Bontragers/Bowers/Helferich 9: Oh Nos! Chelsey Married a Maxwell!

[SPHASH]

What's with Allison and Chelsy touching their baby bumps in every damn pic?  Its like "looky here I'm pregnant!"

[NoseyNellie]

That pregnancy announcement was a total non shocker!  lol  I suspected it when she posted wedding photos with her cardigan always draped across her.. She generally goes for a more fitted sleek look in clothing I thought.. so maybe went more covered to not upstage the wedding couple and let Allison have her 1st pregnancy attn?  

[SassyPants]

Maybe if they didn’t act like pregnancy was on par with splitting the atom, there would be no need to either attenuate or hide it. For many (most) couples it’s the expected result of a natural process.

[SPHASH]

On 5/13/2021 at 9:53 AM, Black Aliss said:

If Laurapalooza ever included a presentation by a psychologist on Pa Ingall's mental disorders I would sign up for that conference in a heartbeat. It's something that has fascinated me for years, after re-reading the Little House books as an adult.

Just from the Little House books, I'd say ADHD co-morbid with NPD, but I haven't really studied any of the non-fiction accounts of the family's life.

Read Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography.  It's the real more accurate childhood and travels. of LIW.  Very interesting and nothing like the sugar coated sanitized version of the Little House books and show.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I would say Allison and Chelsy are following the trends. It is very trendy among many women of different backgrounds to accentuate the bump or constantly hold it. I guess it's an extension of the flexing on social media.

On the other hand, some people are private and try to downplay their pregnancies on social media. 

Basically this is natural reaction to the social media age where some people live their entire lives on line and live for social media praise and some people are more private and try to have less of a presence.

[JermajestyDuggar]

I like looking at maternity fashion over time and it seems to change often. Some decades liked to hide the bump as much as possible while other decades showed it more. When corsets were popular, it was thought to be fine to wear a corset while pregnant. 

[fundiefan]

1 hour ago, SPHASH said:

Read Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography.  It's the real more accurate childhood and travels. of LIW.  Very interesting and nothing like the sugar coated sanitized version of the Little House books and show.

I second this recommendation. I always knew the books were fictionalized and the television show was only a loose representation, but reading the Annotated Autobiography showed the extent to which they were....well, BS...created for public consumption. 

[Melissa1977]

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I like looking at maternity fashion over time and it seems to change often. Some decades liked to hide the bump as much as possible while other decades showed it more. When corsets were popular, it was thought to be fine to wear a corset while pregnant. 

 I have the impression that bumps have always been more or less hiden, considered ugly and not elegant. I think it started changing in the 60's.

I don't understand why pregnancy photoshots are critisized. It's the celebration of a new life, and a special moment/special body shape, no matter if the parents are religious or not. 

 

[FiveAcres]

On 5/13/2021 at 8:53 AM, Black Aliss said:

If Laurapalooza ever included a presentation by a psychologist on Pa Ingall's mental disorders I would sign up for that conference in a heartbeat. It's something that has fascinated me for years, after re-reading the Little House books as an adult.

Just from the Little House books, I'd say ADHD co-morbid with NPD, but I haven't really studied any of the non-fiction accounts of the family's life.

I was a big fan of the LIW books as a child. I was a little shocked when an adult friend told me, "If I had been Caroline I would have murdered Charles in his sleep." But upon adult reflection, I suspect Pa Ingalls would have fit right in with a lot of our fundy patriarchs. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Yay Pioneer Girl and Pa Ingalls being a big ol' scamming patriarch my favorite subject!  We have a thread on that somewhere and when it gets activity it always makes my day.

My heart bled for Caroline when I read how they'd have to move in the middle of the night because old Charles was skipping out on their debts.  I am sure even Pa Ingalls didn't recognize himself in Landon's version of him with all the ethics and such.

[JermajestyDuggar]

44 minutes ago, FiveAcres said:

I was a big fan of the LIW books as a child. I was a little shocked when an adult friend told me, "If I had been Caroline I would have murdered Charles in his sleep." But upon adult reflection, I suspect Pa Ingalls would have fit right in with a lot of our fundy patriarchs. 

I think back then, you were just stuck with the decisions of the man for the most part. I’m so glad it’s not like that today. My great grandma was the oldest of 6 kids. She had 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Her father left everything to her brother (which ended up being a lot) even though she was the oldest. I asked her if she thought that was fair. She’s said that’s just how things were done and she accepted it. She and my great grandfather had a very different will. They were much more even in splitting things up.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

14 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I think back then, you were just stuck with the decisions of the man for the most part. I’m so glad it’s not like that today. My great grandma was the oldest of 6 kids. She had 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Her father left everything to her brother (which ended up being a lot) even though she was the oldest. I asked her if she thought that was fair. She’s said that’s just how things were done and she accepted it. She and my great grandfather had a very different will. They were much more even in splitting things up.

When my parents had two daughters and a son my dad joked he'd be paying for one college education and two weddings.  When they had a third daughter a decade later (that would be me) that had changed and the expectation for college for me was there from jump.

Things absolutely change.  

[fundiefan]

Allison's maternity clothes confuse me. So many separate pieces. Leggings under a shorter, snugger fitting denim skirt. A t-shirt tied on top of her bump. 

I would die if I were a fundie wife given rules for modesty. I can't stand anything binding me and I can't stand heavy layers. The thought of a denim waist band as well as leggings on my waist makes me cringe. 

Also, I don't think that outfit she is wearing is even remotely attractive. Discomfort aside, it's literally four separate pieces with nothing to unify them. The word clunky comes to mind. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by fundiefan

[JermajestyDuggar]

20 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

Allison's maternity clothes confuse me. So many separate pieces. Leggings under a shorter, snugger fitting denim skirt. A t-shirt tied on top of her bump. 

