I Can't Afford Her Clothes...
...but Miuccia Prada is apparently a very sensible woman. The Manolo has posted an interview with her, inserting his own comments.
02 March 2005
Does Modest Mean Frumpy or Unfashionable?
What do you think of when you hear the words "modest clothing?" If you're from a certain background, you may associate that phrase with young ladies who dress like young ladies, who value themselves enough to try and avoid tempting men into lusting after them. If you're from a different background, you might associate that phrase with the words "frumpy," "unfashionable," or "unflattering." Why?
There are probably young women out there who have completely bought into the idea that if you wear the current fashions, you are therefore dressed attractively. For those of us who are disgusted by girls whose low-cut jeans and high-cut shirts reveal parts of their body and items of clothing better left hidden, we know that dressing "fashionably" does not equal dressing beautifully or attractively. Yet, a woman can still look "fashionable" or classy without wearing a dress shaped like a burlap sack. So why are even some otherwise good Christian girls giving in to the latest fashions for mini skirts or low-cut tank tops?
There are probably many opinions on this, but I think it is because a lot of girls who try to dress modestly end up dressing quite unattractively. On most women, the baggy denim jumper with white turtleneck just isn't flattering. Yes, you're covered, and you're unlikely to temp men to lust, but your clothes don't have to be quite so unflattering to be modest. Ladies, God made you beautiful, and even though you are called to use wisdom and prudence in how you show that beauty, you don't have to hide it! I was taught that there are deficiencies and excesses, and that virtues lie in the middle. For instance, the deficiency of courage is cowardice, and the excess is recklessness. We all know what the deficiency of modesty is, but is there an excess? Prudishness, perhaps? Maybe that is not the right word, but I hope you see what I'm getting at. Is it possible that wearing a baggy, shapeless dress that completely hides your womanly figure is as unfeminine and unladylike as a tight mini-dress that shows too much of it?
In my never-ending search for pretty clothes which don't offend my ideals of Christian modesty, I have scoured the web for businesses which cater to those who wish to dress modestly. I came across this site which has links to numerous other sites offering modest clothing for sale or patterns to sew modest clothing. After going through these sites, I began to see a trend. They are almost all affiliated with or catering to some religious group--Christian, Mormon, Muslim, or Jewish. And while the last three generally have nice-looking clothes, a lot of the Christian offerings could be described as "frumpy." (If you wear these kinds of clothes and are offended by what I say, I apologize, but I will not retract the expression of my opinion.)
For example, these dresses and jumpers. If you have what I have heard called "the hips for childbearing," this sort of thing can be most unflattering.
Or these. I'm sorry, but unless you are under the age of 7 or have just walked off the set of "Little House on the Prarie," you probably should not be wearing dresses with poufy sleeves, or anything called "Prarie Dress #49."
Others look to the past for modest clothing. While I think that Regency, Edwardian, and vintage dresses are lovely, you probably shouldn't go for this look unless you really want to attract attention. It's best to save such things for more formal events, and look elsewhere for your everyday clothes.
On to the websites who are catering to non-Christians:
Look how pretty and, well, normal the clothing offered by Jewish sites is. (Yes, that last one has a "Victorian" collection, but they have more "normal" looking and pretty clothes as well.)
The Islamic clothing site listed there has jumpers and some clothing that would probably attract attention on the average American street, but they have some things that might be found at your local mall, if your local mall sold pretty, modest clothing (mine doesn't have much). They even sell pants!
For girls in search of a prom dress or young ladies looking for a modest dresses for brides and bridesmaids (are you tired of seeing strapless bridal/bridesmaid gowns in church, too?), the Mormons seem to have the right idea. While the regency and renaissance wedding dresses displayed on some of the Christian sites are quite nice, there are also nice things available for those of us who like more modern clothes. Some of the Christian offerings are not so bad, but on the whole, the others seem to have better selections for those of us not into historical dress or the burlap-sack look.
So, see, Christian young ladies? You can find clothing that is modest and nice-looking, without attracting unwanted attention.
What do you think of when you hear the words "modest clothing?" If you're from a certain background, you may associate that phrase with young ladies who dress like young ladies, who value themselves enough to try and avoid tempting men into lusting after them. If you're from a different background, you might associate that phrase with the words "frumpy," "unfashionable," or "unflattering." Why?
