Dressing modestly isn’t always easy, especially when there are so many immodest clothing options to choose from and fewer clothing items that will actually cover you up. Luckily, modest fashion can be achievable if you know what basics you need and how to build upon them. Here at Kosher Casual, we have all of these basics and more!
With a layering shirt, you can transform practically any sleeveless dress or top into a piece of modest clothing that you’ll feel comfortable wearing. A layering shirt can also be the base for fabulous accessories! Owning several in a range of colors ensures that you’ll be able to complete an outfit without having to think too hard about it.
Pencil skirts are a modest basic that can be worn all year round. During the warmer months of the year, this basic can be dressed up with a pair of heels or made completely casual with your favorite pair of comfortable sneakers. In the fall and winter throw on some cozy tights and a pair of boots and you’re ready to go!
Perhaps the ultimate modest basic, long skirts (or maxi skirts) should be in every modest woman’s closet. A black maxi skirt can work with practically any top, and it’s comfortable enough for most activities. Or switch things up a bit and choose a bold color maxi to wear with a neutral colored top. However you choose to do it, we know you’ll look great!
A tunic is an essential basic for day-to-day wear. Paired with a pencil skirt, you’re guaranteed a put-together look that you can take from the store to the office, and it will keep you going into the evening without having to change your clothes! Tunics offer a great look without being clingy and the added length provides great coverage of the areas you’d prefer to keep hidden ;).
If you really want to keep your outfit simple, a t-shirt dress is the way to go. This basic is an entire outfit in one piece! All you have to worry about is deciding on the shoes that are most appropriate for your plans. A knee-length dress can be cool and comfortable during the summer, but paired with a cardigan, leggings, and boots, it will also keep you warm in the winter.
Adding the basics to your modest wardrobe is the best way to ensure that you’re comfortable and covered every day. Check out our best sellers at Kosher Casual.
Before these days of modest fashion, modest dressers found lots of obstacles to dressing modestly and fashionably. Today, there are so many great clothing lines that either choose to make modest clothing by design or create modest items in
their general collection that coincidentally flow with the fashion trends. These trends have helped the modest modern dresser, but there will always be certain issues the modern, modest woman will have to deal with.
Here are some of our most annoying or funny challenges that we find in dressing modestly. We would love to hear some of your daily hurdles in dressing modestly!
As we approach the end of the summer and the new school year, anyone with children is starting to think about all the school supplies and books they need to buy. But, in addition to the typical and necessary things children need for school, new clothing somehow always finds its way to the shopping list.
It seems as though the clothing is becoming smaller and skimpier and as such, encouraging our children, especially for school, to choose modest items is proving more difficult. Because of this, many schools are opting to establish dress codes or even uniforms. Although this seems like a great solution to a widespread problem, it actually creates many challenges for parents, students, and teachers.
The dress code, which is often the first choice, is great because it allows the school to set guidelines while maintaining the ability for students to express themselves and be unique. A dress code can encourage unity among students, greater productivity in the classroom, save time in the morning and instill a real world appropriate vs. non – concept. On the other hand, there are many challenges to implementing a dress code.  The biggest problem with a dress code is the inability to enforce rules uniformly. Often teachers must make judgments based on rules that can seem unfair to students. Especially with rules like the fingertip rule (where shorts and skirts should rise no higher than the tips of one’s finger), which varies greatly based on a person height and length of their arm or legs.  Leaving it up to a teacher to decide what is ‘too tight’ can even leave students feeling picked on and judged.
Overall, dress codes work to ensure that the school environment remains conducive to learning and while there may be obstacles to achieving that, it is the smallest and simplest way to maintain control.
What do you remember from dress codes when you were in school? How does that compare to the dress codes in our children’s schools today?
Being well known in Hollywood or in the entertainment business comes with a harsh price, having expectations placed on you to be and look a very specific way. That is why women (specifically women for this post) that do choose to cover up and stay ‘modest’ deserve a great deal of encouragement and recognition.
