*Rubs hands together* This'll be fun! :D
Misconception One: You can't do anything in a skirt.
Ha!! I've climbed trees, (many many times) played light sabers, ( in the dark and in the woods, no less!) rode horses, swam, (okay, so that didn't work so well. That was when I was little... ;)) cleaned, swung on swings, (or is it swang? I guess it's swung, spell check doesn't like swang.) played (actively) with children, played soccer, basketball, splashed in puddles, (um, yes, my skirt did get wet. But so did my brother's shorts! :D) and the list goes on and on and on.
However, I can see where this misconception comes from: Most girls who don't wear dresses regularly have only worn "fancy" (or tight) dresses--which, I will freely admit, are hard to move in. But that doesn't mean all dresses are like that! Another problem is probably the fact that most girls aren't familiar with wearing shorts or bloomers under skirts-- which would definitely pose a problem for doing active things. :P
Misconception Two: We are boring.
Well, I can't speak for all dress wearing gals, because it's probably true that there are some "boring" ones among our ranks. Of course, there are also "boring" people (um, I'm terribly sorry if this seems offensive... but it seems to me there might possibly be more....) among the ranks of normal dressers. Ahem. Anyways.
For one thing, we are weird. Hence, we are interesting. Hence, how can we be boring?? :D I happen to know quite a pile of young ladies who manage to be interesting (very!) in spite of the fact that they wear dresses! Shocking, I know. But it's true. *whispers* We do crazy things. Like running around with a whole bunch of people, shooting them and getting shot. hehe. Um, the "bullets" are foam. :D (yes, with a skirt on) And like pulling pranks on people. (yes, with a skirt on) And rolling down grassy inclines (yes, with a skirt on) with small children. And like putting ice down people's backs... And climbing trees in the rain in the dark... (yes, with a skirt on) and other stuff. (yes, with a skirt... oh, did I say that already?) Perhaps not exactly the world's definition of "crazy". (It seems it's definition of interesting and crazy involves things that will end up killing you or otherwise ruining your life. I still don't get it. Maybe I'm just slow.) But, nevertheless, we don't always sit around knitting and embroidering as the stereotypes would have us. And we do random, odd things on occasion. Just, most of the time, those things aren't the sort that will, um, destroy your life...And! We actually (get this!) think about life and God and the future seriously sometimes! *gasp*
Misconception Three: We just walked out of the 18th century. Or at least we look like it.
Ahem. I hate to be so blunt and honest... but have they even seen pictures of ladies in the 18th century??
Them:
Us:
Please tell me you see a difference here!! :D I think the pictures explain enough, don't you?
Misconception Four: We look Amish (Yes! People have actually asked us if we were Amish!)
Once more, a little showing and not much telling:
Amish:
Us:
Once again, pretty clear, isn't it? Yes, thank you. We wear buttons, skirts, patterned dresses (flowers and things), no head coverings, no black aprons... all of which are things the Amish can't wear. (or must wear.) :)
Misconception Five: We have to dress like this.
Once more, I say, ha!! (Which, translated, means this: that is so absurd it's almost funny.) The Amish have to dress like that, yes. It doesn't really work, though... I've been to Pennsylvania. They rebel in whatever ways they can... you should see the crazy shoes and purses!! :P
The majority (All?) of the girls I know love their skirts! Why on earth would wearing skirts be a burden?? It's fun! :D
To quote myself in a previous post:
"Four, I know that my parents, especially my Papa, appreciate me dressing like this. (At this point some folks will pounce and say, "Aha!! Your parents make you dress like that!!! You poor, dear, oppressed girl!!" Um, no. Actually, not. My parents put me in cute little dresses when I was young, yes. [I am glad of that; I especially hate seeing little girls in immodest, teenager clothes. Bleah.] But, as I got older, they never made any rules about dress. They never said we couldn't wear pants or that we must wear dresses. They encouraged us in our pursuit of modesty, yes. They let us know when our clothes weren't so modest. But they definitely, assuredly, do not force us to dress like this."
There you have it! Five top (or at least the ones I thought of first...) misconceptions about "dress wearing girls." Fellow "dress wearing girls" (haha! That sounds funny.), have you thought of any more misconceptions that should be addressed? And do you agree with my rebuttals? Guys... you can just laugh with us or add something inspiring to us dress wearing gals. :)
P.S. A friend has kindly reminded me that I need to be careful that I don't perpetuate another misconception: That we "dress wearing girls" think we are somehow "better" than those who wear pants sometimes. That is also untrue, at least of me. However, I admit I do have a bad habit of saying my personal beliefs in such a way that I could come across like that... if I have, I apologize. I really honestly don't care whether you wear skirts or pants... (Provided, of course, that you try to dress modestly. I do care if I see immodesty, but not in "you're worse than I am" way; just the sort of caring that feels bad for the guys-- and you.)
Image credits: Amish; 18th Century couple.
