep maostly in gowns. Can you suggest some solution to my dilema? Are pants ok as uniforms Or should I start looking for web sites that sell dress and skirt uniforms. Iam required to wear navy bottoms all the time at work butmay wear white on the top. thank you for your time and advice.
I respect you for the stand you’ve taken on “no pants”. I grew up in a church where many many girls did not wear pants. I wore them but only for certain occasions.
I now rarely wear a skirt or dress. I think that others will know your faith by the way you act, by the things you do and say, not by the way you dress.
Launa, thank you for your input. It is interesting to hear your viewpoint. My mother-in-law is disabled as well, and it sounds like you and her share similar views. Thanks for posting here!
I completely respect your convictions and believe that we are all convicted of different things as we are molded by our Father to be what He has planned for us. I do not share my brother’s convictions even though our beliefs are almost identical.
I am a Christian homeschooling mom to 5 and do not own a single dress or skirt. I have 1 borrowed evening gown hanging in the closet, but that’s it. As a disabled person, I have never felt comfortable or modest in dresses or skirts. I feel that physical limitations prevent me from having a certain amount of grace that is required to maintain modesty while in a skirt or dress. The longer lengths are almost impossible for me to walk and not stumble given this.
My point is that I do not like a man or in men’s clothing. The clothing I wear is very feminine and designed for women. Back in the day of Christ men wore dresslike clothing very very similar to what women wore.
I’ve always felt that this verse speaks more to the twisted desire in some to be transvestites and cross dressers…the actual desire to dress in the other gender’s clothing.
I do applaud you for standing with your convictions.
Thanks, Donya!
hi there. i’m new to the site, but love it!
“Praise the LORD and shame on the devil”, as a great man of GOD used to say! Wow! I sure appreciate this sight! The LORD laid on my heart just under 20 years ago to “let go” of my former attire, in which form fitting britches were among them! While I personally struggled with this, there wasn’t really anyone preaching “at me” about this issue. And yes, my husband did ask me to wear a dress or culottes (split skirts) because this was what our Pastor preached. Well, like most of women, I submitted on the outside, but on the inside I was throwin’ a royal fit!!! But truly, I wanted to be pleasing to my LORD and my husband. So I began to pray and search out answers in the word of God. While reading things about women wearing men’s attire, I justified , “but the britches were made for women”! When I presented this argument to my husband, his words were, that is a lot of the problem, they are made to “FIT” a woman, and if women really knew what goes through men’s minds, they would know that this isn’t something that is pleasing to the LORD. Then the LORD showed me the verse about women wearing modest apparel. Well, now lets be honest some of our dresses etc.. aren’t so modest either! Well, regardless, I began to pray and seek the LORD’S face about this matter. I read a book called “Woman to Woman” and I’m not even sure who wrote this question and answer, but God used it to truly change me, my heart, and my entire life through this decision! You see the article stated that this woman used this step of separation as a way to let her “light shine.” Well, I got on my knees right there and then and claimed this as my testimony. I begged God to use this testimony to save souls and now 20 years later my family and I cannot begin to name the amount of professions of faith there have been because of this decision. You see, literally the LORD has brought people up to me and asked “why do you always wear dresses?, or why do you wear those funny things?” Most often my reply is, “actually it is to make you ask me that very question,” And needless to say Witnessing ensues! But truthfully, I do have to say I do NOT sit in judgment of anyone who dresses any different, because the LORD has certainly humbled me over these past years, and let me tell you that God has shown me some awesome Godly women (far more godlier than I) that God has used great for his service and yes, they still maintain an aspect of modesty. So please do not misunderstand and think that as a Christian woman doing the very best she can to serve the LORD, that I or anyone else that has this conviction sits in judgment of others who do not share this. Because we know this judgment is the LORDs.
In HIS SERVICE, & ACHING TO SERVE HIM MORE,
Rhonda
Eccl. 3:1 ” To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
PS. I have that exact same pattern and LOVE IT!
