What is your personal style in modest clothes?

[Dolores_IHS]

Hi, dear friends!

I thought it would be interesting to ask how you celebrate modesty in your dress. There are many styles of dress in which to express our love for this virtue. This makes modesty an even more interesting attraction, with which we can promote it to others. We often hear that we don’t have to be frumpy to be modest, and thanks be to God, this is so true! We can be stylish at the same time, and when I think of the word “deportment” it in itself conjures up a sense of being elegant and tasteful.

To start off the discussion… my style is hippie/arty/Middle Eastern. I love long, flowing clothes which make me feel graceful. I am fond of colour, but toned down, and clothing which is simple and uncomplicated. I am drawn to loose-fitting clothes. One reason I like this is because I am very tall and thin, and when the clothes sit loosely and flow in graceful lines, I feel that it gives a bit of width so I don’t look so thin! I feel feminine in dresses, as they flow in one line. I must admit, I love to imitate Mother Mary in my dress to some degree, as it makes me feel closer to her. Timeless clothes are my favourite. I am inspired presently by the Middle Eastern/Muslim robes, but I usually add a girdle to my dresses, so they don’t look like a tent! With my dresses I wear long scarves draped around my head to finish the picture.

God bless
Dolores
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[starlight101]

My style of dress varies. Usually when the weather is nice I wear long skirts which are white or light coloured. I wear these with 3/4 length sleeved t-shirts in block colours and accesorise with beads and bangles. I also own a few nice A-line dresses which I love. When the weather is cold (which it often is) I wear boot cut jeans with converse and t-shirts or blouses. I like to look sophisticated and tidy rather than sexy or rugged

[Miss Linda]

Oh, this is an excellent question, Dolores! It's going to be so interesting to read what everyone replies!

Hmmm, I'm not sure how to define my "style". I guess since I work in an office where very professional attire is expected, my manner of dress is influenced greatly by that. I favor column skirts with nice coordinating jackets. On Saturdays or for casual occasions I have a variety of sweaters and knit twinsets that I like to wear. I am particularly drawn to sweaters or twinsets that have embellishments on them like lovely beading or other trims. I also like long, soft, flowy skirts.

The Church standards on modesty really do offer a wide latitude for cultural and personal preferences.

So, who else would like to share their personal style?

[beth40n2]

I work in a call center for a bank. There is a dress code, but yet everyone dresses casual within that dress code. If there was no dress code who knows what would happen. Basically the rules are no skirts above the knee, no sleeveless shirts (if you raise your arm and the arm pit shows it is a no, no), no cleavage showing, no body piercings except the ears (no tongues rings etc.), no tennis shoes, no denim, no waistlines showing. Only on designated days can we wear jeans with a company polo shirt or sweatshirt. Must wear socks or nylons. Men's dress code is tougher, they must wear a tie during banking hours, after 6pm they can take them off and on the weekend they can wear polo shirts or t-shirts in good taste, no liquor or profane logos on shirts.

I mostly wear pants as we are in a cold climate, only about two months in the summer does anyone wear dresses. I like to buy the colored heavy twill pants and sweaters, in the summer I like polo shirts and modest blouses. Just last week it is getting warm enough to go without a light jacket, in the winter we have many days 0 to -30F below.

In my area it is easy for me to find modest clothes, I haven't had to do much sewing. I do look for sales, usually find pants around $25-$30 and blouses for $15-$25.

[Palomas]

I tend toward simple sophistication. I tend to dress in complementary solid colors, highlighting one item to stand out in my outfit (whether shoes, earrings, etc.). I wear skirts that range in lengths from covering the knee (when sitting) and longer, usually combined with a jacket or sweater over a nice tank or camisole. At church I add a scarf or veil that complements the outfit.

[scruggle]

I just started my modesty dress (today) and I was already dressing pretty modestly; looser fitting pants and no cleavage. It is hard to cover my cleavage because I am high chested and shirts in the stores have LOW necklines so I end up with a tank top under almost everything. I do not like this because sometimes a nice outfit starts to look frumpy. Anyway, I would like to transition over to more skirts, mid calf legnth and longer, and some basic shirts that cover my chest. I think that I would like to do as someone else stated and accessorize the simple clothing so that I still look stylish and 28 instead of older and frumpy.

[Miss Linda]

Welcome, Scruggles! I hope this group will be a blessing to you.

[scruggle]

Thanks Miss Linda! I have been very blessed by you ladies already! I am getting more and more excited to find some more modest clothing and be ready when I return to work for the next school year in early August!

