Posts Tagged ‘modest clothing’

Modest Clothing For Kids (Or; How to Be Modest AND Matching!)

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

You want to dress your little ones in cute, modest clothing. Your kids just want to dress themselves. Encourage their independence AND guarantee a matching, modest outfit. We’ll tell you how.mismatched_clothing

To pretty much guarantee your children can pick out their own clothes all by themselves AND look presentable and modest, I have two words for you: Neutral bottoms.

This is a great trick I discovered years ago. With plain bottoms—knee-length denim skirts or jeans are a great example—your kids can spice it up with colorful tops, but still coordinate. (Though my daughter does have an interesting habit of pairing neutrals with neutrals. “If I wear a brown skirt, I should wear a brown shirt.” Yes, if you are dressing up like dirt.)

Tips for Easy Self-Dressing

1. Avoid “outfits.” Stay away from any skirt+ shirt or pants + shirt combo. I dislike “outfits” because the colors and patterns are designed to look good only together, so you can’t pair them with a different top or bottom. This is limiting! I protest! And it’s a morning fashion disaster waiting to happen, because you just know one of the pieces will be AWOL. (Tip: It was used as a blanket for a stuffed animal, fell behind your child’s bed when they were “cleaning up” and is serving as the local community center for a population of dust bunnies.)

2. Knee-length denim skirts. Many schools require modest length skirts for girls. Or maybe you just hate the child-in-a-miniskirt look. Either way, there are plenty of knee-length denim skirts (or longer lengths) to choose from. Denim, truly, is a girl’s best friend—it goes with anything, and during the colder months, it looks great with a cute pair of leggings underneath.

3. Sport skirts. For a change from denim and a softer feel, go for a versatile and functional knee-length “sport” skirt. Sport skirts are made of a soft knit material and move easily. In shades of blues, brown, black or gray, your daughter can pair it with a brightly colored shirt and be ready for an action-packed day.

4. Jeans. Like the denim skirt, a good pair of jeans is a must-have for boys. It’s easy to coordinate with shirts and very comfortable. A dark wash of jeans could even be appropriate for a more formal occasion. (Really! Try pairing a dark pair of jeans with a button-down shirt and see how debonair he looks. Sunglasses not included.)

What are your tried and true kid-dressing tips?

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Posted in Denim Skirt, Dress Code, Girls Knee Length Skirts, Leggings, Sports Skirt, modest clothing | No Comments »

Holiday Presents: To Have and to Clothe

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

The gifting season is upon us, and with it, the endless list-making and hand-wringing as you try to find that perfect gift for all the special someones in your life.

Clothing is always a popular gift option. But also a tricky one—is the size right? What about the style? Can it be returned easily? Does he/she have this already? And if your special someone prefers modest clothing, it can get even trickier.

First, some easy advice: Increase your chances of success by skipping over the entire printed-seasonal-designs section. NO reindeer sweaters, NO dreidel cardigans. Even for little kids. Please, let’s respect their fashion integrity, even at a young age.

So you want to find modest clothing that’s fresh and functional. I mean are you really going to buy another necktie? Or pair of gloves? Come on. Get your giftees something they can really use, day in and day out. A gift that will elicit the sought-after, “Oh, that’s JUST what I needed!” reaction.

(But keep the receipt. Just in case.)

Five clothing gifts that are 99 percent guaranteed to make the clothes-lovers in your life happy:

1. A pretty flowing cardigan. Fashionable (check), modest, (check), functional (check) and fairly easy to figure out what size to get. Remember that the giftee will probably wear this over another article of clothing, so don’t get it too small or tight.

2. A silk scarf. I once received a beautiful silk scarf as an end-of-year present from a student, and it’s one of my favorite items of clothing. A silk scarf is a versatile, fashionable item that can be used to cover hair, folded in a headband style or worn around your neck. A multifunctional, well-made gift is always welcome.

3. Sleevies®. Spice up a friend of family member’s wardrobe with a set of Sleevies. Your giftee can mix and match Sleevies® with a simple t-shirt to create dozens of modest wardrobe options. Go for the always popular black and white Sleevies®, or a colorful set for the truly daring fashionista in your life.

4. Pajamas! How many of us are using ratty old t-shirts and old pants we’ve had since college as pajamas? Treat your family—and yourself—to a cozy pair of new pajamas that actually match!

5. NFGC (Never Fail Gift Certificate). Yes, a present you picked out yourself and lovingly watched the store clerk wrap is always preferable. But let’s face it—there are those picky people in our lives that no matter what we do, it’s too small, too dark, wrong color, soooo not their style or it’s all those things AND they already own it. So you can never go wrong with a heartfelt gift certificate as well—watch their eyes light up with excitement at having FREE MONEY to spend however they like!

So good luck with your holiday gift shopping. Let us know how it goes! And please, share your clothing gift ideas with us!

(And if anyone wants to know what to get for me, I’m still wearing a ratty old t-shirt and pajama pants to bed every night….)

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Posted in Modest Clothing Accessories, Modest Fashion, modest clothing | No Comments »

School Dress Code – Bringing Back Modesty to Our Schools

Monday, October 25th, 2010

I recently attended an appointment at a local public school. I must admit, I have not stepped foot in one (for various and sundry reasons) in a very, very long time. From the second I walked on to the school grounds, I was SHOCKED!!! Never mind school uniforms; I think a music video allowed to play only after 10 pm featured more modest clothing than what the people at this particular school were wearing. In the first ten steps, I saw belly-bearing tank tops, super micro mini shorts, an A line skit that was more of a no line skirt and jeans hanging so low to the ground; I had to physically restrain myself from pulling them up! And these were just the teachers!

