Former sisters, remember the pant suit controversy in the seventies?

by Sunnygal41 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Sunnygal41
    Sunnygal41

    I was in my late 'teens, working for my own money, and polyester pant suits were all the rage in fashion. Working at Mc'Donald's, I was able to afford two nice matching suits, with the jacket and vest, and a matching shirt...........these I wore to meetings, when I went. Then, the JW grapevine went into action, regarding the suitablity for a sister to be wearing pants at a meeting. Those were behaviors that were indulged in by the disgusting Catholic faith, not at all acceptable for Jehovah's Clean People.........lol..........too funny looking back now at how very serious it all was........

    Terri

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    *** BEGIN JW mode ***

    Pant Suits were invented by Satan himself! The *man* is supposed to wear the pants in the house, not the woman!

    *** END JW mode ***

  • Lady Lee
    Lady Lee

    yup I remember

    A few sisters pleaded that since the winters were so cold going door to door would be better than freezing - it didn't work. A few tried pants under the dress/skirt - that didn't go over too well either.

    So we were stuck with finding leotards, or long dresses/skirts, high boots and hope it wasn't too windy and that the territory had apartments

    I tell ya I'm amazed some people didn't get frostbite when it was -20 with a good strong wind

  • blondie
    blondie

    I lived in a smaller urban area and it pant suits were verboten for all sisters. Then I visited a congregation in a large, urban area only to see elders' wives waltz in with pants suits and was told they were acceptable because women in the business world wore them.

    Only goes to show that the BOE controls these things whether it be beards on men or pantsuits on women.

    The difficult thing was living in an area with frigid winters and being told you could not wear pants, even under a skirt. Sisters just wore silk long underwear and black tights over that. I can remember nosy sisters checking to see if it was tights or long underwear checking to see if they had feet.

    ***

    g76 8/8 p. 26 Dressing in a Modest and Attractive Way ***

    For many women the pantsuit is quite practical and comfortable when shopping or for informal wear. But in some areas people would view it as unacceptable when, for example, attending religious meetings. A Christian woman is, therefore, wise to take into consideration the attitudes existing in the community where she lives. Thereby she can, to borrow the Bible phrase, ‘recommend herself to every human conscience.’—2 Cor. 4:2.

    ***

    w75 8/15 p. 500 par. 8 Do Not Let Yourself Be Ensnared by Fads and Entertainment ***

    If slacks or pantsuits for women are frowned upon by many in the community, likely some different style of apparel for public dress would be advisable for a Christian sister. During cold weather she likely could arrange to be exposed to the weather for shorter periods of time, or pause more frequently to warm herself. But in frigid climates, where everyone in the community wears clothing appropriate to the weather, such as slacks, surely it is proper for Christian women to do the same. In some places, pioneers have been aided thus to maintain robust health for putting in long hours in service.

    Blondie

  • anewme
    anewme

    I remember it too Sunnygal! Seem to remember sisters being allowed to wear the pants where the temps dropped to zero or something or so Im told.

    A sister attended our book study for years who came directly from work and she always came in slacks and no one said a thing to her about it. If they did, she ignored them figuring "what the heck? What can they do to me?"
    (Wish I had had that attitude!)

  • serendipity
    serendipity

    What were skorts called back then? My mother bought them for my sister and me and we wore them to the KH one winter day. I think the elders must have talked to my parents (probably Dad since my mother is a spitfire) because MOM said we couldn't wear them anymore. She said " I wonder when Bro. X is going to buy you appropriate KH clothes?"

  • mrsjones5
    mrsjones5

    Geez I missed that, guess I was too young. But the last time I was in a hall I did wear pants, shocking!

    Josie

  • IP_SEC
    IP_SEC

    Can former brothers comment too?

    I remember a sister who had bad burn scaring on her legs. She wore pants because she was embarrassed for her legs to show. The PO gave her a good talkin to, she left and never came back.

    Hurrah for pant suits!!

  • headmath
    headmath

    those same elder that scorn pants in the khall have oral sex every nite!

  • parakeet
    parakeet

    Yes, the org wanted that "wholesome" Betty Crocker look no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient. But the org wasn't the only one; my high school in the 60s demanded that girls wear skirts or dresses. I had to walk 1 1/2 miles to school (and yes, it was uphill both ways!) in frigid weather; my legs would all but freeze. 3 years after I graduated, they started allowing slacks. Doh!

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