Fashion Sense

I was inspired to write this entry due to a recent shopping trip for back-to-school clothes.  Yes, I’ll be a senior in college but the excitement of going shopping for interesting clothes before the start of classes (or at anytime really) has not left me.  I like fashion, and I think that modest clothing needn’t be boring or prudish.  In fact, dressing modestly is fun and more respectful of feminine beauty.  As my friend once said, “Dressing appropriately does not mean walking around in a long, flowery skirt and baggy t-shirt!” 

Amen. 

On that note, I thought it would be fun to give my advice on clothing for all of those Modesty Zone fashionistas out there.  And please feel free to add your own advice in the comments section.

Skinny Jeans- These are very popular right now, and I think that they look quite appropriate on all body types as long as you wear them with the right shoes and blouse.  Some women like to wear them with heels but I believe that this look can too easily slip into the category of trashy.  I would say go with interesting flats- the jeans produce a slimming effect and the flats add a sweet, put-together touch to it.  As for the blouse, try to find a long one like a tunic.  Skinny jeans also tend to sit low on the waist so a longer blouse will prevent the embarrassing--and immodest!--show of underwear.

Tunics-  I highly recommend them.  They tend to be more or less shapeless so if you want to add a little more shape to your look, tie a skinny cloth belt (like the ones from J. Crew or any preppy store) around your waist.  Some women like to tie big belts around their waist to create this effect but I think this can be a little much.  Tunics look really good with fitted jeans and not so good with skirts.

Proper Undergarments- This is imperative.  As petty as it might seem, the wrong undergarments can really destroy an entire outfit.  Find bras in your correct size and if you don’t know your size, find it out ASAP!  A properly fitting bra does wonders for creating a nice, clean look.  As for underwear, I know some women might  label thongs and the like as immodest.  In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what type of underwear you choose to wear as long as it is not showing (neither the lines nor the actual undergarment).  This is why it is called underwear; it should be hidden!

Long Skirts- I’m partial to those popular gypsy-like skirts as opposed to the too-short jean skirt that many young women are wearing today.  The longer skirts are flattering to more body types and look more feminine.

Knee-length Shorts- No longer an oxymoron, everyone has seen the comeback of these shorts.  I am not particularly fond of shorts myself, but I have seen these shorts work on certain people.  They would not look so good on shorter women (as they would make shorter women seem even shorter).  They also would not look good in an office setting.  Please, don’t wear these shorts (no matter what the fashion magazines might be saying) at work!  Certainly, modest dress also entails propriety.

Flats- While I still like the trend of pointy shoes, pretty flats are very popular right now.  They look good with jeans, skirts, capris, shorts, etc.  FYI: Keds has updated its line to include flats with colorful and funky patterns and a pair of these adds old-school (mid 90s, haha) flair to any wardrobe.

Chunky Necklaces:  And finally, one of my favorite modern accessories, the chunky necklace- the necklace with all types of things stringed onto it.  They look great with any type of shirt except for collared shirts (the collar tends to get in the way of the necklace).  True to any good accessory, they really complete an outfit by adding personality and zest to it.

That’s it for my modest fashion assessment.  Remember, fashion never needs to mean dressing like Paris Hilton. Or Brittany Spears.  Or any of those girls in the hip-hop videos.   

Comments

[Mary O'Hayes]

Thanks for the fashion advice, Nene! I recently came across a website with beautiful saris and tunics:
http://www.sareeworld.com/gallery/EternalCollection.aspx

Not a look everybody can wear, but they've got some gorgeous tops and dresses.

I'm also seeing more ladies wearing long, belted sweaters at my office. I've always loved long sweaters, they're comfy, versatile and practical (they usually have pockets), and they give you a long line. Good luck and have fun in your last year of college!

[Kindli]

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with the skinny jeans, they don't look good on everyone. I think women should find a good pair of well fitting jeans regardless of the "style"... personally, I've had luck with straight legged jeans. My requirements: no underwear showing, not too tight/too loose, and long, and no bulge around the tummy.

I like the rest of your suggestions! I would like to add knee-length skirts, I have a few wonderful ones that are a classic a-line, and fall at (or just below) the knee. They are fun and feminine with out crossing the line into immodest.

[Lori]

Nene, I wholeheartedly agree that a woman doesn't need to cheapen herself to look attractive and up-to-date. But true to fashion, I think the looks you mentioned may be best suited to women with long, lean figures.

Tunics and skinny jeans look good on such figures, but on lean, shorter women, not so much. Tunics and skinny jeans on a short, heavy woman make her look like a popsicle. The length of the tunic makes her legs look short, and the contrast between the skinniness of the pants at the ankle and the wideness at the top makes her hips look wide.