There are probably young women out there who have completely bought into the idea that if you wear the current fashions, you are therefore dressed attractively. For those of us who are disgusted by girls whose low-cut jeans and high-cut shirts reveal parts of their body and items of clothing better left hidden, we know that dressing "fashionably" does not equal dressing beautifully or attractively. Yet, a woman can still look "fashionable" or classy without wearing a dress shaped like a burlap sack. So why are even some otherwise good Christian girls giving in to the latest fashions for mini skirts or low-cut tank tops?
There are probably many opinions on this, but I think it is because a lot of girls who try to dress modestly end up dressing quite unattractively. On most women, the baggy denim jumper with white turtleneck just isn't flattering. Yes, you're covered, and you're unlikely to temp men to lust, but your clothes don't have to be quite so unflattering to be modest. Ladies, God made you beautiful, and even though you are called to use wisdom and prudence in how you show that beauty, you don't have to hide it! I was taught that there are deficiencies and excesses, and that virtues lie in the middle. For instance, the deficiency of courage is cowardice, and the excess is recklessness. We all know what the deficiency of modesty is, but is there an excess? Prudishness, perhaps? Maybe that is not the right word, but I hope you see what I'm getting at. Is it possible that wearing a baggy, shapeless dress that completely hides your womanly figure is as unfeminine and unladylike as a tight mini-dress that shows too much of it?
In my never-ending search for pretty clothes which don't offend my ideals of Christian modesty, I have scoured the web for businesses which cater to those who wish to dress modestly. I came across this site which has links to numerous other sites offering modest clothing for sale or patterns to sew modest clothing. After going through these sites, I began to see a trend. They are almost all affiliated with or catering to some religious group--Christian, Mormon, Muslim, or Jewish. And while the last three generally have nice-looking clothes, a lot of the Christian offerings could be described as "frumpy." (If you wear these kinds of clothes and are offended by what I say, I apologize, but I will not retract the expression of my opinion.)
For example, these dresses and jumpers. If you have what I have heard called "the hips for childbearing," this sort of thing can be most unflattering.
Or these. I'm sorry, but unless you are under the age of 7 or have just walked off the set of "Little House on the Prarie," you probably should not be wearing dresses with poufy sleeves, or anything called "Prarie Dress #49."
Others look to the past for modest clothing. While I think that Regency, Edwardian, and vintage dresses are lovely, you probably shouldn't go for this look unless you really want to attract attention. It's best to save such things for more formal events, and look elsewhere for your everyday clothes.
On to the websites who are catering to non-Christians:
Look how pretty and, well, normal the clothing offered by Jewish sites is. (Yes, that last one has a "Victorian" collection, but they have more "normal" looking and pretty clothes as well.)
The Islamic clothing site listed there has jumpers and some clothing that would probably attract attention on the average American street, but they have some things that might be found at your local mall, if your local mall sold pretty, modest clothing (mine doesn't have much). They even sell pants!
For girls in search of a prom dress or young ladies looking for a modest dresses for brides and bridesmaids (are you tired of seeing strapless bridal/bridesmaid gowns in church, too?), the Mormons seem to have the right idea. While the regency and renaissance wedding dresses displayed on some of the Christian sites are quite nice, there are also nice things available for those of us who like more modern clothes. Some of the Christian offerings are not so bad, but on the whole, the others seem to have better selections for those of us not into historical dress or the burlap-sack look.
So, see, Christian young ladies? You can find clothing that is modest and nice-looking, without attracting unwanted attention.
24 February 2005
States I've Visited:
create your own personalized map of the USA
I've gone a lot of new places in the last year or so. I've been to Boisie, ID; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL, and Boston, MA. I had been to all those airports before, but never ventured outside, and this year I did! It was exciting, and all of them except Boston were Schola trips--and they are very fun people to travel with. Oh, and did I mention that week in France?
create your own personalized map of the USA
I've gone a lot of new places in the last year or so. I've been to Boisie, ID; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL, and Boston, MA. I had been to all those airports before, but never ventured outside, and this year I did! It was exciting, and all of them except Boston were Schola trips--and they are very fun people to travel with. Oh, and did I mention that week in France?
