I’m going to be kind of ambiguous here, but those who might care will know the context of what I’m talking about. And, as this has been on my mind all week, I think it best I just say it “out loud” for those who might care 😉
And only because those who might care haven’t been thinking of it in terms of trousers: I’m talking about pants, Americans. But I’m going to call them trousers. Because words like “pants” and “fanny” mean other things to the rest the English-speaking world. And, for what it’s worth, whether or not I wear pants isn’t something that would normally be visible to other people in that context. Ha! That clarified:
I wear trousers when I want to wear trousers, only considering whether or not the style of trouser I’m wearing (or skirt, for that matter) is formal/informal enough for the situation. I don’t love when a decision as wee as that becomes complicated…
Why I have considered trousers for this Sunday:
- Because it is chilly outside (and inside, sadly) right now, which means trousers would be lovely in a warmer sort of way.
- Because I will be teaching children, and last time I did that there were no adult-sized chairs. This is a thing more easily dealt with in trousers.
- Because I have only this week realised that it is a big deal that I live somewhere where I can wear those trousers and not have any issue made of it, and it seems like a nice solidarity thing to do for those who, due to non-doctrinal cultural (pop cultural, as my dad and I might say…folk cultural as those with degrees in such things might say) reasons, don’t feel they can do that.
- Along the same lines, because it would be a celebration of my ability to do that (both due to where I am and due to my own nature).
- Because, as some people have noted, their nicest clothes actually are nice trousers. Some of my trousers are at least in the top niceness tier…(Note that I wouldn’t wear my “Blur trousers” because I am well aware that I always feel a sense of silly cheekiness as I sit in meetings with those on and think about how no one there knows that I am actually Alex from Blur undercover…haha!)
Transitional anecdote: I once had a friend who, surprisingly, said he’d like to come along on Sunday. (To be a bit confident in my own awesomeness, it probably had to do with the fact that I was speaking and I am rather good at that.) As I always do in such situations (well, I didn’t once, but that was since I was here and so it didn’t matter that the pretty girl showed up in jeans and a t-shirt), I just noted that most the men would probably be wearing nice slacks and button-up shirts…probably ties as well. He was shocked. Based on what he’d seen me wear out the door on Sundays (almost always skirts and dresses, but definitely in my own style), he assumed it was a more casual affair.
Why I have considered a skirt for this Sunday:
- Because I don’t see my trousers as a political statement and don’t necessarily want them to be taken as such.
- Because I don’t want to disrupt someone’s desire for a fulfilling spiritual experience by joining in with those making a statement.
- Along the same lines, because I don’t feel like this is an appropriate venue for political statements. I’m not allowed to be upset at the veiled political statements others slip into their comments or talks and then think it’s okay for me to do the same. (If, however, you’d like to wear trousers for some other reason, go for it! Do it any Sunday! If you’re feeling a bit shy about it, ask me to wear them as well that week like some kind of cultural training wheels and I probably will.)
- Because, as noted, my personal sense of style might already be seen as too off-culture for some. Maybe, in my own way, I’m already accidentally making a statement every time I walk in those doors.
- Because it seems like those who are trying to make statements with trousers aren’t all making the same statement(s), and I don’t care to be seen as saying something that I’m not.
There are already at least a couple women who wear trousers most the time…Maybe all the time, but I really don’t consider it a big enough deal to pay attention to (unless the outfit overall is really killer and I’m trying to figure out what elements of it I want to incorporate into my own style). In fact, there are people there who don’t seem to be dressed any more formally than I’d dress on a “sit around the flat in jeans and a t-shirt to play video games all day” sort of day.
There’s every possibility I’ll wear trousers with a dress or skirt. I’m wont to do that as well, you know. Hopefully, as I usually do when dressing, I’ll just look at my clothes and be in the mood for one thing or another and go with it. Because, honestly, after having spent much of my life with there being some issue or other with my appearance, I really do enjoy that (barring days like this Sunday) I just get up and get dressed and don’t think much about what anyone but me will think of what I’m wearing and/or whether it’s going to be comfortable for the day’s activities.
If you choose to wear trousers, I hope you’ll do so in an appropriate spirit. If you choose not to wear trousers, I hope that you won’t bring in a bad spirit by being nasty/judgemental about it. Either way, I hope you feel accepted, I hope you feel truly good about yourself (really!), and I hope that you have a fulfilling Sunday. Remember that, whatever others might do, having a spiritual experience is greatly up to us. (I can find a quote from a GA given in a recent conference for that if you don’t believe me.)
Now, to wrap up my night. I’ve still got band business and bills to sort. And, oh my stars, I would probably enjoy the conversation more if it were about pants, not trousers. Ahahaha!
xxx