Going Out

The Thames at Benson, by Albert Chevalier Taylor 1862-1925

( picnic basket with dishes) click on link for details of this basket

Faraway Thoughts, By Alfred Glendenning

(Heart-shape white wicker picnic hamper with goblets and other supplies) click link for details.

The First Arrivals by Alice Mary Havers, 1881

(Brown wicker picnic basket with colorful accessories) click link for details.

I enjoyed finding these beautiful outdoor scenes of 19th century women, and have included pictures of old-fashioned picnic baskets that are manufactured still today. They are expensive, but you can replicate the idea by placing a cloth of some kind (maybe from your sewing stash) inside a plain basket, filling it as desired, and bringing the cloth up and around the contents and tucking it in the edges. I have one of my own to show you, below.

Ice packs can be inserted in any of these baskets to preserve freshness.

Make your own version of a simple picnic carrier by lining a large basket with a quilt for little or no cost, with covered ice packs in the bottom, and filling it with light-weight plates or paper plates and cups and chilled foods, then folding the blanket over the top.

You might find it interesting that these paintings show women outdoors obviously relaxed, participating in casual activities, yet not so casual in their mode of dress. While we do not have to find Victorian costumes for outdoor activities, I believe that ladies young and not-so-young can add to the lovely scenes of such activities by wearing something more interesting than the uniform that is commonly on women outdoors.

These painting fashions can be imitated just by wearing a colorful long skirt. Think of "matching" the deep blue sea or the lovely flower-carpeted expanses and you can picture the idea. It is what I call mood dressing. You might observe in these paintings that the ladies are depicted in clothing that is as beautiful as their surroundings.

If you are new to this blog and you wonder why I post the Victorian paintings when I am discussing womanly clothing, the reason for it is that firstly, I like the Victorian era and the elements of their fashion. The styles looked feminine and good on women of all ages and sizes. The second reason is that the paintings and photographs reveal a time in history when all women wore dresses and skirts. The only women who wore pants or underwear in public were in the circus!

The 19th century photographs have left something to be remembered about the way our great grandmothers dressed. What will the photographs of our era say to generations to come?

Dress and apron: Cattle Kate

The last few posts are in a series of articles showing the interesting styles of what is known as the Victorian era. They had immodest styles back then, too, but it seems they had a lot of becoming styles that ladies preferred to wear at home and on outings.

There is a lot of controversy these days about what the meaning of the description of the Proverbs 31 woman really is. I have been thinking about some of the exaggerations and myths that are touted as facts, even by religious people, and I hope to address these in a post soon.

Someone has asked if I would write or show how I go about my daily life as a Christian older woman. The days have been so busy and so full, that I find myself too busy living them and not enough time to write about it all. However I hope to get my thoughts together and address this subject. In the meantime, there are quite a number of ladies at home represented by blogs on my sidebar, who take a few moments to post something they do during the day. Life at home is varied and busy.

Photographs of ladies outdoors in the 1800's:

When discovering more feminine ways to dress, consider old photographs and adapt the styles to modern clothing: longer, softer, more modest than the prevailing culture. You do not actually have to acquire the Victorian clothing or wear the style of the 1800s to accomplish a more ladylike way of dressing. In general, as in my previous article, a dress or skirt and a modest blouse. It does not have to be cumbersome or frumpy!

Current styles of skirts and blouses available today

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Distinctive Feminine Dress Outdoors