Just a question , probably a dumb one but ………… Im a furniture builder and stay and work at home-r…For yrs when building i wear pants and shorts etc. Its just become uncomfortable as of late and i have gotten to a place that i just cant stand the confined feeling i have while working . I have been unable to find a style skirt that i feel has a design that will be safe around the dangerious tools in my shop . Ive always been big on safty and i worry about getting caught up in my machinery . Its happened before when wearing a loose fitting T. What do you suggest ? I have no problems with skirts at any other time , Not even when roofing or out hunting or chopping wood. But these large and dangerious power tools and skirts just arent mixing and i need something a bit loose as to be mobil on the job.Any Ideas?
Toni R.
Jenn – I’m so glad that you like it! I have long legs, so when I make mine, I lengthen the long view by about 2 inches. It’s hands-down my favorite skirt pattern.
And no, it’s not too hard to make!
Thank you for posting your pattern # for the skirt. I just ordered one online. I love it! The flow of it is so feminine. It’s getting so hard to find that length skirt without horrifying slits up the back or side. This is just my style! Hopefully I don’t butcher it trying to make one….LOL!!!
Hi, I find your site through PHM. I am making the change from pants to dresses and skirts and growing my hair long. God is really convicting me. I am glad I found your site
Hi, I am Norma, from PHM and we are actually quite close to each other. I live about 5 miles from Whitehorse Rd. in Greenville, maybe we can get together sometime? I have a special needs son of 17 and a dd of 11. I had infertility problems for several years. We always wanted to adopt but won’t get to now.
Norma
Thanks Melody! I’ll check them out.
Hi Theresa,
I do make most of my own dresses and skirts. In the pictures above, I made all the skirts except the denim skirt in the Christmas picture. The green dress I did not make – in fact, I’m looking for a pattern that is similar to it, because it is so comfortable.
The tan skirt is just khaki twill. It’s Simplicity pattern #5914. I haven’t had it that long, so I think you can still get it. I’ve made 6 or 7 skirts from that pattern, and all of the skirts in the pictures above are from the 5914 pattern. The black one is a brushed suede (faux suede). I just love it. But then, I really like the khaki one too.
I also make a bunch of jumpers from Simplicity 9559. Unfortunately, I’ve had a hard time finding that pattern anymore. It’s wonderful, though! In the Christmas recital picture I’m wearing a jumper from that pattern.
Hi Melody,
I was wondering if you make your own dresses and skirts? I really like the light tan (or is it cream) colored skirt in the top photo (after piano lessons). I love the flow and length of it and wondered if it was a homemade and if so, could you share the pattern name and number.
Thanks!
Theresa
Hello! I am new here. I don’t ask this in a condescending way, but with complete love. I found that e-mails can be taken wrong. BTW, I love wearing skirts and dresses. I get alot more respect, especially from the older generation. I am not Amish or Mennonite, either. (smile) I was just curious about something. In certain countries where men wear what looks like dresses (some African countries and other Muslim countries), is it wrong then for the Christian believer women there to wear dresses. So are they disobedient because they are dressing the exact same way as men. Is it cultural? Also, if a women dresses in a bright pink pant suit – is she dressing like a man?
I’m so glad they can be an encouragement to somebody! I do find that people tend to treat me with more respect in a skirt. For a while I had wondered if I was just imagining things, but really, I think people do treat women differently if they’re dressed in a skirt.
Thanks so much for the pictures; they are such an encouragement to me. I, too, find that I am treated with more respect in a dress or skirt. I probably treat others with more respect as well when I’m dressed appropriately. 🙂
I have noticed that I really like wearing my jean skirt more than the other skirts that I wear, you look very
lovely:) Have you noticed that people
treat you with more respect since you have worn skirts? I personally have noticed that. I wish more women would
put a dress or skirt on, just for the
simple fact that it would make them feel
much better, and you do not have to have
money to dress modestly at all, I buy most all my clothes at the thrift store paying only about 2 dollars. Or i buy dresses at walmart on clearance for only 3 dollars.