22 February 2005
A CD Review--Anonymous 4
Today, I bought my first Anonymous 4 CD. It seems like I ought to mark the date on my calendar or something, so that I can celebrate the anniversary every year. Yes, it's that good. It was $20 at Barnes&Noble, but it was well worth it, and I can't believe I waited so long to finally buy one of their numerous (18!) recordings. These women have been singing together for 18 years, performing mostly medieval chant and polyphony, with occasional forays into renaissance, 18th and 19th-century American, and British Isles folk music.
The recording I now proudly own is "An English Ladymass." As the title implies, it contains 13th and 14th-century chant and polyphony in honor of the Blessed Mother, all from English manuscripts. The liner notes point out the difficulty of creating an edition of this music, because "there exists now not even one substantial intact manuscript source from which to work." Some reconstructions were necessary, but they are beautifully done. The four voices blend in near-perfect unity, never harsh, even when rendering startling dissonance. The sometimes virtuostic ornamentation in the soprano line is always delicate and precise. Their tone is very pure and innocent, free from any muddling vibrato, cloying sweetness, or the annoying harshness of some other medieval groups. The entire recording gives a great impression of space, light, and warmth, which seems to be how this music ought to be sung. Medieval (and renaissance) sacred music ought to be given the space of a medieval cathedral, the light of a hundred stained glass windows, and the warmth of devotion to God and the use of the gifts He gave us; Anonymous 4 does this music justice.
On our best days, a quartet of women from our schola might approach this kind of greatness on a single piece of music, but never so apparently consistently, and with such an enormous repertoire. There are 21 tracks, some of which are Gregorian chant, others are harmonized chant, and others are more orignial compositions. All are in Latin except Edi beo thu hevene quene, which is Middle English. Anonymous 4 CD's are rather expensive, but well worth it, and I can't wait to obtain more.
Today, I bought my first Anonymous 4 CD. It seems like I ought to mark the date on my calendar or something, so that I can celebrate the anniversary every year. Yes, it's that good. It was $20 at Barnes&Noble, but it was well worth it, and I can't believe I waited so long to finally buy one of their numerous (18!) recordings. These women have been singing together for 18 years, performing mostly medieval chant and polyphony, with occasional forays into renaissance, 18th and 19th-century American, and British Isles folk music.
The recording I now proudly own is "An English Ladymass." As the title implies, it contains 13th and 14th-century chant and polyphony in honor of the Blessed Mother, all from English manuscripts. The liner notes point out the difficulty of creating an edition of this music, because "there exists now not even one substantial intact manuscript source from which to work." Some reconstructions were necessary, but they are beautifully done. The four voices blend in near-perfect unity, never harsh, even when rendering startling dissonance. The sometimes virtuostic ornamentation in the soprano line is always delicate and precise. Their tone is very pure and innocent, free from any muddling vibrato, cloying sweetness, or the annoying harshness of some other medieval groups. The entire recording gives a great impression of space, light, and warmth, which seems to be how this music ought to be sung. Medieval (and renaissance) sacred music ought to be given the space of a medieval cathedral, the light of a hundred stained glass windows, and the warmth of devotion to God and the use of the gifts He gave us; Anonymous 4 does this music justice.
On our best days, a quartet of women from our schola might approach this kind of greatness on a single piece of music, but never so apparently consistently, and with such an enormous repertoire. There are 21 tracks, some of which are Gregorian chant, others are harmonized chant, and others are more orignial compositions. All are in Latin except Edi beo thu hevene quene, which is Middle English. Anonymous 4 CD's are rather expensive, but well worth it, and I can't wait to obtain more.
21 February 2005
The Funniest Lord of the Rings Parody....
I never really liked Boromir very much, and now I know why.
I never really liked Boromir very much, and now I know why.
19 February 2005
I'm back from my visit to Ireland and Scotland, including Glendalough, the castle where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned, the chapel of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle, and Rosslyn Chapel. Paris seems very grey in comparison with the Emerald Isle, but I'm glad to be back. Once I get my travel notebooks organized, I'll write more.
