With spring already here (it was 60 degrees here this weekend!!!) and summer fast approaching, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk a little about modesty and fashion. Skimpy micro mini skirts are now on trend and now that it's starting to heat up, we'll be seeing a lot more skin! What do you think of modesty and fashion? Can it work together?
Since moving here to Germany I haven't noticed much of a cultural shift in the way females dress. Unfortunately, even in the church society, you walk into a church and you may see a girl wearing a short skirt or skin tight leggings and nothing else covering her behind, or girls wearing super tight tops who are well endowed. It's not just the young girls that dress this way either. I've seen older woman (around age 60) even at churches wearing super low cut tops with their 'friends' playing peekaboo. There are those that do dress modestly, but often it seems like they take the grandma approach in the clothing department. The modesty or lack of it is definitely a universal thing.
Where are all of our role models? And I'm pointing a finger at myself here too. I try my best, and then I see myself in a mirror, expos facto, and I'm like, "oh crap"! I remember one year looking to buy a slip to wear under a see through skirt, and a girl saying, "who wears a slip anymore"? I'm thankful that layering is now the 'cool' thing and on trend. Ha! I love my layers!
I recently gave away some bras from Victoria Secret (in the smallest size, sniff sniff), because after nursing four beautiful babies, well, they just ride up because I'm smaller than I ever was before. The only thing that works for me is a brallette and even those can be very uncomfortable to me and ride up. Having a mom that didn't wear a bra either, well, it just makes sense not to wear one. To me, it's not a sexual thing but all about the comfort. However, after being married for 12 years, the issue of modesty is more of a struggle for men than we think or allow ourselves to believe.
A couple we used to hang out with once told me that even a girl with small boobs can have an effect on a guy too. That was a shocker to me! However, whenever we hung out with this older couple, I was always sensitive to that, and would wear a bra no matter how uncomfortable the bra was (although back then, they actually fit). Also, when I lead worship at church, I'm definitely mindful of what I'm wearing on stage. If I need to wear a bra, or layer, (usually the latter), I do. However, when I go running in the summer, then I do wear wear a sports bra and running shorts, because I tend to run on a bike path where you have others out there doing the same. Some people might completely disagree with that. But for me, I just try to be sensitive to certain situations, time, place etc. I guess the hardest part is that modesty, in dress, can very subjective. Is modesty something that you consider when getting dressed for work, school, church?
Check out my friends blog post (here) and her 'guest writers' blog on 'closet cleaning'. Definitely thought provoking! I'll be doing my Spring Cleaning soon too, and my first ever, getting rid of a huge stash of clothes. Some will be donated to a local charity and some to sell at a local Flohmarkt to add to my savings for camera I mentioned in this post.
I'm curious to know your thoughts on this! Comment away!
Since moving here to Germany I haven't noticed much of a cultural shift in the way females dress. Unfortunately, even in the church society, you walk into a church and you may see a girl wearing a short skirt or skin tight leggings and nothing else covering her behind, or girls wearing super tight tops who are well endowed. It's not just the young girls that dress this way either. I've seen older woman (around age 60) even at churches wearing super low cut tops with their 'friends' playing peekaboo. There are those that do dress modestly, but often it seems like they take the grandma approach in the clothing department. The modesty or lack of it is definitely a universal thing.
Where are all of our role models? And I'm pointing a finger at myself here too. I try my best, and then I see myself in a mirror, expos facto, and I'm like, "oh crap"! I remember one year looking to buy a slip to wear under a see through skirt, and a girl saying, "who wears a slip anymore"? I'm thankful that layering is now the 'cool' thing and on trend. Ha! I love my layers!
I recently gave away some bras from Victoria Secret (in the smallest size, sniff sniff), because after nursing four beautiful babies, well, they just ride up because I'm smaller than I ever was before. The only thing that works for me is a brallette and even those can be very uncomfortable to me and ride up. Having a mom that didn't wear a bra either, well, it just makes sense not to wear one. To me, it's not a sexual thing but all about the comfort. However, after being married for 12 years, the issue of modesty is more of a struggle for men than we think or allow ourselves to believe.
A couple we used to hang out with once told me that even a girl with small boobs can have an effect on a guy too. That was a shocker to me! However, whenever we hung out with this older couple, I was always sensitive to that, and would wear a bra no matter how uncomfortable the bra was (although back then, they actually fit). Also, when I lead worship at church, I'm definitely mindful of what I'm wearing on stage. If I need to wear a bra, or layer, (usually the latter), I do. However, when I go running in the summer, then I do wear wear a sports bra and running shorts, because I tend to run on a bike path where you have others out there doing the same. Some people might completely disagree with that. But for me, I just try to be sensitive to certain situations, time, place etc. I guess the hardest part is that modesty, in dress, can very subjective. Is modesty something that you consider when getting dressed for work, school, church?
Check out my friends blog post (here) and her 'guest writers' blog on 'closet cleaning'. Definitely thought provoking! I'll be doing my Spring Cleaning soon too, and my first ever, getting rid of a huge stash of clothes. Some will be donated to a local charity and some to sell at a local Flohmarkt to add to my savings for camera I mentioned in this post.
I'm curious to know your thoughts on this! Comment away!
Thanks for your comment and letting me know about this post! That's interesting that you see older women showing a lot of cleavage...I'm not sure I have ever seen that (thank goodness!). I think it's great that you pay attention to how you are dressing, especially in certain places like Church. And I have had two babies, so I hear you on the bra thing! I'm now following back :)
ReplyDeleteJenny! thanks for your kind comment and following me back! Looking forward to continue reading your blog and get to know each other through this avenue! Take care!
ReplyDeleteMaggie