Summer, by Charles Courtney Curran 1861-1942

by Charles Courtney Curran

Apple Blossoms by Charles Edward Wilson 1854-1941

The clothing of the 1800's and early 1900's, a period commonly referred to as the Victorian era, is so soft and pretty and appealing. It lacks the edgy look of the decades that followed. I believe the principles of this kind of clothing can be used to create feminine fashion today. All you need is to observe the color and line, layers and embellishments, to make clothing today.
I see from the paintings also that the clothing "goes" with the mood and scenes. I have had an instinct for this ever since as a child I saw my first calicoes with the tiny flowers that looked just like a spring forest floor or the tiny strawberry prints so much like the wild strawberries growing in fields. It seems that ladies clothing is created in styles and colors to go with the modern workplace of employment, not the home or garden or all the natural creation. That is one reason so many ladies like to create their own style by sewing. Still, without sewing, pretty, feminine, appropriate clothing for your figure and coloring is a matter of choosing the very best you can buy. You may have to search for it but it can be found.
Also interesting is that the outdoor scenes on the beach, in the meadow or orchard did not require wearing anything that resembled men's attire, or being immodestly dressed.
I am hoping to add some dress patterns and some of my own sketches for ideas of how to Victorianize today's fashions, so there might be more added to this post later, or a new post.

 

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Dressing Like a Lady

this exquisite painting is by Greg Harris

 

Today I want to share a few things about wearing pretty clothes daily, and at home.

I always get inspired by the sight of a field of flowers, or the way the light plays on a meadow, making the grass look like it has white flowers growing in it. I might study a picture from a beautiful book, or maybe just a "well-dressed table", to design clothing to "go" with it. In the winter I always want to make a coat with snowy white fur borders and cuffs, or a dress made of festive fabric with a silver sheen to it. It is always interesting to create a matching fascinator headband, or some other accessory with left-over fabric.

 

This lovely painting is by Greg Harris

 

Another thing that gives me the over-all idea of ladylike fashion, is art. I have looked at the art of many eras and found that good artists rarely if ever, paint pictures of ladies in masculine or unflattering clothing. This is something to think about when dressing your best and feeling good about your clothing. When I look at little girls in their church dresses playing outside after church, it seems like a painting. It seems sad to me that while there are lovely little-girl-dresses at places like Costco, it is harder to find the same thing in ladies styles. The girls must think it is odd to wear such pretty things themselves, while their mothers have to dress so differently.

This idyllic serene scene is painted by Greg Harris

 

In past times, the ladies I knew enjoyed dressing to match the nature and the scenes around them. They seemed to know that a pink gingham check or a nature print with cherries on it "went" with a picnic, while a light blue sailor style dress with white soutache trim on the collar was the perfect outfit for a walk at the seaside. A trip to a rose garden meant choosing a dress with a rose print, because of the photo that would be taken. As soon as any hedgerow or tree or rose bush came into bloom, they found a dress that matched the color and had their picture taken in front of the foliage. When I go through old photographs of the women in my family, I find this sort of thing in a lot of the pictures.

There are just as many indoor, homey inspirations for dressing. Many people have beautiful homes with lovely new furniture and do not realize how this can be a source of ideas for the kind of dresses to make or buy. If houses are beautifully furnished , why should the homemaker not compliment it by dressing just as fine? Women who really love being home love to change the rooms and rearrange and clean them and give the area a new look. Think of this in terms of the lady of the house and her mode of dress. If you can dress up your house, you can dress up yourself. When we present our homes to others for a special occasion, we have bright focal points and vases of flowers, while we try not to call attention to the areas that are private or need some work.

Another astonishingly bright and beautiful painting by artist Greg Harris

 

Indoors, ladies would change from their work-apron and don their lace apron when it was time to sit down to dine. If they went to someone's home for afternoon tea they dressed as if they were going to afternoon tea! In fact, you could fairly judge what the ladies were doing or where they were going, by what they were wearing. Today it is hard to know if a woman is going to attend a wedding or a race.There were traveling clothes, church clothes, vacation clothes, and wedding clothes. They did not need a huge closet for the kind of clothes they wore, because they could use one outfit in different ways by adding a little bolero or a shawl, or a change of shoes.

