A Very Female Discussion of Garments

TheAnswerIs42 · Post by **TheAnswerIs42** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:27 pm

http://theboard.byu.edu/index.php?area=viewall&id=47778

Can I just say that I totally agree, even if I never dreamed of actually complaining about it? I have been wearing garments for many years, but I can't stand where the waist hits me. At least pants keep them up. But on Sunday, they usually they fall down to where the waist of my skirt is, and then they are hanging 5 inches lower which makes a penguin walk as well as having G's hang a few inches beyond my knees. My husband often laughs at my occasional, er, "Superman" look, as he calls it, which is the only way I have found to keep them tight where I need them tight. Before someone asks, yes, I am wearing the right size, they fit my legs just fine. But the waist band makes a very unsightly dent in my abdomen when in the right spot, making it look like I have rolls of fat when it really isn't that bad.

Like I said though, I never thought to complain. They aren't going to move the waistband lower, because then it would be immodest on some women. They want enough coverage so that the top and bottom have to overlap no matter what, and I understand that. I am not sure what habiba meant by them fitting women and not girls. Am I supposed to get fat as I age or something? I've had a couple of kids, and it ain't getting any better. Maybe it was just the maturity not to complain, but accept the prayerful consideration that went into the design in the first place?

jooniper · Post by **jooniper** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:09 am

I am sooo right there with you. But I do complain about it. I'm definitely a garment-whiner. I don't mind the bottoms particularly (though could we PLEASE get rid of the "lace" on the bottom of carinessas? It itches!)
But my beef has mostly to do with the tops: the only ones that fit long-torsoed, thin, flat girls are the cotton-polys, which, though completely frumpifying, were great til I moved to hot and humid Houston. and the sleeves are definitely a problem. Not because of the length, but because of all the extra fabric. A perfectly modest cap sleeve gets all bunchy with the garments underneath it. If i wear anything other than the cotton-polys, either my chest looks RIDICULOUS, or they aren't long enough to stay tucked in.
On top of it, my poor husband can't wear half his tshirts anymore (and we're talking LARGE, BAGGY and perfectly modest guy t-shirts) because his garment sleeves always poke out the sides.

Whew. Thanks for letting me vent. I could go on and on on this subject. I used my later pregnancy/bedrest//post-partum recovery as an excuse not to wear Gs (or much of anything at all) but realized about a month ago the excuse doens't apply anymore, and getting back into the habit has been hard. And garments are definitely not breastfeeding-friendly... unless you wear the nursing ones and those won't work with my body type.
I always where garment-modest clothes, but yes, sometimes I'll not wear the garments because they are just too uncomfortable, interfere with nursing, or ruin otherwise perfectly modest (not even too tight) and acceptable clothes.

chillygator · Post by **chillygator** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:46 am

That's weird...mine have never fallen, but they do give me rolls (and I am not a rolly person), so I've never liked that (or that the waistband is level with my ribcage). And I'm having the bunched-cotton under a cap-sleeve problem today )o: I didn't realize I'd grabbed the wrong top and now they sleeves stick out from my shirt. Luckily, I am wearing a jacket. Garments are so fun. I love them. (o:

I wondered about the women vs girls thing. When do we get to start being women?

361 · Post by **361** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:42 pm

chillygator wrote:When do we get to start being women?

1 year after your firstborn

or 31 years old

whichever comes first.

TheAnswerIs42 · Post by **TheAnswerIs42** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:39 pm

Oh yeah, the nursing G's drive me batty. They are easy enough to use, but since the upper part isn't connected it drifts upward and inward. Which means that I am covered when I first put my shirt on, and then they slowly creep in the neckline unless my shirt meets my neck or I pin the G's in their original position. I never thought I would pin G's, and hated girls who said they do that, but I just want them to stay where they started off! I still cringe every time I do it, but I guess as long as my shirts would still me modest over other G tops it can't be that bad.

jooniper · Post by **jooniper** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:48 am

For nursing, after discussing it with many endowed mommies, I decided to go on wearing my cottonpolys, but to wear them OVER my nursing bra. Then when I nurse, I either pull the neckline down (most garment styles let you do this, but I suppose it depends on your chest size too) or pull the bottom up. That way I don't have to deal with the awkwardness that is the Nursing Garment.

