Modesty

For me personaly I wear no pants, shorts, or swimsuits {only time I wear a swimsuit is is I have colottes and a tee shirt on over it.} of anykind. This is a personal conviction, meaning I'm going to do it, but I don't expect others to do so. If they do, that's wonderful! If they don't that's fine too. I do it because I want to be modest. I was convicted by several messages and the apperances of the godly ladies I knew personaly.
I do wear socks {ladies socks! } with tennis shoes sometimes, but usualy in the summer I wear sandels! {LOL, however I highly recommend tennis shoes or comfortable shoes for visitation! I learned the hard way! }
Now I do have the point I've seen a pair of jeans on a girl way more modest than some of the skirts they've got out now. {It makes it ten times worse when these gals don't know to keep their legs together wearing them things! }
THe Bible calls for modesty, and I guess you'd have to be your own judge about what you wear. If you feel convicted, by all means, change the way you dress. A great point Miss Gina brought up in the youth forum awhile back is this "Consider what you are wearing each morning {a full length mirrow might be best.} and ask yourself if you'd feel comfortable for your husband to encounter another woman dressed as you. Would you want to put a blanket over her?" If the answer is yes, I highly recommend you change outfits!
~Miss Abby
Proverbs 31:30 KJB

 

I don't do bathing suits, ever, wouldn't even if I weren't plus size, would be too embarressed.
But I do wear pants(don't care for jeans on my plus size stomach they are uncomfortable).To me modest is when I am decently covered. When you can't see bra or straps, andno mid section revealed, nothing below the waist till the knees adn I prefer not to do that much.I usually won't wear a sleeveless top, like a tank top away from home,I don't wear a low cut tops, never wear a short skirt. I do wear shorts, but mine are long to my knees,a dn I only do that ebcasue I am extremely heat senative,a nd have nearly passed out from heat several times just this summer,and I was in shorts and in a store, so you can see I can't wrap up in clothing in the summer, I'd die of heat. But I do make sure I am modest about it.

 

On this issue, a guy's gotta weigh in. I hope you don't mind.

Jeans made for a lady: if they're so loose in the behind and baggy on the thighs that you wouldn't want to wear them, or they look like something hip-hop boys used to wear, they're modest. If they cling to any part of you, they are immodest. Guys will notice. However, loose-fitting pants of most kinds are much more modest than a skirt that reveals most of your calf when you cross your legs.

Swimsuits: I've never seen a modest swimsuit before, except in old photos from before WWI.

Socks: They are more modest than nylons, of course. Why not?

However, I'm detecting an undercurrent here that perhaps an undue worry over a misapplication of an OT verse about Israelite women wearing men's clothing is somehow being connected to modesty. Immodesty is what is tight, clingy, revealing of shape, exposing of skin, but not anything to do with wearing a man's shirt or something. Maybe I misunderstood that point, if it was really there.

 

I would have to definitely say, it's whatever you're convicted to wear so I'm with Abby on that one.

For me, I've gotten to the point that I don't feel comfortable in pants. My waist is too small for me to get pants big or baggy enough that they are what I personally consider modest for MYSELF (always too big for my waist if they fit everywhere else loosely).

I believe I was convicted based on the fact that when I am in pants I draw attention or get UNWANTED attention. Did I mention how comfy long dresses are

Most women know what draws the most attention to themselves and if it's tops, pants, etc, I believe they will be convicted to change their style in that area.

For me...I'm heading to the dresses only found one for $12 at Wal-Mart, but I don't believe that you have to wear dresses/skirts to be saved. Was going to wait until I could get more dresses, but I'm ready NOW to be in dresses only so will wear what I have.

I'd say all we have to do as Christians is listen to that Holy Spirit whispering or sometimes YELLING in our heart.

Good topic though.

 

A wise woman once said;

If you are dressed modestly the opposite sex focuses on your face...if you are dressed immodestly the opposite sex focuses on what is beening displayed.

If you really want to know how you are dressed pay attention to men when you are talking to them. If they have a problem staying focused on your face, I would say you are giving them something else to look at.

 

I'm with Abby and Walls. Tauf makes some very good points, too.

Modesty is keeping yourself free from causing someone else to stumble, along with being a testimony for the Lord. I dress in long dresses, never in a swimsuit, and I wear socks.

Jeans can be modest, but when they are worn, you need to remember how to bend over, how to climb stairs, how to sit. If they fight tight in any way, they become figure revealing. If I were to wear them, I would wear a long top, to about the upper thigh.

Swimsuits, never.

Socks are okay, but remember that when they fall down, watch how you bend to pull them up. One thing that may not be modest about socks is that they may draw attention to the ankle. My skirts come to the top, or lower, of the sock.

