I’m sure there are many wives out there that believed, before they were married, that the only way they could get a man was to look “hot”.  Why else would you have young ladies going to great lengths to get or keep in shape, to be able to show off their bodies, and look at magazines thinking about proms, formals, and their wedding gowns.

The point being that I believe many women believe a lot of their worth is derived from their ability to look attractive to their husband.

But that’s just simply not true.

The truth is that an excellent wife is worth far more than her beauty—and beauty grows with age, love and your relationship—if you were to look purely at the things that she brings to the table when it comes to how she helps him and his job, I think you’d be surprised.

A Good Husband reflects on this, with 6 ways a wife helps a husband’s career:

1. Fashion Consultant – She wants you to look good and is a good judge of color.
2. Homemaker – Your house is a home and a place of refuge from the storm.
3. Power Broker – Women have networks of people, and can help her man get the right job.
4. Socialite – Women are naturally more social than men, and give good impressions to future bosses, etc.
5. Cheerleader – She is the one whose opinions matter the most—he will work hard for her approval, and will be crushed at her disappointment.
6. Confidant – They hear the the man’s emotions and can help strengthen and guide him by keeping him grounded and focused.

Now, perhaps you’re saying “I’m not any of these!”  but the truth is you’re probably more than one if not all.

Take the time to realize your power, and use it to further you both.  You’ll be glad you did!

© MInTheGap for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beauty, cheerleader, confidant, fashion, homemaker, lieswivesbelieve, looks, power, socialite, trophy, wife

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Have any of you other ladies found this?

The style of undershirt that used to work no longer does, what used to keep you covered up top no longer holds its place while you bend over. It is difficult! But that does not meant it is impossible, it just takes a minor mindset change.

1. Leave yourself more time in the morning or before an event to get ready.

I attended my baby shower this weekend and learnt from my last night out that I needed to give myself extra time to ensure my outfit covered all areas and passed all modesty tests I set for myself. What worked before for you will probably no longer be sufficient and so trying on various undershirts or even changing outfits completely may be necessary. Don’t get flustered and give in to wearing something you are not modestly comfortable in because you will only be pulling your skirt hem down all night or pulling up the front of your dress every 10 minutes. So, take your time, try on your clothes beforehand so there are no unexpected surprises before your event.

2. Invest in covering materials

I did not mention this in my previous article, but take the time to shop for undershirts/tanks that come up very high and are very long. You will find yourself wearing these almost daily as even crew neck cut shirts fit differently during pregnancy and you may find you expose more than you wish when moving, bending or reaching. I have found these give me peace of mind and I can concentrate on my tasks of the day rather then continually monitoring every movement I make to ensure that everything is staying in place.

3. Shop around for a new shape

I have always loved sundresses and now that summer is here I am pulling out some of my old ones to see what still fits. Well, I have learnt that with a larger belly comes a shorter skirt as more more material is needed to extend over my bump. So, those have been packed away but I am still very fond of my sundresses so I shopped around for a couple maternity ones to keep me going through the warm/humid days here in Ontario.  I could not go to a local store and shop as they would have all had the same problem my old ones had. This is where I was willing to shop in the sales department for maternity wear. What I did have to change, though, was the shape of the necklines I was picking out. I now needed higher necks that I usually would not have needed, or I had to make sure I had a high necked tank that would match and fit nicely under the dress I was purchasing.  DON’T ASSUME YOU CAN PULL OFF WHAT YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO!

If you are still concerned about dressing a curvier body type then google what shirts/dresses provide flattering yet conservative coverage. Oh, and don’t resent your new body shape. Enjoy the change in clothing options and use it to understand women who always dress this body type. Understand where their dressing challenges lie so we can be helpful and sympathetic as it is not as easy as we thought to dress every body shape modestly. As I encounter the annoyances of a curvier figure my respect for full figured women increases as I understand the difficulty in dressing modestly when our society hardly produces clothing for the shapely!

I am open to any suggestions or advice and wish you all the best of luck dressing your individual shape in this immodest world!

© HeSingsOverYou for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Christian, fashion, Maternity, pregnant, style, woman

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Before you can start thinking about tops, blouses or baggy sweatshirts we have to hit the underneath layer. For the sake of comfort and modesty it is important to have a well fitting bra. If you are bulging in certain places it may attract the unwanted eye and therefore I have found that you need to find something that fits well.

Yes, you will grow through your pregnancy and with the rate of change that can happen in the course of 9 months I also suggest a bra-strap expander. I found this incredibly useful as I did not need to spend incredible amounts on bras through the whole pregnancy as I just added the expander to the hook and eyes in the back and kept myself comfortable as my rib cage expanded. This has honestly been a lifesaver and pocket-book saver as we all know how much you can pay for a supportive, comfortable bra!

Now, the next layer. For those most part this has not been too difficult for me as I have always been a believer in long tank tops and dress-shirts. Up until now (33 weeks) most of these have continued to fit me.

When you first find out you are pregnant, go through all of your tees and shirts and find out which ones are border line at that time. Get them packed away as if they hardly fit you pre-pregnancy, good luck for the next 12 months. Clean the clutter of your closet and store what is unnecessary for this stage of life. This will also allow you some extra space when you pick up pieces that will fit you through the entire pregnancy…

This is a key! Do not buy a maternity shirt that will not stretch throughout the majority of your 9 months. Make worthwhile purchases and do not underestimate how big you may become :) You may need to purchase a few key pieces:

• a couple extra long tank tops (1-2 sizes larger then you regularly purchase)
• a couple very stretchy maternity tops that will last until birth (you can always ask the ladies in the store to direct you to ones that will fit you through term)
• make sure you have a comfy sweater that can be thrown on at home (hit up your local second hand store for an oversized sweater if necessary…this is a must for cuddly evenings)
• finally get yourself a good bra when you begin to feel uncomfortable in your current one…plus the back expanders to prevent having to buy more then necessary

A tip that I have found very helpful is using up my old sundresses as tops over my pair of maternity skinny jeans. The jean waistline, as mentioned last week, reaches to my belly button and then a long dress shirt extends way past my hips leaving me little room for exposure. It is also a great way to keep your old closet going and not necessarily buying out your local mat store. You may eventually not fit these dresses in the chest but wear them until you no longer feel comfortable (physically or modestly).