A house dress was no less pretty just because it was worn at home for house keeping. Clothing was, to me at least, exciting and inspiring. It made me look forward to getting up in the morning. We enjoyed the seasonal catalogs, which provided sketches of ladies clothing that was available to order. It made each season special knowing when there was a summer dress or a winter coat arriving in the mail.Trips to town were approached with enthusiasm because it was a chance to wear dressier clothes and enjoy the shops. People showed respect to the proprietors and other customers by the way they dressed, and most ladies wanted to look nice and appear to be ladies. Clothing was the easiest way to show dignity and to express that they were doing something they considered quite special. Even the poorest person knew how to look dressed up!

art by Greg Harris

 

 

One thing that made ladies clothing so different and interesting is that it was not the same as men's wear. Today, much of the manufactured womens clothing is a female imitation of men's clothing; a slightly altered version of jeans and shirts. There were colors and prints and textures exclusive to ladies clothing that made them feel ladylike.

There seemed to be an awareness among ladies that they represented their families by the way they dressed, and they did not want to dress in a careless way and reflect poorly on their kin. This seems to be a lost value today. It might take a long conversation to explain it to someone in this culture of T-shirt dressing.

art by Greg Harris

 

It is possible to dress in a ladylike way every day, but there are some things you need to be aware of. The first thing that comes to my mind is the issue of modesty. Many people who understand the New Testament teaching on this subject in 1 Timothy 2:9, but they sacrifice beauty, femininity and ladylikeness by using dull fabrics and "dumpy" matronly styles that make them appear ungainly, overweight, unfeminine and unladylike.When women teach about modesty they need to show how modesty should be elegant and pretty, too, in a sense, elevating the mind. Modesty should be glorifying to God and compliment His wonderful creation, rather than looking drab and depressing. It helps if you try to remember what other people have to look at, and to be thoughtful of them when you choose your clothing.

art by Greg Harris captures the true essence of ladies in flowing clothing of the 19th century

 

Everyone agrees that fads, or "for-a-day" fashions which are dominate one day and unpopular the next, are not wise to follow. Have you ever considered, though, that some of the so-called modest clothing can also be a fad? Women often latch on to a modest style because some religious women promote it as modest, not considering all aspects of the total look. A long skirt can be modest but if it is not well fitted with a nice drape and flattering lines to your own figure type, it can draw attention to the wrong things. People will be looking at that ill-fitting skirt and it becomes an immodest distraction.

You can wear a modest skirt and still look very unladylike and unhappy about your life.

As for blouses, there are too many religious women saying that tops made of tee shirt material are modest, but these types of tops are not flattering or modest at all unless they are embellished with ruffles, pleats, gathers, pintucks and other decorations. Since I will not be able to spend a lot of time describing what blouses are pretty and appropriate and modest, I will let you determine it by some of the paintings I have posted on my blog over the years. It takes a trained eye to determine what is appropriate, because not all clothes are right for you just because they are modest. There are other things to consider, such as the color and print and the design.

 

A tip that might help in determining how to dress: Since I found that skirts and blouses present quite a messy problem in my closet, I have sewn mostly dresses to wear. That way, the blouse and skirt are already matched up and it all hangs securely on one hanger. To choose an outfit in the morning is easier when selecting a dress, instead of deciding on what separates to pair up. I learned years ago that matching up separates tends to create a pile of clothing that did not work well with other pieces, and it all has to be put back in the closet, which takes up valuable time.

The reason I suggest that some of the so-called modest clothes can be a fad, is because women will sometimes go overboard with the dull aspect of the fashion, wearing ugly head scarves, refusing to treat their complexions by covering blemishes, neglecting to dress their hair and keep it clean and healthy-looking, and totally ignoring how ungainly and unfeminine their jogging footwear looks with the skirts. Later on, they get tired of this purportedly modest way of dressing, abandon it, and go on to something else that is just another extreme way of dressing.The best thing to do is to like and admire things that are beautiful and refined, and be able to identify things that do not look good on you. You can get a very inexpensive full-length mirror for your room, and stand before it analyzing your appearance each day.

