Little did I know when I wrote about it last week, but Plain Christian clothing isn't just for polygamists and Amish anymore. It's a whole movement! Or a cluster of tiny, fringe movements, anyway.
And as the fine, made-to-measure wares at PlainlyDressed.com plainly show, the Amish have the polygamists beat cold on the adorably religious kids clothing front.
Bonus: Did you know that gender roles and rules are very rigid otherwise, both Amish boys and girls run around in little dresses until they're about two? They're $25 at Plainly Dressed. Wow, with those aprons, they look like little Andrea Zittels. And put a three-year-old in a black suit, and you might as well get him some square-frame glasses and sign him up for architecture school right now. [plainlydressed.com]
Hmm. Did my comments yesterday on this entry get lost? They were good comments. At least I like to think so.
[about the Amish shopping goodness that is Yoder Department Store in Shipshewana, Indiana? I though it survived, but it may have gotten deleted inadvertently with the spam. Sorry. but all I found at Yoder online were Amish jeans and hats... -ed.]
Nah, the ones in reply to this post, with Investigative Reporting about how this isn't Amish at all -- it's Seventh Day Adventists, using the word Amish for its marketing power. It's not even Mennonites selling Amish stuff, which is the normal order of exploitation.
Seventh Day Adventists are a Baptist thing, coming out of the Second Great Awakening, with no connection to the Anabaptist movement — the Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites (Community Playthings!), and Church of the Brethren — except that many US anabaptist churches got caught up in that tent-revival era. (Which is why most U.S. Mennonites, and the Amish, are teetotallers and anti-dancing and all that.)
Anyway, this explains the decidedly non-Amish theology you'll find if you explore that site.
Yoder's is a real store where actual Amish people in northern Indiana go to shop. (Also, tourists.)
[!! Crazy English! I'm a little appalled by that, thanks for the heads up. -ed.]
Well to be pedantic (and I am), the correct spelling is actually Seventh-day Adventist. Matthew Miller's history is in the ballpark but not totally correct. The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA)Church was officially formed as such in 1860. It arose out of the Millerite movement (named after Baptist preacher William Miller who taught that the end of the world was at hand with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ). Various dates were set, the most famous being October 22, 1844; all of which (obviously) passed. While the Millerites were centred in the "Burned-over District" of Western New York State, where the Second Great awakening was also centred, they were some years after the Second Great Awakening. The other SDA-Baptist connection is their seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath belief which the SDAs took from the Seventh-day Baptists.
Miller is correct that there is little or no historical connection between the Amish & SDAs. It should also be pointed out that the beliefs of the PlainlyDressed clothing site in no way reflect mainstream SDA views. 99% of SDAs look (relatively) normal, indistinguishable from non-SDAs.
I always enjoy reading the various remarks about our website all around the cyber-world. Regardless of opinion, we are always thankful for the free advertising. I guess the saying proves true that "negative publicity is often the BEST advertising." *grin*
Anyway, I think the comments are interesting, when no one seems to notice that the NAME (title) of the website business says nothing about the Amish, nor does it claim any association with the particular church(es). I also find it interesting that no one seems to notice that our introductory motto is "Specializing In" particular styles and types of clothing.... rather than indicating that we ARE "Amish." Just an amusing observation from someone who isn't a rocket scientist. *grin* (Get the hint? Ok, couldn't resist the jab.)
It might interest your readers to know that 100% of our employees are Old Order Amish or Mennonite or mainstream conservative Mennonite, and that some of the girls that work for us in Lancaster county are directly from the Nickel Mine community and also related to some of the victims and survivors. One of the Old Order Amish girls that makes our babies/childrens' Amish dresses and aprons is the older sister to one of the victims. And another lady who makes our heavy outer capes and coverings is the Great Aunt of one of the survivors. We like to share that information with our customers who purchase those items so they can feel a connection to the families from that senseless tragedy.
Anyway, just my amused musings. Thanks again for the great advertising. Sure is alot cheaper this way !! :)
Blessings,
Kimberly
www.plainlydressed.com
With respect to Plainlydressed.com. I ordered 3 hats in November 2008. The last contact I had with Kimberly Hamme was in January 2009, informing me the hats were not available, even though a 4-8 week delivery was indicated. The hats were never delivered, I have received no refund, and managed no further correspondence, after 3 additional emails. Seems Ms Hamme has gone over to the dark side.
I have had the same experience with Ms Hamme. I ordered 2 aprons back in March of 2009. I was charged for the items including shipping and have never received my items. I have attempted to email her with no success.
Hello, I don't want to charge freely our sister in Christ, Mrs Hamme-Moll. But I ordered a hat from Belgium on February, and never received it.
I sent her so many e-mails, and an international snail mail ... I never get answers.
Perhaps she's 'overjobbeb', but she has duties to her customers.
I wish I'll dont't have to fix the problem juridically.
Dear Mrs Hamme-Moll,
perhaps could you answer to these people below who's waiting from news (and I'm part of them)?
Thanks a lot !
I, too, placed and order with Ms Hamme on August 13, 2009, and have not received the items as of today, October 24, 2009. I have made numerous attempts to contact her by email, through her website, and via snail mail with no success. I was forced to file formal complaints with both the Pennsylvania State Attorney General's Office and the Federal Trade Commission's consumer complaints divisions. You can Google both websites, and they have online forms you can fill out and file immediately. Response time varies, but the FTC sent me an email response with a case number, and they will contact Ms Hamme and mediate for you. I urge you to take action on this. I think we are all just the tip of the iceberg :-( Please let me know how your case turns out.
I was wondering if anyone who posted above ever received a refund (or their item(s)) from Plainly Dressed. My email is gisele88@hotmail.com if you wish to chat.
just to let you know the seventh day advintist are not baptist and the sabbath day is very biblical even for to day jesus and the apostals taught in the synogogs on the sabbath
mhmm.
No, I never did. But I will surely fill teh documents you're mentionning !
Thanks a lot !
I FINALLY RECEIVED MY ORDER ! NEARLY ONE YEAR AFTER ! AND THE DAY I WROTE THE PREVIOUS COMMENT !
Thanks so much for the wonderful news, Bob! I finally received a full refund from Ms Hamme at Plainly Dressed (in November) after filing complaints with the Federal Communications Commission and the Penn. Atty General's office (who handled the problem very quickly). It really works!
Just and update on Ms Hamme,
I managed to find a telephone number of another business she had and left a message. I phoned again, and actually talked to her. I received a refund immediately once she realized I was not going to relent. She was quite surprised that I managed to find her real telephone number - live by the internet and die by the internet. Takes me back to the early days on ebay when every transaction was a roll of the dice - first time in 10 years I have been scammed by a eseller,
Best regards
Neil Milligan
I ordered not only a dress, but also a kapp and apron and received it in the time specified. The fit was excellent as was the quality. Not sure why you people had so many issues but I have no complaints and would definitely buy from Plainly Dressed again...and no I don't work for them or even know them personally...also I live a long way away and have no direct contact.
Maybe in the several years since these original comments were posted, they figured out how to actually operate in a way that delivers what they are claiming/trying to do? The Lord does work in mysterious ways.