Simply Elegant Interview

As part of our desire to bring you the inside information on different modest retailers, we got in contact with Dana from Simply Elegant and asked her a few questions about modesty.¹

MInTheGap from Is This Modest: Hi Dana, I have a few questions I’d like to ask you about modesty.

Dana from Simply Elegant: I would first like to say that I view each customer as a living soul created by God that I am to treat with respect and demonstrate God’s love to. Though they have different views or reasons for modesty than I, that is between them and God. I’m responsible for what God has spoken to my heart about.

MInTheGap: Great, I totally agree.  Modesty is about the heart and different people have different sets of standards.  That’s part of the reason that we have this site—to discuss the different standards and investigate what people believe is modest.  My first question is, What are your personal beliefs about modesty?

Dana: I personally believe in a biblical modesty, God was the first fashion designer, in the privacy of their home God clothed Adam and Eve with coats, fully dressed. Then the Bible teaches that women are to dress distinguishably different than men, not provoking sensual thoughts in men, or drawing attention to parts of the body intended to be private.

MInTheGap: So your beliefs about modesty is that it’s first and foremost Biblical, is that what causes you to be modest?

Dana: What you wear reflects your heart, because of Jesus Christ’s blood sacrifice on the cross of Calvary to save my soul I want to show my gratitude by living a life that honors and respects Him. The closer I am walking with the Lord the more I should look like Him.

MInTheGap: It’s true that people see the outside before they see the inside.  So, tell me a little about your store.  What is your store’s primary clothing article?

Dana: We specialize in modest bridal and formal gowns.

MInTheGap: Very nice—I have seen some of your clothing and I have to say that it looks nice and well done.  What made you decide that you wanted to get into making and selling modest clothing?

Dana: After seeing the desperate need for proper modest formal wear and witnessing an uneducated bridal sales rep. totally ignorant of a modest customers needs. I felt led to make a difference and be blessing to those wishing to honor the Lord by properly dressing modest to formal events and on their wedding day.

MInTheGap: It’s very true that formal gowns tend to be less modest, and there are many that believe that a wedding or formal occasion is an opportunity to show more skin.  Do you find that there is a lot of interest in modest clothing?

Dana: Not as much as there SHOULD be.

MInTheGap: I’ll give you that.  If someone’s considering a modest formal, how would you compare the craftsmanship of your clothing to the big retailers?

Dana: I think the response we hear from seamstresses that have never altered our brands before is the best compliment on the quality we can get. “I was amazed at how well made that dress was” or “I’ve never seen one so well made” or “the quality of the fabric was very nice”.

MInTheGap:  What would you like to tell young ladies about their choice of clothing?

Dana: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” I Timothy 4:12 There is nothing more refreshing than a young lady who loves the Lord and is confident in what she believes supporting that in her ability to be fashionable yet modest at the same time.

MInTheGap: I’m familiar with that passage, and you’re right—I believe that choice of clothing does a lot to show your character.  Do you believe that there’s a trend toward modesty?

Dana: I’m seeing a slight trend towards modesty, simply for the fact that fashion has gone to the immodest extreme and some are seeing the end result causing a slight awaking to more modest clothing and conservative values.

MInTheGap: Do you believe that modesty is situational?

Dana: I personally do not believe that modesty is situational. If I change what I say I believe for every situation then I really didn’t believe it or understand the true reason for modesty. That’s how we get termed hypocrite.

MInTheGap: Understood.  What’s the most interesting and/or profitable thing you sell?

Dana: Our customized gowns are the most intersting items we sell. It’s exciting to see what others are dreaming of come to life, making it there own, not just cookie cutter dresses.

I'm a 35 year old guy married to the most beautiful woman in the world (VirtuousBlonde) for 10 years, and has 5 mostly adorable children-- depending on whether they've had a nap, of course. I'm a software developer by trade, though I like to write on various topics. I got my start in blogging at MInTheGap in 2004 writing about culture, politics and got started talking about modesty on this site just 3 years ago.

1. All questions and replies are given as written to the retailer.  MInTheGap’s comments following the questions were written after receiving submissions to add a conversation like flavor. [↩]