Finally, get into your friends closets! By the time you no longer fit any of your old clothing you probably won’t have much time left on your countdown-to-birth clock so find a friend a few sizes bigger then you and ask to borrow some of her pieces for a month. Try and find a way around purchasing more items then you need as they are usually overly priced and only fit you in this stage of life.

Overall pregnancy needs to be comfy. There are so many changes in every area of your life that clothing may be put on the back burner. But what I have found is that I feel much more confident, less stressed and more calm when I am dressed as close to my pre-preggo stage as I can. Try to manage this as you pass through the incredible stage of pregnancy, as it will only make the experience that much more sweeter and comfortable!

© HeSingsOverYou for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Christian, clothing, fashion, female, Maternity, modesty

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This week my mind has been increasingly filled with ideas about trying to dress my ever-growing body modestly, while trying not to lose my personal style among the larger sizes and awkward fitting items

My desire for modesty was strong before we conceived but it seems to be growing with my belly! I am personally finding it harder to find outfits that both fit properly and keep me comfortably stylish seeing as our budget does not allow me to buy clothes weekly that fit me well! I don’t know anyone who can even afford a wardrobe of maternity clothes let alone have clothes for the two major seasons I have been pregnant through, winter and now heading into summer. This increasing desire for modesty, as well as the difficulty I have found finding affordable clothing, has encouraged me to do a mini-series on the lessons I have learnt over these past few months about maternity clothing modesty and hopefully you can add your tips and tricks to help both myself and other expectant moms tackle the last few months of pregnancy with modest style :)

To begin this series I would like to address the  lower half. I was very surprised at the rate of change my hips took. I thought I could easily wear my old pants and skirts for the majority of my pregnancy as the waist line would always fit snugly under my expanding bump…boy was I wrong. Talk about a wake up call, by the second trimester I couldn’t even get my jeans past my thighs and at first this left me very upset. I am now fully agreeable to my expanding hips and thighs as I know the added padding will be my reserve post-delivery but was it ever a shock. For this reason I did not run out and buy myself a pair of maternity pants but later found this is one area I had to budge.

So my advice here? Hit the sale racks and internet sites. I invested in two pairs of maternity pants that have kept me going for months. At the beginning of the second trimester I did wear a lot of my leggings with long shirts and sweaters and found myself to be comfortable and still kept to my individual style. Once those got too snug I set off to find a bargain. I searched my local maternity stores as well as the Toys R Us and Babies R Us websites for their online deals. I struck gold with those high waisted pants and have been comfortably covered every since. If you do wear pants, this is one area I urge you to purchase something. They do not fall down around your bump and even if your shirt happens to ride up in the front your belly cannot hang out underneath as the waist band reaches past your belly button. Many of our elastic waist skirts, flowing maxi dresses and loose sundresses can be worn pre-mid-post pregnancy but jeans are another story. I did try the waist-line expanders and even not doing up my button (covering it with a long tee of course), but you will find the jean material digs into your belly and just leaves you uncomfortable and grumpy…at least I was. :)

As I mentioned before your long elastic waist skirts, maxi dresses and sun dresses should fit for the majority of your pregnancy and this have been an ever-used option for me as the temperatures have been warming up. I feel most relaxed when nothing is constricting my tummy and I do not have to worry about bulges or panty lines developing during the day as clothing shifts.

Finally, when chatting bottoms we have to talk underwear. I once again assumed I could get away with my previously purchased ones but recently realized I was wrong. Do not skimp here either ladies. Buy yourself a set of comfortable underwear that stretch and do not have tight elastic around the leg holes. I assure you it will bring a smile to your face when you switch over and sink into the comfort of properly fitted undies. I did not see the need to buy special ‘maternity’ underwear and see this as a bit of a money grab. So just check out your local department stores and buy a size up in a stretchy, cotton based style. Not only will this quiet your discomfort, but when you are wearing something that fits properly you feel better about yourself and more confident and this only has benefits as you are still a wife to your husband, even on the transition to motherhood.

Please share any tips you may have learnt along the way of your pregnancies! I would love any advice or ideas you have for dressing your lower half throughout those ever changing 9 months! Next week we will chat about the top half that does it’s own growing and changing! For those of you expecting, I pray you have a safe pregnancy and an increasing bond with your husband :)

© HeSingsOverYou for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fashion, Maternity, modesty, mom, pregnant, style

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The Oscars dresses held some valuable lessons. I must say I was surprised to see most dress cover more flesh than they showed. And, no one pranced around in a totally see-through gown.  However, the most talked about dress was adorn by Angelina Jolie. Her dress was a long solid black dress, with a thigh-high slit greatly accentuated because she purposely decided to ‘strike a pose’ awkwardly pushing her leg out of the slit.

Is it about the Clothes or the Pose?

We need to think about how sometimes the outfit we wear can be dramatically changed by the way we intentionally ‘pose’ our body. Even a somewhat modest dress can have an inappropriate flair if we flaunt our body purposely to show off. Not only do we have to consider the clothes, we have to check our ‘pose’. And most importantly, we need to continually let God examine our life for unrepentant sin.

As always, modesty has a lot more to do with our attitude then our attire. Being immodest can not only cause us to sin but we can tempt others to sin. Ultimately, this is the reason being modest minded is so important! It is not about being known as the most modest person in town. It is about not sinning motivated out of our love for God and remaining in continual sweet fellowship with Him. We can all dress modest for ‘the occasion;’ but does it necessary reflect our heart condition?

Her physical beauty is not hindered by a modest dress, like the one above. She clearly was intentional in her desire to flash her long slender leg in the thigh-high slit. I felt it exposed more about her character and morals than about fashion.

Our Pose Can Reveal Sin

In every heart is the fleshy desire to sin. The Bible say that the heart is wicked, and the desires of our heart lead us to sin.

