Hello everyone! Today, I’m delighted to have a guest post from Rachel. She’s a new friend of mine who has been reading and following this blog. In this post, she’ll be sharing a modest spring outfit and sharing her personal journey of modesty. She’s also included some tips for how to stay modest when exercising and where to find modest clothes.
Keep reading for Rachel’s guest post on modesty.
Hello Everyone,
My name is Rachel, and I’m so excited, and a bit nervous to be writing a guest post for Dinny’s blog! When I emailed Dinny some pictures from a photo shoot my younger sister and I did, it was quite a surprise when she asked me if she could post a picture on Instagram and if I would be willing to do a guest post here on the blog! At first I was so surprised, I wasn’t sure what to respond. But I said yes, and today I am going to share an outfit with you!
I am a 25 year old introvert and the 6th of nine siblings. I am also a stay at home nanny. And I love travel, photography, books, crafts, sewing, and nature! Rain or shine, you can find me hiking or wandering around the nearby woods.
Dinny asked me a few questions, which I shall try my best to answer and share with you all. Her first one is probably the longest and hardest one for me to answer.
Why do you dress modestly?
Personal conviction and feeling that this is how God’s Word tells to me dress. But don’t think I always felt this way, because I certainly didn’t! Not all my family has the same convictions on dresses as I do, so finding the right balance was difficult. I was homeschooled through 8th grade, and went to public school 9th through 12th, which was a very big adjustment.
For a long time I erred on the side of dressing extremely frumpy/ homeschooler-y and had the attitude of “I’m holier than thou.”
When I went to high school, things changed a bit, and I nearly erred on the opposite side! I didn’t quite want to dress like other girls did because it bothered me how much of their bodies they showed. But I was annoyed that my very wise Mom wouldn’t let me wear shirts just a little bit lower, and skirts a little bit shorter. I’d fit in better, right? Everyone would notice me less, right? I wanted to be noticed as little as possible, but wearing a long skirt every day, all day, just begged for attention.
Until college, that was my attitude. Then, I started to really think about it and to care a lot less about what others thought. I also started reading what the Bible had to say on modesty and reading a lot of different articles on the subject as well.
One day, everything finally clicked. My eyes were opened to see that dressing modestly was honoring God and our bodies. It motivated me do a closet clean-out, which happened several times before I settled on my own standards for modesty. And now, I usually don’t think twice about it.
Where do you find modest clothes?
Since I don’t go out often, I usually shop online. A few places I buy clothes from are Neesee’s Dresses, Dainty Jewells, The Main Street Exchange, and Bass Pro (they surprisingly have quite a few modest tops)! Or, my mom and I make them. In the past, I have also gotten clothes from Walmart and Kohls, and I’ve thrifted a few times, but not recently.
How would you describe your style?
This is a hard one! I would say a mix of classy, casual, and country, with a touch of boho chic (the mix may depend on the occasion).
How do you maintain modesty while exercising, riding a bike, or doing other sports?
I either wear a maxi skirt or a long jean skirt. I’m a skirts only girl now. I say “now” because, when I was younger, my mom used to allow my sisters and I to wear snow pants over our skirts and camo coveralls for hunting.
Now, I just wear a long skirt with leggings underneath and tall boots for snow activities. And I wear a camo skirt for hunting!
Right now I don’t wear anything shorter than a good 4 inches below the knee, but that’s just me and my comfort zone. I’d rather not sit down across from someone knowing they can see up my skirt because it’s too short, so I usually choose long skirts for everything in my life.
A maxi skirt isn’t as hard to exercise, hike, bike, carry hay bales, or even ride a horse in as you might think. You just have to be aware of what you’re doing. (And, yes, I’ve done all the said things. Haha!)
When you wear a skirt all the time, you’re used to doing everything in it, and it’s easy to stay modest. My rule is that, if I can’t do it in a skirt, then I don’t do it at all. So far, I haven’t found anything that I haven’t been able to do, for which I am very grateful!
Closing Thoughts and Modesty Tips:
When I was younger the word modesty definitely meant the same thing as frumpy to me, but it doesn’t have to! Now that same word can mean beautiful! To be modest doesn’t mean you have to wear baggy clothes or turtlenecks all the time and hide your body completely. If you have a low-necked shirt, just wear a cami or scarf. If a dress is too tight, try wearing a vest or cardigan over it.
And remember, accessories are your best friends-they can dress everything up!
For myself, I hope that the way I dress may be a silent witness to what I believe and perhaps influence others to choose the same belief.
Don’t be discouraged…it is definitely possible to look cute and modest! Just be creative.
Thank you so much for having me, Dinny. I was happy to be able to share! Keep up your good work on your blog!
Outfit Details:
Shirt: Walmart
Skirt: Made by me
Scarf: Goods
Boots: Amazon
Hair Clip: Lilla Rose
Bracelets: Gift From Friend
And for those you who might be curious about my outfit from the earlier Instagram post, the dress is from Neesee’s Dresses and the hat is from Stetson.
Let’s Chat:
A huge thank you to Rachel for sharing your outfit and modesty tips with us. Your outfit is so pretty, feminine, and modest. Thank you for all the encouraging tips and advice on modesty, too.
If you enjoyed Rachel’s post, be sure to leave a comment below to encourage her!
Love,
Claudine
For more modest fashion tips, read these posts:
Where to Buy Modest Dresses and Skirts
