Practical Helps for Modest Dressing

Note to the Proud and Haughty Scorner

First of all, if you are not interested in dressing modestly, please do not read this page; you will only get mad and/or disgusted. Secondly, if you read this anyway, please know that we are not ashamed of our standards and have no interest in you opinions or ideas of "straightening us out." Proverbs 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

Note to Ladies Seeking to Honor God In Their Apparel

Welcome! This page is to help you put your convictions into practice. Hopefully, we will be able to make a good collection of useful information here that will be of use to those who heartily want to dress modestly. Enjoy, and please send in your own discoveries and ideas that may help others. Also, please take the time to read what we have here before you send items so you do not waste your time sending in repeats or things that you could see we would not appreciate. Thanks! :-) 1Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel...

 

The Slip Facts and Tests

...Two things I would like to pass along: when checking a summer skirt to see if it needs a slip, I also see if my panty lines are visible when I bend over and the material is pressed against me. That would necessitate a slip, even if the skirt were opaque. Second, I make thin summer skirts, very simple ones with an elastic waist, out of very light chambray, and then I use them under my winter skirts for extra warmth. That way I get more use out of them. ...Amanda

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Check to make sure your skirts and dresses cannot be seen through with back lighting. If the shape of your legs shows, you need a slip. It is also advisable to check very light weight fabrics even with your slip on. Sometimes a slip is not enough. It may be a good idea to make a heavier slip or even get rid of the garment if it is too thin.

Generally darker fabrics will not be as easy to see through. This is not always the case however, so if the garment is light weight or thin fabric, it's good to give it a check.

Keeping Your Cool

How to stay cool in hot weather? That is a big question in anyone's mind in the hot months no matter which hemisphere you live in!

First of all, anyone that has worn pants in the past and now does not, will know that skirts and dresses are much cooler than pants. They are cooler than culottes too. They are safer than shorts. (How many have ever burned their legs on a hot seat? Or have stuck to a seat which can be painful and embarrassing too?)

Here are a few suggestions that may be of use to you:

1. Cotton, cotton, cotton. Cotton is cool and it breaths. Synthetics do not breath and are more likely to rub you raw in rub spots (under the arms mainly, unless you wear culottes). Look for clothes/fabrics that are made primarily of cotton or all cotton. (Cotton does not have to be super wrinkly, so try to find 100% and blends that are not as wrinkle prone.) Also, get cotton undergarments. Start with cotton from the bottom layer out, including the socks. Invest in cotton slips and camisoles if you can. Otherwise make them. They are much cooler!

2. Wear loose clothes. Stop worrying about looking skinny and wear clothes that are loose and comfortable. They are a lot cooler! Choose loose fitting T-shirts. Form fitting T's are not modest in the first place and they are hot in the second. Even if you plan to only wear them under jumpers, tight ones will be warmer. Even a skirt will be hotter than a loose fitting dress or jumper (pinafore) because of the gathering in around the waist. Dress to get air around you under your clothes.

3. Opt of lighter colors if you don't mind the slips and camisoles necessary to make them modest (opaque). Lighter colors reflect the sun and will keep you cooler. When possible void dark colors when you are going to be out in the sun. They absorb the sun's heat very effectively.

4. Another option is to wear heavier fabrics that do not require a slip to make them modest (opaque). Two layers of clothing are cooler than three. The main problem with this is that most clothes heavy enough to be modest without a slip/camisole are usually quite heavy and dark in color. Even heavy fabrics often require a slip if they are light in color. Denim works pretty well when in blues, dark greens, etc. But watch the light colored denims. Check them with back lighting before wearing them without a slip!

5. Choose T-shirts that are not made of a heavy or bulky fabric. Some are too light, but there are others that are unnecessarily heavy. That will only make you hotter.

