Modesty and Back Up

19 Sep Modesty and Back Up

By Rachel Helferty

Rachel wonderfully gave this presentation to a group of teenage girls while Rachel attended university.

Modesty and BACK UP! What does every woman want, deep down inside? She wants to be loved and delighted in by others! But what does this have to do with modesty?

Whether we like it or not, our clothing sends messages. The way we dress influences the way people treat us. Whenever a woman dresses immodestly it is as though she is saying, “Please look at my body. I’m feeling insecure, and I’m not sure if my personality is interesting enough for you, so look at my body instead!” Sure, a woman who dresses this way may turn a few heads, but is this the kind of attention she really desires? Is she being loved and delighted in? You can be certain that she is not. Rather than looking at her as a woman of dignity with a unique personality deserving of love and respect, she will instead be objectified. She will be viewed and treated as a body and not as a person.

Modesty is using clothing to draw attention to your face and your person, rather than your body. Whenever a woman dresses modestly, it is as though she is saying, “I am a confident woman with an interesting personality, and I don’t need to flaunt my body to be attractive or get attention from others. I am a person of dignity, and I deserve to be treated as such.” As a result, she will probably not get as much immediate attention as some of her immodest counterparts, but she will be treated with respect by those she meets. She will attract the attention of those people who go beyond the surface, and she will be loved and delighted in for her unique personality!

So how can you tell if your outfit is modest or not? Whenever you are getting ready to head out the door in the morning, be sure to BACK UP before you leave, as a quick modesty check. What does it mean to BACK UP?

Bend over: Look at yourself in the mirror from all angles as you bend over. If you are falling out of your shirt or can see too much, you’ve got a problem!  Check your backside for panty lines and crack… crack at the back is not attractive, ladies!

Armpits: Stand in front of the mirror and draw an imaginary line from armpit to armpit. Your shirt is too low if the lowest part of your shirt dips below this imaginary line. You can try adding a camisole underneath the shirt to save the outfit!

Chest: Check your chest area for tightness and bra lines. If your shirt is pulling or bra lines are visible, your shirt is too small and it is time to give it away!

Knees: If you are wearing shorts or a skirt, try to find ones that come to the knee. One hand width above the knee is about as short as you would ever want to go. Consider the fact that when you sit down, your shorts or skirt will become even shorter!

Up: Reach up to the sky and check to make sure that your belly and back aren’t showing. Layering with a long camisole underneath can help fix any issues here.

Popping buttons: If you are wearing a buttoned shirt, take a look at your buttons in the chest area. If they look like they are pulling and about to pop off, your shirt is too small. It’s time to give the shirt away and go shopping for some new clothing!

To dress modestly, your outfit needs to pass all of these tests. But dressing modestly can be pretty, stylish, and comfortable! Best of all, you never have any regrets whenever you dress modestly. In a world that constantly bombards us with images of women dressed in immodest clothing, it takes effort to dress modestly. In a world that constantly bombards us with images of women dressed in immodest clothing, it takes effort to dress modestly. However, the effort is well worth it! You deserve to be treated with love, dignity, and respect –so dress the part!