Skirts

"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparal, . . . " 1 Timothy 2:9

Without being dogmatic, what's on my mind this morning is skirts. I wear them most of the time now. Growing up it took an act of Congress to get me into one. It seemed to me to be such a bother, what with all the hosiery and slips and uncomfortable shoes it entailed. Now that I'm older, though, I'm becoming less and less inclined to allow men other than my husband to gaze upon certain parts of my anatomy. Plus, I just like them. I find skirts to be comfortable - cool in summer and actually warm in winter even when working outdoors. A flannel skirt and flannel petticoat really hold in the warmth. Now that I wear skirts most of the time, I've learned or at least decided that they don't really require special socks, shoes, and other paraphenalia. I wear skirts barefoot, with tennis shoes, even with muck boots only changing into dress shoes when I need to look grown-up. Who would think that would be a problem for a grandmother.

On the practical side, are there times when I don't think a skirt is appropriate? I do: anytime it isn't safe. I wear sturdy jeans for things like tilling the garden, mowing the lawn or working with any other kind of rotating power equipment. I wear jeans when I'm working near an open fire. Other than that, I can't buy the argument that skirts aren't practical.

In our house, skirts are economical. My daughter makes 2-yard skirts for both herself and me. They're so thrifty when we come across $1/yard fabric. She uses selvedges for an automatically finished side seam and puts in an elastic waist and quick machine hem. Any scraps from other projects make little skirts for my 5-year-old granddaughter.