It's Winter and our Coats are at Home!

Winter has rolled in to Colorado and my winter clothes are all in Arizona. We have the heater on in the trailer day and night. We're not moving on for another few weeks - What to do? 

To tell the truth, we did keep a few winter items with us "just in case". Not that I seriously thought we would need them. My problem this entire last year. I kept out 1 pair of long johns, my London Fog raincoat with liner and a fleece sweater. I have several summer scarves that can serve for neck warmers and one pair of glove-liner gloves. We also kept the boy's down jacket.

Since we're living in the trailer, we have most of our clothes in the closet. We each keep one suitcase under the bed and that is wear we kept the coats - until 2 weeks ago. Now we are very glad to have them. Even though we will be spending most of the winter in warmer climes, we will be back for a few weeks. So next stop at the Arizona stix and brix, we'll be picking up some more long johns, a couple winter hats, gloves, scarves and snow boots! Where will we put them when we don't need them? In the suitcases, of course. If we decide to take air or rail transport and need our suitcases, we will just leave the extras in the trailer closet.

And when we're in winter weather and don't need the summer clothes? You've got it - we'll keep the suitcases packed.

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Modest Dressing

I am a convert to modest dressing. I have only been conciously trying to dress modestly for about eight years now. Prior to that I was all about fashion and being "appreciated". I have to put that in quotes because the kind of "appreciation" I got was not really what I was looking for. In my pursuit of guidelines for modesty, I ran across a book by Colleen Hammond called "Dressing With Dignity", in which she discusses some very unpleasant but true facts about how we dress and how we are treated. I did some research on my own, and concluded that her evidence was real. In defense of women, I am not just speaking of us, here. Modesty is just as important for men. Women may not be as visual in nature as men, but we do take notice of physical attributes. And in looking around me when I'm out in "the world", I realize just how important it is to encourage our children to dress modestly. I mean, is it really that "cute" when little children run around topless, or a first grader bends over and you can see her entire torso? Do we really think pedophiles are limited to the internet?

While there are many degrees of modesty, from fashionable to frumpy, I think most agree that basic modesty includes covering all cleavage and "privates". This would include not only necklines and waistbands (as opposed to hip bands), but also sleeve lengths and hemlines. Ms. Hammond's book gives one of the best basic guidelines I have found. To paraphrase: a woman's neckline should be such that cleavage is covered and when you bend over you are not giving a display; sleeve length should be long enough that when you lift your arms, you cannot see through to undergarments or what is underneath. Also, fabrics should not be sheer or see-through.

For myself, I prefer dresses and skirts, and I like my hemlines to be mid-calf or below, without slits, wraps or buttons that can inadvertently open to show my legs. I like my legs just fine, but I don't feel I have to show them off to everybody anymore. In cooler weather, I add a layer of leggings and socks under the dress. I prefer my sleeves 3/4 length or longer, I can always roll them up. Again, I wear an extra shirt in cooler weather, a sweater is also an option. I do wear shorter sleeves in hot weather. I do not bear the burden of excessive cleavage, however, I do try to keep my necklines up near that little dip in my collarbone (forget what it's called). Sometimes this involves adding a pin to close a low neckline a bit higher, or wrapping and tying a pretty scarf.

As far as head covering, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. This is more because of the fact that I have very fine hair that doesn't like to cooperate, and blows wildly in the slightest breeze. I frequently wear scarves and hats, and have always enjoyed them. I always try to wear a chapel veil in church, though there are many times I forget, and once in a while choose not to. But that is a whole 'nuther issue.

Swimsuits are a challenge. Though there are many options and offerings for modest clothing, there is a severe lack of choices in the swimsuit area. I love to swim, and for years now, I have been wearing long shorts and a long sleeved tshirt to swim. I have tried different materials, but unfortunately, the skin tight spandex seems to be the best choice for comfort, quick drying, and coverage. Lately I have run across some great styles in modest swimwear, and hope to make a new modest swimsuit for myself for next year. My favorite style is from Simply Modest, and consists of leggings ending just below the knee, and a tunic style shirt with short sleeves (which could be lengthened) and the tunic ending just a few inches above the knee, thereby covering the hip and buttocks area. I am not sure how this would do in the water, but from my experience with the tshirts, I believe the spandex on the torso would stay put, while the longer area may ride up in the water, but could be smoothed back down upon exiting. Another trick to keep in mind here, is choosing a patterned material for the top to de-emphasize the cling, and a solid, darker color for the leggings, for a slimming effect. As for men and boys, I appreciate the long, baggy trunks, held up, of course, to cover their "cleavage", and the mesh shirts, popular for many sports are preferable, in my opinion, to a bare chest. On a purely practical level, the more covered you are, the less need for sunscreen.

So there you have it - my take on modest dressing. Now that I'm started, I'm sure I'll have more to say in future posts.