07 February 2005
Photos of Seminarians in Rome
Just take a look at these handsome fellows. The one in the back row center, right under the crucifix, is a friend of Lizzy's and mine. These young gentlemen were just instituted to the office of lector. Your prayers for them, especially our friend, would be much appreciated.
More pictures from the Institution of Lectors can be found here.
Just take a look at these handsome fellows. The one in the back row center, right under the crucifix, is a friend of Lizzy's and mine. These young gentlemen were just instituted to the office of lector. Your prayers for them, especially our friend, would be much appreciated.
More pictures from the Institution of Lectors can be found here.
01 February 2005
A Spiffy (and Catholic) Personality Test
Via Meredith at Basia me, Catholica sum.
You are a "lymphatic" or "pituitous" Phlegmatic, with an abundance of phlegm. Phlegmatics are characterized by the element of Water, the season of Winter, old-aged adulthood, the color green, and the characteristics of "Cold" and "Wet." If you were living in the Age of Faith, the career choice for you would be a copier of manuscripts or a night watchman.
I'm not entirely sure I agree with the assessment. It's correct up to a certain point; I am introverted, I am reserved in unfamiliar situations, I am slothful, but unlikely to give up a project once I've started it, and have been told that I exhibit some constancy of mood (though I often doubt this). However, I am not overly cautious in minor matters, and I certainly am interested in things external to myself--though usually as an observer.
The section on the training of phlegmatic children interests me particularly because it bears no resemblence to my own experience. It claims such children lack internal motives, which I never did, and that things have to be explained to them multiple times, which was only true of me if the explanation happened to have interupted me in the midst of a daydream or reading a story. As long as you got me when my mind wasn't in a fantasy world, I didn't have to be told twice. (This still holds true. Don't try to talk to me when I'm reading. I may nod and make an affirmative noise, but I didn't actually hear you.)
The description of the education of the melancholic child, however, seems to fit my experience very well. I was very timid and shy, sensitive, and too easily discouraged. I only wanted to do work for classes which had teachers that I liked, and invariably, the teachers that I liked were ones who paid me special attention and were kind to me. When punished by teachers I was not fond of, I almost invariably talked back (and got myself in further trouble, of course). I still do that, occasionally, but I am more even-tempered now and less likely to want to anger those in authority over me. Perhaps my temperment has changed. Is is possible that the melancholic child has become a more phlegmatic adult?
Other possible outcomes: Sanguine, Choleric
What's your medieval personality type?
Via Meredith at Basia me, Catholica sum.
You are a "lymphatic" or "pituitous" Phlegmatic, with an abundance of phlegm. Phlegmatics are characterized by the element of Water, the season of Winter, old-aged adulthood, the color green, and the characteristics of "Cold" and "Wet." If you were living in the Age of Faith, the career choice for you would be a copier of manuscripts or a night watchman.
I'm not entirely sure I agree with the assessment. It's correct up to a certain point; I am introverted, I am reserved in unfamiliar situations, I am slothful, but unlikely to give up a project once I've started it, and have been told that I exhibit some constancy of mood (though I often doubt this). However, I am not overly cautious in minor matters, and I certainly am interested in things external to myself--though usually as an observer.
The section on the training of phlegmatic children interests me particularly because it bears no resemblence to my own experience. It claims such children lack internal motives, which I never did, and that things have to be explained to them multiple times, which was only true of me if the explanation happened to have interupted me in the midst of a daydream or reading a story. As long as you got me when my mind wasn't in a fantasy world, I didn't have to be told twice. (This still holds true. Don't try to talk to me when I'm reading. I may nod and make an affirmative noise, but I didn't actually hear you.)
The description of the education of the melancholic child, however, seems to fit my experience very well. I was very timid and shy, sensitive, and too easily discouraged. I only wanted to do work for classes which had teachers that I liked, and invariably, the teachers that I liked were ones who paid me special attention and were kind to me. When punished by teachers I was not fond of, I almost invariably talked back (and got myself in further trouble, of course). I still do that, occasionally, but I am more even-tempered now and less likely to want to anger those in authority over me. Perhaps my temperment has changed. Is is possible that the melancholic child has become a more phlegmatic adult?
Other possible outcomes: Sanguine, Choleric
What's your medieval personality type?
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