The Big Jeans Question

I am still weighing up the pros and cons of wearing jeans and still maintaining my standards of modesty. I was greatly inspired by a recent excellent post by Caroline on her Modest Mom Blog which I visit daily.

The link is http://www.themodestmomblog.com/2014/04/ask-caroline-can-jeans-be-worn-modestly/

Sadly she received a lot of unnecessary negative feedback from a few women who maintain a very strict "skirts only" policy and had to suspend comments on this post.

I am now convinced that it is possible for a women who values her modesty to wear a pair of jeans in a way that maintains her standards and can offend no one. A tunic or dress worn over the jeans will hide areas which you would not wish to be visible - yet give you the freedom to play with children, go on hikes, ride bicycles or work in the garden which is not always so easy in skirts or dresses.

 

Are there other women who wear jeans or are thinking of wearing jeans in a similar way?

A Shopping Trip with Lisa

I went on a shopping trip with my friend Lisa this week. We both took a days leave and braved the rain and spent about 4 hours in the City Centre shops.

Lisa, who you will remember persuaded me to buy my first pair of trousers, had far more success than I did. She bought some lovely blouses suitable for work in various pastel shades and a knee length skirt. I just bought a top in navy blue in New Look - reduced to £3.99 from £9.99. I think I may be programmed to buy items which are either reduced or in charity shops rather than pay the full price for anything. Am I alone?

On the jeans front - no real progress. Lisa and I did look in New Look and Primark but nothing really appealed to me. I am just not sure about the image - it may be my strict religious background which is making me cautious.

Lisa also wears trousers in a modest way - ensuring that she wears a tunic or similar long top when in public and chosing styles which are in no way tight. Her latest pair are shown below (purchased from M & S)

No Jeans Yet - and Charity Shop Bargains

I am still planning to buy some jeans - something which would have been unthinkable only a few months ago!

I am still a little uncertain about the image - definitely no skinny jeans or jeans with holes in the knees!

I am still not comfortable entirely about modesty issues but I have read a number of lovely posts on other blogs as to how to wear jeans modestly and one way that I have been considering is to wear a dress over them. I am conscious about displaying my bottom when wearing trousers in public - this is one issue that I have not come to terms with - probably a legacy of my strict Christian upbringing.

I think a pair of jeans would be really useful when undertaking work like gardening and some of the other activities where skirts or dresses might make life more difficult - like walking the dog in the woods. I often read how some women claim how they can carry out tasks like haymaking and potato harvesting in skirts but, now that I have first hand experience - they would find it much easier if they wore trousers!

I have been looking at jeans in my local charity shop (I think they are called thrift shops in the USA) where they cost about £3.50. Sadly, since I have been trying to buy a pair there have been no suitable pairs in my size.

I am a charity shop addict and visit my local shop two or three times a week. You are often lucky enough to find a real bargain of a designer item for a few pounds or an unworn garment still with the manufacturer's labels intact at a fraction of the original price.

What is your top bargain from a charity shop?

Charity Shop Bargain!

Now that I am feeling comfortable in wearing trousers fairly regularly, I have been looking for some extra pairs suitable for work.

I discovered a trouser suit a few days ago in a charity shop which was nearly new and actually fitted me. It cost £5.50 and I feel an absolute bargain. It is also fairly modest, which I feel is very important to me, as the jacket covers my bottom from unwanted attention when in the street.

What do you folks think?

Casual but not Jeans!

I had been wanting a more casual pair of trousers to wear around the house for a few weeks but did not really feel comfortable with the prospect of wearing jeans. I suppose it was my upbringing of wearing modest, feminine clothes still dominating my thoughts. Jeans just didn't seem right for me, at least for the present time. It was a big step for me to start wearing trousers in the first place but I am glad that I did as I now wear them to work at least twice a week.

I enjoy visiting charity shops and cannot resist a bargain and came across a casual pair of trousers in my size. They were a fairly loose fit and did not emphasise the shape of my bottom too much, a point that I am still not comfortable with when I wear trousers. They cost £3.50 and I could not resist them. I feel that I can wear these without a tunic or long jumper and they are really comfortable.

What do you think?

Can I find modest jeans?

I suppose a natural progression after buying my first ever pair of trousers would be to buy a pair of jeans.

I have never really been too keen on the image of jeans. A lot of my friends at school wore jeans in their spare time but I was never tempted. I prefered to relax in a comfy skirt and was always more interested in books than the outdoor life. I tended to be regarded as the class swot and was always the last girl to be chosen for any sports team!

 

I do not really like tight clothing and feel that skinny jeans would be too restrictive around my legs. Many of the other styles also seem to tight around the bottom and crotch areas.

 

I am also still concerned about modesty issues. It must be my Christian upbringing still influencing my style of dress. I have read a number of very interesting and informative posts on blogs about wearing trousers (pants in the USA) and jeans modestly but I am still worried about my bottom and crotch area being on display when I wear my trousers in public.

 

A friends' daughter volunteered to illustrate my fears in her skinnies

 I am convinced that most eyes are directed to her bottom and that my legs would feel most uncomfortable in those tight Levis. Even worn with a long tunic, I am certain that this style of jeans would not suit me.

 

I would really welcome the opinion of other people, particularly those who like modest styles of clothing, as to whether they feel I can find some jeans that I will feel comfortable with.

 

 

A Giant Leap for Me!

Lisa finally convinced me that I should buy a pair of trousers and offered to come with me to the local shopping centre. I knew that I wanted black trousers suitable for wearing to the office and that they should be fairly modest in style to accord with my normal choice of clothing. We had done some research on line and knew which shops would give a reasonable selection to choose from.

We spent nearly an hour searching what seemed endless rails of ladies trousers and me disappearing into changing rooms. Eventually, I discovered a pair in M & S which fitted well, were a modest cut and very comfortable. They were not the cheapest (nearly £35.00) but were good quality and I felt happy with them. I was really excited when I left the shop clutching the green carrier - I had my own trousers! I felt like a child at Christmas rather than a grown women in her 30s.

I tried them on again at home and kept looking at myself in the mirror. I kept on doing a double take - I was wearing trousers! I wondered what the reaction would be when my husband and children first saw me. The children just exclaimed "Wow!" and were left with their mouths open and then said "you look like all the other mums now" My husband thought that I looked great and wondered why I had not bought some trousers sooner.

 

I still had reservations at wearing them in public. I was conscious at strangers being able to look at my crotch area and at my bottom. I am sure that it was due to my Christian upbringing. I concluded that it would be best to wear a long shirt or tunic to conceal those more delicate areas at least at first until I got used to wearing them in public.

 

My first appearance in trousers in the office resulted in more gasps of astonishment and cries of "but you don't do trousers!" I was pleased that I was now like the other girls in trousers but it still felt odd with material encasing my legs after a lifetime of skirts!

 
My first appearance wearing trousers in public