Fashion I don't "get" : Duggar Family Fashion edition

By Faye
@FayeHazel (40248)
United States
May 20, 2018 1:49pm CST
Incase you don't know - the Duggar family were the stars of the TLC TV show called "19 Kids and Counting" and the show followed this large family as their kids were born, grew up, and lived every day life. They are part of a Religious movement which promotes having extremely large families and values conservative leanings. So I was on the odd side of Youtube and came across this video which addresses their fashion rules. I'm going to prefix this by saying - <B> I have nothing against people being modest, or people having morals and values, these are only my thoughts on the subject of the Duggar family fashion rules. So, being conservative - obviously - low cut necklines, bare shoulders, short shorts and mini skirts are out. That isn't too surprising. So are pants of any type. Now skirts can be quite comfortable, this is true. But for other things they are uncomfortable - such as physical activity. One of the many daughters is into weight lifting. And she must do so in a skirt. I can't imagine that being comfortable, or as she squats and lifts - it could cause some immodesty that they are trying so hard to avoid. As a woman I would feel insulted being told that I need to work out in a skirt. But that's me. If it works for them, more power to them. While it makes sense that itty bitty bikinis are out - so are regular, modest, swimming suits. They can only wear "wholesome suits" which are a special made swim suit that consist of a pair of shorts that go to the knee, a longer skirt over the top of that, and a top that looks sort of like a turtleneck. And those are not allowed in public. Only privately at a friend's swimming pool. Now, I have nothing against the modest swim suit - if it's made out of swim material and hygienic for a pool. I might even be tempted to try one, other than it looks really inconvenient to attempt swimming with all that fabric, and I like to get an even suntan. However if you are buying one of these to avoid attracting attention to yourself - it's pretty rare to see someone so covered up at the beach. It might actually end up drawing more attention to you. Interesting enough - apparently the men do not need to follow any fashion rules themselves and can wear whatever they wish. But they do need to look at the ground whenever a woman is around in public who is not following the Duggar family fashion rules. There is even a codeword. I guess if the women spot an immodestly dressed woman out in public(you know, someone in a regular swim suit, bare shoulders, tank top, shorts, etc....) the women call out "Nike" - the word chosen to be a code word for an immodestly dressed woman. The men are to immediately avert their eyes, looking at the ground until she passes. (Who knows what the shoe company thinks.) I think that's really sad. If I were a man I would be insulted at the insinuation that I couldn't contain myself at the sight of a bare shoulder. *gasp*. I live in the midwest. We midwesterners aren't known to be really flashy or provocative. But even here tank tops and shorts are the uniform of summer, basically. I mean, do these people function in society? I can imagine the Duggar woman walking down the street of my small town chanting "Nike!" "Nike!" "Nike!" and then men walking into trees, lampposts and buildings because they need to look down all the time. What if the men need - for some reason, to interact with one of those "immodest" women? Anyway - in effort to take the focus off of the body, I feel like they turn it into a big deal. I hesitated making this next point, however, one of the Duggar boys molested his own sisters, and those sisters were following the fashion rules - so it isn't all about seeing flesh that feeds bad instincts, after all. Personally - it doesn't bother me if they want to be modest as long as everyone is allowed a choice to do so, And these are only my thoughts on the topic.
Fashion and style rules the girls from 19 kids and counting must follow. Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Hnoaw3 ---------------------------------------------------...
8 people like this
6 responses
@AmbiePam (85461)
• United States
20 May 18
I went to a Christian school that followed the ways of the Duggars. We even had to sign a paper promising not to go to the movies. We lived in a bad neighborhood at the time, and my parents were terrified to send us to a public school. Since my dad was a preacher we got a discount at that school, which was forty minutes away from our house. Still yet, my mom had to get a job too. I got a great education, but the rules of the school affected me. I always had a big problem with male authority figures, and I can trace it there. To tell you how extreme they were, there is a Facebook group dedicated to "survivors" of that school. Apparently, the legalism even affected the guys as a lot of men have spoken out against them too.