All sin can be separated into one of three categories:

1. The lust of the eyes
2. The lust of the flesh
3. The pride of life

The lust of the eye relates to when Eve looked upon the fruit and saw that it looked good to eat or when Satan tempted Jesus with possessing the things of the world. Materialism is the core result of this sin. We see it and want to have it for our own. We buy, collect, fill closets, rent storage and go shopping for more.

The lust of the flesh is the desire to satisfy extreme pleasure. Eve ate of the fruit. Satan tempted Jesus with bread to eat after he fasted for forty days. And we are chasing after all kinds of wants to filling our desire to experience a sensual delight. We want to enjoy and have fun.

And finally, the pride of life is coveting a status or position. Eve longed to be like God and to know good and evil. Satan tempted Jesus with being ruler of all the kingdom’s of the world instantly. And we do what we can to network and promote ourselves to be remembered and to build a name. We want to be known and admired.

Our Pose Can Tempt Others

Unfortunately, when one person sins they often tempt others to sin. Angelina’s flashy pose was flaunting her new sexy dress, experiencing the pleasure of  being seen and flagrantly wanting to be remembered long after she walked off the stage.  She also tempted may men to sin by through the lust of the flesh.

Sadly, most women don’t think about sin or tempting others to sin. We live in a time when sin is made fun of and the standards are so low that for most people anything goes. This is what make living modestly so hard. We must remember the lost are only doing what the lost can do, they are sinning.

But we, being sealed with the Holy Spirit have a choice. Repentance is the path to living without being in continual sin. God grace is sufficient to forgive us of all of our sins and to cleanse us of unrighteousness. We only need to ask God.

Making Things Right When We Do Wrong

So when you are tempted or if you are checking by the Holy Spirit that you are tempting, stop and change. We would all fall out of our chair or off of the sofa, if Angelina stopped her pose, moved her leg in to be covered by her skirt and apologized to the four million viewers for sensually tempting  them. But this is the hard road that we must walk as Christians.

It is not enough to ask God for forgiveness in our private time. We must repent within the circle we committed the sin. No one should make a list of repented sins and post them on Facebook daily. But when we realize later that we sinned openly among a gathering, we must do the best we can to let that group know:

1. We have acknowledged the sin to God,
2. Received His forgiveness,
3. To ask others who were there for forgiveness.

Something seemingly so simple – striking a sexy pose – amazingly has so many unholy consequences.

Our ‘pose’ should always strike people to want to know God. So when you have a chance to stand before a group, strike a pose for God!

© lindyabbott for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: celebrities, elegant, fashion, formal, glamour, leg, oscars, prom, skirts, Thigh, thigh-high

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I went shopping with my teenage daughter last week in a mall. We are not mall-shoppers; We spend more time window shopping. As we stroll, I roll my eyes away and say comments that pop in my head. I am sure I am every teenage daughter’s dream mall companion. While the lengths of skirts, dresses and shorts are still mini in most stores, we couldn’t help but notice a delightful new trend in necklines.

Thankfully, my daughter and I have a good relationship. Therefore, she puts up with my editorial comments, and she encourages me to move along.

“Where could she go looking like that?” I question about a mannequin. And then my eye moves one by one through the row of tube tight dressed mannequins wrapping in bright colors.

We laugh. We whisper. I sense her mood. And then on to the next window. Some stores we avoid.

(Why can I not pass that pink lingerie store without wishing I could lead an “Occupy The Mall” until it closed it doors? I wonder if most mothers feel this way.)

As we enjoy our time together, I can’t help being thankful for the way my daughter is growing up. I am glad our taste in clothes aligns. It is not that my teen daughter and I dress alike – what a pity that would be for both of us!

When we finally arrived to the last store window in the mall, she cheerfully declares, “I could wear any outfit in this window. I like the look. It’s me. When I get older, I will buy my clothes from here.” So I suggested we should take a walk through the store, and she was willing. (Oh, I didn’t tell you… she doesn’t like shopping, especially for clothes and never wants to try anything on in a dressing room.)

On every rack and stand, she found something she would wear. I turned my head, scanning the tops and dresses. I saw something I haven’t seen in years: the necklines aren’t plunging. “Now that is a nice change! Look, you won’t have to wear two shirts or a camisole,” I note. She is equally relieved.

Her eyes rest on a soft medium pink top with four small photo-like silver-grey scenes of Paris. It is romantic, subtle, with enough detail for interest. She lights up as she shows me several more items that she would enjoy, and every single piece has an appropriately modest neckline!

“Can I help you find anything?” inquires a young lady.

“It is about time!” I tell the sales clerk, explaining how much I like the new necklines. She nods knowingly, commenting on how she has been buying several of the new styles for her own wardrobe.

We have something to celebrate in 2012, “Rising Necklines!” Shopping for shirts and dresses will be so much easier. I am so thankful for this change. I am sure many of you will be too!

(The dresses in this post can currently be found at www.target.com)

© lindyabbott for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2012 styles, Casual, clothing, dress, dresses, fashion, layers, Neckline, Shopping, Shopping mall

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From time to time we get requests from new blogs looking to get noticed and we also stumble upon blogs that are talking about our topic.  As we get opportunity, we’ll pass them along to you so you can read more on the topic!

Modthirtyone is a relatively new blog on the modesty scene.  Starting December 8, 2011, Anh Nguyen starts off her blog asking the question: Modesty: Antiquated or Revolutionary?

One of the more adventurous things she is doing is the 30 Day Dress Dare—where she is attempting to dress only in dresses and skirts for the month of May.  It’s a good thing she’s not trying this in January… brrr!

Anh also features ways to put together looks like Kate Middleton—there’s a lot there, and she’s very new to blogging and could use encouragement!

© MInTheGap for Is This Modest?, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: blog, fashion, modesty

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Q: Modern fashion is constantly pushing the envelope in terms of what it can get away with.  How can the Christian woman remain current (not looking drab, frumpy) while at the same time not succumbing to the fashion industry’s desire to market the woman as a sex symbol?