Depending on whether she is short-waisted, a shorter woman tends to look better in a waist- or hip-length top or jacket. And my own opinion is that straight-legged pants look pretty good on everyone. Besides, they ride out trends better than bell bottoms or pegged pants.

For some reason, I like knee-length skirts on shorter ladies, but not knee-length shorts, as you yourself said. The latter does not belong at the office.

I'll say a few words about undergarments. Decades ago, clothing fabric was much thicker than it is now. Any thin or knit fabrics should be worn with a thick bra. And some pants today are thin enough that people can see your underwear (not pantylines, but underwear) through the pants.

Skirts and dresses can fly up high higher than you'd guess in a fresh breeze. Even the straighter skirts can ride up if you bend over. Generally, if I can pull up a skirt that high without tugging at it, I wear tap pants underneath.

Even if you think nobody is going to see your underwear, let me say two words: broken zipper. A few months ago, the zipper on the skirt I was wearing broke. I didn't know it until after I had walked downtown and back. Had I been wearing the typical modern fashion of thong underwear, short camisole top, and no pantyhose, I'd have mooned all of downtown, thereby violating the Modesty Zone's no-moon ideal.

[wendy]

Nene, thanks for the sound advice and Lori, for that cautionary tale.

Wow, may that be a lesson to all of us!

:-)

Have a good weekend everybody.

[lizriz]

"Remember, fashion never needs to mean dressing like Paris Hilton. Or Brittany Spears. Or any of those girls in the hip-hop videos."

Advice we can all take to heart! :)

[Nene]

I agree that the longer shirts with skinny jeans look better on taller women. You don't have to be lean though- I'm certainly not and this style looks great on me.

Maybe skinny jeans aren't appropriate for older women? But I haven't seen a person with skinny jeans that looks bad (yet).

Mary, thanks for the sari website! I love Indian fashion.

[Elin]

Nene, good advice for the most part... however, I must respectfully disagree with the idea that "long skirts look better on everyone". I have always been "apple"-shaped - big-bosomed and tending to fat in the middle, but with relatively long slim legs. Now that I am 5 1/2 months pregnant this is truer than ever. When I wear a long flowing skirt I look massive all the way down, but a skirt at or just below the knee shows my best feature and makes me look at least 10 years younger.

Case in point - my mom, who is a great seamstress, was just visiting and I asked her to take in an enormous tent of a dress I'd got from a seriously overweight friend for maternity wear. In addition to taking out most of the shirring around the waist (and at least 10 inches of fabric) - which still left plenty of room for the burgeoning baby-belly - she wanted to take up the hem. I protested at first, since I live in this very Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood and I've made the commitment not to go into the local restaurants and shops with my knees showing. But she brought the hem up to a few inches below the knees (it still covered my knees when I sat down) and the whole dress looked 100% better - cute and fun instead of frumpy. So there you go.

I also think that there is a rule of proportion with clothes: the more skin you show in one place, the less you should show everywhere else. For instance, a sleeveless or slightly lower cut top looks better with a longer bottom than with a shorter skirt or shorts, and a shorter skirt or shorts looks better with more coverage on top. (I know many people here might not wear shorts or sleeveless tops at all, but what I'm saying applies to those of us who might wear the more modest of these styles).

[wendy]

That is interesting, b/c when Nene said "longer skirts" I assumed she was including skirts that were below the knee, i.e., as long as they were not miniskirts. (Even in the most Orthodox neighborhoods, below the knee is considered perfectly modest.)

Also Elin, you have to e-mail me, b/c I am getting so curious about where you live now --I think I might live like next door to you.

:-)

Very funny.

[Alexandra Foley]

Great advice, Nene. I love the brass tacks, practical application of modesty discussions. I think it is interesting to discuss the various current trends.

I am big fan of the Pencil Slim skirt.

Here is a link to a very cute one and I love the shoes too http://www.kennethcole.com/scripts/shop/product.asp?pid=7336&cc=KWDSS&title=&pw=thumbnail&var=0&srchtype=&srcharg=&size=0

I think they are very flattering (for both short and tall women, though shorter women probably need to wear heels with them) and modest since they usually go just below the knee. In general I love any style that is about 1940s retro -- as long as the shoulder pads don't go too far!

I also really like Elin's point about when you show some skin in one place show less in another. A sleeveless top with a long skirt seems (to me, anyway) pretty modest and attractive. But then, when it comes to fashion, De gustibus non est disputandum.

[Nene]

I would like pencil skirts . . . but they really don't look good on women with bigger hips and backsides hahaha. But they look cute otherwise.

[Maximum Impact Photography]

Thank you all for your input. I'm an emerging Advertising/Fashion Photographer.

If possible I would love to hear three suggestion for modest yet ... Mod(Maud) & Chic looks for your favorite season. What would be really helpful is if you chose lines from Ane Taylor, J. Jill or your favorite women's retailer.

Regards