The Challenge

[BarbTherese]

Design and post a suitable 'habit' for a lay woman.

[BarbTherese]

Rather than 'habit', call it standard day wear.

 

[Anastasia13]

1 hour ago, BarbTherese said:

Rather than 'habit', call it standard day wear.

 

This. Moderately modest. Moderately stylish. Moderately feminine without having to scream anything. Respectful of the circumstances. 😎

[BarbTherese]

Link not working, Anastasia  

[Anastasia13]

On 10/28/2023 at 8:23 PM, BarbTherese said:

Link not working, Anastasia  

Actually, it's not a link. I am just agreeing with what you said above. I remember reading that part of the idea of modesty is not simply covering the body but not bringing strong attention to oneself. I think one of the challenges here is that different outfits will bring more attention in different settings. You can't simply wear the same outfit to a party, the beach. and the office unless you are willing to bring attention to yourself as that oddly dressed person at at least one place.

Ultimately, I think principles should guide rather than a specific dress code for all Christians, but as a uniform type of clothing, if anything, modest classic peices that can be intermixed could work, but it still requires variety-I am not going to wear the same outfit to walk the daughter on a hot day as I will to go to church.

[BarbTherese]

Thank you for clarification.

The objective is to 'advertise' that the woman is a Catholic lay woman, just as the habit advertises that the woman is a nun.

Obviously, if you are not prepared to wear standard dress all the time,  you probably do not have a vocation to the way of life I am proposing.   The latter removes any necessity to shop around for secular clothing.    The woman would have three dresses in the wardrobe and that is all.

Just as a nun is a nun all the time.  The Catholic laywoman is the latter all the time.         

Mine would be an organization within Catholic womanhood.  Not all would be called to that organization.

[BarbTherese]

On and off, I have been praying to Our Lady and I think I might have found something for standard wear.  It is made of burlap in a plain dress.  Burlap is the traditional sackcloth and most appropriate.  If I can get it in my size, I am home and hosed and it only costs $41.   Black slacks could be worn underneath.  As soon as I saw the burlap dress, I thought "That's it!"  Do you know the experience when you go shopping for something, but don't know what it is, but will know it when you see it.  That has been my experience.

[tinytherese]

Does wearing a chapel veil at mass count?

https://www.veilsbylily.com/

[BarbTherese]

Not too sure what you mean by count.  But I have a chapel veil, which I haven't worn as yet and am still deciding.

I have just found out too that the item of clothing costs $58 to come from the USA, so it is not really feasible.  Got all excited for nothing, although I am praying about it.  The search goes on.

Everything is really up in the air.  I do not know to where The Lord is leading.

[Nunsuch]

I think you need to decide pretty explicitly what your intentions are. To spend this much for something made of sack-cloth seems extravagant (and hardly in keeping with either a vow or a respect for simplicity). Especially when sack-cloth itself is only a couple of dollars (US) per yard and can be ordered online. 

Remember that most actual habits were simply the clothes of dedicated laywomen at the time particular forms of religious life emerged.  

Will people look at you wearing... whatever, and decide that you are simply odd looking? Or will they see something else? 

As a college professor, I dress simply and comfortably, but professionally. It is appropriate to my life and to my position. Most of my clothes are years old, and were not expensive to begin with. It's not a "habit," but I am not a religious. There also are concerns that those NOT in vows should not wear a habit. It would be the equivalent of someone not ordained wearing a clerical collar. 

Just some random thoughts.

[bardegaulois]

I have to wonder exactly what your intentions here are as well, Barb. Never in the history of the Church have layfolk selected distinctive garb to mark themselves out explicitly as layfolk; rather they dressed and still dress in a manner keeping with their culture and social station and role. You say you want to do this so people don't have to buy "secular clothing," but this is explicitly what layfolk wear. Trying to draw attention to yourself (you're not clear exactly why you want to do so) militates against modesty. It sounds here like you're trying to appropriate the trappings of religious life into a place where they have no business being.

Moreover, spending that sort of money on a burlap dress so you can look simple is much like teenagers spending the type of money they do on pre-torn jeans, and seems wasteful even to those not so devoted to simple or frugal living.

If it's simplicity of life you're aiming for, classic, well-made, and elegant clothing that will accentuate your personal values while also blending into your cultural surroundings can often be found quite inexpensively at thrift stores. That seems a much more simple and modest way of going about finding your apparel.

[BarbTherese]

Thank you very much for sharing your concepts  

Edited November 3, 2023 by BarbTherese

[BarbTherese]

I do not think that standard garb and as a means of identification are peculiar to religious life.  A policeman can be identified by his/her standard garb, as can a nurse, ambulance personnel, firemen etc. etc.

The three vows of religious life are Poverty, Chastity and Obedience to which we are all called, they are not some sort of prerogative of religious life.  Of course, the three vows are expressed differently in the different forms of life.

I have already stated that once I sighted the cost of delivery, which I did not see initially, the dress would cost too much.  I already purchase my clothing in second hand stores .  I have lived a particular way of life now since I was in my mid thirties I think it must be.

Because something has never been done is not an indication that it can never be done.

All I was looking for were ideas for something for myself, which I could have as standard dress and I thought members here on Pham might be able to give me some ideas.  The secular clothing that I do have can be useful for what I envisage.  I am now 78 years of age and severely disabled, but if any woman wanted to know more about my lifestyle, which I call Bethany, I was quite willing to share.  It is very specifically a way of life in the Laity .

 

6 hours ago, Nunsuch said:

sack-cloth itself is only a couple of dollars (US) per yard and can be ordered online. 

I cannot dress make nor have I been able to find a dressmaker within reasonable distance of where I live.  Not only that, their skills come highly priced.

[Nunsuch]

I think simple, inexpensive clothes are perhaps what you are looking for. Perhaps a dark skirt and a few tops that go nicely, but simply, with it? If you wear pantaloons, perhaps some black or dark gray ones, again with some simple tops? Perhaps a simple denim garment? 

We are not all that different in age, and I think what you seem to have sound quite nice and appropriate. I agree that paying a dressmaker to create something for you is probably not the best idea.

 

[fides' Jack]

Honestly, I'm with @BarbTherese on this one.  I saw the sackcloth and immediately thought, "YES!"

If ever there were a time to wear sackcloth, it is now.  Ashes, too.

In our crazy world today, if Catholics aren't dressing differently and standing out, it's probably a bad sign.  Everything about us, from what we wear, to what we eat, to our actions, and even our attitudes, should scream "Christian".  This is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to Christ.