WholesomeWear makes the Washington Post

[MountainLaurel]

I usually hate Robin Givhan, but she actually makes some good points.

The makers of WholesomeWear swimsuits would like women to cover up their tummies. And their backs. And their arms. And half their legs. The Oregon company, based outside Portland, sells a collection of swimwear online that consists of a wet suit topped by a dress. The spandex underpinning is not sufficient on its own because bystanders would still be able to make out the curves of the woman's body. The nylon overdress takes care of any audacious display of an hourglass shape.

The collection is not aimed at practitioners of any specific religion. There is no obvious mention of spirituality, God, Allah or Joseph Smith on the company's Web site.

snip

"I'm very surprised at the men who call because they don't want their wives and daughters running around in their underwear," Ferguson says.

WholesomeWear is going into its fifth year and, according to Ferguson, has sold thousands of swimsuits in three styles: culotte, skirted and "slimming," which looks like a loose-fitting housedress. There is an option with the slimming suit to extend the sleeves below the elbows and to lower the hem so it ends just above the ankles. A woman would be swimming in something akin to a choir robe. "These are designed to highlight the face and not the body," Ferguson says. That may be true, but a woman is more than just a disembodied head. Why be fearful of the rest of her?

The company may not be preaching to a specific denomination, but it is nonetheless preaching. Ferguson describes her family as "Christian people who love the Lord." And the swimsuits are "a ministry."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/13/AR2006071301845.html

[Robb]

1. I think the biggest problem with most websites

...is not enough mention of Joseph Smith. Slashdot, for example. Not a peep about Joseph Smith. :D

[Aristus]

2. Jeepers, evangelicals.

:eyes:

Everything's a 'ministry' with them.

Even the coffee bar at my wife's church is a 'ministry'.

[undeterred]

15. Yeah, a relative of mine is the computer guy at a huge fundy church

and its his "ministry".

I do exactly the same kind of work at a manufacturer, but what I do is a "job".

[MadHound]

3. One thing about these so-called swimsuits

Is that they really seem confining, not allowing you free movement when you're actually swimming. This could be a costly, deadly defect if a woman is caught in a nasty undercurrent or some other swimming danger.

[MountainLaurel]

4. They'd probably consider it God's will

Or, think that women being able to swim is a sin (since these people are so determined to get us back to the days of the witch trials).

[MadHound]

5. Yeah, just like the "good ol' days"

If she floats, they'll kill her for being a witch, if she drowns, they'll give her a sanctified burial:banghead:(god, I'm starting to use that smiley more and more}

[MissMillie]

7. actually, just the "dress" part

a web-suit is fine enough for divers, I don't see why it wouldn't work for swimmers.

I think if the dress part is detatchable, the suit is not likely to cause harm.

That doesn't mean I don't have problems w/ the suit. I wanted to do a triathlon this year, and let me tell you, women's swimwear sucks unless you're a small busted woman.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. I couldn't imagine swimming in a dress.

I'll stick with my bikini. The worst danger it's ever posed me was I almost lost my bottoms getting smacked around by a big wave. I wouldn't have liked to get smacked around by that wave wearing a dress.

[Avalux]

6. The swimsuits are a "ministry"?

Ministry -"for the advancement and glorification of the body of Christ" - has to do with servitude. So I am to understand that these people believe wearing those rediculous swimsuits is an act of committment to Jesus; and that he would approve. OK then. :shrug:

[madinmaryland]

8. And do these men also expect to be fully dressed when they

go swimming?

Morans!

Just another attempt to make women subserviant to men.

:grr:

[LynneSin]

10. Boys and Girls gathering round for a fun game!!!

http://www.wholesomewear.com/page-4.html

Find a model in there who ISN'T white

:eyes:

[deucemagnet]

17. Yay! Let's play beach-burka bingo!

:P

[NewWaveChick1981]

11. Damn....why not just go back to the Victorian

"swimming costume" that covered everything except the hands and feet and usually included a matching hat? :P Yeah, I'll take mine with the big red stripes, thank you very much... :rofl:

Just when you think you've seen everything.... :eyes:

[LeftyMom]

16. Well, at least these aren't wool.

Thank god for small favors, I guess. :shrug:

[tonekat]

12. I have a better name for the company...

Whacko Wear.

I usually can't stand Robin Givhan either, but I feel sorry for her having to write about fashion here on Planet Dowdy (DC). It's like she did something really bad and this was her sentence.

[NMMNG]

13. Why don't they just go all the way

and make seperate beaches for men and women?

[MountainLaurel]

14. I'm sure they would

In regard to private beaches. Thankfully, at the moment, there are still public beaches.

[NMMNG]

18. There are private beaches for the nudists

The prudes should buy land and make their own beaches. :P