 

I don't wear jeans any more, because I don't like the way they feel.

I wear a swimsuit when I want to. Which is rare.

I will wear socks if my feet are cold.

 

I commend women who follow their convictions. I'm not surprised to see such commitment to conservative ways of dress. I don't share the exact same convictions as do some of our other readers who haven't posted, but I admire these ladies nonetheless.

I'm a teacher in the public schools, and I notice fluctuations in style every year. For a few years we were inundated with a short shorts problem....then suddenly CAPRIS came into style. Finally a no-fuss alternative to short shorts.

 

Lea, I have thought and thought about your questions. I am one of the senior women on this board (maybe the oldest). But that does not mean that my opinion is the correct one. It is just that.... my opinion based on my beliefs.

Like most of the other women here, I believe that it is up to each women to decided what is correct for her to wear. I prefer to wear dresses and skirts most of the time when I go to church, a business meeting, sometimes shopping, etc. But I do wear jeans (lose fitting) because I want comfort. I wear shorts around the house.

I would never wear anything that would embarrass my husband, children, or grandchildren.

My basic answer to you is that you will have to decide what is appropriate for you to wear. I know that doesn't help answer your question.


(Edited to correct bold and unbold text)

[ September 24, 2003, 05:53 PM: Message edited by: Thankful ]

 

OH! I hope I have "quoted" this right.

Jeans: I try them on, if they fit, I wear em.
Capris: As I am 5ft. 1 in, which is actually fudging a bit on the 1 in, I can not find capris to fit me. Even finding pants to fit me is a chore. True Story here: A friend and I decided to get a part time job to get a bit of extra money coming in. We went to work for Bath and Body Works for the Christmas season. the uniform was Khaki pants and a white shirt. After trying on pants for 3 hours, I in a fit of despair and embarassment finally bought a pair of capris in tall. Perfect fit. Now, how sad is that?
Leggins: I love them!!! I wear them in the winter with HUGE sweaters.
Shorts: Wear em year round. I tend to "run hot" so I wear shorts all the time unless I will be outside for an extended amount of time, and even then have been known to wear em anyway with a big sweatshirt. Trust me, you get funny looks when you walk your kids to the bus in 2 ft. of snow in Kansas with shorts on

Swimsuits: I live in Florida, 5 min. from the beach. The family owns a condo on a golf course with a pool. We "live" at the pool. Yes, I wear a swimsuit. I wear a "coverup" when not in the water.

Socks?: Personally, I HATE them. I wear them with my "granny boots", hiking boots, and most tennis shoes. But, I prefer to be barefoot.

 

I agree, Dina. swimsuits are for swimming in water and need to be covered up when one is out of the water.

 

Yes..I wear jeans...when I went on a mission trip this summer, I had to wear just skirts. In the island breeze, my ankle length skirt got blown WAY above my knees...now, I didn't plan that, but was fervently wishing I had those weights that they put in the bottom of baptismal robes. It would have been way more modest for me to wear jeans than to show everyone all that God had given me. "Unintentionally immodest"

As for shirts..I wear sleevless, but not spaghetti straps.

Shorts...when I babysit or when I work out..and that's about it. Other than that, a knee length skirt or "skort", capris, or jeans/khakis

Socks?? Well.....my friends call me the toe-sock queen. I have at least 10 different pairs. I love to wear "fun" socks..don't know why. On days that I have a big test, I wear a pair of toe socks that I've been given as a gift..not for luck, but to remind me that someone I love is praying for me. Silly huh?

Swimsuit..um..well, I have a pool..so yeah, I wear a swimsuit. I always have shorts on over it, b/c I always have people stopping in at my house. I tried to cut off a pair of jeans into shorts...and they were SO short..that they are now my "pool shorts" I wear them even when I'm tanning, because as short as they are, no one sees that part of my legs. LOL

 

I think God will let us know when we aren't dressing modestly. Sounds like every one is doing ok now as it is. I know a few summers ago I felt convicted not to wear tank tops in public, so I don't. But thats just me. It's not for everyone.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. We all come to different places at different times.

10 years ago, I didn't have a problem wearing a swim suit...8 years ago I didn't have a problem wearing shorts...6 years ago I didn't have a problem wearing jeans...5 years ago I didn't have a problem being sleeveless...3 years ago I didn't have a problem showing my calf...2 years ago I didn't have a problem wearing a modest v-neck...

Now I wear dress/skirts only, preferably down to my feet, never sleeveless and I feel terrible if you can see my collarbone , should I go swimming I would wear something similar to a wet suit with a long t-shirt that would come to my knees.

The thing is, it took a 10 year process to get me where I am today and the Lord only gave me what I could handle at the time.