Wisteria · Post by **Wisteria** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:54 pm

Hum. This is interesting. First, I want to say that I'm very glad I listened to my friends and got the garment size they recommended instead of the much larger size that the sizing chart said I should wear- but I haven't really had many issues with garment wearing. I'm pretty content with drisilque tops and Carinessa bottoms- although I have definitely noticed that any other bottoms I try fit really weird, with a really low crotch and short legs. Also, I have no problem keeping them up, it's the legs riding up high that give me grief. That's the main reason I like the Carinessas best. Spandex!

NerdGirl · Post by **NerdGirl** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:27 pm

Wisteria wrote:First, I want to say that I'm very glad I listened to my friends and got the garment size they recommended instead of the much larger size that the sizing chart said I should wear

Amen to that! I've gained about 30 pounds since I was first endowed, and I'm still not as big as the size that the lady at the distribution center told me I should get.

Portia · Post by **Portia** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:56 am

These seem like good things to know. Do they use clothing-size sizes (i.e., 6, 8, 10), or European-style, where it's tied to measurements? (32, 34, 36)

A Mom, but not yours · Thu Oct 16, 2008 12:15 pm

Huh. I'm beginning to think I'm the only female out there who doesn't have issues with my garments.

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:01 pm

A Mom, but not yours wrote:Huh. I'm beginning to think I'm the only female out there who doesn't have issues with my garments.

My mother doesn't have any problems with hers. And she thinks you lot are crazy for not using nursing garments. ; )

Eponine · Post by **Eponine** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:57 pm

I don't have issues with mine. I didn't like the lace at first--it is kinda itchy. But I got used to it. And I second the problem with the legs coming up. Sometimes I'll pull on my jeans and realize that the legs of my bottoms have rolled up and now form a small lump all the way around my leg. Sigh. Then I have to reach down my pants and try to roll them back out.

PS: I was just endowed about four months ago, and the instructor-lady said there's no problem with wearing panties underneath when you're having your period, as well as wearing a nursing bra underneath when you're nursing.

bismark · Post by **bismark** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:16 pm

TMI!!!!!!!!

TheAnswerIs42 · Post by **TheAnswerIs42** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:33 pm

Apparently I should have named this thread "women's garments" to ward off unsuspecting guys who didn't want to know all of this. Sorry bismark!

NerdGirl · Post by **NerdGirl** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:29 am

Portia wrote:These seem like good things to know. Do they use clothing-size sizes (i.e., 6, 8, 10), or European-style, where it's tied to measurements? (32, 34, 36)

They use the same kinds of numbers as European-style measurements, but they don't seem to correspond to people's actual measurements. And they even say on the church distribution website if you go to buy garments on there that garment sizes are different than any regular clothing sizes. A couple of styles (like the Carinessa bottoms and some kinds of tops) use s-m-l-xl sizes. To give you an example of how different the sizes are, I'm about a size 16-18 in clothes, but I wear a medium or a 34 in garments. I have about a 39 inch waist, so I have no idea what the number 34 is supposed to correspond to. And the size chart they have doesn't seem to work for me, either. When I was first endowed, the lady at the distribution center said I should get size 40. Luckily my mom was there to point out that she only wears a size 38 and she's bigger than me, so I got size 36. I think if I had gotten size 40 the bottoms would have fallen of off me.

Another odd thing: I have to get petit bottoms and tall tops (I'm about 5'5"). The regular bottoms come up almost to my chest, and the regular tops don't come down to my waist. And I don't think I have some sort of unusually long torso. I do have a pretty large chest, though, so that may explain the tall tops.

Wisteria · Post by **Wisteria** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:14 pm

It might explain it, Nerdgirl, but it doesn't explain why I also wear petite bottoms and tall tops, seeing as how I am not particularly well endowed. (no pun intended). Also, my legs are proportionately much longer than my torso. I actually tried to purchase a pair of regular length bottoms once just as a comparison to see how they fit but the lady at the counter looked me over and recommended I put them back on the shelf and stick with petites.

Also, I am now more confused than ever about sizing. I'm a size 8-10 usually (although thanks to an incredibly unstandardized women's clothing sizing system, I wear anywhere from a size 6 to a size 12), and I also wear a size 34 garment. And I think they fit prety well too . . . hmmmm. SOmething funny is going on here.

Portia · Post by **Portia** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:05 am

Wisteria wrote:. . . seeing as how I am not particularly well endowed. (no pun intended).

I wanted to thank you for bringing a smirk to my face on what is shaping up to be one of my more emo days.