When it really came down to it though I can see now that I just wanted to follow what everyone else was doing. All the girls were wearing spaghetti strap tanks, tiny little skirts and I felt a little left out not being able to dress like the other girls. How ridiculous was I? (I mean really though?!) Modesty is so much more important than any of the current fashion trends. It shows that your respect your body, think your beautiful without needing to show a bunch of skin and that your confident in who you are as a daughter of God.
Dressing modest can be a challenge at times but it's so worth it. A few tricks that have helped me keep it modest are....
1. If you have a dress that is just a bit too short you can use a second skirt as a "slip". Not only will it keep you modest but it will add some volume and extra color to your outfit.
2. If you have a low cut shirt or dress don't be afraid to get a hold of a sewing machine and sew some lace or trim on the neckline to help you hide your 'lil ladies.
3. Layers are your best friend when you're trying to keep it modest. If you have a spaghetti strap dress, grab a cardigan or a button up to go underneath or on top.If you have a low cut shirt wear an undershirt.
Dressing modest can seem challenging at times but it gives us the chance to be all the more creative with what we wear and how we wear it! Have fun with your modest style and take pride in the fact that you're modest!
2. If you have a low cut shirt or dress don't be afraid to get a hold of a sewing machine and sew some lace or trim on the neckline to help you hide your 'lil ladies.
3. Layers are your best friend when you're trying to keep it modest. If you have a spaghetti strap dress, grab a cardigan or a button up to go underneath or on top.If you have a low cut shirt wear an undershirt.
Dressing modest can seem challenging at times but it gives us the chance to be all the more creative with what we wear and how we wear it! Have fun with your modest style and take pride in the fact that you're modest!
You're adorable!
ReplyDelete"When it really came down to it though I can see now that I just wanted
ReplyDeleteto follow what everyone else was doing. All the girls were wearing
spaghetti strap tanks, tiny little skirts and I felt a little left out
not being able to dress like the other girls. How ridiculous was I? (I
mean really though?!) Modesty is so much more important than any of the
current fashion trends. It shows that your respect your body, think your
beautiful without needing to show a bunch of skin and that your
confident in who you are as a daughter of God."
Wow, really? To people who are orthodox observers of my religion, you'd still be considered immodest - I can see your elbows, knees, collarbone, and hair. They consider me to be an immodest harlot for this reason. It doesn't mean I don't respect myself, or that you don't respect yourself . Self-respect means different things to different people, and there is always going to be someone even more modestly dressed than you, so please get off of your high horse.
Sarah, I'm sorry you were so affected by Sarah's message. I hope you take into consideration the subjectivity of modesty dependent on religion, ethnic origin, family, environment, media, and personal values. (I'm sure I'm missing many other factors.) So what may be modest to you will not be modest to Sarah and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteyes, i agree wholeheartedly with this post!! modesty is just such a hard thing to deal with sometimes, but ppl WILL notice that we are set apart for the Lord...that's what I keep telling myself. :)
ReplyDeleteElaine, I think that's exactly what Sarah is saying. Subjective! And she's interpreting the writer as being judgmental when there are so many factors involved, like you said. I think it's natural for a lot of us to feel judged when our lifestyles don't match up with something that is very fundamental in someone else's. It doesn't mean we are being judged but it can sure feel like it.
ReplyDeleteDo many people assume that if you don't dress modestly, you don't have self respect (or the same level of it)? I'm not "modest" by your terms (although I am by mine) but I appreciate the tips I get from your blog, and guest bloggers since they're not just applicable in the scope of modesty, but in everyone's choices.
You do a great job of covering up and still looking cute!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is the two skirt thing. I've seen @clothedmuch:disqus do it too, and I lurrrve how it looks!
I dress how this Sarah would consider modest about 85% of the time. It doesn't mean I don't respect myself or think I'm beautiful if I wear a short skirt outside. Even in my modest outfits, I am not modest compared to my neighbors at all - along with covering their elbows, knees, legs, collarbones, and hair if they're married, they don't wear bright colors because they believe it calls attention to them and thus isn't modest. I have other neighbors who wear burqas, and my tznius neighbors are immodest compared to them.
ReplyDeleteIn their view, I am not modest, nor is this Sarah. That doesn't mean we don't respect ourselves or think we're not pretty, it means we've made different choices that suit our lives and needs. Other women who dress less modestly than both of us aren't doing so because they don't have self-respect or self-esteem, but because they are making choices that best suit their lives and needs.
Hi girls!
ReplyDeleteI´ve realized these last few days that many of my favorite blogs a so-called modest blogs from the US. I truly adore your style Elaine and Sarah that first dress there is gorgeous in its modest form. As a norweigian (and an atheist), modesty is an unfamiliar concept. Most of the year we´re coverd up in tons of wool anyways, and when the sun does actually warm for å few hours it´s bikinis all the way. I just love the creative layering though, and what you call modest I would just call feminin and flattering.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I think in order to understand where "this Sarah" is coming from in this post, we have to consider that this is about HER path in accepting modesty in HER life and what SHE has learned.