Painting by Edmund Blair Leighton

When my generation was younger, we were taught to look at the back, also, to make sure we knew what people would see from the back. If the garment was unflattering from the back view, we didn't leave the house. Stitchers and tailors are trained to create garments that look good from all sides, but not all manufactured clothing does, so it is important to use the mirror.

While looking in the mirror, use this mental checklist:

Does it adequately cover and skim your figure or is it too tight and to gaping in areas?

Is it pretty and feminine (ruffles, lace, trims, fabrics different from men's clothing)?

Does the outfit look professional and smart, or dull and dowdy?

Does the color make your complexion look bright or dull?

Is the entire outfit overall slimming in appearance or does it make you look fatter?

Is the outfit too loose and sloppy?

How does the color, style, fabric and fit affect your mood?

This frock from Chadwicks has the right idea, with long length and slimming style, but it needs sleeves. If you had a pattern you could easily add any style sleeve.

Does it make you feel optimism or pessimism?

Are there parts of the garment too low or two short?

Lovely style and I would add sleeves if I were sewing this. I like sleeves.

 

Is it too short, too long, too tight or too baggy for the type of style?

There might be more you could add to this checklist yourself as you discover the many aspects of dressing in a ladylike way.The most important thing is to glorify God and reflect the happiness you have as a Christian, by thoughtfully choosing clothing that is suitable. In my opinion, every day is a gift, and every day warrants dressing carefully. You will find, too late, how short life is, and will wish you had celebrated life daily by dressing well.

 

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The Importance of Feminine Dress

Sisters

by Charles Boom, 1901

1858-1939  

One obvious reason for a lady to dress femininely is the uplifting feeling it can give to others who see it.  It is a message  that you care enough about them to dress in a respectful way. It gives them a sense of order and well-being in the midst of a chaotic existence.  It has been said that the way a person dresses is a reflection of the way they feel about life. Sadly, I think some modern designers are sending a message of hopelessness and despair, with the the drab, shapeless and unfeminine clothing they produce.

I often use the paintings of the past to show how women used to dress, and it is possible to use these paintings as inspiration today.  The painting above, called "Sisters," shows a woman in a pink dress with black trim around the neckline, the yoke and the waist.  This can be quite easily reproduced, yet updated, keeping the same feminine elements by sewing a similar dress that might have a less full skirt. It could also be imitated by buying  a blouse and skirt with that color combination that has the same feminine features: square neckline with a border, front yoke, slightly puffed sleeves, gathered skirt, and wrap-around belt with black trim.

If  you will click on the painting for a larger view, you can see the artist went to a great deal of effort to paint the details in the folds of the white dress on the right. When you consider the overall shape, it is really quite a plain design, and, if you sew, you could use just about any collarless pattern and add a belt at the waist, to achieve this feminine look.  Notice  the soft fullness around the cuff of the long sleeve.  There are tucks near the neckline from the yoke of the dress, and tucks in the upper parts of the sleeves. 

Fresh Eggs

by Winslow Homer

The painting, above, depicts a woman with an apron over her dress, as she tends her family's chickens.  Today we tend to think that any domestic work requires us to dress in sports clothing. While there are some activities that require sportswear, the dress can be adapted to just about everything a woman at home needs to do.

These kinds of things make up the elements of feminine clothing:

Tucks

Pleats

Fullness

Softness

Ladies skirts and dresses

Jackets and coats with seams and darts designed to fit women

Embroidered designs (stitched on flowers and designs)

Edges of clothing with lace and interesting trims like bias tape and fringes. Have a look in fabric stores at the trims and ribbons to see what kind of trims could be added to a garment to make it feminine.

Ruffles, fringes, ribbons, buttons

Clear colors that reflect nature: the blue of the sky, clouds, the ocean, flowers, birds, and all the shades in nature. Pastels are also very feminine.

