Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar first appeared on TLC in the early 2000s. When the family was initially cast as reality TV stars, their style of dress was certainly unique. Instead of mainstream styles, the Duggars dressed their daughters in old-fashioned, prairie-style dresses while their sons donned khakis and polo shirts. It’s been a long time since that first special aired, and while the Duggar family styles have been somewhat upgraded and several of the married Duggar daughters have opted for less modest dress codes, there are still a few questions about their attire options that we have. We can’t help but question what the Duggar family wears on vacations to the beach now. A recent YouTube upload answers the question. 

Michelle Duggar dressed her unmarried daughters in frumpy swim dresses

The Duggar family recently visited Destin, Florida, for a beach vacation. While this is the first time some YouTube followers saw the family at the beach, It’s not the first time the Duggars, who live in Springdale, Arkansas, have documented their fun in the sun. Early in the run of 19 Kids and Counting, TLC cameras followed along as the family enjoyed some water sports. 

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar walk through a store with several of their children during a visit to New York City in 2014
The Duggar family | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

When their children were small, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar carefully ensured their modesty remained intact. That meant traditional bathing suits were out of the question. Instead, the Duggar girls spent their beach trips in long swim dresses designed to cover all skin from their necks down past their knees. Since the Duggar daughters were expected to never wear pants in public, wetsuits and rash guards were not an option. The dresses were billowing messes of fabric that looked downright impossible to swim in. 

While some rules have loosened up, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are not letting the modesty issue go. The minor Duggar kids are still wearing the frumpy swim dresses. Duggar family followers spotted Josie Duggar in Joy-Anna Forsyth’s YouTube video, and it appears the preteen is wearing a swim dress hand-me-down. 

The married Duggar girls are opting for less restrictive options 

While Josie Duggar still wears frumpy swim dresses on her family beach vacations, the married Duggar girls have a lot more freedom. While it’s impossible to tell, from Joy’s footage, exactly what the ladies of the Duggar family are wearing, they appear to be donning traditional swim attire while at the beach. o

Joy and John David Duggar’s wife, Abbie, were pictured wearing swim tanks and shorts in another beach getaway. While the shorts they opt to wear are longer than most women’s swim bottoms, their outfits are far more functional than the swim dresses of Joy’s youth. Jinger Vuolo and Jill Dillard also appear to be opting for more traditional swimwear. Neither attended the Duggar’s Destin getaway, though. 

The men of the family are free to make their own choices, it seems 

While the Duggar daughters had strict beach attire requirements. The modesty rules were a bit looser for the men of the Duggar clan. Jim Bob and Michelle’s sons wore t-shirts and shorts to the beach when they were kids. 

Jeremiah, Joseph, Justin, Jedidiah and James Duggar walk into a store together in an episode of 'Counting On'
The Duggar boys | TLC/YouTube

Now, as adults, their swimwear hasn’t changed much. James and Jason were both seen in Joy-Anna’s video wearing swim trunks and tank tops. In the recent upload, Joy’s husband, Austin Forsyth, opted to go shirtless.

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