Extremely Conservative Dress

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I am having a very difficult time with my teenage daughter. She is more modest than most but there’s the “jeans” issue! It is very difficult to find attractive but modest clothing for younger (teen) ladies.
Have you seen the “Style J” jean skirts? Many of the skirts are immodest because of the detailing, but there are often a few gems on this site. I’m 28 (not exactly a teenager anymore) and love to wear these skirts.
 
Re: “Pants are by their very design revealing.”

If that is true, then men should not wear pants either.

Their crotches are in the same place as women’s and so this clothing design (pants) should automatically draw everyone’s attention to this area of their anatomy (if what you say is true). Personally, I think that too-tight clothes reveal what should be kept hidden no matter what the style. And, no; not all pants are more revealing than a skirt or dress.

Perhaps some persons believe that we should all be required to wear tunics like they wore in Jesus’ time.

Bless you, too. 🙂
I’d have to agree that pants are not always more revealing. Many factors play into what is revealing (or more importantly what is tempting) for another person. Some pants are very manly even on women (think cargo pants) whereas some skirts are revealing (tight, short, etc). The other issue is that modesty can actually be quite relative to our culture and what our eyes are conditioned to. Think of cultures where women do not wear shirts at all. Did you know that in some of those cultures it is considered *immodest *for women to wear a shirt? The shirt is seen as “drawing attention” to her chest and tempting to men. Did you also know that baptisms were done without clothing in the ancient church? Yes, you stripped down in front of the priest (not just babies) to represent the time in Eden when Adam and Eve were “naked and unashamed.” This would be a very awkward practice today given cultural norms but was considered appropriate for a certain time and place long ago.

I have heard of this book (blanking on the title for now) that claims a “mathematical formula” for how pants are “more revealing” and while I respect that each person has the right to their opinion (and am thankful for freedom of the press), I am skeptical of the “science” behind it.
 
I’d have to agree that pants are not always more revealing. Many factors play into what is revealing (or more importantly what is tempting) for another person. Some pants are very manly even on women (think cargo pants) whereas some skirts are revealing (tight, short, etc). The other issue is that modesty can actually be quite relative to our culture and what our eyes are conditioned to. Think of cultures where women do not wear shirts at all. Did you know that in some of those cultures it is considered *immodest *for women to wear a shirt? The shirt is seen as “drawing attention” to her chest and tempting to men. Did you also know that baptisms were done without clothing in the ancient church? Yes, you stripped down in front of the priest (not just babies) to represent the time in Eden when Adam and Eve were “naked and unashamed.” This would be a very awkward practice today given cultural norms but was considered appropriate for a certain time and place long ago.

I have heard of this book (blanking on the title for now) that claims a “mathematical formula” for how pants are “more revealing” and while I respect that each person has the right to their opinion (and am thankful for freedom of the press), I am skeptical of the “science” behind it.
I’ve never heard of the “naked and unashamed” baptismal practice. Please post link for more info on this practice.

This “practice” defies logic since baptism does not remove the “knowledge” from the newly baptized that he is still “naked” when he is wearing “no clothes.” Nor does it remove this knowledge from the witnesses to these baptisms!

Baptism does not restore the person to the time period predating the eating of the fruit from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Baptism removes sin, but it does not prevent a person from sinning again. Christ states that it is better to pluck out your eye than to sin using it Matthew 18:9.

Every culture that becomes Christianized must then adhere to the Church’s modesty rules and so women must therefore wear shirts when they become Christians. Not all pagan women wear shirts, but Christian women must. Men must also adhere to the Christian modesty rules when they become Christians.

Noah cursed one of his sons in Old Testament times because he did not cover Noah’s nakedness Genesis 9:20-27.

“Nakedness” is compared to “shame” in the New Testament. Revelation 16:15

Christians are supposed to “cover the nakedness” of people and they are not to uncover it!

Matthew 25:34-40
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Whether tunics or kilts or pants for men; and tunics, dresses, skirts, or pants for women: modesty must always be maintained. Each type of clothing can be modest and each type can also be immodest. It depends on the “fit” (looseness or tightness) and the amount of “coverage” of the garment.
 
I’ve never heard of the “naked and unashamed” baptismal practice. Please post link for more info on this practice.

This “practice” defies logic since baptism does not remove the “knowledge” from the newly baptized that he is still “naked” when he is wearing “no clothes.” Nor does it remove this knowledge from the witnesses to these baptisms!

Baptism does not restore the person to the time period predating the eating of the fruit from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Baptism removes sin, but it does not prevent a person from sinning again. Christ states that it is better to pluck out your eye than to sin using it Matthew 18:9.

