Did you have to dress up for meeting?

by ericr 42 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  bluebell

  Yes, had to dress up but pantyhose (or tights as most brits call em) was not an issue, just as long as the skirt was the correct length. When I was little I hated wearing skirts, I had ecezma on the back of my knees and all the skirts and dresses used to irritate it.

  I remember getting annoyed when I started work at not being able to wear trouser suits to meetings or fieldservice, I often have to work late and if I forgot it was a meeting night I had to go home and put a skirt on. I mean, the suits are tailored for women, just like the jews all wore long robes and it must have just been the cut that differentiated between womenswear and menswear, the cut of a womans suit is different to a mans.

  But I never felt brave enough to raise that argument.
• 

  ericr

  Wow I see I wasn’t the only one that had to go through this. I really hated the all day conventions that sometimes as you know took place where there was no A/C. My parents however took the dress rules a step further. After the meetings we would sometimes go out to eat, shopping or do some other activity. We were expected to stay in full attire until we got home. Sometimes ALL DAY! Even when we got home only the tie and jacket would usually come off. During none meeting times we were expected to dress conservatively. This meant wearing a polo or button down shirt, dress or khaki pants, dress or casual shoes. Wearing a tee shirt, jeans, shorts, sneakers or white sock were rarely allowed. Sandals were only worn by girls as my dad would say. These things were considered worldly as some people would say. Even the times I was allowed to wear sneakers (mainly gym and play) they were always colored socks. I got in trouble by my PE teacher for this more than once. Imagine going to a theme park in the middle of summer having to dress like this when everyone else was in shorts, tee shirt ect.
  
  At home we were expected to get dress when we woke up in the morning and were expected to stay dressed until bedtime. Going barefoot around the house was something that we did not do. It was always shoes or slippers if it was late at night. I think this was more of my parents traditional Mexican believes than being a witness.
  
  As I got older around 7th grade they started easing up on the rules. I remember in eighth grade being allowed to wear jeans to school. I also got my first pair on Nike Air shoes and got to wear them with WHITE SOCKS to school!!! This was in the early nineties and was a big thing for me because I always stuck out from the other kids. Even during the meeting wearing a jacket started being only a once in a while thing. I think my parents just realized they were being over the top about dress appropriately. This led me on a path on sin (hint hint) and as I said before I rarely dress up. I still like to get dress when I wake because I’m more likely to get out and do something.
• 

  Princess Daisy Boo

  We were always expected to dress "approriately" and skirts and dresses only at meeting, bookstudies and FS. I remeber my worldly boyfriend (now husband) coming to a meeting with me and being the only one in jeans... he was amazed at how dressed up JW's got for meetings.

  What bothers me most is that women were never allowed to wear pants of any description... wtf... how antiquated a rule can you get... Even my sister in bethal now, she is a cleaner and can't even wear pants for cleaning the offices!

  We did not have the pantihose rule, thank goodness!