Meeting Clothes

by Nosferatu 33 Replies latest jw friends

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  Nosferatu

  I absolutely hated the concept of "meeting clothes". All my meeting clothes were hand-me-downs from other brothers. I always hated getting hand-me-downs from the fat JW kids who were older than me. I was a skinny kid, and those pants did me no justice. I ALWAYS had to wear a belt, and I hated wearing belts.

  I took no pride in my meeting clothes. The things would just get hung back up after the meeting (I only wore them for two hours at a time). I knew it was time to wash the shirts when they started getting black around the collar, and developed a personality of their own. They usually laid in a pile on the floor for a couple of weeks before getting washed. I detested what my meeting clothes stood for, how they made me feel just by wearing them, how horribly they fit, and how ugly they looked.

  When I quit the JWs and moved out of my parents' house, I left all my meeting clothes behind. When I had to dress up for a wedding, I went out and got something that fit me well, and looked like it came from someone who had fashion sense.

  Your thoughts on meeting clothes?
• 

  misanthropic

  :: They usually laid in a pile on the floor for a couple of weeks before getting washed.
  
  That's how my husband takes care of all of his clothes ;)
  At the time I went to meetings I loved my meeting clothes and took really good care of them, but of course they weren't hand-me-downs from the fat kids. I feel for you, that would really have sucked.
• 

  anewme

  Painful subject.
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  Fleur

  You know, Nos, this is a subject I've thought a lot about in the past week or so when cleaning out closets.

  I look at pictures of me now from that time and I can't believe it. Anything I wore, I could've easily loaned to my grandma, or borrowed from her closet. I remember wanting to own a leather jacket so bad but being told they weren't theocratic.

  I'm so glad now that I can wear whatever the hell I want. What a joke, as if the 'prim' and proper clothing really means that JW's are so pure.

  glad to have left it all behind...

  hugs

  essie
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  aquagirl

  meeting clothes+uncomfortable and ugly..towards the end i started favoring indian black guaze shirts w/those wraparound indian skirts.the brothers objected.they didnt like a well developed 15 year old going braless either..sissies...
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  Lo-ru-hamah

  My parents always bought us nice clothes for the meetings. When I moved out and got married, I continued buying nice clothes for the meetings. I loved to dress my infant/toddler son in the old fashioned clothing for the meetings. Spent absolutely too much money on his clothing. Now that we are out, it is amazing how little money I spend on clothing. They were constantly bombarding us to simplify our lives and now that we are out, our life is simplified. If only the R&F knew it was that easy.
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  Bumble Bee

  My mom always bought us new clothes for each assemby and the memorial. She recently told me she doesn't buy a new outfit anymore - why bother dressing up so much now - you sit in your seats all day long (for the assemblies), sit to eat lunch, and there's not a whole lot of time left over to socialize etc.

  Good for her!!!

  BB
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  anewme

  I actually have kept in my wardrobe three beautiful skirt suits with matching high heels that I wore in my thirties when I was a stunning looking younger woman. One is Teal colored, one is White, and one is Blood Red, size 6. I look at those suits now and think of my younger self in them and feel alot of mercy for the person I was in those days.
  (I still have my book bag too. I want to hang onto these things for awhile longer. Sort of a memory aid. I stare and stare at them and JW memories return)
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  ithinkisee

  Before we moved away my wife and I got rid of tons of clothes. She got rid of probably literally DOZENS of dresses.

  After we got to our new home 3 states away she got rid of a bunch more that were just sitting in her closet. -ithinkisee
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  Ellie

  Meeting clothes are the only thing I miss about being a witness, it was nice to have a reason to dress up, these days if ever I do put on some smart clothes I just feel overdressed.