I have some tips to share with you today about modesty and fashion. I have been teased my whole life for my “ability to shop ‘til you drop” or the way I “spend money to save money.” The first major decision of my day is always, “What am I going to wear?” Sometimes, I plan so far ahead that this decision is made the night before. The second decision of the day: “How am I going to fix my hair?” And, of course, you fix your hair according to what you wear, right? I believe as christian young ladies, we should always look nice because we represent Jesus Christ. If your clothing is wrinkled and stained, how much of a witness do you think you are to the outside world? If your hair isn't fixed and is simply stringing down your back, tangled and looking a mess, do you really believe you can convince someone to stop cutting her hair? Seriously, who wants to look like that! At the same time however, all of our emphasis cannot be placed on our clothes, how we fix our hair and sadly, not even how perfect our shoes are.
Read 1 Peter 3:3-4.
Peter was trying to tell us that there is a greater beauty that we should desire to attain, a beauty that transcends all outward appearance. It doesn’t matter how attractive you appear to be on the outside if you are horribly ugly on the inside. “Pretty is as pretty does” and “pretty does” dresses modestly. As my dad always told me, “If it’s not for sale, don’t advertise!” There is an old Gaelic proverb that states, “Modesty is the beauty of women.” With this in mind, let me admonish you to become a “modest, chaste lady.” You should be aware of how your clothing looks to others when you walk, when you climb stairs and descend stairs, when you sit or stand on the platform, when you sit in general and when you get in and out of a car.
I am FAR from perfect and I'm sure many of you could point out times I didn't practice what I'm preaching, but I try to follow these "rules of thumb:"
1. The second button is usually too low;
2. The view of anyone standing above or to the side of a seated woman should be taken into consideration when evaluating a neckline;
3. Undergarments should never be visible due to thin or sheer material, and
4. Nothing should be worn for the purpose of attracting attention. (Are you dressing to be chaste or dressing to be chased?)
Also, keep in mind that when a woman is modestly and properly attired, the focal point should be her face, not her body. I shop in malls too…I understand that it is sometimes difficult to find modest clothing these days, but it can be done. My advice – either learn to sew or become very good friends with someone who can! Splits that are too high can be easily fixed. In fact, most clothing can be altered without anyone ever knowing the difference!
Now for some general clothing tips:
1. Don't mix a full top with a full skirt. You know - those cut little tops with the empire waist that are so flowy at the bottom. They are precious, but wear them with a straight skirt.
2. When you do wear those cute little full skirts - wear a fitted top. Otherwise you kind of have a mushroom effect going on!
3. When wearing pantyhose, make sure your hose match your skirt and shoes. Don't wear black hose and white shoes. Likewise, don't wear a black skirt, white hose, and black shoes. Your hose should be the color of your skin, or they should match your clothing (when wearing black, wear black hose...).
4. Buy clothes that fit!!! As much as it hurts to buy a bigger size, clothing that fits looks so much better than clothing that looks like you were melted down and poured in!
5. It's a fashion myth that your shoes and purse have to match. They don't. However, we still don't wear white shoes after Labor Day (tennis shoes excluded).
6. I know its hard to find tank tops that aren't too low. I also know a tank top is the easiest way to make other shirts modest enough to wear. But - are you really being modest when you're constantly pulling on your tank top because its sliding down and you can see "crack?" Pull those straps up and safety pin them to your bra strap. That way the tank top stays put.
Hope you ladies have a wonderful weekend!
Amberly
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