RLC: I’m a bona fide clothes fanatic. A clotheshorse. I shop in my pastime, and my downtime. I shop pre-season sales and post-season sales. Thrift stores and Boutiques. But my goal is to find the most fashionable duds that are undeniably modest.

As a professional model for twenty-plus years, I’ve modeled for some of the biggest names in the industry: Cover Girl, Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok, and possibly thousands more. But because I am a Christian, I set out to discover if fashion and faith could coexist without conflict. In a world where the most popular catchphrase in advertising is “Sex sells,” I wanted to find out if there was a way to wear the latest fashions without dishonoring God or developing a bad reputation (Proverbs 22:1). In my challenge to discover how fashion and faith can successfully collide on and off the runway, I developed these tried and true “modeling modesty” tips:

• Shorts: Fingertip length shorts. Stand straight with your hands down by your side. Where your longest finger touches your leg is the shortest length your shorts should be and still be considered modest while seated.
• Skirts: No more than a couple of inches above the knee. This is important, because they rise when we sit.
• Hide Undergarments: Wear colorful tanks underneath low-cut tops. And make sure tank tops have wide enough straps to cover bra straps (which remember, is under wear) or wear a strapless bra.
• If your jeans show your underwear when you bend over, pair them with a longer top to hide them.
• Too Tight: This goes for pants and tops. If you can’t pinch the fabric, it’s too tight. And “Skinny” jeans (Thumbs up-a tapered slimming jean) shouldn’t be confused with skin-tight jeans (Thumbs down).
• Cover Cleavage: I have a simple trick that helps me every time I shop: place four fingers at the base of your collarbone. This is how low your neckline can be, without revealing cleavage, even when you bend forward. Keep this in mind, especially if you’re wearing a V-neck top that dips lower at the middle of your chest. Pair these with a matching or coordinating top underneath.

We can wear clothes with confidence and not have to worry about anyone questioning our intentions. And we can always layer and shop with standards and not let today’s fashions dictate our convictions. More importantly, the best fashion statement is learning to show off our best side…our inside!

© RachelLeeCarter for Is This Modest?, 2011. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fashion, model, modesty

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I love what you will be finding in the shops this fall as they are modest, flowing and warm. From the picture above you will see the dresses are all falling below the knee and this is the shortest they will really be going this season, if anything you will find maxi/floor length! What spectacular news for the modest moms, working ladies or those of you who plain enjoying dressing up a tad!

The length as well as the long sleeves make them weather appropriate, and instead of socks and ankle boots you can always throw on some thicker panty-hose to seal the warmth deal (my mother would need to). The necklines are also high this year, leaving us modest ladies little to worry about! The colours are beautiful as are the fabrics, making this a very feminine dress idea we can all easily find and get on without much hassle.

The ankle boots to pair with the dresses are one of the accessories I adore and I have a few pairs still lying around from last winter. They are wonderful in the snow, leaves, mud, you name it they can handle it! I find the ones with no heel especially inviting as I am the same height as my husband ‘sans shoes’ and therefore do not feel like buying heels ever. Have fun with these modest dress types, cinched at the waist for a feminine touch and then topped off with a pair of grandma’s ankle boots and thick warm socks (preferably your own)…sigh, cozy bliss! Oh, and remember those chunky sweaters, well it is alright to grab one of those as you head out the door to keep the draft away between home and your destination. Sweater or cardy will do, just stay warm!

I have been quite impressed with what the fashionistas are pulling out this season, even though I know the cold weather has something to do with the longer lengths and higher necks. But, that’s alright, as long as they are heading modest for fall, we will take what we can when we can!

© HeSingsOverYou for Is This Modest?, 2011. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Christian woman, dress, fall, fashion, modest

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I am excited to write this article as what I am about to conclude as one of my fall basics for any wardrobe is definitely my favourite item of clothing all year round. Can you guess what it is?…a great pair of jeans! Do understand that this entire series is a group of opinion articles and if you are a woman who feels pants are off limits due to her own modesty beliefs then this is obviously not a fall must have. :)

But for those of us who do not feel convicted regarding wearing trousers, what could be better for romping around the leaves in then comfortable denim? I own many different styles of jeans but thankfully that is just preference, and I will not push one style over another. The good news is that this fall season wide legged and flared jeans are coming back into style. This will make it easier for any of the women out there who did not feel comfortable in the skinny style that has made itself a permanent resident in our local stores lately. That ‘70s vibe is slowly filtering back into the fashion world meaning it should be on our shop shelves again shortly!

For those jeans that have a low-waisted fit check out these tips for keeping your midriff cozy from the chill!

I feel the only concern with jeans, or pants of any kind for that matter, is the fit on your backside. This is another fine line that can be sometimes crossed unintentionally. Take for example church yesterday. I was late getting up and quickly grabbed my wide legged jeans and a button down dress shirt, which I tucked in. I had not worn these jeans in a few months as the cooler weather has only recently made an appearance. My husband and I had a coffee together before jumping in the car and heading to our church service. As we walked in and I stood for the first worship song I was suddenly aware of the people behind me and my bum. My jeans felt a bit too snug and of course we were sitting in the second row from the front. I put my hands around my back to try and cover what I could as I was keenly uncomfortable.

This is what happens when I do not do an overall check before leaving the house. I was not consciously thinking modesty and assumed that the jeans would be fine as they were wide legged and everything was covered. So, even though jeans are not skin showers they can still be immodest when not fitted properly. So take your time when sorting through the jean racks and make sure you try them on before purchasing to save money and the time of returning too tight jeans!

In conclusion, no matter what style of jeans you find yourself leaning towards, whether it be a hippie flare, punk rock skinny, cowboy boot-cut or ’70’s wide legged, throw them on with a poncho or fitted leather jacket and head into the windy weather for some fall apple picking fun!…Just watch the fit on your bum so you keep the other apple pickers eyes on the apples and not your apple-bottoms!

