Jinger Duggar Vuolo Says the Family’s Strict Dress Code Left Her Petrified of the Water
Jinger Duggar Vuolo spends much of her time out and about in Los Angeles in jeans and sneakers. Her fashion choices today are markedly different from the Duggar family dress code she had to abide by as a child and young adult in Springdale, Arkansas.
While most of the world saw the Duggar family’s style of dress as a bit goofy and over-the-top, Jinger recently revealed that the clothes she wore as a child and young adult prevented her from learning to swim. In her recently released book, People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations, Jinger revealed the ultra-modest swim dresses she and her sisters wore left he petrified of the water.
Jinger Duggar Vuolo reveals her family’s dress code left her afraid of the water
The Duggar family’s strict dress code was the focus of several episodes of the family’s initial series, 19 Kids and Counting. How they dressed to swim was of particular interest. The Duggar boys were allowed to wear swim trunks and T-shirts or wetsuits to swim. The Duggar daughters, however, were forced into long swim dresses. The loose-fitting garments would impede even the most seasoned swimmer from taking a lap.
The long dresses, with high necks and long leggings underneath, weren’t just uncomfortable to swim in, insists Jinger. In her book People Pleaser, Jinger Duggar Vuolo revealed that the family’s strict dress code left her petrified of the water. The dress code prevented her from learning to swim because she felt like she was “sinking.” She pointed out that the “physics” of the swim dresses just didn’t work.
Jinger divulged that she only started to rectify the situation and learn how to swim when she changed her style of dress and accepted athletic wear into her life. She also had to learn to let go of her embarrassment to get started. She revealed a friend had been helping her learn to swim in the privacy of her backyard pool. There isn’t an uncomfortable swim dress in sight, though.
What do the Duggars wear to swim now?
The Duggar family’s dress code was updated as they gained a following and more money. Once married, the Duggar daughters and several Duggar daughters-in-law ditched the dresses and skirts. They regularly opt for pants and even shorts now. But what exactly do they swim in these days?
Most of the married Duggar daughters have dropped the Duggar family’s swimming dress code in favor of more traditional, albeit still modest, swim attire. Joy-Anna Forsyth shared photos of a girl’s trip to the beach in 2022. She opted for swim shorts that ended above her knee and a tank-style top. Jessa Seewald has also shown off her swim attire on social media. She opts for board shorts and a sleeveless shirt for lounging in a pool. Jill Dillard even featured some modest but functional swimsuits on Instagram.
While Jinger hasn’t shown off a swimsuit collection to the public, she seems dedicated to having the right gear and apparel to complete a task. Surely, learning to swim, even as an adult, is a much easier task now that she’s ditched the painfully billowy swim dresses. Her youngest siblings aren’t as lucky. Last year, several Duggar family members documented the family’s beach vacation. The married Duggar adults wore more mainstream clothes at the beach. Still, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s minor daughters were captured wading in the water in the garish swim dresses.