6. If you are inclined to chafing between you legs, don't cross them while sitting. This will get more air to that area.

7. Avoid pantyhose (stockings, tights) when possible and only wear them as long as necessary. If you live in a very hot area, chances are people will understand why you don't wear them. If your dress shoes just don't look right without them, consider finding a pair of shoes that look more natural without them if they really make you uncomfortable. If your dresses and skirts are good and long (like they should be :-) you could also opt for knee-highs. These can be easily removed on the way home as well. If you usually wear pantyhose even when you are just shopping, consider changing to a nice pair of sneakers to wear with short socks, or no socks. They can look quite nice and it is much cooler without the hosiery.

8. Try eating light during the heat of the day. A heavy meal can make you more uncomfortable in the heat.

9. Try using a crock pot for your main meals or planning one-pot meals to avoid heating up the house with a lot of cooking. Another possibility is to get up early to cook dinner. Then just reheat it later. You could even cook it the night before. (Be sure to refrigerate in properly though.)

10. Clean in the morning and the late afternoon, or after dinner, as much as in possible. Wear loose, breathable clothing then if at no other time! :-)

11. Wear you hair up. It is amazing how much cooler you feel just getting your hair off your neck. Find a style that is easy and suitable to you, and that your husband likes.

Staying Warm In Dresses and Skirts
And other useful ideas

Proverbs 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household:
for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

Not all of you will need this section, since some of you live in warm enough climates to not need much care in this matter. For those of us who live where it can get cold, and even bitter cold, this is essential!

First of all, based on the verse above, it is apparent that red clothes are warmer for cold weather than other colors. Though we have no "scientific evidence" at this time, I am sure that this is true because Bible science is always more reliable than man's science. 1Timothy 6:20.

For outdoor wear invest in a long wool or down filled coat, and I do mean long! Shorter coats will leave you with too much area exposed between the hem of the coat and the tops of your boots. This can be very chilling. This goes for little girls too, and perhaps more so since they have less bulk to their bodies and can be chilled quicker.

Unless you can afford to buy such coats new, look for them at second hand stores and yard sales. We once got a nice wool coat at a second hand store for only $12.00! The only thing wrong with it was a short split in the back seam. Since the lining was not sewed in at the bottom this was very easy to mend and could have even been done by hand. Since it was a seam, the mend did not show at all.

Next, for outdoor wear invest in a good pair of boots. Forget fashion. Get the best you can really afford that are warm, comfortable and have a low sensible heel and good tread for walking in snow. Again, look for second hand, especially for kids since they do not wear theirs out before growing out of them sometimes.

(Also, try to get good warm gloves, scarves, etc. In very cold climates mittens are preferable since gloves separate the fingers and allow them to get colder. Mittens keep fingers together and conserve heat. This is especially important for small children.)

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In "Keeper At Home" (fall 1999) one lady says that she found knee length snuggies from:

Kidron Town & Country Store
4959 Kidron Rd.
Kidron, OH 44636
Phone: (303) 857-1111 or (330) 857-5757

They have a catalog for mail shopping. These would be helpful, being longer than the typical midsize length. With knee-high wool socks and boots, this would be quite good.

In the same magazine another lady recommends wearing ordinary knit cotton leggings under your skirts, along with wool socks and leather ankle boots. With a long skirt or dress the leggings will hardly be noticeable with even short wool socks. As she points out, keeping your feet warm is half the battle in staying warm. The leggings can be bought in stores or yard sales or online.

Please note: in the "old days," some are so fond of referring to, they did wear pantaloons (drawers) under their dresses/skirts.  If you have a problem with wearing the sort that is sold in the stores, you may wish to try making your own. This may be advisable anyway, as you can then use heavier fabric for winter wear, such as flannel. A pattern for knee length pantaloons (open at knee) or bloomers (closed at the knee) may be purchased through the catalog:

Friends Patterns
P.O. Box 56
Bradford OH 45308-0056

E-mail: friendspatterns@juno.com

You can also order these patterns from: http://www.modestpatterns.com/csp_main.htm This web site also has so good dress and jumper patterns.

(Note: These would be handy made up in a light fabric for summer wear in areas that have high winds, or for other modesty purposes.)