What is your go-to style of jeans? Do you only buy a certain shape? Love to hear your thoughts and we will see you tomorrow for more wardrobe basics for fall!

© HeSingsOverYou for Is This Modest?, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fall, fashion, jeans, modest, style

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Another factor that has me urging in the chilly evenings are the outfits and different clothing you can finally pull out of the tupperware container and place on the shelves, previously owned by shorts and tank tops.

For this series I will be, as the title mentions, going over some autumn wardrobe basics. For some of you, what I share may not be your idea of a basic item of clothing,so feel free to share with me what you pull out of storage this time of year! I’d love to hear your ideas, tips and favourite pieces!

I will dip into a bit of what is happening on the runways for those of you who love modesty with a glimpse of fashion, and also touch on some ways to get the look without buying new clothes every season!

What an incredible palette the Lord Himself provides us every year at this time! So, let’s get excited because this is the season where you can enjoy both fashion and modesty quite easily!

© HeSingsOverYou for Is This Modest?, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: autumn, clothing, fashion, modesty

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The neckline looks a tad iffy.  A cami might come in handy in that department.  The dress falls to the knee on the model – something to be aware of.  If you are interested in learning the exact length of the dress, just shoot JCPenny an email or give them a call.  I always had great experience with them.

Do you think empire waists are modest?  V-necks?  And what about prints?  I’d love to hear your opinions!

© Catherine for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: business, dress, fashion

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Fan Sakura Rose on Facebook, if you haven’t yet. (This is where the giveaway will take place!)

Go to the Fall Fashion Giveaway album and find your favorite photo styled with Sakura Rose items.

Once you find your favorite photo, leave a comment. It can be anything— why this is your favorite photo, what you like about the outfit, where you would like to wear this outfit, etc.

Get as many people to “like” your comment as you can! 

The three (3) people with the most “likes” on their comment win! We will also look for one best answer for fourth prize, so make sure to be creative!

1st: $100 gift card to spend on sakurarose.com
2nd: $50 gift card to spend on sakurarose.com
3rd: Tree of Life Mosaic Necklace
4th/best answer: Silver Beaded Braid Cuff

Good luck, and tell your friends to vote for you! Contest ends NOVEMBER 1. Don’t delay!
The model featured is Rachel Dahl from one of our favorite modest fashion blogs, à la Modest. This post was originally from Sakura Rose’s blog.

© Rachel @ alamodest.com for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: a la modest, alamodest, contest, facebook, fall, fashion, free, freebies, gift cards, Giveaway, modest, modesty, prize, rachel dahl, Sakura Rose, style

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Last weekend, before leaving for tax-free Delaware, my mother-in-law told my husband, Rob, that he should take me shopping while we were there. When we got back, she had a confused look on her face when he told her we had gone to Goodwill.

It’s the truth. I fancy shopping at thrift stores. I think I would go to them even if I had the luxury of unlimited money on my side. There’s just something nice about walking through a menial and overlooked place and bringing home treasures of timeless tapestry and vintage has-beens. It just makes me feel fantastic to spend only a fraction of what I know I would’ve paid elsewhere.

If you are already a frequenter of your local Salvation Army or Goodwill, then you will find this post very helpful to keep in mind on your next spree. If you aren’t, I hope to bring out the nifty thrifty in you without compromising high fashion tastes and values.

1. Keep a general list. Either in mind or in hand, try to remember what you need or want. You need this list to be fairly general because you have to expect that you’re not going to find Givenchy peep toes in beige. This keeps you from being disappointed but also helps you to have an agenda and not spend your entire afternoon at the store.
2. Do not be intimidated by the size of the store or distracted by the way the clothes are organized. It’s easy to get lost in the ambiguity of the setup of most thrift stores. You might see women’s shoes displayed in every corner of the store or see a lot of misplaced items. The organization varies from place to place, but spending time in these places will help you get acquainted easily.
3. Sift through patterns, colors, length, etc. It can be fun and adventurous to try to look through every piece of clothing on every rack of every lane of the store, but it can also be very tiring and time consuming. Look through the racks swiftly, and watch out for patterns, colors, lengths, or specific styles that stand out to you. Looking only to buy below-the-knee skirts? Look at the bottom part instead of the top as you slowly walk through the aisles.You can run your fingers through the clothes briskly and maybe even consider the fabric while you do this. Sure, you might miss an amazing spring dress by blitzing through the clothes like a speed reader. If this happens and you find out about it, then don’t be too hard on yourself. Consider it not meant to be, and cherish the prizes that you did successfully manage to dig up.
4. If possible, wear socks, a tank top, and a slip as undergarments while you try on second-hand clothes and shoes. This is mostly for sanitary reasons. Don’t wear anything too bulky. You will want to have these items fit on your body as if you are wearing nothing but skin. For shoes, bear in mind that the way they fit might change significantly depending on the socks. Basically, try everything on before buying.
5. Inspect everything about the garment. Keep in mind that you are buying used clothes, shoes, and accessories in a place that does not offer a money-back guarantee. Make sure to watch out for tears, stains, missing buttons, etc. If you are not willing to have these repaired, then put the clothes back on the rack. On the other hand, with a little creativity and hard work, you might just be able to heal a wounded skirt.
6. Tailor over-sized but worthy garments. If you cannot find the time to do this, cannot sew on your own, or do not want to pay to have alterations done, just use safety pins to taper the sides of a loose skirt or shorten tall pants. I recently fell in love with a skirt that almost touched the floor and was about five sizes too big. These minor setbacks didn’t deter me from buying it for its amazing bright floral pattern. I wanted to transform it into a bubble skirt. It was perfect! If you have the skills in home economics, then you can also try to get cheap fabrics (at a retail store or online at Fabric) and make your own clothes!
7. Visualize mixing and matching. Since you can’t bring your entire wardrobe with you, visualize how the items you’re getting are going to work with what you already have at home. Looks can be deceiving, so you should always try everything on. Being modest does not completely limit you from buying that fabulous shirt that has a great pattern but a low-cut neckline. Visualize how you can add a shell underneath to cover your chest. Just make sure that you aren’t tempted to wear that shirt alone! To be on the safe side, I would just avoid that type of clothing altogether. However, for the times when you just have to have it and still want to be modest, you can get some great shells online from Kosher Casual and Tabeez.
8. Look for quality, uniqueness, and sophistication. Ironically, while you always want the thrift store price, you generally do not want to look like you are wearing thrift store clothes. Buy pieces that are truly treasures and not something you could’ve gotten from any other department store. The bad habit to do while shopping in general is to get everything that is cheap. This should not be the case especially in thrift stores, unless you want to buy the entire store and/or consequently end up looking poor with a low-brow sense of style. Ultimately, you should never compromise your fashion tastes and values of modesty for the price of cheap, kitschy clothing. There are specialty modesty shops if you just want to look through a catalog full of modest apparel: Christa-Taylor and Sakura Rose to name a couple.
9. Check out the accessories. The jewelry section might be less intimidating to look at because it is usually just in one small area. Try and have an open mind as you look through the pieces. Be creative. A necklace can be used as a headpiece, rings can be transformed into pendants and add sparkle to scarves, and pins can be worn on blazers, hats, and purses.
10. Wash the clothes before using them. Once you get home from your excursion, toss everything in the laundry right away before you forget. You do not want to end up smelling like another woman (or orange juice for that matter) while you are with your significant other!