ReplyDeleteRight - we each have reasons for dressing the way we do, I get that. If she had said "I feel that I am more beautiful when I am dressed according to my religion of modesty" or "I think modesty is more important than current fashion trends," I'd have read it as a personal account it is. I found it problematic that she wrote that paragraph as a universal truth, and not one that she found through her experience, beliefs, and religion.
ReplyDeleteShe look so cute! Love the outfit!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the modest fashion blogs! They frequently feature the cutest stuff...also the kind of stuff you can wear to work.
ReplyDeleteCute outfits!
ReplyDeleteI love your take on modesty. So, so true!
Thanks Karen, I've never really thought about it but I think being modest really does make outfits more "feminine" if anything being modest has added a ton to my style as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Sarah if this message didn't come across the way that I wanted it to. Modesty is defined differently in every religion. And in no way am I trying to say that others don't respect themselves. It's just my personal way of expressing that.
ReplyDeleteSarah I think you misunderstood the purpose of this message. Maybe I should have been more clear. In no way am I trying to say that everyone that doesn't dress like me doesn't respect themselves. That would be crazy! What I'm saying is, with my specific beliefs and my specific path in modesty. This is how I show that I respect my body. Others can show that in so many different ways, according to their own beliefs and standards. I'm not trying to come across judgmental or that others don't respect themselves because of the way they dress. Simply that this is how I have chosen to show that.
ReplyDeleteLOVE her first dress! How cute! Modesty is so important. You can still look great by being modest! Our bodies truly are temples,gifts from Heavenly Father! We need to respect what He has given us. That's why I love blog-stalking modest fashion bloggers. For inspiration and hope (: Here's one of my favorite quotes on that...
ReplyDelete"I find the whole concept of being ‘sexy’ embarrassing and confusing. If I do an interview with photographs people desperately want to change me - dye my hair blonder, pluck my eyebrows, give me a fringe. Then there’s the choice of clothes. I know everyone wants a picture of me in a mini-skirt. But that’s not me. I feel uncomfortable. I’d never go out in a mini-skirt. It’s nothing to do with protecting the Hermione image. I wouldn’t do that. Personally, I don’t actually think it’s even that sexy. What’s sexy about saying, ‘I’m here with my boobs out and a short skirt, have a look at everything I’ve got?’ My idea of sexy is that less is more. The less you reveal the more people can wonder."
-Emma Watson.
It's beautiful.
xo
rachelsayumi.blogspot.com
I think Sarah is awesome! Her blog is really great.
ReplyDeleteWOW the dress looks perfect after !
ReplyDeleteIf you like french fashion, you should check out my blog, and maybe follow it if you like it and wanna be the first to know when i post ;)xxwww.coralieslooks.com - FRENCH FASHION BLOG
That first dress is too cute! And I really love your look in that last photoset. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree when you say dressing modest can be a challenge. But, I've found that after I've put the work into making an outfit modest and still fashionable, I appreciate what I'm wearing more. It's like the reward for striving to dress modest.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like every time someone does a post actually talking about modesty there's always that one person who gets offended...and that's just too bad. I read this and didn't hear judgment anywhere in it. The readers should understand that you're not preaching a "universal truth" without you putting a giant disclaimer at the beginning of every post.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, your style is adorable. So feminine and classy. I enjoyed your post thoroughly, and completely agree on the cardigan thing. I wear them with everything! :)
Sarah- I read your blog everyday (or at least, every new post) and you are an amazing person. I feel like you give me permission to go outside of the box to create modesty and i LOVE that.
ReplyDeletenuff said.
http://colacolaisland.blogspot.com
I've realized that appreciation myself as well!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great quote from Hermione.
ReplyDeleteI love her blog! I just wish I had her sewing skills.
ReplyDeleteI never really labeled myself as a modest dresser but I certaintly don't go out in short skirts or shorts or show off my cleavage. Since coming across this blog and specifically this post, I guess I could classify myself as a modest dresser.
ReplyDeleteBTW... I love the first dress you posted. I love feminine looking pieces with lace and frills and ruffles!
I love your style. I always do the same thing with my clothes. I like layering my clothes. I am a muslim and I love wearing western clothes but in a modest way.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the modest fashion blogs! They frequently feature the cutest stuff...also the kind of stuff you can wear to work.
ReplyDeleteI really don't get what's the big deal about your shoulders showing ?!
ReplyDeleteI am nowhere near modest compared to some of your outfits, but I understand that many people have different point of views on modesty. I wear spaghetti straps, short skirts, low tops, and I'm a fashion major so I follow a lot of the trends; but, yet I love the Lord with all my heart, I'm getting my ministry credentials, have Pastors for parents, & have been involved in church my whole life. I can understand how some people may take this post the wrong way, but I also read your blog all the time and know that this is your opinion based on your beliefs, not a universal fact of modesty. I think we all have different opinions and that's what makes us unique. God loves us all and our love for Him will shine in us no matter what we wear.
ReplyDeleteanyways, I love your outfits and look forward to all your posts.
-Reyna
http://www.glamglory.blogspot.com