 

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Another item to add to your wardrobe for warmth is a flannel slip or petticoat. If it is unpleasant to wear due to its' "stickiness" reserve it for really cold days or outside work and wear it over a slip of a smoother surface. Two slips under your dress or 2 skirts is an option for cold weather that can add that needed warmth anyway.

In extremely cold areas you might consider another useful fashion of yesteryear - quilted petticoats and pantaloons. They used carded wool in the old days for the batting, but you could use a thin cotton batting for this. (Synthetic batting may cause sweat which is highly undesirable. In very cold weather you need something that breaths so you do not get wet under your clothes!)

A lady living in bush Alaska recommends some of these same things, and emphasizes that long, loose dresses are easier to sit and move in and should be made larger than needed. This is good advice since layering clothes adds size! She also recommends arctic or polar fleece for blocking wind and for keeping warm. She points out that leggings made from these "would be fairly lightweight and very warm for most outdoor activity in cold weather." She also recommends the fleece for lining home knit mittens.

This same lady also advises that she uses machine or hand quilting thread when machine sewing heavy fabrics.

Now this next advice may sound strange, but it is for the benefit for the extra thin people. If you keep yourself or are naturally very thin, you might want to try putting on a few extra pounds. (Please understand that this is not wholesale advice to gain weight and go hog wild!! :-)  Five or ten pounds extra could help to keep you warmer. Fat is a natural insulator.

Also, try eating more meat and protein and less carbohydrates. There was a good reason why the Alaskan natives could get away with living on whale blubber without turning into huge fatties. They burned it off. Carbohydrates also tend to make you sleepy, which in turn makes you lethargic and so you do not burn off what you eat.

Another dietary item that helps you warm up is cayenne pepper. If you do not care for hot food, try the capsules. It really works! This is especially good if you suffer from poor circulation. (I tried this myself and found it worked. Sad to say, I also discovered that I am allergic to cayenne pepper; so if you try it and begin to get headaches, try discontinuing use to see if it is caused by that.)

Helpful Links

Disclaimer: We do not necessarily agree with the
content of these sites. In fact, mostly we don't.
Some are operated by people who are not even Christians. We
simply offer these links to help you find modest clothes and patterns
on the Internet. Some of the sites contain other patterns or items
that are definitely not modest. Please use discretion.

Patterns

http://www.modestpatterns.com/csp_main.htm Excellent patterns for modest dresses, jumpers, undergarments and more. Not all patterns have good necklines, so be alert in your selections.

Sense and Sensibility Patterns Here are some vintage patterns that could still be useful for modest dresses and skirts. There are descent patterns here in the Romantic and Edwardian sections, as well as some in the Titanic/Teens section (forget the tea gown - looks like too much trouble to fix the neckline). The Regency patterns have a very immodest neckline and very high waists that accent the bust too much.

If you don't want full length dresses it would be a rather simple matter to just shorten some of these to the length you wish.

Folkwear.com offers some interesting patterns that are modest and workable for us. Not all patterns are modest on these pages, so use good judgment. Here are their pages that include some modest patterns on them:
http://folkwear.com/frontier.html - Frontier style clothes. Some skirts, a dress and a riding skirt along with a good man's shirt. A little girl's Prairie Dress and Pinafore are can be found here: http://folkwear.com/children.html
http://folkwear.com/romantic.html - Some good underclothes patterns as well as some useful dresses and skirts. Note that the Garden Party dress has a high neckline option. Some of the patterns here are useless, so be wise. For the adventurous seamstress, the Edwardian Bridal Gown looks like it would make a very modest wedding dress made with the right fabrics.
NOTE the pattern for the vintage bathing suit! This looks very much like the pattern being used by the Mennonites who are selling these bathing suits pre-made (below). If you would make more than one of these, you might want to buy your own pattern.

Laughing Moon Mercantile offers a few useful patterns also.
http://www.lafnmoon.com/gore.htm - A gored skirt in three lengths.
http://www.lafnmoon.com/cowgirl.htm - A split riding skirt.