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (85461)
• United States
21 May 18
@FayeHazel It does. As a kid, it was no big deal. My dad was big on modesty, so I had a bunch of dresses. And I had an occasional teacher that would make you forget school was strict. But they caused me to feel bad about things I shouldn't have felt bad about. Fortunately, by fourth grade my parents had started a Christian school, and I started going there. They were still conservative, but not Duggar conservative. And that school did have a scandal too. A family with five girls whose dad coached a sport was discovered to be molesting his daughters. He killed himself.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
22 May 18
@AmbiePam The modesty thing is cool. (Just some of the Duggar rules actually seem to defeat what they're trying to accomplish at times) I'm sorry about the guilt trips -- that stuff can be really hard to get over, but it sounds like at least you realize what caused it. Oh how sad for that family. That is a very messed up thing that dad did. And then the way he handled it too. Sad for them. I hope they find some peace in life.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
21 May 18
Oh wow. I can see why your parents thought it would be the better choice in the situation, however that sounds downright scary . It is too bad that it has had such lasting effect on you and the rest... I find it particularly sad when there is serious dirt (such as the scandal in the Dugger family) and this school you went to - it gives everyone who is conservative/Christian a bad image yet not all are alike
1 person likes this
• Trinidad And Tobago
20 May 18
Oi, just when I feel that things couldn't get more silly, you bring up the Duggar rules. Too silly. Men always seem to be born with a gold spoon in their mouths!
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
21 May 18
It's so true. Some of the rules seem to contradict what it is they're to accomplish. True about men, too
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
22 May 18
@Gita17112016 I agree. I have no issues with the modesty thing - if that is how they choose to live - making the choice for themselves. I guess a couple of the girls have ventured in to wearing jeans/pants. It also got to me - what are the men? They cannot handle looking at a woman who doesn't dress "by the rules"? Are they that weak willed? And their dating rules are wacky too. Apparently a younger sibling must be with at all times as a chaperone so that nothing other than holding hands and side hugs happen before the marriage. If people wish to remain abstaining before marriage, I think it's awesome - but do it because you want to , take some personal responsibility and don't give in before you're married if that is the case. Not because your little brother or sister is standing right there.
1 person likes this
• Trinidad And Tobago
22 May 18
@FayeHazel They only way they can implement those rules is if they have a closed society. And if they are controlling their women like this, it almost borders on abuse. I am a person all about choices. If one chooses to dress like that, then I have no problem, but to be forced by 'rules' is like 'institutional harassment'... even within a household. Too strict and too rigid. A certain religious people come to mind.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
21 May 18
There are religious groups that dress for modesty, and that's ok. This family has more problems than just their mode of dress.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
22 May 18
@FayeHazel I'm modest, but they take the cake!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
22 May 18
@DianneN Or the whole bakery lol
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
22 May 18
Agree totally. I have no issue with modesty - just some of the rules seemed a little odd - even defeating the purpose to my mind. But that's still alright. True. They have bigger issues
1 person likes this
@just4him (306079)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
21 May 18
Oh my, that is way over the top. I would have rebelled big time a long time ago.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306079)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 May 18
@FayeHazel Their modesty is over the top.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
22 May 18
True that. I have nothing against the modesty - but some of it seems to contradict what they're trying to do
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
23 May 18
@just4him it's cutting into functionality.
1 person likes this
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
20 May 18
Who are we to judge the beliefs that they hold in such high regard? Its also easier for them to get pregnant in skirts
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
21 May 18
True - I'm not trying to judge , but I'm sure we all have opinions. True, maybe that is the real reason for the skirts.
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
22 May 18
@thislittlepennyearns After... what.... 19 kids (I think that's what the final count was) the hot dog analogy is probably about right. To make it even worse , she refers to it as "catching" a baby. As in she was talking about going to the dr. to make sure she was in alright health incase she "caught another baby from Jim-Bob"..... what is it? Like a cold or something? I think that is the most annoying way to put it, ever.
@Kandae11 (53679)
20 May 18
Even though I wear mostly skirts and dresses, I would hate to wake up one day and find that I am a Duggar woman - it would be my biggest nightmare.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
21 May 18
I agree. If it works for people and some people like it - that is alright. However the Duggar lifestyle.... would be torture for me