Did you know that you can also shop for Goodwill’s inventory online?

That’s all for now! More from this saga later. Do you have thrift shopping tips you would like to share?

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This post was originally from à la Modest by Rachel Dahl. You can go directly to her website or Facebook for more posts on modesty.

© Rachel @ alamodest.com for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: a la modest, alamodest, clothes, fashion, goodwill, modest, modesty, rachel dahl, Salvation Army, style, thrift shop, tips

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One of my readers confessed that she was more apt to feel invisible when there were women around her showing a lot of skin. Flaunting your body is such a cheap way of attracting attention in which it takes little to no effort to be successful. Our liking to sensuality, men and women alike, is so automatic that it rarely demands clothing creativity. You can effortlessly accentuate certain parts of your body and receive instant gratification from wandering eyes. It’s easy… and lazy. If you want a real wardrobe challenge, start covering up (especially during the heat of the summer)!

I have to admit that dressing the way I do–a la modest–is not easy. It was especially difficult when I first made the decision to. It was a tug-of-war struggle between what I was used to and what I learned was modest. I still have the nature in me to want to go the easy route of attraction. It’s like preferring the internet over snail mail, a text over a phone call, or mac and cheese over Julia Childe’s beef bourguignon. Easy and cheesy.

We women desire love and attention. That’s just how God created us. It’s okay to want to be noticed and appreciated for the way we look. Nobody wants to feel physically insignificant even when we know our heavenly Father’s attention is what truly matters or that our inner beauty is more important. We can say the mantra of what matters most ten times a day, but we can still feel invisible and unappreciated for the way we look. Although it is true that inner beauty matters most, it shouldn’t be the only thing that does. I believe this idea creates such security around women and is the primary reason for “letting go” of their bodies– especially after marriage.

Dressing modestly doesn’t detract attention. You’re not wearing an invisibility cloak from Harry Potter, thank goodness. Covering up just prevents or lessens the wrong kind of attention. It’s dressing wisely. Doing it creatively with fashion is dressing wisely with a twist, a splash of lemon in an otherwise boring beverage.

To be honest, I think I’ve gotten more attention and appreciation from the way I dress now than when I used to dress like everybody else. I just hope that when other women notice that they realize that I’m not exposing a lot of skin or accentuating my curves, they will learn from what they see and incorporate that image into their clothing lifestyle. As all motives and lessons  learned, I hope that modesty values will eventually sink deep into their hearts. Modesty is ultimately an issue of the heart. I did not decide to dress modestly because I wanted to stand out. The appreciation and attention I received was just a by-product of my personal decision from a hard-earned lesson. I didn’t expect that at all. This is just my testimony, my vouching that you can still be noticed while dressing modestly.

I especially love it when little girls look up to me. It gives me so much hope for the next generation to carry out this modest revolution.

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This article was originally from alamodest.com and was chosen as one of Independent Fashion Bloggers’ posts for the week! Do you “Like” this article?  alamodest.com is  on Facebook!

© Rachel @ alamodest.com for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: a la modest, alamodest, attraction, fashion, heart issue, invisible, jealousy, modest, modesty, rachel dahl

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Every woman or girl has probably picked up a copy of Cosmopolitan (or Cosmo Girl for teens) at least once in her life. Although the magazine has great fashion editors, it’s hard to endure flipping through the pages or even looking at the covers of this and many other publications like it because of their sexual content. It pains me to even glance at magazine stands next to grocery store counters. Truth is, there is a psychology behind the way items are placed in stores. The items near the checkout are what people usually buy at the last minute such as gum or batteries, because they are small and often overlooked. Magazines, on the other hand, are there to be eye candy (and to entice purchase) while waiting in line. Everybody is in the business of taking something from you, whether it be your money, your attention, or your mental/spiritual well-being.

So, what is kosmios? It’s the Greek word mostly identified with the word modesty. Kosmios means “proper, decent, respectable, and modest.” This word was actually derived from the original Greek word kosmos, which is closely associated with the universe. This word refers to order, adornment, and decoration. I know at this point, you might be getting a little lexicon leary from all these derivations, but I do want to point out something fantastic that I drew from this! After contemplating all of these terms, the three magic words that popped into my head were divinity, design, and modesty.

We are all divinely created by design, mirroring the image of God, and clothed modestly to cover up our sins. Adam and Eve were only naked and unashamed before the Fall of Man, but because of mankind’s disobedience, God provided them with decent clothing. As Jim Hamon of Psychoheresy says, “Contrary to the popular illustrations of Adam and Eve with their fig leaves, God’s covering was not a loin skin for Adam and a fur bikini for Eve.” God fashioned their clothes to cover their entire body.

