Who Do You Dress For?

When I was in elementary, middle, and high school, there were certain dress guidelines that were not only in place, but were also enforced. The girls’ shorts and skirts could not be more than 3 inches above one’s knees (when kneeling). I know in elementary school, our shirts had to have sleeves (no strapless or tank tops) and they also had to cover our tummies. I think this was also part of the middle and high school dress code, but I’m not sure it was enforced. The crazy thing is that I think the dress code is still the same, but not enforced at all!

Don’t misunderstand me. I certainly do not believe it is the school’s job to train our daughters up as far as what is and is not appropriate, but I do wonder what happened! Especially when the teachers may or may not follow the dress code themselves.

Modesty is something that I am becoming more and more passionate about. As a wife of a man and a mother of two little girls, I definitely notice what other ladies are wearing (or not wearing, as is sometimes the case). I know that going back into history, what is deemed “sexy” has shifted from ankles, to big thighs (ah, the good old days), to bottoms, and now bosoms. I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that said, “Boobies make me smile.” And, I have a feeling that’s one happy man, because bosoms are on display!

When I get dressed I definitely want to feel good about what I am wearing. However, I am now much more aware of what others can see. I toe a fine line between wanting to dress sexy for my husband and still dress appropriately for my friends’ husbands. We can not be naïve and think they won’t notice, because they do. Granted, men must take responsibility for their own actions, but we don’t need to put them to the test!

I also want my daughters to know what is and is not appropriate. At one and three, I want them to dress like they are one and three. I want my girls to remain innocent for as long as possible. When I taught I was often times appalled at what some of my sweet little first and fifth graders would come to school in.

So, ladies, wives, and mamas, be aware of what you’re wearing and who is watching what you wear.

Modesty Fashion Show

Alright, here's my show:

Going to church.
This skirt is very versatile. It can be paired with numerous colors, and is "puffy-pleats" so it hides all my business. With black boots, you can hardly see a thing!

A regular day.
I love this green sweater! It's kind of a cardigan, but short so it doesn't make me look shorter than I am. I put a long, "fancy" t-shirt under it to hide my belly and my crack.

Church or work - or whatever.
The orange silky shirt could be worn with lots of different pants or skirts, but I wanted something a little springier rather than fall. With the cream cami, nobody's getting a "sneak-peak".

Goin' out to celebrate.
This picture does not do the outfit justice. The silky blue shirt has been paired with fancy jeans and a black coat. Trust me though, this is a great way to dress up jeans for a not too fancy look. I wore this to my husband's master's degree graduation ceremony.

That's what I've got, but if you're still hungry for more ideas, head on over to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee for a fashion show extraordinaire!

Remember, modest does not equal frumpy.

Modesty, Here I Come!

If you've ever looked around, you've probably noticed that modesty is something that many of us struggle with. Champion Chick and I were talking about modesty in church just the other day, and then our friend, Sarah Mae, posted that she was going to be starting a series all about modesty. It's a 10 day series all about modesty. I would highly encourage you to check out Like a Warm Cup of Coffee each day. I know we all have much to gain from this.