I, myself, attended public school in the somewhat distant past (after the dinosaurs but before cell phones). While there was no school dress code, there was a broadly accepted, unspoken line that was not crossed. We did not wear anything that was more appropriate for the beach than for the classroom: no shorts; no sleeveless tops, no bellybutton baring t-shirts. It wasn’t that we dressed more modestly because we had some higher consciousness that dictated our clothing choices. We did not call it modest clothing, we just called it appropriate school clothing. We simply did not have the blurred line between the appropriate and the x-rated.


I had the biggest urge to call an emergency assembly in the school auditorium and give the kids (AND teachers, AND the administration) some fashion tips. Girls! If you want to attract attention, put on a comfy cotton t-shirt, a classy knee-length skirt and leave a little to the imagination. Boys! A short sleeve polo shirt and a nice pair of khaki pants makes you look polished and smart. Teachers! Dress respectfully and age-appropriate and watch your students take you just a little more seriously. Maybe we don’t need a school dress code for the class, but school clothing with some class!

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Posted in Dress Code, Girls Knee Length Skirts, Knee-Length Skirt, School Skirts, School Uniform, modest clothing | 2 Comments »

Summer Layering Clothing – Tips for Staying Cool

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

A while ago I wrote about how I love wearing my clothing layered to stay warm and stylish in the winter. But now, as I’m slowly changing over my closet from winter to summer clothing, I’m beginning to remember that much of my summer clothing has short sleeves or a low-cut top, styles that are designed to balance well with the summer heat, but that leave me feeling rather exposed. In summers past I used to pair a trusty black (or white) cardigan with nearly every shirt…but I’ve realized over time that I’m covering up my colorful wardrobe and that none of my summer clothing is getting the attention it deserves.

Fortunately, I’ve found multiple solutions that I think will enhance my summer wardrobe in ways that I never thought possible. The layering clothes that I’m most excited about are Sleevies. At first glance, Sleevies remind me of legwarmers for my arms, but without the bulkiness or bunchy style of those ’80s staples. Instead, Sleevies are made from cotton and Lycra, so they cover your arm without sliding down or making you too hot. Before and After SleeviesWith Sleevies, I’ve been able to resurrect several short-sleeved shirts from my wardrobe, and I’ve even purchased a few more because I know that I can wear them without covering them up or overheating with a full long-sleeved shirt underneath.

Another great item I’ve found which enables me to wear my clothing layered in the summer is a cropped ¾ sleeve layering tee, which as its name suggests, makes it look like I’m wearing a full shirt underneath an outfit, when really, I’m only wearing the top of a shirt. There are 3 major benefits of this type of layering clothing. Firstly, I can cover my arms and my chest modestly and stylishly without having to add a full extra shirt on a hot summer day. Secondly, (and I hope you don’t mind me being a bit personal), is that wearing a cropped shirt often allows me to get two uses out of my top shirt before needing to wash it. Finally, wearing a cropped shirt prevents the bulk that often results when I wear 2 full shirts, so that I can look stylish without looking like I’ve gained 5 pounds.

I know that these fantastic finds will make it possible for me to enjoy the look of layered clothing all summer and to purchase clothing that I would otherwise never consider because of its lack of modesty. I truly love being able to shop in ‘regular’ stores while knowing that I can gently adjust my clothing to become more modest, without compromising on style. In fact, if you ask me, wearing my clothing layered just gives me even more of an opportunity to express myself!

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Posted in Fashion Philosophy, Layering Tops, Layering shirts, Modest Clothing Accessories, Uncategorized, modest clothing | No Comments »

Modest Women’s Clothing is Fashionable!

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

I consider myself a fashionable dresser.  I care about what I look like when I leave the house and I want my clothing to fit nicely, feel comfortable and look fabulous.  I put on makeup (not just lipstick!) before I leave the house.  And yet, while I am working hard to look my best, I also want to make sure that my clothing reflects my personality- which is why I wear modest clothing.

For me, wearing modest clothes is about expressing who I am as an individual.  I enjoy letting my fashion choices express my individuality rather than letting my physical body serve as the yardstick upon which I am measured.

People often ask me if my modest clothes (not to be confused with hideous clothing) make me sweat in the summer heat.  My answer is both simple and honest- yes, modest clothes can make someone feel warm.  To stay cool I wear a lot of breathable fabrics such as cotton and viscose, which keep me comfortable- and chic.  More importantly, I suspect that under the blazing sun, someone wearing a tank top is probably uncomfortably warm as well.  I know this because I used to wear tank tops and bathing suits.  And shorts and short-sleeved T-shirts.  And I was hot then as well.  But it’s ok to be hot because it’s the summer.

There is plenty of women’s summer clothing available today that is both modest and trendy.  The best designers appreciate the versatility that modest clothing can add to their summer collection.  You may be surprised by how much is out there that can look fabulous without compromising your modesty.  So take a peek around, enjoy browsing through the diverse women’s summer clothing that is available, and find something that will make you feel both modest and beautiful- because after all, you deserve to look beautiful all year long.

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Posted in Fashion Philosophy | 2 Comments »