Alyssa Bates/Webster is wearing PANTS!!

[silverspoons]

Her dresses are getting shorter and shorter! I predict next summer we will see pics of her in shorts.

 

I wonder what it's like for her, going from prairie style dresses, to regular clothes (skirts below the knee) to being able to wear whatever she likes. I wonder how much judgement she receives from her peers in real life.

Was Alyssa old enough to remember the Nabsico pre-ATI days? I wondered if the older kids remember wearing normal clothes and living in a more populated neighborhood with friends next door. Even if Alyssa was young 4-5 when they switched to dresses , maybe the memory of wearing different styles really stuck with her.

[actuallyjessica]

Was Alyssa old enough to remember the Nabsico pre-ATI days? I wondered if the older kids remember wearing normal clothes and living in a more populated neighborhood with friends next door. Even if Alyssa was young 4-5 when they switched to dresses , maybe the memory of wearing different styles really stuck with her.

Alyssa was the first of the kids when they really went in deep with the koolaid and went to skirts only, IIRC.

[freealljs]

Alysss's cousins wear pants and shorts. Her grandmother also wears pants and shorts. So, maybe she always knew that being religious and closer to God has nothing to do with what she wears.

[mango_fandango]

Alyssa is only about eight months older than me. I can't imagine being married and with a kid at age 20. She seems to be enjoying life right now, though, so kudos to her. 

And yeah, glad she's realised that long skirts aren't the be-all and end-all in religion. Maybe, just maybe, this may serve as inspiration to her younger sisters. Even if it doesn't, they're still dressing much more fashionably than they used to. 

[SassyPants]

I do not understand the weekly publicized pictures. 

Sometimes with these fundies, it seems they do not understand that more is not always better and that for most things a saturated point is met.

Doesn't modesty apply to all areas of their lives?

[Firiel]

I do not understand the weekly publicized pictures. 

Sometimes with these fundies, it seems they do not understand that more is not always better and that for most things a saturated point is met.

Doesn't modesty apply to all areas of their lives?

It's kind of common with public-ish figures these day (the kind of lame public figures like reality stars and bloggers).  There are actually people who are Internet-famous through just Instagram.  They post several times a day.  It's weird, and I don't really understand it.

[Catey]

I think that Whitney and Alyssa just traded wardrobes.....

[grandmadugger]

I do not understand the weekly publicized pictures. 

Sometimes with these fundies, it seems they do not understand that more is not always better and that for most things a saturated point is met.

Doesn't modesty apply to all areas of their lives?

It's all about selling your brand.  And individuals now can be brands.  One of my downfalls on Insta is I don't post enough.  I'm a blogger so in order to get sponsors I should be out there on every social media channel pimpin myself.

[CaptainFunderpants]

Is anyone here old enough to remember "babydoll" swimsuits?  I went to a fundie-light private school in middle school and when we had the opportunity to go on a school outing where swimming was an option, the boys had a separate pool time from the girls.  The girls' swimsuits had to be babydoll swimsuits.  I guess they thought one piece suits were too tight and two piece suits were out of the question...although technically, that's what babydoll suits were.  I guess the apron part of the suit made it "modest."  We couldn't have girls defrauding girls, now, could we?  Especially back at an age where we had no idea what lesbians were.

This is what mine looked like, only it was pink:

Tankinis have been super popular for a long time. Now there's also the "fatkini" which is kind of the inverse of a tankini; has a very high waist and then allows for wearing a regular bikini top with just a tiny bit of exposure in between.

[FoxyMoxie]

Tankinis are awesome when you want the coverage of a one-piece but also have to go to the bathroom a lot - also why they're great on little kids.

[elliha]

Yes two piece is perfect for children. I still use sun protective suits for my daughter but always two pieces ever since she was out of diapers.

[SassyPants]

It's all about selling your brand.  And individuals now can be brands.  One of my downfalls on Insta is I don't post enough.  I'm a blogger so in order to get sponsors I should be out there on every social media channel pimpin myself.

Then they should mix up the background, venue and clothing a bit. To me, it appears they click a family or couple selfie every Sunday on the way to services. 

Do they not go or do anything else?

A park? the beach? a mall?

How about the living room?

[quiversR4hunting]

Then they should mix up the background, venue and clothing a bit. To me, it appears they click a family or couple selfie every Sunday on the way to services. 

Do they not go or do anything else?

A park? the beach? a mall?

