Modest Fashion Network!

Modest Fashion Network!

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Modest Fashion Network is a brand new global community for fashionistas who honor their bodies by clothing themselves with dignity and purity. Married or not, these women choose to adorn themselves with the latest or with timeless fashion, without the pressure of showing more and more skin, as demanded by the world.

To celebrate these brave women, MFN is choosing five blog posts every week from their members! You will find below the first ever group of five to be chosen! Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, read on, and leave comments if you like!

If you’d like to be part of our weekly digest, head on over to Modest Fashion Network to apply and submit your blog posts every week.

Please visit our featured modest fashion stores: Kosher CasualGalerie a la ModestModesty4Me

 

YES!!! — Winter Layers Without the Bulk

YES!!! — Winter Layers Without the Bulk

Some women love it when the mercury drops, because it gives them a chance to wear those heavy-duty sweaters that only come out of the closet during the coldest months of the year.

Not me.

I make my clothing decisions based on both modesty, and on my personal fashion sense. Personally, I feel prettier when my clothes offer a sleek, feminine line. And guess what? Despite the red-carpet images sold to us by Madison Avenue and Hollywood – shivering celebrities in barely-there evening gowns come to mind – we women can dress fashionably in winter… and stay warm!

Women’s Tunic Top – Short Front Long Back

Lovely Layers

Let’s go from the bottom up. Modest dressers can stay toasty by relying on three-quarter and long-sleeved shell tops. These items – which, during the summer months, help bridge the gap between an outfit’s too-low necklines or too-short sleeves, and our desired coverage level – do double-duty in winter. Not only do they keep us cozy and warm, they can also add a fashionable dash of color.

When choosing what to go on top of that first layer, I like to reach for something with a graceful, interesting shape – like an unbalanced hemline or mullet cut tunic. Both these tops look great over a boot-length skirt.

Loose Knit Cardigan with Pockets

Loose Knit Cardigan with Pockets

Topping it Off

There are lots of fashion-conscious options for top layers (not to be confused with outerwear; see below) in winter. From open-front cardigans to belted sweaters, they give me a modestly feminine shape, while keeping me warm.

Stepping Out

Of course, winter weather requires a winter coat. But if you’re like me, while you don’t want to freeze, you don’t want to look like the Michelin Man, either. High-tech fabrics like Thinsulate keep the bulk down, so making belted outerwear a pretty option. So ladies, remember: whatever the forecast, think fashion!

A Modest Proposal – Skirts that Fit YOUR Body

A Modest Proposal – Skirts that Fit YOUR Body

If you dress modestly, you know that modest skirts are the workhorses of your everyday wardrobe. But do you really know how to shop for skirts? By paying attention to just a few basic principles, you’ll have an easier time when you next go skirt shopping at the mall. You’ll also have an easier time finding the look that matches your body – and your lifestyle.

The Hips Have It

Skater_Skirt_1472_TealThe drape of a skirt begins at your hips. That’s why – when it comes to skirts – your particular hip-shape is crucial to making the right fashion choice.

Fuller-hipped, curvy women should look for A-line skirts that flare out toward the hemline. This de-emphasizes the mid-section, and creates a more streamlined, elegant line.

Straight-hipped women who wish to emphasize their curves are better served by pencil skirts. Gently hugging the hips and becoming narrower toward the hemline, pencil skirts define an hourglass silhouette that – if it’s not taken to an extreme – can be elegant, tasteful and 100% modest. If you want to further accentuate the pencil skirt’s hourglass effect, try tucking in your top, or wearing a cinch belt at the natural waist.

Hemline – How to Decide?
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Skirts that fall just below the knee are universally flattering. But if you choose to go lower – to a midi or maxi length – here are some things to keep in mind.

While undeniably modest, for some women, midi skirts can be a fashion failure. That’s because they tend to fall right on the widest part of the calves. If your legs are thick rather than lean, or if you’re of below-average height, midi-length skirts may not be the best choice for you.

How about shopping for long skirts? Again, short women – as well as Petites – should be extra careful, because maxis can make you look even smaller than you are – to the point of even looking “stumpy” (and nobody wants that!). To avoid this pitfall when shopping for maxi skirts, choose one that fits snugly around your hips and thighs. This makes it more likely that you’ll achieve a look that is both modest and elegant.

When shopping for long skirts, remember: your goal is to dress modestly, not to disappear! Rather than choosing skirts that fall to the floor, try a hemline that reaches to the thinnest part of your ankles. This creates the flattering illusion of slim legs in the context of a modest outfit.

Fab Skirts for Fuller Figures

Fab Skirts for Fuller Figures

Modest dressing looks good on every body type, but it has some distinct advantage for those of us with fuller figures.  This is not because we want to cover up and “hide” – heaven forbid.  Rather, modest cuts give us the freedom we need to make a beautiful fashion statement that embraces our size… and our lifestyle.

Tight Doesn’t Make Right

Plus-size women have natural presence, and the right skirt choices can help them make the most of it.  While it’s certainly true that “real women have curves”, it’s also true that when women’s curves are the focus of attention, modesty tends to go out the window.  In other words, if your mid-section is encased in tight, slinky material, it doesn’t matter if your elbows and knees are well covered – the total effect is eye-catching, and not in a good way.

Let’s look at some of the fashion secrets that allow plus-sized women to choose a skirt that shows them off to their fullest advantage.