I’m not going to just say “as Christians, we should…”, because we are all like Adam and Eve, human beings meant to be covered. This should eliminate the perception of the boxed, legalistic mentality that Christians supposedly have. The reason we as human beings wear clothes is found in the history of the covering of our shame. Although obviously not all things that happened in history were wonderful, I do believe that everything happens for a reason—a purpose that we might not fully understand until it is revealed to us by our Creator.

I can think of many reasons why covering myself is beneficial, and those things relate to my wellness and the wellness of everyone around me. Dressing like most scantily clad models and celebrities in magazines, in my mind, really just serves one selfish purpose: to sell through sex.

The pressure to be a Cosmo Girl will keep knocking on your door like a thief coming to steal, kill, and destroy you. You can’t really respond to this using the “WWJD?” method, because Christ was male and this issue addresses females. What you can do is examine your heart to find why you want to dress a certain way. Do you want to look sexy and attract all kinds of men—even the ones who are married? Do you want to stand out from the crowd, compete with other women, and incite jealousy? It’s okay to want to stand out, be unique, and show art through fashionable clothes, but it’s never okay to flaunt your body and contribute to lust.

I am a lover of independent art and the way it is shown through clothes, music, films, etc. I like showing creativity through my clothes, but I do this with respect to kosmios, the way God wants women to dress.

The kosmios girl is creative, godly, wise, fashionable, and modest. She cares for all people. She is unselfish, pure, virtuous, and intelligent, satisfied in the knowledge that she’s beautifully and wonderfully made. She is independently unique and adorns herself with creative cover-up couture, a la Modest. Are you a kosmios girl?

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This article was originally from alamodest.com. Do you “Like” this article?  alamodest.com is now on Facebook!

© Rachel @ alamodest.com for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: a la modest, alamodest, cosmo, cosmo girl, cosmopolitan, fashion, greek, kosmios, magazies, modesty, rachel dahl

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On a la Modest, I talked about Lolita fashion and its roots from the Victorian age. Even taking bustiers into account, you have to admit that fashion back then was much more modest than today. A friend of mine likes to view dressing modestly as a way to feel like royalty–a princess finely dressed. Centuries might have affected fashion trends, but men’s minds have not changed over the years. This is not to say that men alone are evil. They were made to be visual, and women were made to desire love from men. We just have to cater to our nature of being like this in the right way. Immodesty is like junk food. It satisfies you temporarily and is never good for you. Showing skin to attract men (or even to compete with women) might get you the attention you want, but it is almost never love that you end up getting.

As I like to say, “Keep immodesty within the marriage bed!” Married women can get all the fun they want with lingerie as clothes for their husband’s eyes only! Ironically, I only really took the importance of modest fashion to heart when I got married. I’ve never really been happier with the way I carried myself since I started pushing away my insecurities by not wearing clothes that attracted the wrong attention. I realized that I gave away part of myself to other men through the way I dressed, and essentially stole from my husband what he alone should’ve cherished.

To the single women out there, it is best to start now. I understand how hard it is to even attract men in this day and age, where sexually infused fashion is rampant, but it will pay off one day to be with someone who cares deeply about who you are, enough to protect you from himself. When you incite a man to lust, you do not win him. Lust takes over, and it is greedy. Like any type of greed, it wants more. Do not expect that luring a man with lust will keep him faithful to you. Modesty is not really the end-all to lust, but it certainly helps to keep minds pure.

In addition to its benefits to single men and women, dressing modestly can help couples in a small way by not adding to the temptation that husbands and even pastors have everyday to look at other women lustfully. Let’s not be greedy and steal their minds away. Lust really eats up men, and contrary to the momentary pleasures they might get from it, they ultimately do not like its effects. Doing your part says that you love all men and want to help them see the beauty in you through purity and not lust. Purity goes a long way. It’s not really synonymous with chastity. You can be pure and be sexually active in the context of marriage. Most guys deep down want a girl who will give them everything without inhibitions but only to them. If you give yourself to other men by inciting lust in their minds through the way that you dress, then you are not really saving yourself fully for your future husband. The Bible says that if a man looks at or thinks about another woman lustfully, then he is already committing adultery. In your own small way, by dressing modestly, you really are helping to tame lustful thoughts. It shows that you really care, and in turn, most “husband-material” guys will appreciate this a lot.

Dressing “down” gave me many heartaches. It attracted so many of the wrong type of guys. I’m glad that God was sovereign and landed me with an amazing stud who encouraged me to be modest-fashionably forward (even before we got married).

Check out this video by Jason Evert of Pure Love Club:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80FOpC5oKww

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This article was originally from alamodest.com. Do you “Like” this article?  alamodest.com is now on Facebook!

© Rachel @ alamodest.com for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fashion, husband, love, lust, marriage, modest, modesty, Relationships, romance, Sexuality, Single, style, wife

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Modesty! Its rather important to us! But, have you ever sat back and examined your standards of modesty? How your standard was formed? Considered other views of modesty? The annual Modesty Challenge gives each of us a chance to re-think modesty and discuss our finding!

This Years Modesty Challenge Begins on April 19th 2010 & Ends April 23rd 2010. The theme this year is “A week in Modest Feminine Attire”.  And just to make it interesting, we’ll pick one participant from those who take the challenge to get a free skirt from New Creation Apparel!

The Rules

For this years challenge, lets put the debate of skirts or jeans behind us. Skirts/Dresses of appropriate length are certainly modest. They are certainly feminine. And They are most defiantly no longer the “norm” for girls and women.

During the challenge, you should wear only skirts, dresses, culottes, or split-skirts. Try to keep outfits as feminine and modest as possible. Continue with your normal routine. Especially participate in activities you “thought you couldn’t do in a skirt” such as gardening, cleaning, housework, childcare, outdoor activities etc.

Take lots of pictures of yourself doing your normal routines in feminine modest clothing. (If you are uncomfortable taking your picture, take pictures of your outfit.) Post these pictures along with any thought or comments on the challenge to your personal blog. Your post should include a link to the challenge. Add your post to the list of links (Comments) so we can all see how your challenge is going!

