Restrictive Girl Clothes

Some days before Christmas, I was invented to a party, and came with my 12 years old daughter. One of the guests was a man, who came with his 6 and 10 years old daughters (his wife was at home). Both girls were nicely, but strictly, dressed for the event required to wear white blouses (with collar and pocket), black skirts and black shoes (not heels, but better-looking). Blouses were put within skirts, and all buttons done. Belts were worn around the skirts. The are girls both well-known for being well-mannered.

After circa 20 minutes, the youngest girl started to complain over the clothes being too tight-fitting, restrictive and un-comfort. Even the older girl started to complain, and asked for being allowed to loosen the belt a little bit. Her father said no, and told the girls to stop complain, and that they needed much more to learn about dressing and good behavior. Circa 30 minutes later, the younger girl complained again. The older girl just sat quite and said almost nothing. The next time the younger girl complained, her sister told her she felt the same, but told her trying to do her best to stand it, and avoid their father becoming angry. All the time, their father seemed to control that the girls kept their clothes neat and clean, and told them to avoid spilling on the blouses.

So, it continued. For every time she complained, her father raised his voice even more, and told them to stop complaining, forget it and just have fun participating in Christmas celebrations. Some hours later, when the party was almost over, the youngest girl complained once again. Suddenly, her father walked towards his youngest daughter, pulling her belt even tighter, until she started to cry. I noticed her older sister becoming afraid and tried to comfort her little sister, only to be met with her father told her to shut up, or he would do the same towards her. He told them to shut up and come with him, as everyone became upset. He soon loosened the belt a little bit, but not much, and led both girls, who were now constantly crying, out to his car, and drove away.

My daughter became very upset, and asked me what he was doing. She had never seen anything like this. Did he really try to hurt them? I said as it was, I don't know, but it was totally unacceptable! I comforted my daughter as we drove away, but Christmas didn't become what was expected.

Yes, it's OK requiring your children to dress nice for a special event (I do that with my daughter, even if she dislikes it, she wore a white blouse with some black pants to that event), and that those clothes may be a little bit tight-fitting and restrictive, and not as comfort as ordinary play clothes. But when it seems to reach the border of what really hurts, and he didn't even seemed to try talking to them about any compromise, something's wrong.

What I know about him is that he is well-known for being very strict with his daughters (but not known as abusive), and that they're very well-mannered, coming from a family without social problems, girls do well at school and that stuff, and that he has problems with accepting anything other, even pure misstakes. But I've never in my life seen him, or any other parent, doing anything like this to their children (I've seen him scolding them sometimes before). The girls usually wear such clothes to special events.

I can't declare this to my daughter, and she asks many questions. I can just imagine how afraid these poor little girls may be.