In this post, I want to explain my reasoning behind my own standards of modesty using Biblical principles, and then I want to share a few of the modesty "hacks" I've discovered or learned from my mom or other sources.
I want to preface all this by stating that I understand everyone's personal standards of modesty. As long as the heart attitude is correct, I don't believe there is much need to be too legalistic when it comes to the actual clothing.
Let's begin by looking at a few Bible verses that address this issue (all of these are NASB):
"Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness." {1 Timothy 2:9-10)
"Your adornment must not be merely external - braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quaility of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." {1 Peter 3:3-4}
"But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." {1 Corinthians 8:9}
"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." {Matthew 18:6}Obviously, those first two verses are very applicable to the discussion on modesty and how women should dress, but those second two verses might seem to make a bit less sense. Let me explain...
One of the biggest reasons that I dress modestly is that I never want to be a stumbling block for my brothers in Christ - or any man for that matter. While it is obviously ultimately on them if they do sin, I don't want to be encouraging them to sin or making the fight harder than it needs to be.
All that said, it is still obvious from the latter two verses that you need to be careful that you are not a stumbling block to others. Jesus uses some pretty graphic language in Matthew 18:6 to drive home this point. This is again maybe a bit more of a personal conviction, but I think every Christian should have the desire to help their brothers and sisters not sin.
As to the first two verses, I think it is pretty clear that God values how we adorn our inner selves - like what character qualities we have - over how we adorn our outer bodies. I don't think these verses are telling us to never look pretty. Back then, people who wore extravagant hairstyles were basically showing off their wealth. So I think these verses are warning us against the pridefulness that comes with dressing too fancy.
Anyway, I hope that made some modicum of sense. I'm sure I could think longer about this and come up with a much more efficient way to explain my views. If you have any questions or even challenges, be sure to tell me below and I'll do my best to answer them.
Now! For the more "practical" tips. Based on my views above, I mostly base how I wear with what would tend to be a stumbling block for guys. Girls - your dad is a valuable resource when you aren't sure about certain items of clothing or outfits. Even just the few conversations I've had with married women and a few of my friends who are boys has shown me how much differently boys operate.
First tip: wear cardigans over see-through things or things without straps. I have a tank top that isn't see through in the front but is in the back, so I just wear a cardigan over it. Also, if the top is strapless or has small straps that don't hide your undergarments, it's a great way to get more coverage on the top.
If you're having problems with bottoms like shorts, skirts, or even dresses, being too short, then putting some leggings on (or even tights - depending on the specific item) can be really helpful - and really comfortable! Or if the issue is with the bottom area, then a longer cardigan or a long-sleeved button-up tied around the waist can cover that up nicely. The nice thing about both of these options is that they both look completely normal.
This next one is probably my favorite and the hack I use the most - wear a tank top/camisole underneath shirts. This can fix shirts that might show midriff, shirts that are see-through, shirts that have low or wide necklines. I have so many shirts that I wear with camisoles. Plus, you can get so many different colors to go with a bunch of different shirts. And they're so cheap. Win-win.
My final tip isn't so much of a hack as it is a tip: go shopping at thrift stores. You can find a lot of really great options for really cheap. Another bonus is you can sew it, cut it, or alter it however you need without feeling bad for dishing out a bunch of money for something that needs to be altered anyway.
And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this post or found it helpful. Again, if you have different opinions or different hacks that you prefer let me know! I'm always up for some more brain food. I don't like to blindly hold on to opinions if they are incorrect. See you next week!!
~ Anna
I’m so thankful for how God has directed your heart to see the importance of this issue. 💗 And my favorite back is also probably the tank top/camisole one too.
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