I'm a writer, so I want to be able to sit in public and not wear clothes that distract me from what I'm doing.  Skirts are such a distraction for me, I kind of deplore them because they have a tendency to force me to think of me. It seems to me skirts actually foster vanity.

Ah, yes. The excuse that skirts are "more vain". This is similar to the excuse that skirts are actually "immodest" because they "make a woman stand out".

Both of these are false excuses from the devil.

If you're not used to skirts/dresses, you need to GET used to them. They are proper attire for any woman. They aren't some kind of device to attract men, so wearing skirts goes for single ladies (including "old maids") as well. And married women when their husband is far away. God expects all women to dress like women.

The women-in-pants crowd is so confused; they throw all kinds of crap at the wall, hoping that something will stick, or there will be enough chaff flying around that they can wear their pants in peace, without too much disquiet in their conscience.

I'm a convert, and I was a pants-wearer in my adult life previously. It took me about six months to get on board with the no-pants thing.

But, when I did, I have to say the difference is dramatic.

1. Jeans are not comfortable. If any woman says they are, she lies. There are medical studies that show the health problems associated with wearing jeans.

2. Pants are not that comfortable either.

3. Skirts are comfortable. You don't need to be wearing a tight pencil skirt. Ordinary skirts of whatever length are comfortable.

4. Pants change your GAIT. As a woman, you stomp around town a lot differently in pants than you do in a skirt. It has a way of masculinizing a woman that I did not realize until I stopped wearing them myself. Ladies who try to claim otherwise are lying.

5. Men in public treat you differently when you wear skirts. Do this experiment for yourself and find out.

The women here are throwing out a lot of excuses. I think most of them just revolve around the inordinate desire for human respect. They want to look like everyone else in the secular world. They don't want to make themselves stand out. But, you don't have to dress in SSPX-compliant Little-House-On-The-Prairie skirts. You too can shop at Ross, and TJ MAXX, and Kohl's and look like a NORMAL present-era female.

The women who claim otherwise are lying - to themselves!

The whole conversation about pants plays nicely into a very neo-Trad mentality since Trads don't complain about a women in form fitting dresses, or that their calves show, or that their hair spills out from under their veils in mass. And they certainly don't complain that people aren't covered with robes.  If all of this pants vs skirts stuff is to be taken seriously, women and men ought to wear robes to the floor in imitation of Our Lord and Our Lady.  Anything less is not exactly honest and furthers the problem because like it or not, what I've stated before about modern skirts is how it can be for some.  To me, it isn't about pants, but what covers best.

The surest way to prove what I've said in the paragraph above is when someone pipes in and says, ok, you wear robes then, we don't have to.  Proof that real modesty would be way too much for most neo-Trads.

The fact is, Christ-like robes is where the argument comes to a complete end because no one will be getting anything out of the neo-viewpoint (as long as she wears a skirt, it doesn't matter), but that people be asked to actually cover up the right way, not some half-way appealing to modern sentiments.  

Modern men, Trad priests included, are settling for something quite inferior to salve the loss of their masculinity since women are blamed for emasculating them by wearing pants.  If that's true, and it well may be, such men weren't terribly masculine in the first place and must blame themselves for losing it by holding on to a little bit of what they prefer.    

The whole conversation about pants plays nicely into a very neo-Trad mentality since Trads don't complain about a women in form fitting dresses, or that their calves show, or that their hair spills out from under their veils in mass. And they certainly don't complain that people aren't covered with robes.  If all of this pants vs skirts stuff is to be taken seriously, women and men ought to wear robes to the floor in imitation of Our Lord and Our Lady.  Anything less is not exactly honest and furthers the problem because like it or not, what I've stated before about modern skirts is how it can be for some.  To me, it isn't about pants, but what covers best.

The surest way to prove what I've said in the paragraph above is when someone pipes in and says, ok, you wear robes then, we don't have to.  Proof that real modesty would be way too much for most neo-Trads.

The fact is, Christ-like robes is where the argument comes to a complete end because no one will be getting anything out of the neo-viewpoint (as long as she wears a skirt, it doesn't matter), but that people be asked to actually cover up the right way, not some half-way appealing to modern sentiments.  

Modern men, Trad priests included, are settling for something quite inferior to salve the loss of their masculinity since women are blamed for emasculating them by wearing pants.  If that's true, and it well may be, such men weren't terribly masculine in the first place and must blame themselves for losing it by holding on to a little bit of what they prefer.    

You have literally no logic at do you?  You honestly sound possessed.  You are a rabid liberal on the way to centuries in purgatory at the very best.  

I do complain about women in form fitting dresses, as do most catholics I know, so you are wrong on that point.  No where does the church teach that the hair cannot spill out.  No where does the church we should imitate what the Holy family wore, you point is illogical and nonsensical.  

Pope Leo XII ipso facto excommunicated all dressmakers who made dresses too short or low cut or tight.  He certainly would have excommunicated you for your defense of gross immodesty.  

Do you honestly think you are pleasing God by wearing pants?  You are disgusting to God.  

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since women are blamed for emasculating them by wearing pants.