Every culture that becomes Christianized must then adhere to the Church’s modesty rules and so women must therefore wear shirts when they become Christians. Not all pagan women wear shirts, but Christian women must. Men must also adhere to the Christian modesty rules when they become Christians.

Noah cursed one of his sons in Old Testament times because he did not cover Noah’s nakedness Genesis 9:20-27.

“Nakedness” is compared to “shame” in the New Testament. Revelation 16:15

Christians are supposed to “cover the nakedness” of people and they are not to uncover it!

Matthew 25:34-40
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Whether tunics or kilts or pants for men; and tunics, dresses, skirts, or pants for women: modesty must always be maintained. Each type of clothing can be modest and each type can also be immodest. It depends on the “fit” (looseness or tightness) and the amount of “coverage” of the garment.
The information on baptisms was in a talk on modesty given by Christopher West, christopherwest.com/ (you’ve probably heard of him, but he’s an expert on JPII’s “Theology of the Body”). We watched the talk to spark discussion for a college course I was enrolled in called, “The Truth and Meaning of Sexuality, Love and Family: Cultural Implications” accredited by Newman University. The course is part of a program approved by the Bishop of Charleston, SC.

The point West was making was that modesty can be quite relative and lust is something that happens in the heart. He was not advocating returning to this practice (which probably didn’t last long). But was pointing out that nakedness or nudity is not always “immodest.” He also gave other examples, like a Bishop who watches a hooker walk down the street. Is he being lustful? Not necessarily. In his example, the Bishop was praying for the girl and grieving her choice.

Yes, we need to strive for modesty and certainly some behaviors or without a doubt, objectively immodest. But modesty is also shaped by cultural norms and context (think if we could never undress in front of another for any reason… would make practicing medicine hard!).

Btw, there are plenty of ancient practices that we no longer use that today would be inappropriate. How about when Confessions and penances were public?

I unfortunately don’t have the exact file for the talk. I am not sure if you have to pay for it or what (it was part of our course). His website offers plenty of free information and content, though.
 
The information on baptisms was in a talk on modesty given by Christopher West, christopherwest.com/ (you’ve probably heard of him, but he’s an expert on JPII’s “Theology of the Body”). We watched the talk to spark discussion for a college course I was enrolled in called, “The Truth and Meaning of Sexuality, Love and Family: Cultural Implications” accredited by Newman University. The course is part of a program approved by the Bishop of Charleston, SC.

The point West was making was that modesty can be quite relative and lust is something that happens in the heart. He was not advocating returning to this practice (which probably didn’t last long). But was pointing out that nakedness or nudity is not always “immodest.” He also gave other examples, like a Bishop who watches a hooker walk down the street. Is he being lustful? Not necessarily. In his example, the Bishop was praying for the girl and grieving her choice.

Yes, we need to strive for modesty and certainly some behaviors or without a doubt, objectively immodest. But modesty is also shaped by cultural norms and context (think if we could never undress in front of another for any reason… would make practicing medicine hard!).

Btw, there are plenty of ancient practices that we no longer use that today would be inappropriate. How about when Confessions and penances were public?

I unfortunately don’t have the exact file for the talk. I am not sure if you have to pay for it or what (it was part of our course). His website offers plenty of free information and content, though.
Thank you for your reply. I had heard about the public confessions. :eek: So glad we do not have that anymore!

I am definitely not a fan of Christopher West’s “works.” But, that is another topic. 😉

I think that modesty standards are partially shaped by cultural norms (such as bare female breasts); however, some things are universally, extremely titillating such as erotic dancing whether clothed or unclothed.
 
Thank you for your reply. I had heard about the public confessions. :eek: So glad we do not have that anymore!

I am definitely not a fan of Christopher West’s “works.” But, that is another topic. 😉

I think that modesty standards are partially shaped by cultural norms (such as bare female breasts); however, some things are universally, extremely titillating such as erotic dancing whether clothed or unclothed.
Yes, thank goodness for no more public confessions! Yikes!

I agree that some behaviors and outfits are extremely tempting/titillating, without a doubt. I get frustrated when I see women at Mass wearing provocative clothing. I feel like if no other place in society, church should be a safe haven for boys and men (and women… we’re not always pure either!).
 
I think there should be more emphasis put on male modesty, not just female modesty :\
 
I think there should be more emphasis put on male modesty, not just female modesty :\
Thank you - nothing worse down here in Florida then seeing an overweight tourist in a Speedo - an no - on a beach - not in a crowded shopping mall.
 
