Poor Michaella Bates

[Daenerys]

On one of the latest posts they had this picture of Gil's family, which I originally didn't think she was in. Then I noticed the girl one from the right and HOLY SHIT what has happened to her? She looks the same age as her mother, and has put on a ton of weight. I think it's the stress of having to be the sole workhorse of that family. It doesn't look like she has time to care much for appearance, and her eyes look so sad.

 

I reckon she drew the short straw in having Princess Erin as the next sibling; all the younger girls will look at them both and figure out it's better to act spoiled and selfish than join Michaella in having to do all the work and reap none of the rewards. She stands even less of a chance than the Duggar girls when it comes to actually being able to get married. She's so in the background we even seem to forget her on here most of the time.

 

Free Michaella!

 

gilbatesfamily.com/files/2012/01/family-in-s.c.jpg

[Jessica]

If she would just dress her age she could look really cute. Here are some ideas. We'd have to add a couple inches here and there to cover knees & collar bones but you get the jist. Modest doesn't have to mean frumpy little girl jumpers with white sneakers.

http://pinterest.com/pin/95490454568596394/

http://pinterest.com/pin/95490454568713753/

http://pinterest.com/pin/95490454568709385/

http://pinterest.com/pin/95490454568754795/

http://pinterest.com/pin/95490454568887847/

http://www.eshakti.com/Product/CL001720 ... shirtdress - with a little black camisole underneath so it's not so low-cut

http://www.eshakti.com/Product/CL002308 ... aker-dress - would need something to cover the shoudlers. Maybe a bolero that clasps in front to make up for being low cut.

[ElphabaGalinda]

I think Michaella's life is a bit like Jana Duggars. Oldest daughter forced to do all the work and raise all the kids and reap none of the so called rewards the lifestyle promises. I hope Michaella will take some lessons in modest dressing from Jana, and then they both can escape together. Although all the girls in these families have lives that seem sad to me, those two seem to have it the worst so far.

[formergothardite]

I hate her parents for doing this to her. Nice people my ass.

[AudreyofSnark]

It seems like the girls dressing "modestly" means going from jumpers to old lady clothes when they hit puberty. The Duggar girls have started wearing nicer clothes recently, but as Jessica pointed out, they could totally do better. Those clothing ideas are really nice and definitely fit in with their modesty standards. I just think that most of them are so far removed from mainstream fashion that they honestly have no idea.

[Daenerys]

I think Michaella's life is a bit like Jana Duggars. Oldest daughter forced to do all the work and raise all the kids and reap none of the so called rewards the lifestyle promises. I hope Michaella will take some lessons in modest dressing from Jana, and then they both can escape together. Although all the girls in these families have lives that seem sad to me, those two seem to have it the worst so far.

I wonder about Mary Arndt. Does she have to 'serve' all 13 of her brothers with only her mother to help?

[LilMissMetaphor]

It's not just her. Erin and Alyssa look like 30-something schoolteachers in that pic.

[leena_noor]

It seems to me that she's the family tomboy though. Sort of like Joy--she never looks completely comfortable in dresses. I'm not entirely sure that she just doesn't give a damn about dressing more nicely.

thoughts?

[Guest Anonymous]

I'd love to kidnap Michaela and Jana, then take them to Juicy Couture, Ann Taylor and Nordstrom's and let 'em go nuts.

Oh, and I'd also take them to Sephora while I'm at it.

[bananacat]

I don't think she looks that different than usually does, just that she's naturally a large person and got her father's face. Outside of fundie world, she'd just be a typical average woman, but inside the fundie world she is not fitting into that petite, meek little mouse look that fundie boys are supposed to want in a good submissive wife. The white socks with dress shoes though is really not helping.

[ADoyle90815]

I'd love to kidnap Michaela and Jana, then take them to Juicy Couture, Ann Taylor and Nordstrom's and let 'em go nuts.

Oh, and I'd also take them to Sephora while I'm at it.

Same here, but the Sephora would be inside a JCPenny's store.

[sippin0nsunshine]

Ugh, anyone notice that Alyssa is wearing the same payless shoes that Jill and Jana wore to the firehouse when the chief laughed at them? I swear between flats with no support and flip flops, those girls must have a TON of arch problems.

[3 is enough]

Michaela was wearing white socks with black shoes. The poor girl seems to have given up.

Then again, maybe she doesn't want to get married? She has always pinged my gaydar a bit.

[snickerz]

Who's the little boy with the Josiah pose?

[sippin0nsunshine]

Who's the little boy with the Josiah pose?

That's Jackson. Chatterbox of the family. He's the know it all who was always preaching to the camera during the Bates episodes. Cute kid, but he's definitely drinking the kool-aid.

also, anyone notice that Lawson's suit pants are too big on him? Hand-me-downs from Zach I guess.

I'm also wondering why Carlin hasn't been phased out of the "little girls" group yet. She's what, 13? She's old enough to be a sister mom now!