Styles of your own culture. In many countries, feminine clothing consists of dresses and skirts, and in others, tunics, caftans, colorful cloaks, or bright silks.  Some of the most flattering clothing to females is historical clothing that seems to bring out their femininity, in contrast to the masculine clothing.

Looking in the Mirror

by Anna Kirstin Ancher

After viewing  the various elements of feminine clothing style, consider the effect that dressing like a lady can have on people:

Family members - Young children love looking at the pictures and patterns and textures of the long skirts of their mothers. Longer skirts give them something to grab on to and hide behind, which is quite charming and produces fond memories in both generations  A mother can have a great influence on the future of her sons just by the way she dresses because he will form his opinions and tastes during his upbringing. Her clothes will also have an effect on his attitude in the home and toward life in general. Girls growing up in a home where their mother cares about  fabrics and clothing, will develop an appreciation for dresses and will develop an eye for beauty.

The Brioche 

by Victor Gilbert

 A woman will set the mood in her home just by the way she dresses. She shows her children that they are important enough to warrant her dressing well.  Her husband will appreciate her feminine dress because it is quite the opposite of the way men dress, and it will make him feel more distinctly masculine.  Today, there is little for a man to feel distinctly different from women. Careers that were formerly run by men are now being shared with women, who dress in the same uniforms as men,  and there are few things left to make men feel unique.  If a wife will dress femininely at home, her husband will appreciate it.

Portrait of Miss Lloyd

by James Tissot

People you do not know, but who see you in public - In any given day, a homemaker goes to a grocery store, the post office, the hardware store, the farm supply store, the bank or favorite places of business. Employees often see uniforms and customers in drab clothing day after day. The sight of a woman dressed in a ladylike way can bring cheer to the hearts of those who work hard all day in repetitive jobs or in high pressured competition.  Sometimes such a woman is "a sight for sore eyes," and can remind others of a sweeter, more sublime side of life.  Somehow, without your telling it, these onlookers know that you believe something, and that belief is rooted in the Biblical differences between male and female. Your clothing says a lot more than you realize. It can say "I do not care what you have to look at," or, it can say, "I have respect for you."

Yourself - Dressing in an cheerful way can set the tone for your own day and have an effect on your mood at home.  A homemaker's mood has a large effect on others in the family. While most women at home are very conscientious about spending too much money on clothes, it is important that they have new clothes regularly and keep up their appearance, because they nurture and serve the  most important people in the world, in their home.

I have known of women who have been more isolated due to their location, and have still dressed up every day, just to respect their families and to encourage themselves.

Spring Flowers

by Myles Birket Foster

It is notable that all through the eras of great exploration and greater invention; through the pioneer periods in many countries, and during the time when people travelled extensively by train, boat, and car, women dressed in a similar manner as in these paintings.  More women were in agricultural areas  and the wilderness areas in the United States in the 1800's and yet were  dressed more femininely.

Those who are uncertain about God's plan for men and women- There are many impressionable people who may be living in confusion as to what their role in life is, and what a woman should look like in comparison to a man. Young people may be influenced to accept the sameness of men and women and not understand how to accentuate the differences. One of the easiest ways to bring clarity to the male and female purpose  is with clothing.  

When a woman dresses more femininely, it can have a great impact on the thinking of people who may be confused. Her clothing symbolizes her feminine role in life; that of wife, mother, homemaker, daughter, church member and all that is done in the home that make these roles essential to others. Those who have never been exposed to healthy male and female relationships can at least begin to understand through the avenue of feminine dress for women. 

Young Tarahumara Indians in Mexico

These colorful skirts and the coordinating shawls, blouses and buttoned cardigan sweaters are very functional and feminine garments.

