Simple Sewing for Modesty: Part 1

Modesty... such a strange word in our culture today.  Gone are the days when most people even care.  The less you are wearing the better seems to be the thinking of today.  Why is modesty so close to my heart?  Because it is an area that I have had to "deal with" in my life.  I was raised to be pure in some ways, but it was very contradictory.  As my parents were preaching at me to stay "pure" they were also encouraging impure behaviours.

Let me stop right here and define "pure" for the purposes of the above paragraph.  What that meant to my parents was not to take part in the "s" word.  Cuddling with your boyfriend on the couch... allowed.  Kissing your boyfriend.... allowed.  Having a boyfriend.... allowed.  Looking a bit promiscuous for the boys... allowed.  Dressing in a way that showed off the body... allowed.  In fact, I can remember many times being told I should "flaunt it while you've got it", insinuating that that thin body would not be something I would have forever so I should put it on display.  While that may be a true statement in that that scrawny little body I used to have would one day be a thing of the past I can assure you it was of NO benefit to my well being to put it on display for all to see.  I don't want my girl to live with the damage that immodesty causes.  For this reason I have increased my sewing, although I am mostly making adjustments to items that I purchase retail or resale. 

Reality check... my preteen is probably note going to want to wear just things I sew for her forever.  Also, she needs some fashion freedom to display her own personality.  My oldest little girl will be a teenager in less than a year.  I am holding on to her innocence and preserving it as long as I can, but at the same time I know I have to find a balance.  When she goes to church and is around her friends there (who mostly attend public school) I don't want her to feel like an outcast.  This is not such an issue with her homeschool friends.  And I want to say here that this is not a moment that I am casting judgement on public schoolers.  This is just a fact.  Those kids are living a life that is about competing to fit in.  In that world you do not want to be the outcast. 

One thing that I have found that can make the wardrobe options go a little further is to buy a few "muscle shirts" (AKA tank tops).  Every year you can pick up a few of these for $1 a piece on clearance. 

They also sell them in a 3-pack online.  The ones I get on clearance sometimes have a graphic on them or they are solid.  I am not picky about it because they are going to be covered anyway.  I just make sure they do not have anything on them that goes against our standards.  Event though I purchase these for modesty, guess what?  They are not modest as they come.  I take up FOUR WHOLE INCHES in the shoulders.  If I did not they would plunge way too low in the front and in the armpits.  Notice the ones that are made like the picture above have a high back.  If they are made that way you have to make the modification in to the front portion of the straps.  If you are uncertain of how to do this you can experiment of just make sure you purchase shirts with a scoop back. 

These can used to make a trendy shirt modest.  An example is the butterfly style shirt my daughter recently got for Christmas.  It was perfectly her!  It was zebra print.... her favorite animal.  It was purple... her favorite color.  It was sequined... because most girls like some sparkle.  And it was a butterfly style shirt... that she loves, but that can sometimes be hard to find in modest styles (many are see-through or very gappy under the arms). 

Three of my girls loving on the neighbor's PUPPY.

(Yep, that is likely to get more attention than my blog topic... HUGE puppy!)

The main point of the tank underneath is that when the girls lift their arms or bend over the tank underneath protects them from others seeing their bodies.  Another alternative is to wear a long sleeve tee or turtleneck underneath.  Savannah has worn this shirt several ways and all work well. 

I will continue this series with different topics.  I want to keep it kind of short, so I don't burn anyone out in one huge post.