Already a “skirt gal”? Great! You are still welcome to participate in the challenge. You may wish to make the challenge a bit more challenging for yourself by adding a “bit more feminine challenge”. Possibly challenge yourself to also wear feminine hair styles! (Think Buns & Braids!) Or to Speak or write more feminine.

Below I am listing some questions you may wish to answer concerning this years challenge!

Enjoy! I wish everyone a great experience during this years challenge! I am so excited to hear everyone’s thoughts!

Week in Modesty Questions:

1. Prior to the challenge, What was your standard of modesty? How has it changed after the challenge?

2. Prior to the challenge, How did you feel about wearing skirts or dresses? Did you feel they would be limiting? How has this view changed Post-Challenge?

3. Prior to the challenge what was your self-image like? Did this change any after the challenge?

4. Did you notice any changes in you behavior during the challenge? Did you notice any change in the way others treated you while wearing skirts/dresses?

5. Did you find picking out an outfit or getting ready during the challenge to be inconvenient? Why or Why not?

6. Did you find your skirt/dress to be limiting or inconvenient in any situations?

7. Did you find your self to be comfortable in your skirt/dresses? As compared to jeans?

8. Will you continue to wear skirts/dresses? Why?

~Please Respect this Blog & It’s Readers~

Any Links Posted with inappropriate or immodest content will be deleted.

© tawnynicole001 for Is This Modest?, 2010. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: article, Casual, challenge, clothing, dress, fashion, jeans, modest, modesty, pants, skirt

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But then one day, the winds changed. Everyone starting wearing Lycra tops and cap sleeves, and women’s Separates blew in from the west. Those polyester “shells” were no longer fashionable and no longer necessary. There were so many more options—and more comfortable ones too! There were cotton/Lycra blends with crewnecks, cotton T-shirts designed with a layered look, and scoop necks in black for the office. So many choices, so many options…!

There was just one small problem. All those fabulous women who preferred modest clothes were left with very little to wear. The cotton/Lycra blends were cut too tight, the cotton T’s were too low-cut, and the scoop necks, well, they just didn’t cut it at all.

So all the modest women in the land went searching far and wide for the Land’s End. And there they found easy shirts that covered their skin, t-shirts they could layer, and tops that didn’t shrink in the wash. And they were comfortable.

Then one day, the “shell” was reborn with a new look and feel, and all of a sudden, modest women came in droves to follow the “layered” trend. These women realized they had neglected the possibilities of ¾ and long sleeves, and that for 20 years they had paid too much attention to the collar. With a cotton/Lycra “shell” with longer sleeves, they could have the best of both lands. They could wear any sleeveless top with it—ANY sleeveless top—and they could be modest, comfortable and stylish—all at the same time!

And so from Tabeez in the east, these “new shells” came flying off the shelves. Everyone had a black one—maybe two or even three—for the office, for dinner, and for the finest balls in all the land. For their wedding day, modest brides could not believe their options….they could buy any sleeveless dress they liked and pair it with a “shell.” These new slenderizing “shells” became the new silhouette, the new look, and the epitome of modest fashion.

And so from then on, women of all sizes and shapes came to rely on the “new shell.” An outfit just wouldn’t work without it. The “new shells” looked great with belts and jeweled accessories—adding that special touch of glam to the super-modest look. Women wowed their husbands, and impressed their friends. And from that day forward, women and their “shells” lived happily ever after.

© LeahHelfgott for Is This Modest?, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fashion, shell, Sleeveless shirt, sleeves

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Many people are driven by religious goals. Modesty in clothing is an important value in many Christian, Muslim and Jewish circles. Among those who tie modesty to religion, some believe that a person’s body is a sacred gift from G-d and that it should be treated as such—dressed properly and respected; Some believe that modesty is a way of life—a humble way to conduct oneself before one’s peers and before G-d; And some quote their holy texts where G-d actually commands them to be modest. And, of course, there are people who take all three approaches.

Not Just Religious Reasons

But for many, modesty is not about religion at all. As film, magazines, and fashion embrace the image of nudity, they wonder, “How will our daughters stand their ground, have a healthy self-concept and not be tempted toward promiscuity?” After all, the media teaches young women to admire the beauty of women who are scantily clad. Thus, many Americans are part of a backlash against the media. They leave the magazines at the store and teach their own values to their children.

Yet others say that modest clothing is simply more attractive. It enhances the figure and drapes the human form in a beautiful way. These people think back to the era of the 40s and 50s, when American women wore clothes that were modest, clean, and classy.

With all these potential reasons, it’s no wonder that millions of Americans prefer modesty.

But what does modesty mean? Ten years ago it might have meant wearing old clothes, plain, shapeless clothes, or simply wearing a box! But most Americans don’t want to look shabby. So is it possible to dress fashionably and modestly at the same time? This year, with the growing online modest-fashion industry, there are more options than ever before. Clothes are being designed to cover skin and follow fashion at the same time.

This fall, the runway’s ruffles, zippers, buttons, and bows can all be worn on modest clothes. Modest tops, dresses, and skirts are now being made with shiny fabrics in black, grey, white and royal purple—the colors of the season. Everyone’s wearing cute belts over modest tops, and ballet flats with long skirts. Sleeveless tops are worn over layering-Ts and…. Voila, “modest fashion” is born!

Modesty is Spreading!

As Americans fall in love with modest fashion, they take their love to the Internet. Countless blogposts have been written about the ridiculousness of the latest celebrity’s outfit, the difficulty of finding appropriate clothes, and the value of modesty. Several e-commerce sites, such as www.tabeez.com, now focus on modest clothes exclusively. People are talking about modest fashion on Facebook; and one Twitterer even started the hash-tag #modestfashion. It’s all happening—with and for—the millions of Americans who just want fabulous modest clothes.

From all points of view and from all walks of life, Americans are joining the discussion about modest fashion and producing modest clothes that even the fashion industry would be proud of!

© LeahHelfgott for Is This Modest?, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fashion

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