More on dressing with dignity.
A friend of mine said the other day that he felt “sorry” (in a way) for prostitutes…how can anyone tell them apart from the other women at the bar? On the street? In the lobby? In the workplace?
And, like I showed with Friday’s Blog post, some women just don’t get it. Then, Lisa asked a great question. “Could somebody who has her looks avoid being distracting to men?” I said yes. How we carry ourselves speaks very loudly. You can read the entire posting and replies here, and keep this in mind:
“Purity requires modesty which, while protecting the intimate center of the person, expresses the sensitivity of chastity. It guides how one looks at others and behaves toward them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their communion. Purity frees one from wide-spread eroticism and avoids those things which foster morbid curiosity. Purity also requires a purification of the social climate by means of a constant struggle against moral permissiveness which is founded on an erroneous concept of human freedom” (Compendium of the Catechism 530).
From Deacon Greg Kandra.
Why Mass is like Disneyland
Below is a vintage photograph of guests at Disneyland in the 1950s.
And below, from 2006.
It’s not too great of a leap to compare the fashions at an amusement park to the clothes at church. With a few scenic adjustments, both the pictures above might be set at any Catholic parish, in their respective decades.
Msgr. Charles Pope offers some other observations:
This is where our culture has gone. It is not just Church. Years ago when my family went out to eat we almost always dressed up. Maybe it wasn’t a full neck tie but at least trousers and a button down shirt. Maybe not a formal dress for mom and sis, but at least a skirt and blouse. A restaurant was considered a semi-formal outing. School was also considered a place where things like jeans and informal t-shirts were out of place. Going down town to shop meant we changed out of shorts and put on something appropriate. Shorts were basically for running around the house, playing in the yard and such. But you just didn’t go out to more public settings wearing shorts and flip flops or even sneakers.
Pardon me for sounding like and old fud but I am not really that old. My point is that culture has changed, and changed rather quickly. This has affected the Church as well. What were fighting is a strong cultural swing to the extremely informal. Most people don’t even think of dressing up for most things any more let alone Church.
Other also read:
Fr. Z: Poll on Women Veiling at Mass
Newport News: A few Modest Fashion Finds!
Modesty: Parents–Say NO to Kids’ Immodest and Trashy Clothes- Woman Fired for Dressing “Too Sexy”: Distracting Men
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I have an observation to make (which I recognize may be colored by my own envy). Women who are very beautiful tend to attract the attention of men, even if they are modestly dressed, and even hold a modest demeanor. Men, in general, tend to pay more attention to them when they walk by, talk to them in a more animated fashion, even be more solicitous of their needs. Even in the lives of Saints this has been demonstrated, such as in the case of St. Rose of Lima. She was a very beautiful woman who attracted the attention and suit of many men, without any effort on her part. She took to dressing in very ugly clothes to avoid this. The inclination for man to react in this way is there. A beautiful woman can help or hurt the degree and spirit in which a man reacts to her by her demeanor and dress, but I would still rather term it a “distraction”, though the woman may not be guilty of causing it. In todays world, where the vast majority of men seem not to recognize even the existence of virtue as such, they will be distracted. This was my point on Friday’s comment, though I didn’t make it very well. Obviously you were right though, that particular woman dressed in a manner that brought attention to her figure, and didn’t have a modest demeanor. What do you think of that observation? Is it accurate, or off base?
Wow, look at how lovely those ladies from the 1950s at Disneyland look! Would that all women would start dressing that way again – I think we’d see an entirely different (and much more virtuous, chivalrous, family-friendly!) society!
Carrie, I was born in 1975, and I agree with you so much that, if we ever meet, I’d probably give you a hug for that one. Fortunately, it seems an increased number of females are waking up.
I don’t think those are guests at Disneyland. They are the Lennon Sisters, Catholic performers who appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1968. Wholesome entertainment that still appears on PBS weekly to this day.