I would die if I were a fundie wife given rules for modesty. I can't stand anything binding me and I can't stand heavy layers. The thought of a denim waist band as well as leggings on my waist makes me cringe. 

Also, I don't think that outfit she is wearing is even remotely attractive. Discomfort aside, it's literally four separate pieces with nothing to unify them. The word clunky comes to mind. 

When I was pregnant I lived in oversized t shirts and maternity leggings. I liked things loose fitting and stretchy. If I had seen a muumuu at Target, I would have bought ten. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

11 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

When I was pregnant I lived in oversized t shirts and maternity leggings. I liked things loose fitting and stretchy. If I had seen a muumuu at Target, I would have bought ten. 

Me too, for the most part.  That and baby doll t-shirts and my formal maternity dress was empire cut.  A cut I love, but never wore it if not pregnant because larger breasts and empire cut is a recipe for looking pregnant even if you're not.

And overalls because I felt so pregnant and cute in them - drove my father insane as he never understood why anyone would wear them unless they were a farmer.  We had that conversation every time I bought Guess overalls in highschool/college.  

My ex is 6'3" and his t-shirts and flannels over leggings were my favorite materinity wear.  

[postscript]

1 hour ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Yay Pioneer Girl and Pa Ingalls being a big ol' scamming patriarch my favorite subject!  We have a thread on that somewhere and when it gets activity it always makes my day.

My heart bled for Caroline when I read how they'd have to move in the middle of the night because old Charles was skipping out on their debts.  I am sure even Pa Ingalls didn't recognize himself in Landon's version of him with all the ethics and such.

Also recommend Prairie Fires, a recent biography of LIW. It’s honest about the hard times and bad business decisions.

I loved the LIW books as a child, mainly because I was fascinated by history. I found pioneer times very romantic as a 9-year-old, mainly because of the dresses. I still love the LIW books (she’s greatly influenced my own writing), but read them very differently. As a child, I completely missed how submissive Caroline was, Charles’ constant need to wander at the expense of his family’s stability, and just how close the family often was to starvation. The emphasis on food takes on a different meaning when you know they frequently didn’t have enough. 

Never cared for the TV show. It came along just as I was outgrowing the books. Even at that age, I was a stickler for historical accuracy, so I didn’t care for the liberties taken with both the storyline and the underlying history. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 minute ago, postscript said:

Also recommend Prairie Fires, a recent biography of LIW. It’s honest about the hard times and bad business decisions.

I loved the LIW books as a child, mainly because I was fascinated by history. I found pioneer times very romantic as a 9-year-old, mainly because of the dresses. I still love the LIW books (she’s greatly influenced my own writing), but read them very differently. As a child, I completely missed how submissive Caroline was, Charles’ constant need to wander at the expense of his family’s stability, and just how close the family often was to starvation. The emphasis on food takes on a different meaning when you know they frequently didn’t have enough. 

Never cared for the TV show. It came along just as I was outgrowing the books. Even at that age, I was a stickler for historical accuracy, so I didn’t care for the liberties taken with both the storyline and the underlying history. 

Thanks for the reminder, I've been meaning to read Prairie Fires.

[Lgirlrocks]

went to check to see if Josh had posted anything on his blog and I got this notice. I wonder what he is up to. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Just now, Lgirlrocks said:

went to check to see if Josh had posted anything on his blog and I got this notice. I wonder what he is up to. 

Most people  have those things on autorenew and can expire if you forget to swap out credit cards when they expire.  

[IsmeWeatherwax]

I love the LIW books, my sister gave me her copies when I was 12 and I was hooked! Never liked the TV series as it was nothing like the books and it annoyed me.

I read Pioneer girl when it came out, and honestly, I was so disappointed. The LH books were so rose tinted that I didn't expect their reality to be so harsh. I suppose that's the change from my child's perception rather than the adult I was when Pioneer came out.

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by IsmeWeatherwax
Thoughts

[0 kids n not countin]

IMO her outfit is two pieces too many, and just no with the top that ties above the baby bump. I would wear the tank top with either the skirt or the leggings, but since that would not be modest by their standards, why not a top that ties below the baby bump with the skirt, and if you insist on the leggings wear them under the skirt if you must. 

[Lgirlrocks]

5 hours ago, 0 kids n not countin said:

IMO her outfit is two pieces too many, and just no with the top that ties above the baby bump. I would wear the tank top with either the skirt or the leggings, but since that would not be modest by their standards, why not a top that ties below the baby bump with the skirt, and if you insist on the leggings wear them under the skirt if you must. 

I’m surprised she wore the top shirt with the tie. Doesn’t seem modest or on brand with her families. She would look cute if she ditched two of the pieces. Wish she could wear leggings and a cozy top. 

[ophelia]

Maybe Allison should take a look at Chelsy's posts about maternity fashion. I actually enjoyed those and she looked really cute and modest.

[usedbicycle]

"Modern" fundie fashion drives me nuts. They have these very strict rules but they're always trying to show off as much as possible within those boundaries.

Allison's front-tie shirts are cute but they would be look so much more flattering over a maxi dress or high-waisted skirt, even if it hides her shape a bit more. Google search examples below. (Molly Sims is rocking the look with Allison's favorite plaid shirt!)

Since regular maternity clothing is usually more loose and includes a ton of dresses, you would think fundies would have a blast with it! But instead they dress so awkwardly with their old denim skirts and super tight undershirts. I just don't get it. 

 

[IsmeWeatherwax]

I do like how Allison posted the pics showing the stair rails, she wants to say shes living in a real house!