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Alice in rural land's avatar

Dear Keturah, I read this article with great curiosity and interest a few months back. I grew up in a liberal, atheist, European family so naturally, no one ever discussed whether pants or dresses were appropriate for women. These topics were not even on my radar. If anything, I wear pants most of the time out of habit. When I lived in an African country however, I wore dresses most of the time because its really hot and all women there wear dresses and skirts most of the time. I was not even allowed inside a public building if I wore pants or open-toe sandals, to my great surprise !

After pregnancy and the many changes my body went through, I started to have problems with pants. There are too tight, unconfortable, do not adjust to the ebbs and flows of my waist and my belly. But still, I didn't really consciously allowed myself to mostly wear skirts. I wore those horrible leggings or out of shape pants for months, looking shaby and feeling embarassed at my appearance.

After reading your article, it kinda brewed in my mind over a few weeks..... so I gave it a go. Found a beautiful skirt at a second hand shop and I just love it: it is so confortable, so freeing to not be ensnared in tight pants.... I got myself a couple more here and there and have been trying to be more intentionnal in how I dress. Just a very interesting development all around so I wanted to give you a feedback :) have a great day

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Thaddeus Hughes's avatar

This is very interesting.

The robe itself - very plain - is by itself a fairly androgynous garment, in many ways because it hides and obscures the human form. But when it develops, and conforms more to the skin, it takes on the attributes of that body which lies beneath it. A monk's cord begins to show (or not show) their hips. The aspects of a dress begin to accentuate a woman's hips and breasts. A bishop's vestments, layered on, have a gravitas that only makes sense in the masculine, and would be betrayed by feminine curves.

That there is a more elegant form of clothing for both men and women does not demolish the idea that it would not develop into different things for both sexes.

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