Why Fans Think Jana Duggar Is Breaking Away From Her Parents' Rules
The Duggar family of "19 Kids and Counting" and "Counting On" is famous not only for its size but also for its lifestyle. As members of a fundamentalist Christian sect, the Arkansas clan lives according to the dictates of their faith.
The women of the family are under particularly strict rules, such as a modest dress code that forbids pants and revealing tops. The older girls helped raise their younger siblings, and, as young adults, they skipped college and careers in favor of marrying young and starting their own families. They contribute to their household income largely through part-time projects, such as social media influencing or online selling.
As the Duggar daughters have grown up, moved away, and started families of their own, some of those rules have gone by the wayside. For instance, Jinger, Jessa, and Joy-Anna have all been known to wear pants and even tank tops on occasion. By her family's standards, Jill Duggar Dillard is the true rebel: In addition to wearing pants and a nose piercing, she and her husband, Derick, have chosen to limit the size of their family through birth control. (They're also at odds with Jill's parents because of financial issues related to the reality shows.)
The one adult daughter who remains unmarried is actually the oldest one to do so. Now 31, Jana Duggar still lives at home and helps her brothers James and Jason with their home remodeling business. But Jana seems to be stretching her wings at last, and fans are all for it.
Jana Duggar is breaking the family dress code
As an unmarried Duggar daughter, Jana Duggar has been following her parents' rules about appropriate dress — until very recently. In a video she posted to her Instagram account in June 2021, she's seen wearing pants while working in the family garden. Nor was that her only time to do so. Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball, who follows the Duggars closely, noted that the oldest Duggar girl also donned pants while shopping at a craft market and again during a recent visit with her sister Jinger in Los Angeles. Accompanied by her best friend, as well as James and Jason, Jana wore pants, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap as the group attended a Dodgers game.
Before the trip, Jana even freshened up her look by getting a blond balayage treatment at a local salon. She opted not to shorten her long hair, which may or may not be related to her faith. As the sisters have explained in the past, their hairstyle is a tribute to a passage in the Bible that says (via CheatSheet), "[I]f a woman has long hair, that is her glory."
"Jana is living her best life & I'm here for it," cheered Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball. A follower agreed: "Can you imagine the freedom she feels right now? ... She may never marry or have kids. She's just glad to be free!"