Sewing Central Offers
A Homestead Dress

Patterns from the Past - Look for the old patterns you want here. Large selection of used and new patterns. You'll just have to browse to see if there's anything you want.

NOTE: Some of the main line pattern companies; such as Buttrick, Simplicity and so forth; offer "retro" or historic patterns that may prove useful in sewing your own modest clothes - petticoats, pantaloons, vintage swim wear, skirts and dresses. I recommend that you do a search on the Internet for more information and sources. The prices on some of these patterns may be lower than the ones offered at the sites I've listed here - if you can find them. Also, don't overlook the costume patterns. What might be sold as a Pioneer costume (or some such thing) may prove to be a modest dress. :-) Remember to be frugal too. If you get a pattern for a vintage swim suit that has good bloomers under it, don't bother buying a pattern for pantaloons. Adapt the bloomer from the swim suit pattern.

Fabrics

Gehmans-Country-Fabrics - Affordable calicos and pretty florals prints

Pre-Made Clothing

Sites where you can find some modest dresses, skirts and jumpers. You just have to look through what they have, particularly the dresses and skirts sections. Some are much more pricy than others, some occassionally have some good buys in their sale areas.

Also Remember - A dress that's otherwise great, but has a low neckline, may be useable with a shell underneath. Also, there are links below to sites offering dickies for that purpose.

AmeriMark - Clothes tend to be short.

April Cornell - Pricy. A few modest dresses and skirts. Check the sale area.

Blair.com - Some good jumpers and dresses turn up here. Skirts occassionally. Watch their sale section. (We have ordered from here.)

Bedford Fair

Deva Lifewear - Strange philosophy, but loose dresses and a few nice skirts. Also check out their hats.

Eddie Bauer Outlet

Hanah Lise - Pricy, but very few slits. Watch the clearance section.

Jessica London - 14W and up

Lilies of the Field apparel These people's clothing seems to all be very modest and ladylike. However, there's a price. (I would love to have their patterns for my own use.)

Little Blessings - Little girls' dresses are great. Mom's dresses, or older girls', leave something to be desired.

Little Touch of Elegance - I think these people are Catholics.

Lydia of Purple (These folks have quite the domain name. :-) ) These ladies sew clothes either Custom Fit or Standard Cut with the buyer supplying the fabric. Their prices are not cheap, but are perhaps lower than some of the others that offer dresses this way since you can purchase your own fabric, hopefully at a discount price. They have a fairly large selection of modest dresses and they also make some modest wedding dresses (be sure to let them know you don't want see-through sleeves). They also offer a modest swimming suit which looks quite good compared to others I've seen. These are Mennonites so please disregard the prattle on head coverings.

Made with Love - Not a whole lot of selection, but personal attention.

Modest Apparel These folks offer some pretty good items of modest apparel. Their dresses tend to be high-waisted which tends to look immodest on large busted women, so be cautious about that.

My Culottes.com Mrs. Cheddie from Mom of 9's Place has started a cottage business. She presently offers culottes, skirts and jumpers. Not a lot of variety in patterns, but the culottes do look modest, and the price is fairly good for this type of business.

National - Check the lengths.

Nursing Poncho for breastfeeding

Orvis - This is an expensive site, but they do have some very modest skirts. (Be sure to watch for discounted items!)

Sheplers - Western wear, but they carry some good skirts.

Simply Graceful - Custom made dresses at a fairly reasonable price.

Value Showcase - Outlet prices

Kaftans

August Designs - Khaftans from Brittain.

Ethnic-Warehouse

Dickeys or Dickies
These can be put under another top and are great for making a questionable neckline modest.

http://www.dakotamainstreet.com/dickiepage.html Turtle and mock neck variety.

Blair.com - Dickies in three different styles. Click the "colors/styles/" link to see them all

If you have time to just browse, here's a site that has a lot of links. Although it claims to be the Modest Clothing Directory, not all the sites linked to offer really modest clothes, and there are a number of Mormon sites and also other religions.

graphics and background by mary vannattan