Low-rise pants. Short shorts. Mini-skirts. Spaghetti-straps. Thongs (and I don't mean the shoe). Low-cut shirts. See-through shirts. Tight shirts. Pants with writing on the butt. Shirts with writing on the chest, for that matter. Ladies and gentlemen, modesty is dead.
It has recently been brought to my attention that I am not as modest as I am trying to be. Despite my best efforts, people are seeing more of my skin than I would like. That annoys me to no end. It's bad enough that I'm constantly feeling the need to tug at my clothes to make them stay put. But I apparently can't bend over, squat down, kneel, etc. without flashing someone. If you have been a recepient of this, I apologize. I'm not trying to play the role of seductress here.
I'm annoyed but am I surprised? Not one bit. With pants getting lower and shirts getting tighter and higher (on the bottom. Lower up top.), it's no wonder I've been "showing the goods". I've tried to find ways around this. I buy shirts larger than I normally would. I wear belts. I wear jackets or zip-up long-sleeved shirts. If you see me in a skirt, there's a 99% chance I have something akin to shorts underneath. I wear tank tops under my other shirts. But I guess it's not enough.
I was already self-concious about all this. (After Lord knows how many talks in how many Bible studies and youth group meetings about modesty, how could I not be?) I do not want to cause my brother to stumble. I do not want to be stared or whistled at because they can see more of my body than I intend. I do not want a guy interested in me for that.
Maurice and I took his boys and my sister to the pool yesterday. Mikayla wanted me to get in the big pool with her. That required walking to the other side of the pool. So I shimmied out of my shorts and quickly wrapped a towel around my waist. Maurice started laughing and said I was too adorable. I, of course, was like, "What?!" His reply? I feel like I need to walk in front of you saying, "All men advert your eyes! Lauren is coming through!" (The fact that I almost took him up on it is something I didn't tell him.) It's not that my bathing suit is immodest (as bathing suits go, anyway. I feel like I'm naked but comparatively speaking, I'm ok.) I just do not like being in front of people with that little clothing on.
But back to normal, everyday clothes. Ladies, am I the only one with this problem? I don't know what the deal is. I don't want to look "homeschooled" but I also don't want to dress like a slut. I am truly at my wits end. Those long camisoles that just came into style? Those would be great, except they don't look good on me. So I am at a loss. Any ideas, other than nunnery? ;-)
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
that has been my biggest problem(not with you) when I am at work, or hell, when I am at certain churches.
During the receiving of the eucharist, I am trying to meditate upon the fact that christ is in me through the sacrament, and there is a really good looking walking by with barely anything on. Jesus, hot girl, Jesus, hot girl.
It's the same way at work. There are certain neighborhoods we go through where we have to go past the swimming pool. Two weeks ago there was this chick there whose two piece barely covered anything, and she had her legs spread eagle. Yeah, I stared, then she saw me and gave me this dirty look. I'm thinking you are wearing nothing, and on top of that you are publicly advertising what do you think is going to happen?
Now, the responsibility is not one sided so I don't want to come off like "foul temptress"
While we guys need to have a chaste mindset, women need pay attention to what they are wearing as well.
I like your thoughts on this, and I have wanted to say something on a blog or a thread about this, but didn't know exactly how to word it to get my point across.
you should check out www.illwillpress.com click on toons, and click on "handmade clothes" basically says the same thing you're saying but it's funny, and more swearing :-)
Ideas--Well, um, do you sew? A friend of mine and I were seriously considering designing clothing for more modest women... stuff that resembles the current style/fashion but is cut in such a way that it's respectable. But we need to find people to help out with it if we were to take it up. There's more and more of a need for that kind of thing, though... especially among women our age. My roommie and I have had this exact same discussion quite a number of times.
~Crystal
I don't know... I guess I haven't found this to really be that much of a problem. Yes, there are plenty of clothes out there that are low-cut, high-cut, low-rise, etc. And there are plenty of girls that wear them, so obviously they're going to keep making them. But I don't really have much of a problem finding clothes that are modest as well. I mean, it depends on your definition of modest, I guess. It doesn't seem necessary to completely cover up your body and wear loose-fitting clothing all the time in an attempt to keep your brother from stumbling. Or to sew your own clothes, for that matter. I mean, if you want to, great. I'm just saying I don't think it's necessary if that's your only reason.
Maybe I just don't dress in style, I don't know. I mean, my jeans don't go all the way up past my waist, and I'm sure my back shows every now and then. When I can tell this, I tug my shirt down or lean back on something in an effort to fix that. And sometimes I have to be careful to pull the neck of my shirt up in front when I'm leaning over or something. But guys are going to be tempted to think about stuff no matter how we dress. I'm not saying you should go out and buy all those immodest clothes, obviously. But I think there's a balance, and I think that you can find clothes that fit into that balance.
I am a 52-year-old woman. I was born in North Dakota and have lived in California more than half my life. I don't have any daughters or granddaughters, but if I did, this is what I'd say to them.
The other day, as I saw, for probably the thousandth time, a woman get out of her car, jerk her pants up and her shirt down to cover the inevitable gap, I thought I'd Google around and see what people are saying about these styles that have been in vogue for such a long time now, and I came across your blog.
You claim you're self-conscious about your clothes, but if you would shop somewhere other than places that cater to the twenty-somethings, you would find plenty of clothes that aren't so revealing. Major brand jeans come in many rises, including ones that come up to just below the waist (Levi's 515). You can also wear a long top (read, "longer than the top of your jeans") layered under the shorter tops. Clothes don't have to be skin tight--try misses clothing instead of juniors.
I see a lot of the look you describe, including several layers of tank tops with lingerie straps showing, exposed bellies and cleavage, tattoos, piercings, etc. That look says one word to me, and I'll let you guess what it is.
I guess I'm old fashioned, but I can't help but wonder what message you are trying to give with your profile and the picture you chose to post. Maybe you are so used to such fashions that you think the top you are wearing is modest, but it's not! Trust me, your blog, your picture, and this soft porn comment you chose to post from "ron" are plenty titillating, and frankly, I see nothing Christian in it. And I'm not even a devout Christian!
I used to think the fashion industry was playing a joke on American women, who just kept getting fatter and cramming themselves into ever tighter, more revealing clothes. However, those clothes aren't even in style any more, and yet American women keep wearing them no matter how bad they look. Maybe it's because celebrities, who can afford personal trainers and surgery and spas, are able to carry them off. But these clothes are all wrong for the rest of us. And for the girls who are young and slim enough to wear them, they are much too seductive.
Really, how many more years must we look at all this ugly flesh before American women get a clue?
Post a Comment