Girl's Dressing Modest for Dressember

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you are aware I am a member of the Mormon Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was raised by Mormon parents who joined the church in their early twenties, actually before either one of them met.  My parents both lived wonderful lives pre-Mormon with great families and opportunities, but felt the teachings of the Mormon Church brought more fulfillment and happiness into their lives. 

One of the elements of the Mormon Church my Mom really honed in on was modesty. Her mother had set this example and taught her the principle of modest dress. 

Beautiful and modest dress really defined my grandmother's era.

My mom with her mother and sister on Easter Sunday.  

My mom's engagement photo.

In return, my mom taught me and my four sisters the value of our feminine spirits.  She said “One way to keep your body and spirit nurtured is to dress in a way that honor’s God.”

Like many believers of Christ, Mormon’s feel we draw close to God through actions of love, moral goodness and keeping our bodies clean from addiction.  By living such a way, I believe we are given wonderful gift.  It’s the gift of the Holy Ghost.  We can actually have a companion sent to us from our Heavenly Father that guides us throughout our life, keeping us safe, directing us towards our life’s purpose and providing comfort in an uncertain world. 

What is modesty?  It’s more than just knee-length skirts and one-piece swimsuits.  I believe modesty is part of obeying the law of chastity because how we dress reveals our standards.  

I love how author Carly Walker describes us Mormons and our obsession with modesty.  On the website Normons, she shares her desire to stay true to her values in a fashion-obsessed world (and it’s a really funny article).  She says “When me and other Mormon girls my age grew up, we slowly learned the reasons why we dress the way we do. We stopped caring about looking like everybody else. We realized we were too different. Instead of trying to be something we obviously weren’t, we started to dress the way we wanted to, coined the term “modest is hottest,” and then rocked it like a boss.”  

image found here

Also, there’s a great Mormon fashion designer by the name of Athelia Woolley.  She is the co-founder of Shabby Apple, a beautiful dress and clothing company.  On the Shabby Apple website, it says “Newer styles seem to be using less and less materials, but our retro fashion from the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s have a high level of modesty that still complements the feminine shape.”

Here’s a bit more about how Athelia started the Shabby Apple Co.

I had to laugh about Athelia's dilemma with sleeveless dresses.  You’ll notice many of the dresses I wore for Dressember had a t-shirt underneath.  Thus, the life of a modest girl.  I found this Shabby Apple dress at Salvation Army for $4.00 and featured it last year for Dressember.  

Here are the last days of Dressember.  

December 30

Kelly's daughter Emily left on a mission for Chile.  Monday night, they had a going away party.

I wore a Tryst skirt, made by Billabong.  My shirt from Express and Gap cardigan were all from Goodwill's $1.00 day.  

 Doesn't Kelly look gorgeous.  I know a lot of you miss her posts.  She may still blog from time to time, but her life has gone from busy to busier.  Not only does she still do estate sales and trunk shows, but she is also the new Primary president in her ward. She volunteers countless hours for the children ages 18 months to 12 years-old in her church.  

As a missionary, Kelly's daughter Emily honor's the modesty code too.  You can read about the church's guidelines of dress for missionaries here.  

She will volunteer the next 18 months of her life as a full-time servant for our Heavenly Father. 

December 31

Eden is posing on an end table I refinished in her $1.00 Old Navy dress from Goodwill.

On a side note, I was thrilled when Eden was highlighted on Dressember’s Instagram.

I know dressing modest may not be trendy.  It even appear's old fashion, but I am grateful to have this standard in my life.  Dressing this way is a conscious choice I make every time I go out shopping.   There are certain stores I cannot shop in because I will never find a thing I can wear.  Many times it's frustrating, but that's just how it is.  Thrift stores have such a huge selection of woman's clothing, many vintage, so most of my clothing purchases come from there.  When I was younger, I wanted to dress like everyone else.  As a teenager, one of the only fight's I every had with my mom was when I wanted to wear a mini-skirt.  And I did wear it!  Many times!  My mom let me make my own choices with fashion.  She never forced anything on me, but in the end, I came back to what I had been taught.  It's what makes me feel most comfortable.  I wish more designers would accommodate and I think in time, many will realize it's a profitable business.

Benefits of dressing modest:

1.  It allows me to be more creative with fashion. I experiment with layering and leggings.

2.  I get to cover up more of my flaws.

3.  I can still dress trendy, but I don't have to look like a teenager.

4.  I stay warm in the winter

5.  I set an example for my little daughter.

Linking up to: