Dressing Down by Carol Shields

            In the story "Dressing Down," elaborate images of naturists are creatively painted in the readers mind through the renowned work of Carol Shields. The story starts off with an older man telling a story of his grandfather and his adoration for being in what God gave him. His lust for being nude takes him into business as he had opened his own naturalist club, Club Soleil standing for Sunshine in French. The grandmother is then introduced and is portrayed as a cautious, loving and forgiving wife to the grandfather. .
             Signs of cautiousness arise early when the narrator tells of how the grandmother is well known for covering up, not stripping down (Shields 592). The same week the couple had been married she had hung curtains and heavy draperies on all of the windows in the house. She was always overdressed and made sure to stray far from being underdressed. The narrator then goes on and says, "Her own clothing, needless to say, comprised of layers of underclothes, foundation garments, garters and stockings, brassieres, camisoles, slips, blouses, cardigans, lined skirts, aprons, and even good aprons worn over the everyday aprons" (593). This is what led her to the neglect of her husband's annual July rites ceremony at the club. She had tried everything imaginable to get out of going but the persistence of her husband forced her to do it only out of love. .
             Being a generous, loving wife the grandmother had agreed to go to his function even though nudity in public was not something the that she was especially interested in. He then says, "The long succession of summers began the humiliation of July first when my grandmother's favorite flowered dress came off, her girdle, her hose, her underpants" (595). The story almost makes it seem as though love has no face. All of this humiliating torture is undertaken year after year by the grandmother and the husband seems as if he has no concern at all.