How about the living room?

I was thinking the same thing (picture before or after church). And it is someone taking the picture because it is always a full or half body shot. Does her husband work so much it is just mom and baby mostly? And if so, maybe they are doing things that some think should be with the headship like going to the gym and wearing gym appropriate clothes and Alli is in the gym day care while mom works out or does yoga or Gymboree class where there is baby dancing going on ....

For the record- I would love for Alyssa to be doing all the items I listed in a normal secular group that may or may not include the right kind of Christians or homeschooling families.

[grandmadugger]

Then they should mix up the background, venue and clothing a bit. To me, it appears they click a family or couple selfie every Sunday on the way to services. 

Do they not go or do anything else?

A park? the beach? a mall?

How about the living room?

Well yeah they really should be mixing it up but they are fundies there is no creativity. 

[manda b]

Maybe the reason why we don't see the beach pics is that she's wearing a bikini.

[16strong]

Maybe the reason why we don't see the beach pics is that she's wearing a bikini.

I'm not so sure she'd be seen wearing a bikini, but I bet she's wearing tankinis, which in her world would be considered pretty saucy. All that leg, shoulder, and a touch of cleavage and all. I definitely don't think she's wearing Wholesome Wear to the beach, and given how cute she likes to dress, I can't see her wearing board shorts and a rash guard top, either. My vote is for the tankini.

[nausicaa]

I'm not so sure she'd be seen wearing a bikini, but I bet she's wearing tankinis, which in her world would be considered pretty saucy. All that leg, shoulder, and a touch of cleavage and all. I definitely don't think she's wearing Wholesome Wear to the beach, and given how cute she likes to dress, I can't see her wearing board shorts and a rash guard top, either. My vote is for the tankini.

Yep. I can also see a cute 1950s throwback one piece. 

[J'Lurker]

Two thoughts on Alyssa's new instagram post:
1- Girl is clearly reading here; we just finished snarking on the lack of diversity in photo background, and there they are in a yard.
2- Her hair is ombre now. Last time I suspected she was pregnant because she started to look kind of tired. I wasn't in the camp speculating Alyssa was going to conceive this year... but I think I am now. Sleep deprivation induced hunch-- happy Friday!

[singsingsing]

I'm going to going to go out on a limb here and guess that Alyssa doesn't spend her time reading Free Jinger and adjusting her Instagram posts accordingly.

[IrishCarrie]

She is so pretty and stylish! For anyone, not just for a Bates.

(I can't believe I'm actually crushing on a fundie.... I'll see myself out)

[Alicja]

one of those tankinis and a floppy sun hat would be super cute!

[Pretzel]

Am I the only one who doesn't care at all for Alyssa's wardrobe? It's pretty on her, ok. It's also Florida where wearing wholesome wear and denim skirts is giving a foretaste of burning in hellfire. Her wardrobe is appropriate for the climate that she lives in. 

However, I'd choose Erin's wardrobe over Alyssa's anytime. 

[Lewy]

I think they both have a really nice sense of style. Different, but well matched to their personalities. 

I'd love to raid Alyssa's wardrobe.....a lot of her stuff is seriously cute. 

 

[Melissa1977]

Am I the only one who doesn't care at all for Alyssa's wardrobe? It's pretty on her, ok. It's also Florida where wearing wholesome wear and denim skirts is giving a foretaste of burning in hellfire. Her wardrobe is appropriate for the climate that she lives in. 

However, I'd choose Erin's wardrobe over Alyssa's anytime. 

I think Erin's wardobre is for an older woman, not for a 25(?) years-old.

Alyssa knows how to dress fashionable (not modest, her high heels and short dresses are not modest, but good for her if she wears what she likes).

Josie and Carlin are very fashionable too. Not fundie at all.

[unforgiving]

I think Alyssa's wardrobe is very modest. Not "modest" by the fundie definition, but modest as in the actual real life definition . Here's what Merriam-Webster says about that:

: not very large in size or amount

: not too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities : not showing or feeling great or excessive pride

of clothing : not showing too much of a person's body

She's not showing too much of her body, not by any unwarped interpretation of that anyway. And she doesn't come across as showing too much pride in the clothes that she wears ( and fundies that  feel the need to keep banging on about their modesty standards are certainly doing that) .

She's just wearing what she feels comfortable in . I don't feel like she is trying to prove a point or believes that everyone should be dressing as she does, and it very much comes across.