[jeanannemarie]

I wear long skirts of all types below the knee to mid-calf or longer. I weat dresses,too, and accessorize with necklaces and earrings. I live in an area where Amish ladies and Mennonite ladies are seen in the community and I don't want to adopt that look, so I try to stay relevant to my peers but completely modest and feminine. I wear some makeup, I love lipstick,my hair goes" up", no sandals or flip-flops for Mass, but otherwise, okay. I use a slip for modesty. Don't want to worry about the dress stuck anywhere when I stand up (just observed that at Mass recently and no lady wants that humilitation) also it makes sure the light doesn't silouhette one's legs in an uflattering manner thru certain fabrics and plays of light. I have grown very fond of linen button up blouses to pair with skirts and tho they require ironing, I manage to enjoy getting them ready to wear. Mostly they have been purchased second hand. I do wear sleeveless, but not to Mass. If there is a sleeveless dress that I yearn to wear for Mass, I cover my shoulders with a light wrap. I also cover my head for Mass, mostly a mantilla because thery are easy, and rarely a hat. only because I don't feel like I know my way around the wearing of hats yet! The only new and expensive dress ($50 from Sears, of all places!) that I own is the prettiest and most comfortable dressy-dress I could find for an Ordination I attended last summer. Other than that all my wardrobe is a motley assortment that I really enjoy thowing together. I always think it is fun to be creative. Incidently, I am a grandmother, but still love fashion!

I have lucked out several times and found wonderful new shoes second hand. I have flats, Mary Janes, sandles and flipflops. All occasions are covered with the shoe wardrobe I have right now. I love my clothes, some items only costing $1. This slow revolution of dressing started for me in the mid1990s and has been becoming more dignified and ladylike ever since. I have never looked back! It was my son who told me, "Mom, you don't have to wear shorts if you don't like them. " I don't know why I didn't figure out that for myself, but that statement set me free! And that is "my style!"

[Springkeeper]

What I wish I wore (I mean Grace Kelly, not His Holiness )...



But what I really wear...



with a short sleeve or 3/4 length polo or blouse.

And sometimes...

[LovedMyAlydar]

I used to dress like most other people do now a days, jeans and t-shirts. But the last 5 years or so I have been changing and moving back to dressing like a woman. I really like wearing skirts and nice tops. Makes you feel very feminine.

My biggest problem is that I have a hard time finding pretty skirts in my size, 2-3X. Most are gaudy bright colors that I really dislike. The skirt pictured above is so pretty. Why do clothes manufacturers think us fluffy ladies want to dress like frumps? We like pretty clothes like anyone else does.

I don't have a sewing machine at the moment, used to but it was trashed in a moving accident. I really need to invest in one I think so I can get some of the very pretty fabrics I see in the stores and make my own.

[Dolores_IHS]

Yes, it is very true how dressing femininely affects a woman's feminine psychology. I can testify to that, too!

Dolores
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[jeanannemarie]

Last winter I struggled with my winter wardrobe and this winter I am quite happy with it. This difference was made after investing in two pair of nice knee high boots. The pair in black is the dressier of the two and the very comfy brown are more everyday. They have made such a difference in how I feel my skirt outfits and dresses look for winter. I layer and use thin insulated underwear; I am never cold. I use my long "dressier" coats on cold days and my hats and scarves and so far have not been inhibited in any activity by the clothing. Two days a week I wear pants for a little job I have and when I come home I can't wait to take them off. More and more I notice how immodest some pants can be if they are tight. It has taken me about eight years to come completely to this point of feeling comfortable and happy with my wardrobe. I am getting alot of use out of clothes that I have had for years and I feel very good about that. I try to look classic, not really "in" or "out" but appropriate for my age, which is in the grandmother bracket. I find so many lovely things secondhand that are actually better quality than I could afford new. I love it! Now if I could just get the nerve to wear my mantilla at the parish I go to in the winter!

[alice24]

I wear usually pencil skirts with blouses an opaque tights or dresses in knee length, always a little "vintage" I like very much the fashion styles of the 40s and 50s...I like "business style" fashion, simple and elegant.
Do you now how difficult It is to find some high-closed blouses in german stores? ^^ I often change the clothing I order by sewing some buttons or wearing underdresses

[fabricdragon]

Originally Posted by alice24

I wear usually pencil skirts with blouses an opaque tights or dresses in knee length, always a little "vintage" I like very much the fashion styles of the 40s and 50s...I like "business style" fashion, simple and elegant.
Do you now how difficult It is to find some high-closed blouses in german stores? ^^ I often change the clothing I order by sewing some buttons or wearing underdresses

i feel for you... luckily there are some wonderful options for you mail order!!!!

Most Muslim and Jewish clothing webpages have modest blouses available,

they also sell "dickies" to make a immodest shirt more modest


(a "dickie" is a insert with a collar or neckline higher than the actual shirt you are wearing... it gives you a layered look without having actual layers on.)
you can make one, if you have a blouse that has a good neckline that is too tight in the body, or has a hole or something you just cut the neck and part of the body off so you can tuck it into a lower necked shirt.


if you knit or crochet, there are patterns for "mock turtleneck dickies" especially good ones from Heartstrings fiber arts pattern company (i sell their patterns but i think they have a distributor in Germany)