Girls and young women who are getting interested in clothing and identity as females - When older women dress in a masculine look, with  jeans, sweatshirts and sports shoes, they do not inspire the younger women. It is no wonder the younger women are so easily influenced by the immodest styles made for the young. These styles often have the feminine elements that are attractive to them. You can have both femininity, comfort  and modesty, as seen in the above photograph, without looking masculine. Women at home need to show the younger women beautiful alternatives in clothing, by wearing the clothing that shows good taste and a good example. One of the scriptures that deals has the root meaning of "good taste." Every time you wear a dress to the grocery store or somewhere else, you are influencing and encouraging others to wear feminine clothing.

There is more power in feminine dress than in power-suits.   Women may discover that wearing feminine clothing enables them to behave more femininely.  They might also find  that they are  treated like ladies, and cause others in the home to be more gentle toward her.

Feminine dress can also show what you believe about the reason men and women are different. Your clothing can also indicate your beliefs and your way of life. Clothing has a powerful effect on those who see it and those who wear it, and the effect can be very good or very depressing. Dressing femininely can add to the memories you create for your family when attending certain events.

The most important reason to dress femininely is to please the Lord and be in compliance with His will. When the word of God addresses women about clothing, it actually describes the feminine clothing God desires in women: 

"... that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."

 (1 Timothy 2:8-10)

The words in that passage describe what I have been saying: that clothing will show your profession, or your practice and your beliefs. The same passage describes the type of clothing women should wear and, despite the common belief that there is nothing specific about women's clothing in scripture, there are some specifics in those verses, found in the following words:

adorn - meaning "to drape" or decorate

modest - which means orderly, well-arranged, appropriately

apparel - a long, flowing covering or wrap

shamefacedness - a sense of reverence, and being able to blush when something is shameful or immodest

sobriety -good judgement, a sound mind, self control, moderation

professing godliness and good works

(Read a more in-depth article about modesty here.)

Although there are those who will claim that the Bible gives no specifics in the clothing that women should wear, there are at least 6 specifics in that verse. Those words all have meanings, and the meanings give the specific formula for women's dress. No, the verses do not describe the exact color or length or a dress, nor if it has long or short sleeves. Instead, the Bible describes principles of modesty that every woman in every culture can follow and adapt to.

While I am aware that this passage is used to emphasize modesty and the appropriate covering of nakedness, there is something that is often overlooked in the verses: that women should also decorate themselves in well-arranged clothing in good taste. I do not believe that clothing that is in good taste and is well arranged --- a good style that looks good on a person--has to be neglected in order to be modest. The real skill in choosing clothing is to find elements of modesty combined with all the things described in 1 Timothy 2:8-10.

A woman who dresses femininely has a great impact on her husband, her children, friends, church members and those who do not even know her. Clothing may seem like a superficial thing, but it has a profound effect on the community around her.

The is also from the Australian Myer, online, and costs quite a bit. I will try to make time to sketch a picture of ways I would change it if I were making one like it. The principle lines of the dress are very feminine.  The print looks like something casual and evokes summer picnic memories. It could be made in a different color. This pattern might be adequate for the fashions on that Australian site. The only thing I do not like about Simplicity 2174 is that you cannot sew it without the pockets, since they are built in to the pattern piece that makes one of the skirt sections.  I own this pattern but have not tried it yet.

Here is a photo of a dress I have made, recently:

This is a simple A-line dress with several sections in the skirt, to which I have added an obi belt. 

To print this post, go here.

Before women wore jeans:

This 1945 photo shows German women clearing up the debris on Berlin's Tauentzienstrasse, with the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Church in the background. The absence of able bodied men meant that the responsibility for clearing the wreckage fell mainly to civilian women, which were called "Truemmerfrauen," or rubble ladies. The signs on the left mark the border between the British-occupied sector and the U.S. sector of the city. (AP Photo)

If women could clean up rubble while wearing dresses, why is it that women in their lovely, warm and modern homes with all the conveniences, cannot dress femininely also?  Are we living in such a rude and rough world that we need to wear combat clothing in our homes and places of business? Women came out west in rough covered wagons in better clothing that women wear today to do less hard work.