I wear long skirts almost exclusively. I’ve kept all of my modest jeans and pants, but my promise to myself is that as they wear out, I will not replace them except to have one or two for chores around the house, hiking, etc. All of my new clothing purchases are long skirts and dresses. As for tops, those are more easily fixed with a well-pinned lightweight pashmina - I buy whatever color top I want, and then make sure to cover if it’s skimpy. I’m very practiced at that.

I’m twenty-eight, hang out with my extremely fashionable Protestant friends, and I might even draw attention to myself, especially given my age - and I welcome it, so that I can start a discussion with another woman about how much better I feel in my life and as a Christian. Everyone’s vanity is different, but I bet I’m not alone; my vanity, the crippling kind that kept me from concentrating on my vocation and being a spiritual sister to people I met, was my body. If I wasn’t happy about how thin or fat or toned my legs and abs and arms were, I was obsessed by how they weren’t. My interactions with men were always defined, it seemed, by my looks - half my fault, half theirs.

Modesty does change from place to place, but if the world falls, do I have to go along with it, making sure my hem is merely an inch or so longer so as to avoid standing out, even if I feel uncomfortable? I don’t judge other women and their own grasp of their own modesty and sexuality (who am I to say?) but I am much closer to the Catholic I want to be when I have taken the issue of my body off the table in a flowy skirt. I force people to deal with me, not my anatomy. I do feel protected from the world. Some might call that bad; still, the world has shown me that we (especially women) are judged on the basis of horrible things that degrade human value, daily, and so I welcome the protection. To me, it’s a feminist act, and I count myself as a proud Catholic feminist.

As for the mantilla, I wear it, even when I’m the only one in Mass doing so. To me, Mass is an extraordinary event, requiring an extraordinary display of obedience to God. Now, it shouldn’t be just a display - but that goes without saying. I think everyone knows that all the lace in the world can’t help a heart that’s not truly in the Mass, and that would be true with or without a covering and is true of every gesture and word we say in Mass. What’s not lovely or modest is judging the private and interior hearts of others, suggesting that women who do cover are only doing it for selfish reasons. God knows their hearts, not we.

When the answers are muddy, live and let live - that’s a modest maxim we can live by.

Here are some places I like to shop for long skirts and dresses. They’re very modern and not the least bit burqua-like. Of course, one percent of the things they have are modest, but unless you’re furnishing a whole new wardrobe at once, you should be able to find a piece or two, consistently, every season - often more:

www.sundancecatalog.com
www.jpeterman.com
www.garnethill.com
www.jjill.com
www.peruvianconnection.com
www.bodenusa.com
www.anthropologie.com

I have beautiful long dresses and skirts from Old Navy, Gap, NY&Co., Target, etc. They usually each offer one or two per season. As for support of sweatshops, almost all of the “bad companies” signed the Saipan Agreement years ago to make restitution and be overseen by a third-party human rights watch. The major companies who refused to sign that agreement are Nike, Brooks Brothers, Levis, and Fruit of the Loom. Target was the first of the big box stores to agree to make all of their in-house brand name clothing under the auspices of the human rights group, so I like to support Target.
 
I personally don’t dress “extremely conservatively” I just wear skinny jeans and like a baggy or fitted t shirt and Nikes…I’m not trying to draw attention to myself. Not sure if it’s particular modest or not but I’m not intending for anyone to be like “I like that” you know lol
 
Among the confusion about what is or is not appropriate to wear (For every day and for church) I have fallen in love with contemporary muslim clothing. Out of respect I do not cover my hair. But I love how their clothes are beautiful without showing off my bare skin. I especially love their jeans as they are loose and flowy like a long skirt.
Has anyone else gone to such extremes to stay unquestionably modest?
As a guy, I think women look very attractive in modest Muslim outfits. I used to work with a beautiful Pakistani girl who would typically wear a long skirt, tall boots, a loose-fitting top and maybe a vest with some fancy Islamic-style embroidery. And on top she used a big, black lace scarf - the kind that just rests on the head and hangs down over the shoulders - I think it’s the same thing as the mantilla that I’ve seen mentioned on this forum.

Anyway, she always looked absolutely stunning. For me, a special treat was seeing her slip the scarf off her head and drape it across her shoulders, or pull it back up over her head. She always looked so graceful and romantic doing that.
 
Here are some places I like to shop for long skirts and dresses. They’re very modern and not the least bit burqua-like. Of course, one percent of the things they have are modest, but unless you’re furnishing a whole new wardrobe at once, you should be able to find a piece or two, consistently, every season - often more:

www.sundancecatalog.com
www.jpeterman.com
www.garnethill.com
www.jjill.com
www.peruvianconnection.com
www.bodenusa.com
www.anthropologie.com
What beautiful clothes on these sites. So expensive though! Why does modest and cute always equal EXPENSIVE!
 
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