Maxi flowing skirt with four panels Flowing and Fashionable Skirts

Maxi, midi or to-the-knee, every skirt length can compliment the more generous figure.

Skirts that go to the ankle or even the floor are not just for formal wear.  Long skirts can add elegance to everyday dressing, creating a line that draws attention away from the hips and tummy.  Ramp up this “camouflage” effect by choosing a skirt with flowing detail in the lower leg area – or dramatic pleats that begin at the knee.

Mid-length flared skirts can also create an elegant line. A generous cut that includes lots of extra material creates a flowing, attractive drape that moves with you.  Alternatively, you can look for a “tiered” skirt that offers a wider silhouette, while providing visual interest all the way down.

Classic, to-the-knee skirts come in a variety of styles that can work for plus-size women.  Whether you’re looking for a stretchy pencil-skirt, or a more structured design, your skirt should make you feel confident about the leg you choose to show.  Don’t forget to “test drive” your choice by sitting down – even in front of a mirror – and verifying the knee-coverage before you make your purchase!

Waist Not Want Not?

Women of generous proportions tend to pair their skirts with tops designed to de-emphasize the waist, by hiding it altogether.  But remember: a waist is a terrible thing to mind!   So keep an open mind while shopping for your next skirt, and consider waist-conscious designs that dare to define your shape.  Who knows – you may decide to tuck in that tee shirt after all!

The A-Line Skirt History – Still A+ After All These Years

The A-Line Skirt History – Still A+ After All These Years

With a silhouette that flares gradually from the hips to the hemline – however low it may fall — the A-line skirt is a modest fashion choice that flatters almost every figure.  With such obvious advantages, you might think that the A-line has been around forever.  But while maxi-length flared skirts were standard Edwardian era and made a comeback in the midi- and knee-length skirts of the 1930s and 40s, you may be interested to know that the A-line owes its name to the famous French fashion designer Christian Dior, who made it the centerpiece of his Spring Collection in 1955.

Dior’s A-line was a very specific: a flaring skirt topped by a smooth waistline and leading up to narrow shoulders. Dior was famous for dressing his models in chic little jackets, and his signature A-line outfit followed along these lines, with a small-shouldered jacket which flared slightly at the hip, and covered an even-more-widely flaring skirt.

In 1958 Yves Saint Laurent introduced a variation on the Dior A-line look, which he called his “Trapeze” line.  Maintaining Dior’s wide shoulder-to-hemline flare, this collection skimmed past the waist without defining it, creating dresses that – looked at with a modern eye – seem like a comical meeting point between high fashion and maternity wear!

Yves Saint Laurent’s dramatic “Trapese” dresses did not have much impact on the popular market, but soon, less extreme A-line skirts and dresses were everywhere – and on everyone.

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A-line skirts  are still a popular choice for modern women looking for modest, yet fashionable wardrobe staples – no matter what their body type. With a waist defined by darts or seams, the A-line skirt falls gently over the hips, making it flattering for large-hipped women whose contours are balanced out by the wide hemline.  Women who have top-heavy figures like how A-line designs de-emphasize their upper body, suggesting more of an hourglass shape.   Finally, slim, small-hipped women also benefit from the A-line look, which adds a touch of curvaceous definition, without giving up on modesty.

Sports Skirts: Exercising Modestly

Sports Skirts: Exercising Modestly

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Kosher Casual’s Modest Exercise Skirt

Working out while dressing modestly? It can be done! A sports skirt with attached black leggings, yoga pants and long-sleeve workout shirts are coming to the rescue!

Workout clothing is usually associated with lots of bare skin. But perhaps the idea of “modest workout clothes” conjures an image of running on a treadmill in a long, floral robe. Fret not—there is a happy medium! A wide range of stylish and oh-so-functional workout clothing is available for the modest dresser. If you haven’t tried an athletic skirt, you are missing out!

As modest clothing evolves, it has started to cover (ha!) all aspects of our lives. Modest clothing extends beyond longer skirts and shorter V’s. Women want to dress modestly not just for the office or a night out, but when they run, jog, climb and stretch.

Sports Skirt A-Line

Slight A-line Sports Skirt

Lots of great products are on the market now, solving the problem of how to exercise in something other than a tank top and biker shorts.

For example: the athletic skirt. This is generally a skirt/pants combo, giving you the comfort and flexibility of workout pants, while modestly covering you in a skirt of the same stretchy fabric. Athletic skirts that are slightly A-line give you room to move and—just as important—look super cute! And because the athletic skirt looks like a regular skirt, you can wear it to run an errand without drawing strange looks. Also a must-have: A crewneck workout shirt that extends to your elbows or wrists, made out that awesome keep-you-cool material.

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Loose Fitting Yoga Pants

Yoga pants are another great option. Generally, yoga pants are slightly looser and not as form-fitting as regular black leggings, but still allow you to move and stretch. Yoga pants or leggings can also easily be worn under a comfortable knit skirt. Exercise easily, without compromising your high fashion standards.

I have found that these athletic skirts have actually changed my life. I no longer have to fashion my own uncomfortable skirt + pants combo, or sit out an activity because I can’t find a way to dress appropriately. These easy-fitting, stylish, covered-up options allow me to participate in any exercise activity—indoors or out—that my heart desires.

Sports skirts and modest sports shirts go beyond fulfilling my desire to dress modestly—they allow me to participate fully in all of life’s great adventures.

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