Why I wear skirts - and why I don't

I've always loved skirts. I was the little girl who loved to twirl in them and float down the stairs in them. But I also was the girl who grew up playing soccer, riding horses, and carrying the baritone in my high school marching band. So while I loved dresses and skirts, I grew up seeing them as something to wear when I wanted to dress up, and not as something that fit an active lifestyle.

It wasn't until a couple of years ago when, inspired by some bloggers whom I follow, I began to realize that skirts don't have to be just for dressing up, but could be worn often - even most, or all, of the time. I also realized that some women wear skirts out of their religious convictions, which sent me on a personal study of what the Bible says about how we dress, as well as an experiment of sorts to see if I could begin wearing skirts more often, and maybe even exclusively.

Now, two years later, I wear skirts nearly all the time. How I do that, practically, is for another blog post. But since there are so many opinions about this topic, I thought I would share my reasons for making this fashion shift...and some reasons I don't.

I don't wear skirts because of a Bible verse. Deuteronomy 22:5 states that a man should not put on a woman's clothing and vice versa, and some interpret to mean that women should not wear pants, because those could be seen men's clothing. I do not look down on my sisters who believe that, but I do not share that understanding. At the time that was written, there were no pants as we know them today. Everyone wore robes or dress-like garments. I believe that verse means that men should dress as men and women as women, but what that will looks like will vary from culture to culture. So this verse is not why I wear skirts.

I don't wear skirts because of any other personal conviction. Even apart from Deuteronomy, some women wear skirts because they have a personal conviction that they should not wear pants, whether or not they think that applies to others. I don't. If I'm in a situation where pants are better for safety or other reasons, or if I had a job that required me to wear pants, I would not have a problem with it. For me, skirts are my "cup of tea", not a conviction or a command.

I don't wear skirts because I want to dress up all the time. I don't, actually. I love dressing comfortably and in a way that will let me get down on the floor with my kids. But like I shared above, I've discovered that skirts can be worn for all kinds of occasions.

So why DO I wear skirts?

Skirts make me feel and look more feminine. God made me a woman, and I want to dress in a way that shows that. Certainly I can wear pants and look like a woman, but even in 21st century America, a skirt still says that a woman is a woman (think about the icon's at the entrances of restrooms and changing rooms). I feel feminine and pretty in a skirt. I like feeling that way, and I like modeling it for my children, too.

Skirts make modesty easy for me. Modesty is important to me for lots of reasons. Both pants and skirts can be either modest or immodest depending on length, fabric, cling, and what they are paired with on top. That is where the "feminine" part comes back in for me. For me to feel comfortably modest in pants, they need to be someone loose and generally paired with a tunic or other longer top...but then I don't feel as feminine as I do as if I am in a skirt. In a skirt or dress, I can feel feminine AND modest at the same time.

Skirts are most comfortable for me. In the spring and summer, skirts are cool and flow-y. In the winter, paired with fleece leggings and boots, skirts are cozy and warm. Provided a skirt is long enough, I can do just about any activity on the ground without worrying about modesty, and I can always wear a pair of shorts underneath if that is a concern. In just about any weather and setting, I find skirts to be comfortable and adaptable.

Skirts are fun and versatile! I have so many options these days for outfits. Maxi skirts are back in style, which I love, but I can also find plenty of midi- and knee-length skirts. Skirts come in all kinds of fabrics, not just "dressy" ones, and multi-colored fabric patterns in skirts mean that I can pair one skirt with half a dozen different shirts and get lots of outfits out of one skirt, especially if I pick up on those colors in another skirt. I have lots of skirts I can wear in summer or winter (just add leggings), and I can dress them up or down depending on the top I use and how I do my hair.

A classy hair clip can change the look of a skirt from casual to dressy!

I'm sharing all of this not to say that I think everyone should dress like me, but as encouragement for those who have perhaps given some thought to the idea and then discarded it because, after all, we are modern women in a time when pantsuits are more a symbol of feminine power than a skirt. If that is you? I want to encourage you to think outside of the box. In a few days, I'll share on here about how to create a simple skirts-based wardrobe that will provide you with a wealth of outfits for any occasion. See you then!