There's 2 separate points to this debate - gender roles and modesty.  A woman who wears pants doesn't emasculate men; she de-feminizes herself.  Big difference.  Men are tempted to treat women with less chivalry and with less manners, since she is wearing the "I'm equal" feminism costume.  Other than this, it doesn't affect men interiorly, just their exterior actions.  Women who dress like men are dressing contrary to their psychology and this is wrong.  Cardinal Siri was right 1000%.

Secondly, a woman who wears pants DOES act uncharitably/selfishly, since she is only thinking of herself, not of others, who may be provoked to temptation.  She also hurts herself, because immodest dress can cause evil men to treat her as an object, and not as person.

Bottom line, there's no 'upside' (except for vain fashion) for women who wear pants.  

I can agree with the two separate points thing.  Gender roles are as important as modesty.  Good post.  

Their is a reason that the Fatima children were told by Our Lady that most went to hell for sins of the flesh and that was in a far more conservative time. My worry is that I may not practice enough custody of the eyes and be surprised into a mortal sin.

I'm a convert, and I was a pants-wearer in my adult life previously. It took me about six months to get on board with the no-pants thing.

But, when I did, I have to say the difference is dramatic.

1. Jeans are not comfortable. If any woman says they are, she lies. There are medical studies that show the health problems associated with wearing jeans.

2. Pants are not that comfortable either.

3. Skirts are comfortable. You don't need to be wearing a tight pencil skirt. Ordinary skirts of whatever length are comfortable.

4. Pants change your GAIT. As a woman, you stomp around town a lot differently in pants than you do in a skirt. It has a way of masculinizing a woman that I did not realize until I stopped wearing them myself. Ladies who try to claim otherwise are lying.

5. Men in public treat you differently when you wear skirts. Do this experiment for yourself and find out.

The women here are throwing out a lot of excuses. I think most of them just revolve around the inordinate desire for human respect. They want to look like everyone else in the secular world. They don't want to make themselves stand out. But, you don't have to dress in SSPX-compliant Little-House-On-The-Prairie skirts. You too can shop at Ross, and TJ MAXX, and Kohl's and look like a NORMAL present-era female.

The women who claim otherwise are lying - to themselves!

No, I'm not lying to myself.  I really do feel more comfortable in pants, but that's because I do stomp around like I'm wearing pants when I do wear them.    Skirts force me to be a lot more careful, time and effort I don't like to take. That being said, I think dressing appropriately is very important, so I do wear modest skirts, but I don't much like it. Like I said earlier, they can be a pain blowing in the wind, gathering into a car, tucking under my seat to keep them down. After many years, I'm waiting for the day to come that I prefer them, but alas, it isn't here yet.  Like I suggested previously, the novus ordo mentality hangs long after one escapes its clutches.

I am a product of the modern society and likely affected by the novus ordo mentality, even though I've been Traditional for the last 10 years, so with that caveat I am going to wonder aloud what comes to my mind about women wearing pants.  It seems to me that pants have become a neutral (only in modest cases) not necessarily drawing attention nor detracting from femininity.  One reason I prefer to wear pants to the market or to hang out at Panera, is that pants help make me be more invisible.  I feel safer in pants than in a dress or skirt.  Men say they prefer women in skirts.  Yea, what does that mean?  I don't trust that men can be totally honest about their preferences without referring to what appeals to them sɛҳuąƖly.  Sorry guys, you all don't deserve that, but many do.  Skirts, no matter what the length, suggest easier access.  Maybe that's just a man-joke, but obviously its true.  Skirts seem to make women more vulnerable because there is little way to protect what's under them. Skirts are difficult to control, too.  They don't always cover because they can fly up and easily be immodest when unbeknownst to the wearer, ten exposed minutes later, a gal has to leave embarrassed.  Not to mention having scandalized those present.  I feel like I have to watch myself in a skirt or dress, how I move, how I look.  It can be a pain.  I don't want to always be aware of what I look like or what I'm doing, taking time and effort to tuck and re-tuck my skirt in under my legs to be sure I haven't made a mistake.  I never wear anything shorter than calf length skirts, so it isn't a matter of how short they are (shorter is worse of course) but a matter of the skirt itself; even floor length skirts catch on stuff.  I'm not looking for a man, so I'm not interested in being “seen.”  I'm a writer, so I want to be able to sit in public and not wear clothes that distract me from what I'm doing.  Skirts are such a distraction for me, I kind of deplore them because they have a tendency to force me to think of me. It seems to me skirts actually foster vanity. I'm sure there are women who will say that they are not so affected by their skirts, and their skirt never flies up or catches on anything, but it has happened enough that I don't trust them and I never really feel safe in them. I take seriously all the things said about women in pants, but it sure doesn't seem like skirts and secular places go together.  

Seems to me you need to get used to skirts if you want to give them a fair chance. Women or little girls who wear pants often enough sit and act in a clumsy manner. When they wear skirts they have to keep in mind they are wearing skirts and as soon as they forget, immodesty becomes manifest.

When you wear only skirts, gracefulness becomes second nature. Skirts are only "unsafe" when they are immodest and/or worn to the wrong place. I only wear long skirts and have ridden a woman's  bike multiple times and to many places and never caught it anywhere.