Recently the Form 7 senior girls went to the Wanganui Museum to study background for the book they are reading for their Cambridge “A” Level Coursework. The book is set in early New Zealand before and during the Maori Wars. The Museum Educator had arranged an interesting experience for the girls. They were able to re-enact scenes from the book using Maori weapons and wearing Maori cloaks.
They were also able to dress up in replica colonial costumes, including fashionable women’s restrictive garments of the period and as British Soldiers.
There is no doubt that the fashions of “yesteryear” were more modest than those of today, certainly in terms of length and coverage. The restrictive garments however, apart from being quite difficult to wear, were designed to accentuate. As we know true modesty in dress requires both coverage and concealment.For this reason we are often advised to buy garments in a size bigger than we need. I saw a sentence in an article on modesty recently which struck a chord with me, it went as follows. “When we see a girl or woman dressed in the latest fashion, our eyes are drawn to her clothes and we only see the real person afterwards. However when we see a woman plainly and modestly dressed, in a manner which gives glory to God, our eyes are immediately drawn to her face. You will notice also, that in the latter case, the face is invariably radiant and full of goodness, as in the case of the two new novice Sisters and the convent schoolgirls of Wanganui.