by admin | Nov 11, 2010 | modest clothing, Uncategorized
I just wanted to give my readers the heads up about Kosher Casual’s Modernly Modest Contest that is ending November 30!
Kosher Casual makes modern and modest clothing that make you look and feel great! The line of super comfortable, quality women’s and girls’ modest clothes makes it so easy to buy stylish and affordable fashions!
Now is your chance to win a $100 gift certificate just in time for the holidays! Here is the link to enter:
No purchase is necessary in order to enter the sweepstakes and you can enter once per day! Good luck.
by admin | Oct 25, 2010 | Dress Code, Girls Knee Length Skirts, Knee-Length Skirt, modest clothing, School Skirts
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!
by admin | Jul 7, 2010 | Uncategorized
It’s been a few weeks now since the season finale of Project Runway, but the modest fashions that I saw throughout this season are still fresh in my mind. While it goes without saying that not every Project Runway designer chose to create modest fashions, there were some contestants that were able to keep their models creatively covered up…and I found this quite refreshing.
yellow and black coat
Here are some of my favorite highlights from this season’s Project Runway designers:
I suppose I should start with this season’s winning Project Runway designer, Seth Aaron Henderson. While he wasn’t my favorite throughout the season, I found this piece from his final collection absolutely fantastic, even though some critics thought that the print was too loud or dated. While we’re talking about Seth Aaron, I also thought that his modest black-and-white jacket was great, and I guess I’m right about this one, since the judges crowned him as the winner of that particular challenge. And, of course, his fabulous herringbone and polka-dot dress truly pushed the limits of fashion while remaining entirely modest, a feat which isn’t always achieved easily.
Runner-up Emilio Sosa was my favorite Project Runway designer, mostly because he always surprised me with his interesting (and entirely ‘wearable’) designs. One of his best modest fashions was a colorful turtleneck presented during the final runway show. The shirt was sleek, modest and would look great paired with a wide range of different skirts.
black and white jacket
I did not particularly love the black-and-white aesthetic that Project Runway designer Mila Hermanovski favored, though I did enjoy her submission to the mother-daughter challenge.
On the other hand, I did love Amy Sarabi’s uniquely-textured designs (even though the judges usually didn’t). One thing that really struck me was a green sweater, which would be entirely modest if worn with a layering top underneath.
Finally, I really think it’s worth mentioning Jay Nicholas Sario, who did present at NY Fashion Week, even though he wasn’t one of the top Project Runway designers. I enjoyed watching him all season, and while some of this outfits probably need to be adapted in order to be practical for the real world, they were quite stunning. One of the most modest (and charming) things that Jay showed at Fashion Week was this shirt, which, with a bit of modification can probably be worn for both day and evening events.
Do you have a favorite Project Runway designer? I’d love to hear about what designs and designers you specifically liked!
by admin | May 23, 2010 | Prom Dress
5 Ways to Find Modest Prom Dresses
Prom season is officially upon us, which means that there’s bound to be an abundance of black polyester ball gowns flying off shelves in stores throughout the country. If you’re looking for modest prom dresses, however, it may not be quite as easy to pull something off the rack. The good news is that because most prom dresses are long, you shouldn’t have much of a problem keeping your legs covered. So essentially, all you need is a dress that covers your top as well as your legs – and with a bit of ingenuity, you should be able to transform nearly any dress into a tasteful and appropriate modest prom dress.
Here are some ways to find modest prom dresses:
- Add a wide wrap. Tie the wrap by holding the middle of the wrap against your back, and draping the sides forward. Wrap the hanging parts around your arms towards your back, and have a friend (or your mother) tie the wrap in a tight knot under the width of wrap that is covering your back. If you have an extremely wide wrap (think Pashmina style), you can potentially even avoid the knot in the back, though this will surely help keep the wrap in place, even if it’s not entirely necessary.
- Add a bolero jacket. My wedding gown actually came as two pieces – a strapless gown, and a bolero jacket to wear over it. I imagine that women who aren’t concerned about modesty would remove the jacket during the dancing, but I was thrilled to wear it throughout the wedding. If you’re looking for modest prom dresses that will look good with a bolero jacket, look for styles that are fitted in the middle, so that the jacket will make you look sleek without looking stocky. The easiest solution would be to find a dress that comes with a jacket. But if you can’t, there are other options. Some prom dresses come with shawls, and it’s relatively easy to have a bolero jacket made out of the extra material. Another possibility would be to create a knee-length or tea length gown by cutting off the hem and using that to create a jacket. If you are purchasing an inexpensive dress, you may even be able to buy two just to have enough material.
- Look online. Searching for modest prom dresses in traditional clothing stores may be extremely frustrating. The world of the internet, however, is an entirely different story. There are dozens of websites that offer modest evening wear – all you need to do is poke around a bit.Check out this beautiful pic fromTotallyModest.com
- Have your modest prom dress made. You may be surprised at how affordable it is to have a dress made if it’s somewhat simple. You can get inspiration from modest red carpet looks like the one worn by Diane Kruger to the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute’s Gala in 2010.
- Go goddess. Goddess dresses are among my favorite style of evening wear, and they make fantastic modest prom dresses. The billowy material drapes modestly and beautifully, and most goddess dress styles can be found with sleeves or easily maneuvered to have sleeves added. What’s great about a goddess dress is that unlike many prom dresses that look as though they were crafted just for a teenage dance, a goddess dress will look great at prom and at other evening events. And, of course, the best part of wearing a goddess dress is that it will definitely make you feel like a goddess…which is a great way to feel on prom night.
by admin | Apr 28, 2010 | Fashion Philosophy, Layering shirts, Layering Tops, modest clothing, Modest Clothing Accessories, Uncategorized
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.
Before and After Sleevies
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. With 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!