Identifying these women as leaders and example of courage and leadership is only fair because they are simply working harder than any of us to go against the grain and keep their clothing modest. The women chosen in this post were chosen for more than just their actual clothing, they are all beautiful and carry themselves modestly and without the typical flashy Hollywood persona, we have come to know.
Adele – a class act that is famous for her silly personality and classy disposition. Her modesty comes through in her behavior more than her physical clothing, even though her wardrobe is quite modesty. The added element of her love for her body type, despite many critiques, makes her a great candidate for a top modest and wholesome celebrity.
Mayim Bialik – famous for her role in Blossom and the more recent Big, Bang Theory, Mayim has always portrayed herself with the utmost respect and this came from the roles she plays on the screen and the way she dresses off the screen. Her commitment to her values is obviously a priority all the while maintaining her brains and her value as an actor in Hollywood.
Kate Middleton – the epitome of class and style. Kate holds an honorable position that has years of heritage and tradition, although that alone is not a reason to go against the modern fashion styles of her companions and dress more provocatively. And yet, her style is always modest and always beautiful.
Audrey Hepburn – the ever iconic and ultimately remembered for her tasteful modesty and humility, was the ultimate example of modesty. Audrey Hepburn, quoted once as saying that the most distasteful thing she ever did on camera was let her Tabby, named Cat, out of a cab into the rainy streets of New York!
Zooey Deschanel – known for her nerdy and bubbly persona, she rocks the alt-indie scene and carries the hit show New Girl with a great deal of modesty and charm. Usually seen in flowy skirts and high-collared shirts, which add to her seemingly down to earth approach to stardom. Another character that known more for her modest presence rather than her wardrobe alone. She is a perfect pick for this list.
In a world where celebrities and reality TV stars are stripping off their clothes at any possible opportunity, it’s really refreshing to see people choosing to behave differently. Although dressing modestly in a layman’s world may seem nerdy, in the world of celebrities it can often be seen as rebellious. Despite that, choosing modest clothing and choosing to keep covered, can often be more revealing, forcing people to look past externalities and understand each other based on internal characteristics.
Who are your favorite famous personalities that keep modest and manage to stay in the groove?
Women who choose to follow a religious or cultural dress code are often grappling with what defines modest dress as, well, modest. Although different cultures may vary on what is considered modest, there are certain standards that are accepted as modest dress.
Modesty is a way of life. It is about choosing to keep things private that today have been exploited. That means for some women, trying to dress modestly is about minor technicalities like covering up past their elbows and knees or concealing their ankles. However, for other women, it may mean avoiding sheer fabrics or very tight revealing clothing. The concept of modesty is an important and personal one, and therefore different opportunities to express oneself modestly should be available.
Modesty and chastity are developed from within oneself, yet expressed outwardly. People as well should dress in ways that reflect their modest choices and beliefs and refrain from outwardly judging others’ choices in dress or how their modesty is conveyed.
Have you fallen into that trap of judging others for not being modest enough? Or bending the standards of modest dress? Share how you personalize the experience of modest dress below, I’d love to hear from all of you.
It seems there are many misconceptions about women who choose to dress modestly. Especially with fashion trends implying that modest clothing is simply that, a trend. Of course, women are and have always been under scrutiny for showing too much skin or not showing enough skin, which goes to show that women cannot escape the natural tendency for men and strangers to judge a woman’s dress.
Often dressing preferences are dictated by mood, weather or even a lack of clean laundry! Recently there are more and more women favoring clothing and designs that are considered modest, baggy sweaters, long maxi skirts and those Peter Pan collared button ups. Many of these trends became popular simply because designers were lacking a plunging neckline in their lines.
Feminism has taken the brunt of the blame when it comes to emerging modest trends although it’s easy to prove that fashion has had moments of modest influence almost every few decades. Feminists are feminists because of the need and outstanding lack of equality that exists for women who work or play as hard as men. Dressing modestly, therefore, would have nothing to do with Feminism and rather be a choice made by women to empower themselves. Actively disobeying some unspoken rule about how women should dress or behave is likely the last reason a woman would choose to dress immodestly.
What drives you to dress modestly? Share below in the comments.
