After reading the thread about what is acceptable to wear and not wear in a factory run by Jehovah's Witnesses, I wondered whether any here ever got counseled or in trouble because of their fashion sense or attire.
Were You Ever Counseled Because Of What You Wore (or didn't)?
by minimus 56 Replies latest jw friends
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WTWizard
Yup, and everything was to make me even more unappealing to the opposite sex, both in the world and in the congregation.
First, they forced me to give up wearing any colored shirts. We had this hounder that was absolutely strict when it came to wearing a white dress shirt. And there had to be a T shirt under it, or else.
They also didn't want me wearing any shoes that were too casual looking or that were even slightly scuffed (and it is easy to get a little scuff while out in field circus, and they knew where to look for the first signs of wear). A dark color was imposed, preferably black, with dark socks.
My collar button had to stay buttoned up at all times while out in field circus or at boasting sessions. It didn't matter how hot or muggy it got. I remember the Summer of 1995 when it was quite hot for a long stretch, and it mattered not. The button had to stay done up.
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megaflower
oh yea, they approached me about the shoes I wore. I do not like high heels . I will wear a max of an 1.5 inch heel. Iam an athlete so Iam use to athletic wear so it really hurts to wear those dumb heels. Also, our service terriotry is rural (farms etc). Who wants to step in cow poop with good dress shoes?
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Rapunzel
When I was in France, in 1976, I was "counseled" ["harassed" or "taunted" are actually better words for the treatment] for wearing my hair unacceptably long. To this day, I still remember attending a meeting before field service. Although there was only one woman ["sister"] present, the elder in charge of the meeting quipped - "Well, it seems like we have have two sisters present today." This witticism drew chuckles and smirks from some of the brothers who were there. Of course, he was referring to me as the "second sister." Also one time, I was put in with the sisters on a food distribution line at a convention. In the 70's in France, selling food was strictly limited to "the sisters."
Of course, it is entirely a question of local standards. I found it a little ironic actually, because I remember clearly that the younger sisters in that same French congregation had the habit of wearing very, very tight-fitting blue jeans. It looked like they had had their jeans spray-painted on. But that was alright because that was the custom throughout all of France at that time. Guys wore their hair short, and young women wore their jeans tight.
On the other hand, the situation was quite different in Miami a year earlier, in 1976. There, the sisters would never think of wearing jeans or any other pants to the Kingdom Hall. In fact, they sneered at the women in the "worldly churches" who wore pant suits to church. So,I guess it all comes down to local mores and customs. Also, I have heard that some halls are more "liberal" and lenient than others.
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blondie
Not wearing nylons (even when it is 100 degrees)
Wearing jean skirts
Shorts had to be to the knee when working at Wallkill; sisters had to bend over to see if they gave a view with their shirt, can't be picking tomatoes and showing your orbs.
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AlyMC
yes... lol... quite a few times.
But they weren't nearly as picky with me as I hear they were with others. I was sort of an unusual teen in that my Dad "fell away" and I went independently from 15 on. My Dad never had his heart in it, he just felt as a single Dad he had to provide us religion and kind of fell into the wrong religion.
Because of that, I got a lot less flack than some of my friends. They were mostly just trying to keep me coming, and because I had no parent to lay down the law I don't think they quite knew what to do with me.
But yes, I did get gentle counsel a few times on my choice of clothes. I wasn't the most modest sister around. For a JW, I was (intentionally) the type you didn't bring home to mom.
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NanaR
Yup!
I played piano for our Circuit Assemblies. In the Spring of 1977, a couple of months after the birth of my daughter, we had a CA. Since none of my pre-baby clothes were breastfeeding friendly (and mostly didn't fit anyway), my Mom helped me pick out a couple of outfits and she paid for one while I paid for the other.
When I got to the Assembly on Saturday, the brother in charge of the music said that my clothing was "too casual". I had on a matching skirt and top, the skirt was a wraparound skirt with plenty of overlap and length midknee. The top buttoned in the front, had topstiching and pockets, and was belted. I would call it a "safari style", but with a skirt. He asked me if I would please go and change before the meeting.
I told him that I didn't have anything to change into, and that he could either let me play or he could play the piano himself (I always was cantakerous LOL).
I played in what I was wearing. Later I told my father what the brother had said and he thought it was ridiculous.
Next assembly, there was a different brother in charge of music (thankfully!).
To me it was an example of letting personal opinion get way out of hand. No way was I improperly dressed, except to this one brother (who was probably trying to figure out how to see what was behind that wrap-around-skirt *ugh*).
I hate JW flashbacks...
Ruth
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minimus
I never understood what was inappropriate/immodest with a woman wearing a long (to the ankles) skirt that had a slit to the knee.
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MissingLink
I was hauled into the back room once because my black belt didn't match my brown shoes. I said I never heard of that rule and laughed and walked away. Didn't get many "priviledges" from that "brother" after that.
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minimus
One thing about the JW elder mindset is if you balk at all at counsel, even when it appears stupid, even if you clearly see the injustice of it all, you are screwed from that point onward. The fact that you didn't follow the elder's direction immediately, like a sheep, you are now marked and watched from then on. Oh, how I do not miss the authoritanians!