~MODEST DELIGHTS

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."

~Genesis 3:7~

Adam bit the apple and, feeling shame, covered himself with a fig leaf.  Eve too felt shame and covered herself with a fig leaf.  Then she went behind the bush to try on a maple leaf, a sycamore, and an oak.

~ ~ ~

I don't think the issue of modesty is a complicated one--it just requires being conscientious of what we wear in a few basic areas.  We need to monitor how low-cut our tops are; how short our pants, shorts, skirts, and dresses are; how see-through our clothes are; and how tight they are (though this last one deserves some leeway, as I don't believe we're called to dress in baggy clothes that are never form-fitting.

Some people's views on the topic of modesty might be seen as being too extreme, including my own, but I think modesty in and of itself is very important.  Based on what I've observed, I don't believe females are called out enough (in a nice way) by their parents, peers, and others when they wear certain things. 

In terms of more specific clothing guidelines than what I've mentioned above, I'll discuss one that comes to mind: the use of layering pieces.

There are times when it's a good idea to wear a cami or other layering piece under a top or dress, especially if the fabric is thin.  Thin fabric can be a real problem in the summer.  For example, cotton tees in pretty pastel colors look cute hanging on the rack, but are sometimes very transparent on the body.  In addition, I always wear a tank top under button-down shirts because the fabric between the buttons sometimes gapes open, and people can peer right in.  A few times I've even realized one of my buttons has come undone.

Another amazing layering piece is the scarf.  I'm so glad they've become so popular, and they're great year-round.  Again, I've found them to be extra helpful in the summer when fabrics are thinner.  I've been able to find cute ones that aren't too expensive and that are made of lightweight, cool fabric.

There are probably both good and bad attitudes and processes which exist in the modesty arena.  For example, I'm not a fan of using fingers (or inches) to measure how low-cut or short a piece of clothing should be because we are all proportioned differently.  I know schools sometimes go by these sorts of measurements out of necessity because the guidelines need to be the same for everyone in order to be fair.

Below are some resources I came across on the topic of modesty...

***

Article:  "Teaching Your Daughters to Value Modesty" on Christian Women Today's site (powertochange.com)

Some thoughts:

~A galvanizing quote from the article is, "...a girl who displays her body publicly is actually defrauding her future mate."  I think that was well-put.  

***

Article: "Your Daughter's Wardrobe: A Battle Worth Fighting?" on Christian Women Today's site (powertochange.com)

***

Article: "A Decent Proposal: Taking the High Road in a Low-Rise, Skin-is-in Society" on kyria.com (the article was originally published in Today's Christian Woman magazine)

Thoughts:

~Gresh says that if you press on the fabric of your shirt in the chest area, and it springs back, then the shirt is too tight.  I don't think that's necessarily the case.

***

Article: "The Clothes Crisis" on kyria.com (originally published in Christian Parenting Today magazine)

Thoughts:

~"Low-rise" can mean different things--from slightly below the waistline to very far below it.  I don't have a problem with slightly low-rise pants on older teens and adults as long as the shirt worn with them is long enough.  If the shirt covers the waistline of the pants, there's no way to tell where the waistline is anyway.  But, when you lean over or sit down, you must make sure your shirt doesn't ride up in the back!

~The last three paragraphs really close the article well; the issue of how clothing can affect reputation is expressed nicely.

***

Article: "The Rise of Raunch" on kyria.com (originally published in Today's Christian Woman magazine)

Thoughts:

~The scene that's painted at the beginning of the article is infuriating and heartbreaking.

***

An interview with Kathy Ireland on kyria.com,

which was originally published in Today's Christian Woman magazine.  In this article, Ireland is questioned about the fashion industry and her modeling career, including her bikini shoots.

***

Downloadable packet ($9.95) from Gifted for Leadership

 (a ministry of kyria.com) entitled, "Why Modesty Matters" 

***

Danna Gresh is the founder of a purity and modesty ministry, Pure Freedom, and is the author of Secret Keeper: The Delicate Power of Modesty.

***