[marmalade]

Whoa, NIKE alert! Grandma in the sky blue cardigan is showing collar bone!

Michaella looks really dumpy and I agree with 3, definitely a ping on the ole 'dar for several years. But I'm not quite as good at spotting lesbians since there are plenty of the lipstick type that can fool anyone (Portia deRossi anyone?). However, I predicted a much younger cousin (she's a sophomore in college now) was gay when she was about 4 years old. She HATED girl toys and didn't wear a dress until forced to for formals at her parochial high school (went for the education, not because the family is Catholic...my husband went there as well). No same-sex couples allowed, although that's where she met her partner, who is the "fem" in the couple.

Men are so much easier to spot, especially once they hit puberty. And because it's not cool, I won't name names, but I believe there are two, if not three Duggars who will live very unhappy lives until they can get the fuck out of that dysfunctional zoo.

[Mommy22alyns]

Yep, Michaella needs to be freed. I felt so bad for her when the Bates had their TV special.

[snarkykitty]

I don't think she looks that different than usually does, just that she's naturally a large person and got her father's face. Outside of fundie world, she'd just be a typical average woman, but inside the fundie world she is not fitting into that petite, meek little mouse look that fundie boys are supposed to want in a good submissive wife. The white socks with dress shoes though is really not helping.

Those shoes look like Skechers, similar to these: http://www.skechers.com/style/21571/bikers-step-up/bbk

They are wicked comfortable, but not appropriate for what looks like a dressier occasion.

[bananacat]

I have always found Skechers to be incredibly uncomfortable, even the ones that they claim are sneakers. To each their own, I guess.

[Daenerys]

Michaela was wearing white socks with black shoes. The poor girl seems to have given up.

Then again, maybe she doesn't want to get married? She has always pinged my gaydar a bit.

Even if she were gay marriage is still the best option, giving her some level of independence and control over her own life. She also appears to be a genuinely caring person who loves children, so I imagine she would very much want her own family to raide.

[TheJewAmongUs]

I'm also wondering why Carlin hasn't been phased out of the "little girls" group yet. She's what, 13? She's old enough to be a sister mom now!

I'm wondering that as well. It does look like they have a nice "3 and 3" with the matching dresses. (Sewn by Michaella?) Maybe when she gets boobs she'll have to switch to the store bought clothes...

Maybe Michaella just likes dressing that way, and/or she just doesn't care because being a 20-something, home economically educated, stay-at-home mom substitute doesn't exactly bolster the self-esteem. I do have a friend of a friend who has what I can best describe as "1980s retired person's vacation home" taste, and when she feels like she needs to lose weight, it gets more pronounced. However, the other 3 older girls should intervene.

[FloraDoraDolly]

Since none of the other Bates sisters dresses that way, I assume Michaela is making her own choices (within the limits of the Gothard dress code, of course). Maybe she's wearing what feels comfortable to her? She can always sew herself a new outfit or modify an existing garment if she wants something more fashionable.

[jebandpunky]

On one of the latest posts they had this picture of Gil's family, which I originally didn't think she was in. Then I noticed the girl one from the right and HOLY SHIT what has happened to her? She looks the same age as her mother, and has put on a ton of weight. I think it's the stress of having to be the sole workhorse of that family. It doesn't look like she has time to care much for appearance, and her eyes look so sad.

I reckon she drew the short straw in having Princess Erin as the next sibling; all the younger girls will look at them both and figure out it's better to act spoiled and selfish than join Michaella in having to do all the work and reap none of the rewards. She stands even less of a chance than the Duggar girls when it comes to actually being able to get married. She's so in the background we even seem to forget her on here most of the time.

Free Michaella!

gilbatesfamily.com/files/2012/01/family-in-s.c.jpg

I noticed 2 of the younger Bates girls have pacifiers aren't they both a little old for them.Proably trying to act like babies for attention boy those two kids teeth are going to be messed up.

[FloraDoraDolly]

I noticed 2 of the younger Bates girls have pacifiers aren't they both a little old for them.Proably trying to act like babies for attention boy those two kids teeth are going to be messed up.

One of my cousins used a pacifier until she was six and she has perfectly straight teeth, as does another family member who used a pacifier until she was almost four. I, on the other hand, ended up with crooked teeth and endured four years of braces even though I never used a pacifier or sucked my thumb.

[bananacat]

Tori looks a lot like Miranda Cosgrove. The siblings in this family really look very different from each other, much more diverse than the Duggars. Tori and Carlin look very similar, but neither one really looks like Erin. And Alyssa sort of likes like Michaella, but they both look different from Erin and Tori and Carlin. If I saw Michaella, Erin, and Tori together, I would never guess they were sisters. Erin seems like the odd one out though because she doesn't look like either parent. One of the little boys is the spitting image of Gil, poor kid. And yes, the one girl does seem too old for a pacifier.