What Is Feminine? Culottes?
I was reading a blog post on “things I’ve learned from blogging” and the author noted the fact that culottes are actually men’s garments. I had to look this up for myself. I guess I just thought culottes were something recently invented for ladies who wore skirts but wanted to be able to be more active. Actually culottes [ku luht] have been around for a long time, and are of French origin. The word ‘culottes’ is also French too, meaning “knee-breeches” or “underpants”. They were worn by men and those in the military. Of course now today if you look up a definition of culottes you will find the word to mean “women’s breeches” or or in French “panties”. Either way culottes by definition, then or now, are not feminine nor modest.
Deuteronomy 22:5
“A woman is not to wear men’s clothing, and a man is not to put on women’s clothing, for whoever does these things is detestable to Yehovah your God.
The idea of a split-skirt was created during the 1800s for ladies who wanted to ride horses like the men did, front-saddle rather than side-saddle. It was only later that they started using the term ‘culottes’ to describe them. In the 1960′s culottes took the role of pajamas pants, made in bright colours, and matching shirts. Still they were considered undergarments. Now today they are worn as outer-garments by several religious sects, who want to be able to be more active while still being modest. I personally have not found a task I could not do in a skirt or even tasks that were harder for me while wearing skirts.
I’ve never been in favour of culottes. I understand the concept, but in my opinion it was kind of like sitting on the fence between pants and skirts. If you agree with wearing skirts as a lady and that pants are for men then stick with skirts. If you want to be more covered for more active activities I would suggest just wearing something under your skirt. Wearing a skirt with an undergarment and accidentally exposing them is no different than actually wearing culottes without the skirts, since culottes are undergarments.
What are your opinions of culottes as a garment and wearing them yourself?
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Post topics: culottes, feminine, feminism, feminist, history, men, modest, pants, practical, questions, skirts, women
I agree with you that culottes are trousers and cannot replace skirts. I think in certain situations it is OK for women to wear trousers of some sort as undergarments – for example, if one were going hiking then waterproof trousers underneath a tough skirt would be OK (at least to me) because the waterproof trousers are to keep the cold and wet out.
Wide trousers are actually pretty cumbersome and awkward to wear for me – wearing leggings under a (modestly long) skirt actually makes movement much easier!
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Ever since I heard of culottes (about 2/3 years ago) they never really appealed to me. I didn’t think they looked very feminine and the over-all look of them just didn’t appeal to me. Also, like you, haven’t found an activity that I couldn’t do in skirts.
I thought it was very interesting when I looked up the word ‘pants’, what I found:
1. Trousers
2. underpants, esp. for women and children; panties.
3. British. men’s underpants, esp. long drawers.
Based those definitions and reading Deuteronomy 22:5, all I can tell is that pants are immodest, clearly not feminine, and men’s clothing.
Thank you again, MJ, for starting FF and all you have done with it! It has been such an encouragement to me!
Blessings and Shalom,
Miss Hannah
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I completely agree with Jade, and you sis. It is sitting on the fence. Choose the side you want to be on, and stay on it.
I wear pants under a skirt to wear to the barn to do chores in the winter time or long socks. If I don’t have a skirt clean, I only wear the pants to the barn and put on a good skirt to wear around the house. I agree about wearing pants when going out to do hiking and such – it is a good idea. But not when it is not necessary.
Besides the fact that culottes are a pair of pants (because that’s what they are) they are more of a fashion statement than of a modesty one.
very good post!
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personally have not found a task I could not do in a skirt or even tasks that were harder for me while wearing skirts.
I agree wholeheartedly. I work on our farm right along side my husband in a long skirt. I do wear “culottes” under my skirts and slip. It is very comfortable in the summer and I wear thermals in the winter. I stay very comfortable all year round.
My struggle is with my daughter who wants to wear pants or jeans under a long tunic shirt or a short skirt/dress. Her bottom is technically covered but is still wearing pants. I am working on this slowly and leading by example. Her Bat Mitzvah is in a week and her clothing choices will be her responsibility afterword.
Blessings to you,
Teresa
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I’ve felt the same. Actually, when I first saw them, I thought the looked a lot like really ugly shorts.
I would never wear such a thing.
The only time I wear pants is when it’s very cold/windy outside and even then I put a skirt over it. I also wear pants to my parents job, but that’s a safety/hygienic thing.
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Hello,
I don’t wear culottes, although I don’t think there is anything wrong with them..
I don’t find anything wrong with wearing pants either, if they are loose fitting…Thanks for the post
Rebecca
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[...] What is Feminine? Culottes? – I personally think they are ugly, but did you know they are actually undergarments? Interesting article. [...]
Would anyone have ideas on what to wear to an old-fashioned branding where you wrestle the steers to the ground,and need to straddle them while giving shots, etc.?
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Jade's reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Gosh, Sparrow, that is a tricky one! I’m not really experienced in the area of branding cattle but I suppose that trousers with a long shirt that covers your rear would be OK because I don’t think it would be easy to wear a skirt and stay modest whilst wrestling cows to the ground! Also, I think that skirts could possibly be dangerous as the cows could get caught up in them.
My advice would be to wear trousers with a long shirt/tunic only for that job, and change into a skirt as soon as possible afterwards.
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I think that cullotes are modest. At my school, they are our pe uniform in place of shorts. Cullottes look just like a skirt, only they give you the flexibility of pants, while looking feminine and like a lady. Is there a way you could put up a picture of the ones you are talking about? The ones I have seen look 100% like a skirt.
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Well, I believe some culottes (or split skirts) are feminine and modest. I definitely prefer skirts, yet split skirts do seem to work better for certain activities, such as bike-riding. But perhaps it is a better idea to wear a skirt and pants or culottes underneath. Still, I don’t feel convicted that split skirts are wrong in every case–you can make your own to be long and full, almost like a skirt.
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I’m not particularly fond of them either! I’ve only seen them worn a few times, and I just can’t get past how strange the women’s styles I’ve seen are.
Although we Westerners know them as the French culottes, the style has been around much longer. Japanese men wore a similar garment called “hakama.” Their version was floor length, rather than knee length, to help disguise their feet when they were fighting.
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