Former ‘Counting On’ Star Derick Dillard Finally Addresses Why His Wife Jill Dillard Can Now Wear Pants

“Pants are A-OK with Jesus and me!”

For years we’ve seen the Duggar girls clothed in dresses and skirts, regardless of where they were going or what they were doing—whether it was working out, snowtubing or even swimming. As Counting On fans know, though, the tides have changed and two of the married Duggar daughters—Jinger Vuolo and Jill Dillard—have finally started wearing pants over the last year or so.

Jill, who followed her younger sis Jinger’s lead, only recently starting ditching the skirts for jeans. Earlier this week, her husband Derick Dillard posted a photo of Jill speaking (while wearing a pair of pants), which garnered a lot of comments from fans who were surprised by Jill’s outfit. When a fan asked in the photo’s comment section why Jill was wearing pants if the Duggars believe women should always be in skirts (and have long hair), Derick responded.

“No, I don’t believe that,” Derick wrote. “That isn’t anywhere close to what the Bible teaches…The Bible says nothing about wearing skirts or having certain hair to be saved. It is a gift from God; none of our merits will save us.”

Jinger’s husband, Jeremy Vuolo, echoed Derick’s sentiments during a December 2016 sermon he gave at his Laredo, Texas-based church.

“It is your liberty as to whether you dress modestly with a modest pair of pants, or with a skirt, or with a T-shirt, or with a blouse,” Jeremy said. “It is not your liberty, women, to wear sensual, seductive clothing that is designed to draw the attention of your brothers… The emphasis of the gospel is not food or clothes. Jesus does not save people to make them wear skirts.”

Many fans believe that the Duggars think women wearing pants is “sinful.” This is due, in large part, to statements the Duggars have made over the years about the subject of proper female clothing.

Duggar mom Michelle wrote a blog about how and why she started dressing herself and her young daughters in dresses and skirts.

“Interestingly, Jim Bob and I had a conversation at that point and I said to him, ‘I really feel like the Lord is impressing upon me that I should be modest in what I wear. And also, that I really should be defining who I am as a woman by choosing to wear dresses and skirts,’” Michelle explained. “So Jim Bob said, ‘What about when we’re riding bicycles or going hiking? Do you think the Lord wants you to wear a dress then? How are you going to do that? What about swimming and all these other things that we do?’

“And I said, ‘Well, I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ll cross that bridge when we get there,’” Michelle wrote. “’ I just feel like the Lord is saying, do this Michelle. Honor me in this way.’ I don’t always know the answers and details, but I just wanted to honor him. And so I did.’’”

And so did her daughters…until they got married, at least.

In another comment left on the photo, Derick dispelled the myth that all Duggar women must wear skirts.

“Nobody has to wear skirts,” he wrote. “Everyone has their own style that suits them.”

Of course, we won’t be seeing Jill modeling her new skinny jeans on upcoming episodes of ‘Counting On.’ Last month Derick confirmed that he, Jill and their kids will no longer be on the show. Derick claims that he quit the show willingly, but TLC has stated that the network chose to discontinue working with him, likely due to transphobic comments he made about fellow TLC star Jazz Jennings.

(Photos: TLC, Instagram)

20 Responses


  1. i agree with derrick about the homosexual lifestyle being wrong. Check the Bible! God calls it an abomination, yet we are to love people, hate sin.


  2. I’m certain he likes to think he’s the patriarch of his little family, and sometimes she probably treats him (publicly) as if he is. But…we all know she has always worn the proverbial pants in that family. It’s about time she got the opportunity to wear the physical ones too.


  3. I get a total creeper vibe from him. I’m also 100% confident that he’s terrible in bed and tells Jill it’s her fault she doesn’t enjoy it.


  4. Jilly looks comfortable AND still modest. We don’t care if she (or Jinger) wears skirts or jeans. Stop making a mountain out of a molehill.


  5. I love the blank stare of the girl eating at the conference. You can tell she is just there for the food. No idea what Jill is saying!


  6. I thought it was obvious, he’s letting her wear pants because they need the media attention they’re getting for it.


  7. Here comes the hot air again. Dude, let your wife speak for herself! Oh, sorry, in your world her opinion doesn’t matter because she needs to always listen to the head of the household. 2018 is calling Duggars……..anyone, anyone……..Bueller?!

    I can’t believe this guy actually lived a normal life before but decided: “Yes, a submissive Duggar wife is exactly what I need!” Also a-hole, stop risking your children’s (or wife’s) lives cuz you are too proud to put her in a hospital to give birth! What if she dies, what will you do then?! It’s obv you are incapable of parenting on your own.


    1. To be fair I think that the crazy home birth was her idea which her mother brain washed her into thinking was a good idea.


  8. Gasp, did Jeremy actually choose the word brother?!
    “It is not your liberty, women, to wear sensual, seductive clothing that is designed to draw the attention of your BROTHERS …
    Yes, I know, brothers has a different meaning too but ehm… very insensitive choice of words as everyone knows what happened to the Duggar girls…


    1. Ew. Now that you mentioned it, that was definitely a poor choice of words :/ I’m sure he was using “brothers” in the churchy “fellow human” way but it’s unfortunately all too fitting. I feel bad for the girls…Josh deserves every bit of the negative attention but I wish they’d had the choice of letting people know (or not know) they were assaulted. It can’t be fun knowing everyone you meet possibly knows your own brother molested you 🙁

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